Morning gang — hope folks enjoy the picture. *g*

It is a little easier on the eyes than the picture at your link to TBogg in the previous post.
Ouch-a-roonie.

That pix was particularly illustrative of tbogg’s point, wasn’t it? *g* Aiiiyeeee…

I sort of fell off my diet whilst I had the flu. But, that visual has me rather determined to get back on that pony. Good thing I’m feeling better. You?

Still snot central here. But my antibiotics are beginning to kick in, so I’m hopeful I’ll turn the corner by the weekend. Glad you are feeling better!

Thanks. Have you got a pot of boiling water on the stove? Try it. You just saunter over to it every so often and breathe the steam deeply.
Now, is there anything we can do to help Ms. Johnson? (I can’t help thinking of Miami Vice every time I see her name, tho.)

Am asking around on how to best help push her nomination forward. Have several queries out today — will let folks know if there is something we can all do. In the meantime, calling your Senators is a good place to start — voice support for Dawn and ask for a vote FOR her nomination.

I’ve come to feel about spector [sic] the way the punster (iirc) feels about liarman….tho’ liarman will forever remain on the “not fit to be a human being” list as well. A pox on both their houses!

He’s such a weathervane in terms of pointing toward wherever Beltway egos happen to be, isn’t he? It’s all cover for him to be able to say “I fought hard for this” when what he was really doing was fighting hard to give himself cover to argue out of both sides of his mouth depending on which constituency he needs to reach in the next election cycle.

And so it goes…

Woof!

Y’know, in some ways spector irritates me more than people like issa and bachmann; they are quite obviously barking mad. spector’s “Mr. Reasonable Guy” routine is smooth enough to fool a lot of people which makes him doubly dangerous.

I thought the doggie pix was too adorable not to use. *g*

He certainly has the act down to an art form. I remember when he pulled that fast one on Leahy on the Senate floor during the FISA debate. And then acted all hurt when Leahy called him on his duplicity.

“Across the conservative constituency”…….Would that include the Blue Dawgs as well?
We need reconciliation……..NOW! AND we need Dawn Johnson. Since Obama can’t/won’t do any heavy lifting, he needs a pugnacious protagonist in that job…..if only for the appearance of investigations.

“snot central” LOL Et tu, Christy?

OMG. White suit, anyone?

It sure doesn’t take much to fool a lot of people, does it? I think we should consider making it law to have all of the politicians wear funny striped pants and big red shoes, (like in the picture), and also big red noses and tiny hats. That’s what I think this am. I’m getting a headache from watching c-span’s coverage of the house discussing alternative budgets. barf. Why am I doing this? Trying to learn something.

Cornyn has been particularly shrill about Dawn Johnson. And he has a lot invested in the “torture laws are awesome and oh so legally sound” argument from the last few years. The Bush Administration fronted him out in National Review and elsewhere as their apologist for Yoo, Bradbury and beyond — and Cornyn willingly played the stooge role on that for them.

If that falls, especially if it falls through legal ridicule — he’ll have to take a hit with it. And he knows it.

There is so much tied up in all of this that is personal, but not fo the reasons that so many of these people are using for their public kabuki presentations.

The digg is open, btw, gang. Thanks!

Specter cannot get re-elected in PA. If he continues down the Rethug road and obstructs Ms. Johnson and EFCA – it is a sure sign that he is going to retire and is looking for Repub welfare down the road for himself and his staff.

Can’t wait until 2010 and PA has 2 senators that are not embarrassing.

I hear the progressives may actually be thinking about maybe someday forming a caucus…………..

Here’s hoping. This certainly smacks of serious desperation on Arlen’s part, that’s for sure.

We’ll see if it actually happens. Would be a good move — but I’m not holding my breath just yet. *g*

One of the blogs (can’t remember which) has done some wonderful photo-shopping of pols in clown-face.

I’d settle for required lapel pins to ID the known liars…….tho’ whoever’s wearing the biggest flag is usually a pretty good tip-off. Bigger the flag = bigger the liar.

maybe they’ll even form the largest caucus bloc in Congress – .and, and, then the newly elected Democrat President will meet with them – Oh Wait !

ghastly !

Thanks for the Auntie Mame bit – I always enjoy that movie. As a youngster the book by Patrick Denis was one of the first “grown up” books I read.

I live in Pa and attended one of Arlen’s town halls. He was very busy claiming that he and Snow and Collins were the only moderate Republicans left. I don’t think he has a prayer no matter what he does.

Now THAT would be an interesting study. “For what is that large flag lapel pin compensating, Senator?”

It’s interesting to watch SPecter try to walk both sides of the political fence at the exact same time. And rather bizarre.

And I adore Auntie Mame. Glad you enjoyed the clip.

In 2010 Spector will be 80 years old. Forgetting his ideology or lack thereof for a moment, am I the only one who thinks 80 is too damn old to start a six year term in the Senate?
I think an age limit for Congress and the federal judiciary would be a good idea. It might cure some of what ails these institutions.

I counting down the days until Obama withdraws Johnson’s nomination in the interest of bipartisanship.

But…but…but…Strom Thurmond…

(which I believe just reinforces your point)

Kinda, sorta related re Dawn Johnsen infiltrating the boys’ club, just took a gander at the G-20 “class photo” on HuffPost. Three women. Three. One of whom is the tiny little queen of England, who was not elected to her post.

How old is Scalia? One year younger than that should be the limit there.

Doubt that is going to happen. Leahy was openly mocking the GOP in the Roll Call article. It was amusing as hell.

That Kyl quote from above is so tepid and pitiful, I’m amazed he was even able to say it out loud and then be seen in public.

Watching Dan Lungren and David Dreir arguing with each other on the house floor is too funny. Now, Earl of the bow tie from oregon is a little easier to swallow.
I might have had my fill of this for now. There’s work in the garden that’s calling. BTW, lots of little baby grapes on the vine…right now they are a symbol of hope for me.

Ugh. Dan Lungren.

One of the blogs (can’t remember which) has done some wonderful photo-shopping of pols in clown-face.

here’s a flickr set – beautifully done

* waves hand wildly*

Me! Call on me! I know the answer to that one!

Oh then, we’ll have to do *exactly* what he asks and be vewy, vewy nice to him, a la 85-year old Ted Stevens. Po, po old Ted. Never did nothin’ to nobody. Po, po old Awwen.

ROFLMAO

here’s the damn Flickr set link

damn, more coffee

You know, I have a feeling that Cornyn is actually scared about his own buttocks. He had exposure to Abramoff which was never investigated (to the best of our knowledge).

And I’ll bet that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

did you hear the outraged Tweety yesterday, going on and on, full spittlpalooza about the loss of the 85 year old Ted Stevens’ “career” ?

I’d make that same bet. And I do wonder what our old pal Ralphie Boy Reed is doing with all of his spare time during his exiled pariah status period. Don’t you?

1. Obama isn’t Leahy.

2. Leahy is a wimp. Just cancelled his truth commission.

Amen ! and he was the State AG at the time ferchrissakes -

Aloha, Redd! I hope ya get well soon! *g*

Conjecture is rife on a lot of sides of things these days, but I’ve heard nothing — not one thing — about any support for Dawn Johnson wavering from any corner of any Dem group or leadership person, on or off the Hill.

Take it FWIW.

Me, too — I hate being stuffed up more than just about anything. Ugh.

Just trying to put the cynicism I learned so painfully in the last 8 years to good purpose.

I’m hoping Holder takes up the politically motivated case of Don Siegalman and if I remember correctly there were a few other dems with questionable cases. It would have been smart to start with Stevens to disarm any complaints. Don was on with Tom Hartmann yesterday talking about his case. It goes back to the same questionable trial judge soon.

Christy, was commenting last night that the forced birthers are getting restless with so many of the big daddies gone to ground – was wondering if our favorite opportunist was gonna step in to the leadership vacuum

cbl2

ygm….

Ugh. I try not to think about wee little Ralphie, but the squeeze play those two good old boys (Reed and Cornyn) put on tribes still deserves to be aired out more fully.

I think we may see more of Reed as the UIGEA becomes more fully scrutinized, though. This may be a popcorn opportunity in the offing.

Aloha, eCAHN! I just read that over at DU, sounds credible… Sad situation… His aide saying; “He’s(Leahy) all you’ve got…!”

I’ve been wondering that same thing. If nothing else, Ralph has a good nose for his own opportunistic spotlight moments if there is profit in it for he and his, dontcha think? Praise the lord and pass the collection plate…

As we contemplate this idiocy, its still important to bear in mind that, as far as voting records go, the worst Dem (or even Connecticut for Lieberman party member) (worst being Ben Nelson in the Senate) is still lightyears ahead of the best Rethugs (Dear Arlen, Snowe, Collins).

Senate
http://www.progressivepunch.or…..&y=10

Ditto in the House – worst Dem = Joe Donnely (IN-2) , still much better than the best Rethugs = Ron Paul (TX-14) and Rodney Alexander (LA-5).

As much as we treat blue dawgs/new dems with contempt, they’re still infinitely preferably to even the best rethugs, by the numbers… which puts the lie to the whole crossing the aisle nonsense.
House
http://www.progressivepunch.or…..;party=All

Donkey’s ears to load on dial-up but well worth the time; ta for the linky. :-)

I’d settle for required lapel pins to ID the known liars

long ago, in a thread far away it was agreed they should be like race car drivers and be forced to wear suits festiooned with their patron’s logos

Could we mandate that TARP-fund-receiving bank logos be plastered across their backsides — just for the C-Span cameras? Because that could be some serious fun.

“festooned” dammit !

Yes, Leahy is like an old Vermont sugar maple, all bark and no syrup.

Nice one.

I remember that! I think it was a late or late, late night thread.

OT

Kabuki hearing on AIG on cspan3 is allowing Greenberg a stage to praise himself.

I’d like to see the USAtty there replaced sooner rather than later, too. Clean slate there please — soon as possible.

One of the most outragious Rove provoked persecutions is the case of Paul Minor.
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/….._0401.html

Rather bizarre, isn’t it?

Mister Chairman, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Wells Fargo

Is anyone else watching c-span? What do you think of that smack down Madam Chairman gave to Bully Dreier? I try not to do the cynical name calling thing, but he is seriously asking for it.

Speaking of which, that syrup is giving gold a run for it’s money… I’m sure the Vt/NH sappers are enjoying the boom…!

I just tuned in. And yes, I couldn’t believe my ears.

Leahy is a wimp. Just cancelled his truth commission.

if leahy was playing wedge politics (to divide people who were willing to T&R vs those who wanted prosecutions), all i can say is: mission accomplished.

oh, and leahy can bite me. is there any reason to think he is not just as duplicitous as specter?

bwahahahahahaha — now that would be a hoot and a half.

The thing of which I am *very* afraid is that the repukes, boss limpballs, tweety and others of their ilk are gonna go into full baying hound mode for the heads of the people at DOJ (interestingly, several of them are females, iirc) and holder will drop everything else and go after them. I’d be willing to bet quite a few bucks that that’s the way the cookie is likely to crumble.

What’s the story with the USAttys? Are the W ones still in place?

But Blue Dogs must feel constant pressure not to drift to the right, or they won’t stay Blue.

They’ll simply become dogs on the opposition’s porch.

There’s another problem with Blue Dogs which we don’t discuss, and that’s their unpredictability. We need them to be reliably blue on key issues and they’re not; they are as frustrating as Arlen “Scottish Haggis” Specter is to the Republican Party. We might give them more support — more than Kyl gives Specter above — were they a little less prone to grandstanding at the wrong damned time.

I know you’re talking about leadership and not voting record, but in terms of voting records Leahy votes on the progressive side of issues 89% of the time, versus 37% for Specter. Again, no comparison. Rethugs are another species. The best of them cannot be compared to the worst of us.

re AIG hearing: Dear Congress: Your Hearings Suck

Kabuki hearing on AIG on cspan3

demi – Issa was stamping his little cloven hooves about the committee allowing Greenberg to testify repleat with sternly worded letter

oh I agree, and I’m not defending blue dawgs. We need to call them out every time we get, put the pressure on ‘em, vote ‘em out of office (well, the real ones, for some weird reason there’s a few progressives who maintain their membership, especially in the House), and all that…

I’m just pointing out how far the rethug party has fallen, and why they’re basically irredeemable.

Well, even voting record means less and less every year that the whole structure drifts to the right. And leadership (lack thereof) has a lot to do with the drift.

Second that. Loved that diary.

That is what burrowing will get ya.

OMG, Greenberg accepts no repsonsibility for the downgrade that occurred the day after he left.

But Obama knows they’re there. Does he intend to replace them? After all the scadal, you’d think that would be toward the top of the priority list.

Okay, I’m switching over from C-1 to C-3.
Gives me the shivers, and not the good tingly ones.

Rethugs are another species. The best of them cannot be compared to the worst of us.

just not true. for example, lincoln chafee voted against the iraq war and one of my senators, in a very safe seat, kerry voted for the war. you know about confirmation bias?

more importantly, one thing i’ve learned from watching the fisa kabuki carefully was just how gamed the votes were.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..ml?ref=fp1

Some are refusing to go quietly…

I go by the numbers.

Most of them are to be replaced, but some are to be kept, is my understanding. Folks like Pat Fitzgerald and a few others who have ongoing caseloads that need continuity or who have been doing a good job. Others need to be replaced, but they are going to be done on a case by case basis instead of wholesale to avoid an appearance of equal politicization in the opposite direction from what I’ve heard. But that’s only what I’m hearing from the outside — I haven’t heard anything from any internal DOJ sources on that as yet.

thanks.

i’m gobsmacked that anyone thinks the problem with these hearings is bachman (as batshit crazy as she appears to be) and not barney frank who is responsible for how the hearings are organized and run..

Generally one would expect the new leadership to be in place and then work down the food chain. See Dawn Johnson. Many of these people are in protected positions. To let them go involves a lot of documentation including things like annual performance reviews and improvement plans etc. It doesn’t happen overnight.

Don Siegelman said yesterday that the same people were still in place in Alabama and other places as well. DOJ has not required them to resign. The one from the Pittsburg area refused to resign. The friends of Rove are still in control.

you may want to read taleb’s the black swan. just started it, but so far is the best, by far, popular description of some of the most common cognitive biases. something i’ve had reason to be thinking about a lot over the years. strongly recommended.

USAA’s

one of them, has recently added to his caseload

Brett Tolman – Hatch/Specter buttboy who added language in to bill circumventing certain Senate Confirmations indicted Utah Monkeywrencher this week:

link

Selise,

I have the single-payer bills downloaded (the @#*ing GPO doesn’t have S 1200 in pdf yet, so I have it in HTML. Yuck.) It’s going to take a couple of days to digest the things.

Have you, or anyone else, read or heard about the possibility of reinstating some of the prosecutors who were let go by Gonzalez? Carol (I forgot her last name) who was fired for (supposedly )not prosecuting voter fraud?

I believe Ignatius (sp) from NM has been hired.

“appears” to be???????????? If bachmann only “appears” barking mad, Dog save us from those who actually *are*!

Carol Lam

took private sector job with the righteous cash, (as did her “successor”) so it’s doubtful she’d return .

foothillsmike @ 99 – got link on Yglesias ?

bless you, bless you!!!

you might try calling the office of bill’s author – i’ve had luck with rep’s office emailing me bills before they were even on thomas. if there is anything of that nature (scut work tracking down docs for example) that i can do to help, please let me know (i can be reached via email at gmail).

thanks again – your analysis will be very helpful.

LOL! i was giving her the benefit of the doubt as imo she’s either batshit crazy or maliciously pretending to be.

Here’s the info on David (A Few Good Men) Iglesias’ new job…to be part of a special team of prosecutors for Guantanamo detainees.
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/…..s-new-job/

demi and others – AIG ‘hearing’

Issa link

he actually poo-poos the idea of someone using public forums to “rehabilitate one’s image” – go get ‘im Joyride !

I still think the Dems should consider running Lam against Bilbray in CA-50. The incumbent representative is a bad joke. Anti-corruption should play well there, given that its the Dukester’s old district.

No question whatsoever in my mind…..definitely #1….witness her leadership in the US currency brouhaha.

wonder if Congressman Lewis would endorse her – :D

He was reactivated by JAG to deal with Gitmo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Iglesias_(attorney)

thanks to you and demi above !

cbl2 @ 105 -

Another example of IOKIYAR.

I’m shocked that anyone would do that. Aren’t you?
Did you see my Iglesias link?

oh.. more on Lam. When she was fired, she was supposedly investigating rethug Rep. Jerry Lewis for corruption, prompting Dem allegations that the dismissal was a shrubco/rethug attempt to suppress that investigation (Lewis was allegedly in the pocket of shrubco-friendly defense contractors). I think she’s been mentioned as a possible US Supreme Court nominee.

oh sorry.. we overlapped on the Lewis comment ;P

i did see her during the last aig hearing ask about it. just thought she didn’t understand the difference between global reserve currency and national currency – which i bet is true of most americans since the dollar is now both.

Thanks for this thread all. T’was a good one.

Hamsher-y goodness at the mothership

New Jane post up: “GOP Messaging: Mission Fail”

which i bet is true of most americans since the dollar is now both.

Count on it….given the fact that I’ve yet to hear any of the TV airheads explain it at all.

doesn’t surprise me. i actually read about it first in the UN commission recommendations (chaired by stiglitz). and am still trying to figure it out. posted some links in an oxdown diary in case it’s something that interests you. and if you know more than me, please share.

http://oxdown.firedoglake.com/diary/4389

If this hasn’t been mentioned by anyone anywhere I’m wondering if Obama will resort to a recess appointment that favored tactic of our previous tin dictator when the congress wouldn’t play along with his more odious appointments (John Bolton anyone?). With Democratic majorities in both houses there’s no chance that the congress can be kept in session during the normal recesses and it would do nicely to rub the noses of the GOP in their own stink from the last eight years.

Hope you find something we can do other than calling our reps — as I’ve wailed to y’all more than once – my senator is — John Cornyn.

It is to weep.

Im hoping for something from the “Sir” Aland Stanford investigations, which seems a bit aquiet at the moment.

And btw, I’m getting irked at the “media” people who keep calling him “Sir” Alan, without quotes. Doesn’t anybody know anymore than Americans cannot accept knighthoods? It’s in that little piece of paper we seem to ignore more and more, called the Constitution.

We don’t curtsy to the Queen of England, either. At least we used to not. Afraid to know what the current custom is.

Born March 1936, so he just turned 73. Kennedy is 4 months younger, Ginsberg is 3 years older. Term limit is not a bad idea. I would suggest 70 is a reasonable age.

Christy,

Enjoyed your comment on the ping-pong ball scene in Auntie Mame. It suggests that you may be part of my generation. I knew that there was a reason that I liked you.

And tejana, I’ve also been in constant contact with Mr. Cornyn to absolutely no avail. I’ve even been polite and had my wife vet my utterances before I sent them. By the way, my wife is amazing at her ability to convince people to do what they ought to do even when they don’t want to. I wish I had her ability to soft talk people into doing what is right rather than trying to argue with them the way I do, which, as implied above, doesn’t work at all.

“the OLC needs real leadership” and it is looking like the Republicans need more lies under oath having to do with blow jobs to investigate to get their justice juices going.

When are they going to take Justice and accountbility seriously. Oh yeah “the truth” will not set some of them free

You want to brush aside Sen. Harry Byrd (92)?

Here in Hawaii, we specialize in Old Male Senators. Sen. Akaka was just re-elected in 2006 when he was 82. Our other Senator, Daniel Inouye, is the same age as Akaka and swears that he will run for re-election in 2010, when he will be 86.

Ted Kennedy is 77, I think. If he lives to be 80, it will be a miracle.

Bob in HI

Well, I’m pissed at Leahey too, but look: He wants it to be bipartisan. He can’t get any Republicans on his committee to support it. How’s he going to staff a bipartisan commission if Republicans won’t join?

Better to get Holder to appoint a Special Prosecutor.

Bob in HI