Another week in which some obvious things take the forefront: Libya (and etc.) and Wisconsin (and etc.). I suppose I do think that some of the commentary on Wisconsin is a bit more apocalyptic than the events can justify, but yes, it's a legitimately important battle, I think.
What else? I'm not sure what I have, so I'll just send it to you: what do you think happened this week that matters?
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
The latest steps on the road to the possible shutdown of the Federal Government mattered somewhat, although we'll get to see if it really mattered next week. And even then; not every government shutdown is a 1995 shutdown, so it will take time for its importance to develop.
ReplyDeleteDOJ/Obama's decision not to defend DOMA.
ReplyDeleteAnother step on the road to equality for all.
zic chose a good one. The decision not to continue to defend DOMA is going to have a lot of positive consequences in a lot of people's lives. For instance, I know Social Security has been planning for this (allowing spouses' and widow(er)s' benefits for married gay couples) since soon after Obama was sworn in. Actually putting that into operation is going to have a dramatic effect on many's lives.
ReplyDeleteSince I still think the likely outcome of the shutdown debate is a couple of temporary continuing resolutions until the details get hammered out, I don't think it's going to wind up all that important. Though if the govt. shuts down, things will get awful ugly. So it could well be next week's what mattered this week.
My guess with Wisconsin is that its biggest impact will be on Wisconsin's politics. While it looked for a second as if it might be the beginning of a trend, the blowback is scaring other states off and will keep the whole thing relatively isolated. With the caveat that I'm a terrible political prognosticator, I think Walker will become unpopular and Democrats will run with restoring collective bargaining as part of their platform.
As for Libya, it's probably the most important thing. But to be honest Foreign Countries:Some Guy (and most Americans)::Video games:Jonathan Bernstein.
Wisconsin. The swiftness with which popular opinion shifted against the GOP and against "union-busting" indicates that the political landscape is still very much in flux, and that the '10 Tea Party tsunami failed to permanently sway the public just as the '08 Democrat supermajorities failed to before it.
ReplyDeleteI also think that the Walker prank call mattered in the sense that the Koch Brothers are now public figures, and an enemy for liberals to rally against.