US POLITICS: AMERICANS, PLEASE WELCOME YOUR NEW PRESIDENT... SCOTT BROWN!

Also, it's not just the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, which iirc are a relatively small part of the overall defense budget. More is spent on stuff like building, maintaining and staffing bases all over the world in dozens of countries.

Notably, in a recession, tax revenues also fall, thereby exacerbating the problem noted above ("a lot of this is automatic") and contributing to the deficit and debt problem.

I've never seen Josh Marshall so subdued.

in other news, Cenk Uygur does a nice Taibbi stand-in by ripping Henry Paulson a new one wr2 Paulson's vomit on yesterday's Times editorial page:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psShP07gtyU

thanks for those links don and others, they gave me some nice background. I came to realize I was talking with people who essentially see any government spending on any social programs as funding a welfare state of drug addicts and who think the government is about to kick their doors down and take their guns, so i just ducked out of the debate. frighteningly I'm seeing more people that I thought were rational falling prey to teabagger mania; I know of one or two reasonable conservatives with less hyperbolic views but they are suddenly in the minority.

Looks like Paulson doing some kinda Masonic hand sign in that youtube still!

can't stand the young turks -- it's always so rambling that i can't figure out his main point. he should start by stating exactly what's been said and riff off afterwards.

he looses a lot of credibility by naming himself after genocide perpetrators, even if I do agree on his politics. But yeah, Keith Olbermann he is not (and as we've already established, even Olbermann is kind of longwinded).

bayh is such an awful and insincere speaker, i have no idea how he ever won an election

nepotism & $$

so there is a big push now to get healthcare with a public option pushed through the senate with reconciliation, with something like 16 senators already declaring support. does anyone think they have a chance in hell of pulling this off? are there 51 votes for this?

I'd say the chances are pretty low due to Harry Reid's being a fucktard

dunno that reid has anything to do with it--its a last ditch effort by a bunch of idiots to reestablish their 'progressive' bonafides before the election, and also cover their asses in the event that hcr doesnt go anywhere

Reid's cooperation would be required to bring it to a vote, and he's not going to bring anything to a vote that he thinks won't pas

but yeah I agree this is primarily just political grandstanding

fienstein signed on which is kind of surprising to me.

I wonder if losing their super-majority has made Congressional Dems realize that they need to stop being jackasses and pass something substantial.

Klobuchar is more moderate than Franken and both of them are on it.

I wonder if losing their super-majority has made Congressional Dems realize that they need to stop being jackasses and pass something substantial.

I wouldn't bet any money on this...

i wish we didn't have to wonder

here's something else to get un-excited about:

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2010/02/democrats_coalescing_behind_ellsworth_in_indiana.php

Democrats Coalescing Behind Ellsworth In Indiana

With the White House's encouragement, Rep. Brad Ellsworth, former sheriff, pro-life Dem, will soon announce that he intends to run for Senate in Illinois -- Evan Bayh's seat, Democratic officials said. An announcement won't come today.

"Contrary to some media reports, I have not made a decision about whether to run for the U.S. Senate. I am continuing to talk with my family and Hoosiers throughout Indiana about where I can best serve our state," Ellsworth said through a spokesperson.

"Put simply, this is a decision I don't take lightly. I want to make sure whatever decision I make is the right one for my family, my constituents, and the state of Indiana. Tomorrow, I will wrap up my annual Open Door Listening Tour, which took me through all 18-counties of the 8th District. At that point, I will have more time to devote to giving this great responsibility the serious consideration it deserves."

Ellsworth cuts a great profile for the state -- though he voted for health care reform, he voted against the stimulus package in the House and voted against cap and trade legislation to boot.

Great campaigner, young, attractive guy -- strong on second amendment issues. Popular within the Democratic caucus. Supported by the Democratic establishment. Ellsworth's impending announcement was first hinted at by Howey Politics Indiana. He faces a noon Friday deadline due to Indiana's ballot access rules. Officially, the primary is May 4 -- but absent candidates who turn in enough signatures, the state party gets to choose.

Former Sen. Dan Coats remains the likely Republican nominee.

kinda pathetic that they can't keep Indiana and Illinois straight there

too many straights in Indiana imo.

Indiana is pretty conservative, odds of getting anyone leftier than Bayh elected are pretty low

? what do you mean re: illinois?

i'm a little more pissed that ambinder uses the phrase "strong on second amendment issues" -- whether ellsworth is pro- or anti-gun control, well, it's no guess what "strong" is supposed to mean, right?

xp to shakey

oh 1st sentence, whoops

Rep. Brad Ellsworth, former sheriff, pro-life Dem

zero-tolerance for these types, I know some of you small-gainser types advocate a big tent about this stuff but a Democrat who'll vote against choice (int'l funding of birth control; sex ed; important issues) should be actively opposed imo

it's no guess what "strong" is supposed to mean, right?

I assumed it means he belongs to the local militia

I know some of you small-gainser types advocate a big tent about this stuff

I basically don't give a shit who wins Indiana, cuz its a foregone conclusion its gonna be a white right-wing guy. because that is who that state likes to elect. whether or not its a Democrat, eh who cares.

tbh I am perfectly fine with being categorically opposed to the entire concept of Indiana

was it the record Klan membership that pushed you over the edge

(struggling to think of anything cool that's ever come from Indiana - besides a lone trumpet-playing buddy)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Vonnegut

The Jackson 5

arguably, Larry Bird

other than that, nuke the place

zero-tolerance for these types, I know some of you small-gainser types advocate a big tent about this stuff but a Democrat who'll vote against choice (int'l funding of birth control; sex ed; important issues) should be actively opposed imo

― Lee Dorrian Gray (J0hn D.), Thursday, February 18, 2010 2:21 PM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark

well he will be actively opposed, by dan coats.

the only good thing you could say about evan bayh was that he was more liberal than his state, by a little. whoever replaces him, no matter which party, will be a little worse, or a lot. great!

arguably, Larry Bird

it is arguable that Larry Bird is cool

it is arguable that he has a chin

oh dip Larry Bird.

oh dip Larry Bird.

debtor in possession?

So is this anti-IRS domestic terrorist attack going to take the wind out of the sails of the Tea Party?

(struggling to think of anything cool that's ever come from Indiana - besides a lone trumpet-playing buddy)

Carole Lombard

So is this anti-IRS domestic terrorist attack going to take the wind out of the sails of the Tea Party?

nah. but it will likely be a long-term stain on the "tea-party" movement, and hopefully harden everyone else's views against it.

no, it won't slow them down one bit

David Letterman? xxp

no, it won't slow them down one bit

^^^this. kinda foolish to assume a troublesome annoyance like reality would impact the Teabaggers at all

Best we can hope for is a one-week neeeeeeevermind from their media fans.

I was born in Indiana btw you fuxx & I am fillin out yr cards