The Commentariat -- November 19
Austan Goolsbee, Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, discusses the rebirth of the American auto industry:
Art from Oleg Volk.Jim Fallows has several posts on the TSA body scans. One includes a copy of this letter from James Ehrler, a former airlines pilot, to his Senator, Amy Klobuchar. Here's a snippet of Ehrler's letter, but I recommend your reading the entire letter:
... if I were to tell you that 30,000 people were dying every year in the air you would be appalled and demand something be done.... Now, obviously, this is not happening in the air but it is happening on the roads *every year*. And we *can* stop that bloodshed! How? By limiting vehicles to no more than 10mph. ... Yet we, as a society, are *not* willing to do that because we *are* willing to make cost/benefit tradeoffs.
Scott Wilson of the Washington Post: "... since his midterm shellacking this month, [President Obama] has suffered a series of foreign policy setbacks, in Congress and abroad, that have put his agenda for improving America's standing and strength overseas at risk. From failing to secure a free-trade agreement in South Korea to struggling to win Senate ratification of an arms-control treaty with Russia, Obama has bumped up against the boundaries of his power at a defining moment of his presidency." ...
... Peter Baker of the New York Times: "... has decided to confront Senate Republicans in a make-or-break battle over arms control that could be an early test of his mettle heading into the final two years of his term. He is pushing for a vote on a signature issue despite long odds, daring Republicans to block an arms-control treaty at the risk of disrupting relations with Russia and the international coalition that opposes ." CW: as President of the Senate, Joe Biden should make the Senate stay in session till they ratify. If it runs into the beginning of the next Congress. the President should declare a national emergency, & hold 'em down. With marshals! ...
... Paul Krugman: "China, Germany and the Republican Party are all trying to bully the Federal Reserve into calling off its efforts to create jobs.... China and Germany want America to stay uncompetitive; Republicans want the economy to stay weak as long as there’s a Democrat in the White House." ...
... Meanwhile, Simon Johnson notes that the Irish debt crisis may "become euro-zone wide," & the EU may call on China to pump money into the IMF to save Ireland. AP backstory: "Irish, European and International Monetary Fund officials mounted tough negotiations Friday over terms of a massive credit line for Ireland's debt-crippled banks — with the fate of Ireland's prized low business taxes in the firing line."
Glenn Thrush of Politico: "Senate Democrats – including typically mild-mannered Bill Nelson of Florida – lit into President Barack Obama during an unusually tense air-clearing caucus session on Thursday.... Several senators and senior aides told POLITICO that Nelson was just one of several senators to express anger at White House missteps.... Added one veteran senator: 'It was the most frank exchange of views I’ve ever seen.'" CW: Thrush wrote a story yesterday on the meeting, which I previously linked (the story has since been modified).
More evidence of Democrats showing some spine:
New York Times Editorial Board deplores Republican leaders' rudeness & disrespect for the office in refusing to meet with the President. ...
... Ergo, Gene Robinson of the Washington Post says President Obama should ignore the Republicans & use his vast powers to set & execute his own agenda. There is a lot he can do without legislative authority.
Who Cares about the Constitution? Steve Clemons notes that a group of "so-called strict constructionist" Senators-Elect, including Rand Paul, have written to Harry Reid urging him to violate the 20th Amendment of the Constitution which sets Congressional terms.
Ezra Klein: Yesterday, "Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Scott Brown (R-Mass.) introduced the 'Empowering States to Innovate Act.' The legislation would allow states to develop their own health-care reform proposals that would preempt the federal government’s effort.... Wyden, with the help of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), was able to build a version of this exemption into the original health-care reform bill, but ... was forced to accept a starting date of 2017.... The Wyden/Brown legislation would allow states to ... start implementing them in 2014, rather than wasting time and money setting up a federal structure that they don’t plan to use." Conservatives love the bill, & some Democrats like it, too.
One Reason We're Glad She Won. Igor Volsky of Think Progress: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) told a local radio station she would vote for repeal of "don't ask, don't tell." ...
... CW: I guess it's Maddow Day. Here's a good segment on DADT repeal:
Not Exactly News -- She's Done It Before. Geoffrey Dunn in the Huffington Post: in her new book Sarah Palin writes racist remarks about Michelle Obama. ...
... The Reliable Source has a few more grizzly droppings here. ...
... But Palin's new presidential bid book might not help her. James Carville likes the "designated old white guy":
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