DKDC's Blog

DKDC Commented on Associated Press Continues To Insist Dem Health Care Bill Costs $1.5 Trillion]]> by Brian Beutler

2009-07-16T15:52:53Z

The AP story has now been "updated" and repeats the $1.5 trillion figure TWICE, so they are digging in their heels. Let them know how you feel at info@ap.org

DKDC Commented on The Face Of The Sotomayor Opposition by Brian Beutler

2009-05-28T19:38:23Z

Recently saw Curtis Levey for the first time and was very disappointed - Wendy Long wins by a long shot. Unhinged look about the eyes and the overall appearance of a woman who just escaped from a burning building.

DKDC Commented on Republicans and the media by DKDC

2009-05-21T18:18:35Z

One additional thought - let me stress the proactivity. If you see King on CNN this morning and you're the Dem Chair or a Dem strategist or whatever, you call them up and give them hell. Tell them Dems control Congress and you want so-and-so on next time, and make sure so-and-so is available and has some media training.

DKDC Commented on Republicans and the media by DKDC

2009-05-21T18:13:11Z

I still think there might be reasons of availability here - it is always easier to just keep calling the same old numbers you've been calling for line-ups, and there are lots of Republican numbers on speed dials all over town. If they call the Chair instead of the Ranking Member and the chair can't make it or doesn't want to, that's an issue. I still have a suspicion that, majority or no, King makes himself freely available for any and all TV spots while Chairman Thompson just doesn't seem to be very proactive on that front.

And when I say "make good TV" that doesn't Dems should go on and lie or have their heads explode - Barney Frank is a good example. He makes himself available and is very quick and witty, bookers know that they're likely to get him to cut someone down to size or say something funny so they continue to ask him back.

DKDC Commented on Republicans Compare Public Option To Hurricane Katrina by Brian Beutler

2009-05-20T17:17:44Z

Someone also should point out that the reference itself is moronic - "Katrina" was not incompetent. In fact, as hurricanes go, she displayed remarkable competence. The reference should be to the RESPONSE to Katrina.

DKDC Commented on Harkin: Compromise On EFCA Or Else by Brian Beutler

2009-05-20T14:34:14Z

Forget pressuring Blanch, being anti-union in Ark is never a hindrance and her Republican opponent is, shall we say, not too much of a threat

DKDC Commented on UPDATED: Source: "EIT" Term Wasn't In Use When Pelosi Was Briefed by Zachary Roth

2009-05-19T17:21:27Z

This sounds like it hits the nail on the head - the actual CIA briefing notes are still classified and the CIA has refused to release them. The "document" in question is a declassified summation of those notes made at a later (when we don't exactly know) date.

Pelosi is telling the truth - the CIA did not say at the 2002 briefing that waterboarding was being employed. What she is afraid of--as her performance last week suggests and this source confirms--is that she didn't follow up at the briefing and probe more deeply about what exactly was being done. This was 2002, the days of piss-your-pants fear of terrorism, with Republicans lording their alpha-male "response" to 9/11 over Dems and well on their way to wiping the floor with them in the next two elections. Minority members like Pelosi weren't about to make waves and ask questions, at least as long as the CIA wasn't standing up there and admitting they were waterboarding the bejeezus out of people (and I believe Pelosi, Rickefeller and Graham--they didn't admit to it in those briefings).

If this is correct, Pelosi is telling the truth and the actual notes back her up. And once the truth is out, Newt and Boehner's completely over-the-top statements will finally show them for the fat braying jackasses that they are.

DKDC Commented on Arkansas GOP Senate Candidate Apologizes For Calling Schumer "That Jew" by Eric Kleefeld

2009-05-14T20:43:09Z

Come back Blanche, all is forgiven - with this guy as the opposition you could endorse FOCA, support gay marriage and propose massive tax hikes and still win next year by a landslide.

DKDC Commented on Poll: Texas Republicans Approve Of Rick Perry's Secession Remarks by Eric Kleefeld

2009-04-23T20:29:47Z

Let's get the ball rolling with a time-honored and tested trick practiced on several occasions by previous (Republican) Administrations: start impounding Texas' share of federal highway funds.

That should help get those patriots off the teat of Washington dependency and on the road to freedom.

DKDC Commented on Poll: Minnesotans Want Coleman To Concede, Franken To Be Seated by Eric Kleefeld

2009-04-16T15:31:23Z

Not to be too much of a nitpicker, but saying that "full representation in the U.S. Senate is not a luxury -- it is a constitutional right afforded to all Americans" sounds kinda funny to us DC residents...

DKDC Commented on Bachmann: "Do We Want To Be Free, Or Do We Want To Be Slaves?" by Eric Kleefeld

2009-04-03T18:30:00Z

Free, of course! Free to quit Congress and go far, far away to an island where the voices can't find me. Go on now, get crackin'

DKDC Commented on Kaine And Steele Both Predict Win In NY-20 by Eric Kleefeld

2009-04-01T17:33:50Z

How bout you check this report:

For that reason Republicans bet heavily on the race, with Republican National Committee Michael Steele pumping money and resources into the district, and the National Republican Congressional Committee pouring in $818,000 on top of that. Their efforts were aided by conservative groups, led by the National Republican Trust PAC, which spent an additional $819,000.

National Democrats spent considerably less, led by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which spent $591,000. The party’s allies in the labor movement assisted Murphy’s get-out-the-vote effort.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20748.html

DKDC Commented on Will the Grassroots Drop their Anti-Blue Dog Campaigns? by Brian Beutler

2009-03-30T20:56:58Z

OK, prerequisite disclaimers: not a fan at all of these "Blue Dogs," and not a defender of Reid.

Having said that - I'm really not sure what the big deal is. Seems to me the progressive groups are making a pragmatic decision, not because they're cowed but because they believe there will be bigger fish to fry. Certianly not all of the administration's wish list is going to get enacted, but this is going to be a budget everyone can live with.

More importanly, it could be a fantastic opportunity to get an at least somewhat progressive slant to spending priorities reinstituted in Congress, and leave the whining nay-saying Republicans in the dust. That would be ultimately more beneficial to progressive causes right now, and I think these groups sense that.

Let's try that for a while, then after a few years of success we can all declare a huge civil war on each other to determine whether there is a 7 or 10 percent increase in nondiscretionary spending....

DKDC Commented on Fed Fight: Viewing the AIG Fallout From Dodd's End by Elana Schor

2009-03-20T18:43:40Z

On purpose or not, I think it's also more likely that Dodd is a convenient fall guy exactly because of his weak political position in CT. In other words, I'm wondering if he has already decided not to run again next year, and either he himself or others figures better him getting the blame than someone who has a future in politics after next year. He's been in the Senate for 30 years now, been committee chair, and there's really no where to go from where he is now, so wouldn't suprise me if he's decided to get out (and left himself open to fall guy status because of it).

DKDC recommended Time to Buy! by Josh Marshall

2009-03-17T15:39:16Z

DKDC Commented on Lobbyists shaping the direction of health insurance reform in the Senate, in meetings behind closed doors, with Kennedy and Obama's blessing by artappraiser

2009-02-23T18:35:09Z

I remain confused by all the talk about a single-payer plan. Personally I would prefer one too, but it seems like if you really wanted a single-payer plan you would've voted for the candidate who proposed that. Obama's health plan was never single=payer and he made no excuses for that.

As for the hysteria about this article - Kennedy started this process well before Obama ever even got elected. That is his perogative, it will be the HELP Committee "chairman's mark." It also won't be the only bill in town - the Senate Finance Committee will have a mark, there will undoubtedly be other proposals in the House, etc. One piece of gristle does not a sausage make.

And bless your hearts if you think anyone can come up with a bill that has a snowball's chance in hell without at least some input from the dreaded "lobbyists," particularly AHIP. Yes, I hate them too, but I also hate Kid Rock and Obama hasn't done a thing about getting rid of him either.

DKDC Commented on "El Rushbo" Called Out: By A Republican! by steve katz

2009-02-10T19:11:32Z

I'm not so sure Rush really has an audience of 20 million, I think it's actually 10 million extremely large people.

DKDC Commented on I ________ Having Voted No Will Not Accept Any Funds From Stimulus Bill by coonsey

2009-02-06T19:56:14Z

Dang - should have read your post before I wrote mine! but great minds think alike

DKDC Commented on Gregg Recuses Himself From Voting on Stimulus by Elana Schor

2009-02-04T19:59:43Z

If the issue really were just "not voting while my nomination is pending" the solution would have been simple - wait a week before nominating him. But I think Gregg told Obama he wouldn't vote for the stimulus, and rather than have that fiasco on his hands they announced the nomination and Gregg says he won't vote while it's pending. Problem is, if that's correct, no one played hardball - sit the mother down and tell him he gets Commerce and gets to play Mr. Entitlement Reform IF he votes for the stimulus, then gets nominated. No deal, no play.

I was under the obviously MISTAKEN impression that that was how they did business in Chicago....

DKDC Commented on Kyl: When We Say 'Bipartisan,' We Mean Dems Need to Agree With Us by Elana Schor

2009-01-29T19:09:47Z

I think what Kyl means here is not approving Republican amendments to existing legislation per se - he is complaining that the minority had no initial say in crafting the legislation. Which is how things often worked in the way-back time before REPUBLICANS started frequently crafting partisan legislation with no Dem input when they controlled the Senate, then claiming the process was bipartisan because Dems could offer amendments in mark-ups, which would be summarily voted down by the majority Republicans.

So Kyl's complaint is legitimate, and he is also a hyperpartisan arch-hypocrite for making it. If he wants "change" now, I suggest he win back the Senate for his party and make it happen.

DKDC Commented on Why is Burris on a pedestal? by November 5

2009-01-08T19:57:40Z

Thanks for posting this - I think Burris is acting like an asshat, and even though he will be seated eventually because it is legal that doesn't make it right.

I'd like to add one teensy other aspect to all the faux outrage being generated by this controversy - in addition to playing the most outrageous race cards I've ever seen, Burris and his supporters also have done a shameless job of promoting his quick seating so that Illinois doesn't have to go a single day longer with only one senator.

I live in DC - how about waiting over 200 years WITHOUT ANY SENATORS OR A REPRESENTATIVE!!!!!

thanks for letting me rant - yours,

Taxed Without Representation

DKDC Commented on Reid To Coleman: It's Over. Concede. by Eric Kleefeld

2009-01-05T18:35:23Z

Just so everyone's clear on this - I agree that Senate Dems have too often knuckled under to the threatened filibuster, but in several cases you need to consider what an actual filibuster would entail. In this case, it would tie up the Senate at the beginning of the Obama administration, and if it continued for a long period of time would delay things like nomination hearings.