I was watching Fox News last night and saw Greta Van Susteren interview Evan Bayh. Long considered one of the Senate’s more moderate Democrats, Bayh announced back in December of 2008, shortly after Obama’s election, that he planned to form … Continue reading →
Evan Bayh has another ally in opposing the budget bill: Senator Robert Menendez from New Jersey, who is protesting a little item that was slyly slipped into the bill while no one was looking. Menendez, the son of Cuban immigrants, … Continue reading →
It remains to be seen whether these folks will actually end up blocking some of the worst excesses of Obama’s spending proposals. But I hope so; we could certainly use a few profiles in courage right now. Candidates for the … Continue reading →
I certainly haven’t read the stimulus bill. Few have, since it wasn’t posted as promised, and its length is extraordinary. But here’s a summary of its provisions that makes chilling reading. It illustrates why people (including me) were so incensed … Continue reading →
In the buildup to last November’s election I wasn’t an Obama fan, as anyone who reads this blog knows. But I was actually less concerned about Obama in the White House than about Obama in the White House plus the … Continue reading →
What’s the problem with the stimulus? According to Jeanne Cummings of Politico, it’s all about spin, and Obama doesn’t have the resources he used to command to get his message across. Say what? As President of the United States, he’s … Continue reading →
As the stimulus bill becomes more and more unpopular with the American public, the Republican Party seems for the moment to be the unexpected political beneficiary, because of their opposition to it. I haven’t read the bill myself, since it’s … Continue reading →
When governors have been called on to appoint senators in the past, they’ve tended to stick with party regulars and other established politicians. But I suppose, after the serious consideration given to neophyte Caroline Kennedy to replace Hillary Clinton, it … Continue reading →
I applaud yesterday’s attempt to inject poetry into the inaugural proceedings. But the poem that Elizabeth Alexander composed and read was trite, the sort of thing that helps me understand why many people decide they hate poetry. When I took … Continue reading →
I noticed this too: Joe Biden has been unusually invisible, even for a Vice-President elect. Usually, Vice Presidents are forgotten after their terms in office. Biden seems to be on track for being forgotten before he even takes office. His … Continue reading →
As you probably know, Illinois governor Blagojevich made a speech yesterday in which he conceded nothing and stated his intention to fight “until I take my last breath.” He also quoted that useful old chestnut, Kipling’s “If.” He says the … Continue reading →
It came as a surprise to me to hear that Caroline Kennedy is pushing to be appointed as the replacement for New York Senator Hillary Clinton. I had always been under the impression that Caroline was a quiet and retiring … Continue reading →