The Clip I Hope We'll See a Lot

So, the Health Care Summit has come and gone. The consensus seems to be, at least among libs, that Obama looked like the most competent, informed person in the room but that it's uncertain where things will go from here. Certainly, the summit showed the dozens of viewers that the GOP will not budge. But, for the rest of world, it's going to come down to coverage.

Most suspect that Obama's schooling of McCain will get a lot of play, but I hope this clip gets some prominent air time as well. It really gets at substance:

Walmart and Local, Organic Produce

This month's Atlantic has an interesting article about Walmart's forays into local, organic produce. The author was skeptical, figuring it was just green washing, but Walmart is actually stocking a lot of local, organic produce now. I guess they wanted a slice of that market and realized that while they may pay a little more for the product they save a bundle on shipping when they buy local. Given their buying power, Walmart could actually provide a major boost to local, sustainable agriculture. And, because many operate in food deserts, they may be helping lower income people eat healthier. Who knew?

Pawlenty Kicks Hornets Nest in Search of Votes

A day after a troubled man killed himself by flying his plane into a building in Austin, Texas that housed the local IRS offices, leaving behind a web-based suicide note in which he railed against government and taxes, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty riled up the CPAC crowd by saying that we need to "take a page out of her [Elin Nordegren's] playbook and take a nine iron and smash the window of big government in this country." I'm generally hesitant to blame political leaders for the violence of some of their extreme followers, but this does seem dangerous to me.

Between Barack and a Hard Place

The Washington Monthly has an interesting post today on the GOP's dilemma regarding Barack's HRC summit. As of now, only one GOPer has said he'll attend. The rest are dragging their heels. As the Washington Monthly describes it, they're in a real bind: if they go, they'll look bad because their proposals are empty; if they don't go, they'll look bad because they will have turned away an olive branch (which they demanded).

I agree with the Washington Monthly that it might be better for us if they don't go. It would be very hard for the media to depict that as anything other than the GOP refusing to participate in the process. Maybe such a blatant snub would tick off Dems enough to get them moving.

Happy Birthday, Stimulus Bill!

Maybe you weren't big enough, but you very well may have kept us out of a much deeper decline. As the NYT tells it today, you maintain or added 1.6 to 1.8 million jobs and will ultimately probably yield about 2.5 million. Thanks for being you.

Possibly the Real Reason Dave Feels Sick at Work Today

I actually came across this article from the Sunday NYT Magazine late, but have been following the general story for a while. Basically, an archconservative bloc on the Texas State Board of Education is leading an effort to re-write the states social studies standards to better align with their agenda. It's all of the Christian nation, rah-rah-Reagan stuff we've come to know and love. Er, fear. Anyhow, it's a big, big deal because Texas, due to its size and the way it buys books (well explained in the article), pretty much determines the content for every textbook in the nation.

The stuff making me feel lightheaded? Well, that's actually the lingering effects of a case of flu or Jeff Davis' Revenge picked up in Atlanta last week. But, the bits about my company kow-towing to the Texas conservatives didn't help.

Bayh not running

Bayh apparently isn't running for re-election. Not too much a surprise. Dave, what do you think?

"Republican Elite:" Idiots or just Liars (or, both!)

Esquire mag this month publishes a poll of 75 "republican elites" (defined as "seventy-five leaders of the GOP — current and former members of Congress, former Cabinet officials, state elected officials, county party chairmen, and GOP bigwigs from across the country"). Among the findings:
-78% think Obama is a Socialist
-29% think Obama "may be the worst president we've ever had."

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/features/republican-party-survey-0310?click=esq_new#ixzz0fZhJVXfL

And this is why I love that Obama is inviting them to the discuss HRC. Pull them in, ask them to explain themselves, then (gawd, this better happen) expose them for the shallow pile of fuck that they are.

My Crush on Gail Collins Intensifies

So I just found out that Gail Collins (Hip, Hip, Hooray!) and David Brooks (Boo, Hiss!) have a weekly online chat where all the world can watch as Collins very cleverly, very methodically, shreds Brooks to pieces. Washington Monthly posted the following from their most recent chat:

David Brooks: Gail, there I was watching the snow drift down on the Brooks estate in suburban Maryland last Saturday, when suddenly, after some spluttering and coughing, I was without power. Now I know how the Republicans feel.

Gail Collins: David, I think the Republican analogy would work only if your next step was to barricade yourself in the power station, turn off service to all the people who did have power and announce that nobody was going to do anything until the company promised to build its next generator on your block and employ all your family, friends and neighbors at handsome salaries to do the assembling. But I'm sorry, you were saying about the snow...

This dialogue will now be a must-read for me every Wednesday.

Virginia Delegates Strike a Blow Against Brave New World, Satan

As reported in this Washington Monthly post, the Virginia House of Delegates just passed a bill forbidding employers and insurance companies from implanting microchips on people without their consent. Mind you, no employer or insurance company has yet attempted to implant any Virginians with microchips (that we know of). The VA House is just forward-thinking that way.

Here's where things get Jesus-freaky: while the chief sponsor of the bill wrote it to defend Virginians' privacy, some delegates passed the bill to protect humanity from the antichrist. As they explained it, some fear that these microchips could be used as the "mark of the beast" described in Revelations. Not so fast, Satan! You have to get up pretty early in the morning to fool Virginians.

Oh, and Georgia's legislature is apparently prepared to follow suit. Sheesh.