Marjorie Margolies, whose career-ending vote Karen recently recounted, describes rock bottom in a Washington Post column addressed to wavering Dems. I was pressed on all sides: by constituents opposed, my president needing a victory and Republicans promising my demise. I was in the country’s most Republican district represented by a Democrat. I had repeatedly said [...]
The excellent Anthony Shadid reports today that the followers of Muqtada al-Sadr made significant gains in the recent Iraqi elections. If true, this really complicates matters. Sadr, the son of a noted cleric, is a mysterious, radical figure whose militia, the Mahdi Army, was among the most powerful during the civil war…until it was defeated [...]
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza –As Michael mentioned, the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll (pdf) shows a little movement on health reform opinions in Obama’s favor, but it is mostly consistent with recent surveys showing a nation split on the merits of the plan. Pollster Peter Hart suggests the 21-point enthusiasm gap could [...]
As Michael notes, hypocrisy is a well-established parliamentary procedure: 2010: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer on the idea of passing health care with a self-executing rule: The House Democratic leader, Representative Steny H. Hoyer, also defended the maneuver on Tuesday. “It is consistent with the rules,” Mr. Hoyer said. “It is consistent with former practice.” [...]
There’s a real chicken-and-egg conundrum going on up on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers are clamoring to see the final health care legislation. But their leaders can’t settle on a bill until they know it gets a favorable “score” from the Congressional Budget Office. But the Congressional Budget Office can’t issue its number until it has a [...]
Norm Ornstein, the congressional scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, says succinctly what must be said (and what others on Swampland have been saying): Hypocrisy is a well established parliamentary procedure in America. Any veteran observer of Congress is used to the rampant hypocrisy over the use of parliamentary procedures that shifts totally from one [...]
From the new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, released tonight: From what you have heard about Barack Obama’s health care plan, do you think his plan is a good idea or a bad idea? If you do not have an opinion either way, please just say so. Good idea ………………….. 36 Bad idea ……………………. 48 Do [...]
