Happy Birthday to Bradley Pierce, 31.
Plenty of good stuff:
1. Timothy Lee on why the the Healthcare.gov problems may take plenty of time to solve.
2. But I agree with Josh Barro: if it's correct that the "backend" problems have been solved, that's a very big deal.
3. Jamelle Bouie on "Many Rivers to Cross."
4. A good rundown of post-shutdown polling and recent ACA polling from the HuffPollster team.
5. Ross Douthat on what (some) conservatives would like to see if ACA fails.
6. Republicans fighting back against Tea Partiers, from Jessica Taylor and Suzy Khimm.
7. And Marin Cogan tracks what the press expected of Ted Cruz vs. the actual Tail Gunner Ted we got.
Anything to say about the Lincecum extension or is that waiting for a Friday baseball post?
ReplyDeleteCogan is a dishonest hack. Consider her elaboration of the differences between Rubio and Cruz:
ReplyDelete"Rubio worked ... to pass sweeping, bipartisan reform on one of the most important political issues in the country, immigration reform. Cruz ... led a quixotic charge on the Senate floor [to defund Obamacare]."
So, flatulent verbiage aside, the only difference is that the leftist shill Cogan likes the policy pursued by Rubio, but not the one pursued by Cruz. Rubio's efforts to pass immigration reform were nothing if not quixotic - thank goodness.
To Tea Party ignoramuses, of course, anyone to the left of Heinrich Himmler is a leftist.
DeleteThe Senate passed an immigration reform bill. It failed to pass a "defund Obamacare bill." The Senate bill could probably pass in the House today (or at least get to conference, which I'm sure you fear), if Boehner allowed a vote. The Obamacare defunders in the House were never able to get enough Repub votes to even pass a "defund" bill out of the House.
DeleteRegardless of what the flatulent shills think about the merits of either course of action, only one had, or has, a chance of success. One policy is being pursued by Repubs to broaden their base, the other made Repubs less popular than flatulence in a crowded elevator. It's not that Rubio is quixotic and Cruz isn't, it's more the case that you see making the windmills cower in fear as an end in itself.
Yeah, brother Anon, I think there might just be some difference between trying to pass a law with a realistic chance of success, and posturing to repeal settled law that's already passed both houses and the supreme court, by means of threats to the national and global economy.
DeletePonnuru talks to a disquieted Republican Senator:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-21/a-republican-senator-doubts-his-party-can-govern.html
"This senator -- who requested anonymity so he could describe the party’s problems candidly..."
DeleteThat Fraidy-Cat Conference right there.
Pat -- I was going to include that one, but ran out of time/energy. Agree it's interesting.
DeleteAbsolutely! What I found completely horrifying in that article was the off-hand comment, by a Republican, that had they controlled both Houses last month they would not have been able to pass anything!
ReplyDeleteOn the health care website -- You don't think this program has been hacked already? Certainly would seem to be a major target for enemies or even the curious....
ReplyDelete