Headline of the day (LA Times)

Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

Maybe the debt ceiling was the wrong place to pick a fight, as it related to trying to get our country’s house in order…maybe that was the wrong place to do it.
GOP Senator Bob Corker • In a shockingly frank admission that the Republicans overplayed their obstructionist hand. The phrase “pick a fight” implies antagonism for antagonism’s sake which, if one reflects on the Republican party’s behavior over the last three years, would seem an appropriate implication. Another Senate Republican, Lindsey Graham, had a similar confession: “Our problem is we made a big deal about this for three months…we’ve got nobody to blame but ourselves.” Yes, indeed. These confessions bode well for the prospects of a deal passing the Senate, but the House remains another question entirely. source

Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

And so my expectation, my hope is that John Boehner and Mitch McConnell will realize that there will be plenty of time to campaign for 2012 in 2012, and that our job this year is to make sure that we build on the recovery.
Barack Obama • Offering up a pretty solid statement of intent for 2011. Obama, whose vacation to Hawaii just ended, says that he expects some playing of politics in 2011 (McConnell has already promised it). “But I’m pretty confident,” he continued, “that they’re going to recognize that our job is to govern and make sure that we are delivering jobs for the American people and that we’re creating a competitive economy for the 21st century, not just for this generation but for the next one.” Wishful thinking? source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

A procedural failsafe that’s theoretically meant to protect the rights of minorities was just used to restrict the rights of minorities.
Ezra Klein • Regarding Democrats’ failure to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell today in the Senate. Klein is, of course, referring to the filibuster, which allows 41/100 Senators to block any legislation from passing. Note: According to Klein, this quote (or the spirit of it) originated from his ace intern, Dylan Matthews. source

Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

The fact is, this bill wouldn’t solve the problems that led to the financial crisis. It would make them worse. This bill not only allows for taxpayer-funded bailouts of Wall Street banks; it institutionalizes them.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell • Regarding the financial reform bill that the Democrats are trying to push through. Let’s go back in time and remind you that this is the guy whose entire political plan of attack involves disagreeing with the Democrats on everything – a plan which wasn’t enough to sideline the health care law. Democrats wanted to work with Republicans on the plan, by the way. (They’re still working behind the scenes.) Fellow Republican Bob Corker made an effort to work across the aisle, but he couldn’t get any help. A couple of weeks ago, in fact, we posted an article titled “Could financial reform be the GOP’s way out of ‘just say no?’” McConnell gave us our answer (at least from GOP leadership). No. source

Posted by Ernie Smith • 10 Comments • Permalink

17 Aug 2011 00:42