To follow-up on what Matt says here, it's especially dismaying to see Murray and Cantwell vote for the decrease in the estate tax. It's not as if they have to be frightened that voting against a tax giveaway to upper-upper-class heirs is going to cost...
congress
With respect to the question of whether the stimulus can get 60 votes, Drum outlines what the Democratic leadership should be thinking:If Republicans really did put up a united front.
In re the appointment of Judd Gregg to commerce, Beutler snarks:Surely Gregg’s desire to replace himself with somebody who will often oppose his new boss’s agenda is evidence of his.
Says it all, doesn't it? And, of course, good that the new Congress acted so quickly to overrule the odious Ledbetter decision. Although the Republican argument that civil rights are OK as long as nobody can enforce them is certainly very compelling!...while the link at...
Pelosi gets it:House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she didn’t come to Washington to be “bipartisan”, one day after shuttling through an $819 economic stimulus bill without a single Republican.
Another shocker; hopefully this will be a long overdue hint for Obama, the Senate and the conference committee to ignore the House Republicans altogether. On whether this lack of "bipartisanship".
Looks like the idea of stripping Joe Lieberman of his Homeland Security Chairmanship is being floated publicly. Obviously, given his stumping for McCain (including at the GOP convention), the Democratic leadership should show no mercy towards him; the only question is which punishment is most...
...Because after 2010, it's likely to get even harder to pass progressive legislation. Why? According to predictions, the 2010 census will lead to a shift in the allocation of seats.