The Washington Post today says that Obama’s “deficit reduction” speech will do so by “promoting a bipartisan approach pioneered by an independent presidential commission.” The Shrill One rightfully eviscerates this idea. But let’s not panic. Yet. Krugman says that the President will “more or less endorse” Simpson-Bowles. But that’s not what the article says; in [...]
Archive for the ‘2011 Democratic Agenda’ Category
Via Sullivan, someone named James C. Capretta says that in light of the Republicans’ attempt to end Medicare: with a Republican plan on the table, the media will surely start to ask Democrats, “Hey, where’s your plan?” This will force them to either come clean with their tax-hike vision, or become the party that pushed the [...]
A few years ago, Mark told me that it’s easy to be a blogger on the west coast: wait until 9 pm Pacific time, look at David Brooks’ column, and point out how idiotic it is. He was right; it IS easy. But today, it’s necessary. Today (or tomorrow?), Brooks, who favored the extensions of [...]
Over the past three years, we have experienced an amazing number of political, economic, and legislative trials. Have your views changed on anything important?
There is any easy way to reduce federal spending by $47 billion a year — it’s so easy, in fact, that no one can consider it.
The Pack has become of the world’s greatest franchises while rejecting traditional ownership models. Congress should look into replicating it for other teams.
Ending filibusters of executive branch appointments is such an obviously a good idea that no one is pushing it.
Bob Dineen, chief flack for the US biofuels industry, is delighted with the extension of the ethanol and biodiesel tax credits that ex-Illinois senator Obama didn’t filter out of the tax compromise. No, the Brazilians aren’t going to be relieved of the import duty that’s preventing us from using the one biofuel (their sugar cane [...]
Positions on the tax-cut debate are dividing across three separate dimensions. And on all of them, the differences among Democrats are slight compared to those between us and Republicans.