I am mystified by the strategy. She is being employed in ways that offer no hope for victory. If McCain/Palin is not playing to win, and are employing dishonorable tactics likely to diminish or end their political careers, what are they doing?

Posted at October 8, 2008 12:33 PM in response to Hazardous Duty

Certainly class warfare is part of what makes "conservatives" want to control government, but if that is their primary purpose, why are Republicans so bad at governance.

Posted at October 8, 2008 11:48 AM in response to Is it Markets, or is it Class?

I am not at all sure that "... capitalism, especially the Thatcherite model so beloved by conservatives ..." failed those it was intended to benefit: Bush's base. It failed the rest of us. It is up to us, then, to exercise our power. Fortuitously, we in the US are about to change our government. Our representatives are listening, new directions for departments like the Treasury are being formed. We must not just vote, we must communicate. Especially in the wake of a “relief” package based on conservative trickle down ideology that appears ineffectual except as a means to further enrich our elites, we must not “... wait to discover.” Now is the time to demand better capitalism, not by decrying the capitalists we have but by changing the rules under which they operate. If Gordon Brown's demonstration of economic competence can help Obama and the Democrats to find their footing on this, he will have done Britain and the world a great service.

Posted at October 8, 2008 11:31 AM in response to The Labor Party in the UK Returns to its Roots?

Not just devastation, the Bush/Cheney policy of partisan hires has packed our government with ideologues dedicated to thwarting democratic (and Democratic) rule. Even if Obama can weed out the worst of these (not easy), they will slow the next Administratioon during the key first years when real change is possible.

Posted at October 7, 2008 12:55 PM in response to Five Aspects of the Conservative State

But that assumes that the purpose of the plan was to make a difference to the country as a whole. There is ample reason to doubt.

Posted at September 28, 2008 3:28 AM in response to Paulson Net

Marcus made left a few facts out that would have made the case more strongly, but the biggest problem with the column was that she did not state the obvious conclusion - she left it as a question. McCain is embracing his lies and going beyond plausible deniability (the Karl Rove standard). He has made that the centerpiece of his campaign and therefore he is telling us that this is how his capacity to govern should be judged. Therefore, Marcus should say what she and we all know, he will govern with lies. That makes him unfit for the office. Even his base should reject the prospect of four more years of the disaster that brings.

Posted at September 17, 2008 5:47 PM in response to Great article about false symmetry of dishonesty between campaigns

For the worst lying politicians, deliberate and obvious lies are a loyalty test. Those who go along, are demonstrating loyalty. Those who object are disloyal. There is an element of this here, regarding the MSM. Who is a loyal Republican? Just check out how the Bridge to Nowhere nonsense is being covered. Any journalist that is unwilling to brand that the lie that it is has just declared himself/herself to be totally in the tank for Republicans. It's not a slip, not an example of laziness, not following the herd. McCain is using the lie for other purposes as well, but take names because it's a test too.

Posted at September 14, 2008 9:24 PM in response to Very few

I would like to see Hillary lead the charge for health care reform (passage not administration) and then fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. She is an extraordinarily gifted politician, and very few people can match her analytic ability. That would give her a legacy at least as lasting as Bill's and engage her meaningfully for decades. It also plays to her interests and strengths. Her campaign proved that she is not interested in, or good at, administration.

Posted at September 14, 2008 7:50 AM in response to I'D GIVE MY LEFT FRONT PAW FOR DEMS TO SEE THE BIG PICTURE

I am not surprised to learn that Caldwell was a better interviewer than Gibson. Part of Caldwell's strength might come from the perspective that a little distance from Washington gives. While the national press corps has institutionalized fawning towards the Senator, McCain couldn't get elected to dogcatcher here.

Posted at September 11, 2008 10:38 PM in response to McCain Gets Questioned--By a Local Reporter!--and Staggers

The reason the distinction is important is to frame the argument for prosecution of criminal acts by the current occupants of senior government positions, and prosecutions of those with whom they conspired. The call to accept pardons and move on for the good of the country should be seen as enabling the next group of thieving plutocrats, or giving the understudies to the current criminals their turn. Galbraith's argument is really not new, if it allows the concept of creeping fascism to enter U. S. mainstream political discourse then it is a useful contribution.

Posted at August 12, 2008 3:12 PM in response to Social Origins of the American Corporate Predator State