8.23.09: Mired...

Have you ever painted a room in your home and then one thing leads to another and you then decide to rearrange the room all together and things get chaotic and really messy before it gets all straightened out? Well, that's where we are right now as a country. Incredibly messy but with the idea that it's going to be much better when it's straightened out. However, we've walked into the room, and backtracked moaning, "Whoa.... is this mess going to be cleaned up?"

In Afghanistan, we're incurring more soldier deaths now than in any time since we've been there in 8 years. When you engage the enemy, they will shoot at you. Today's in-studio guest, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a way we're starting there anew. Karl Eikenberry, the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, via satellite during the segment, said success depends on Afghanistan's government being able to apply take care of its citizens in all facets.

We're a long way away from that point. Simply because we're picking up the ball in Afghanistan in a time when we've given the opposition (The Taliban) a chance to mend and regroup. And why is that? Because we were bogged down in Iraq, a completely unnecessary war, for the past 7 years. If the U.S. had not gone into Iraq and kept the pressure up in Afghanistan, we would not see the military losses we're seeing now. Also, as a aside, if Saddam were still in power right now, you could hypothetically say that the U.S. would have also had a diplomatic opportunity with Iraq's [read: Saddam's] natural enemy - Iran, especially given what happened with the recent elections and subsequent unrest in that country.

So the question posed on whether or not this is a war of necessity or a war of choice now? Unfortunately, both Iraq and Afghanistan now are of necessity. The Taliban, if in control, would most certainly given safe haven for Al Qaeda, but more importantly use the southern part to disrupt stability in Pakistan. With that in mind, our presence is required, don't you think?

However, it is disconcerted when you set a quote for Special Envoy to Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke say we'll know success when we see it - Mr. Gregory rightly noted. And Ambassador Eikenberry said success in terms of self-governing is years away. The new approach the Chairman pointed out, is a robust cooperation between civilian entities and the military - enacted because of lessons learned, Admiral Mullen said, from Iraq... Lessons certainly learned well.

We're physically mired in Iraq and Afghanistan, but mentally, we're mired domestically in old habits of being stalled by fear, which 'joyfully' brings us to the healthcare debate with Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY), both on the finance committee, in the second segment.

Senator Schumer pithily framed the public option this way - its like private colleges versus state universities - the two coexist so that more people have access to a college education. It's not completely apples to apples as an analogy for the public option, but it's close. And the people do not have a problem with a public option in the healthcare bill. Let's be clear, the Congressional Republicans have a problem with the public option.

But is the President backing away from the inclusion of the public option. Senator Schumer said no, Tavis Smiley of PBS, in the last segment, said yes. Based on President Obama saying that the public option was just a 'sliver' of healthcare reform, you would have to conclude that yes, he is. But he should not back away. Just the opposite, he should be using the full weight of his office to get the 'blue dog' Democrats in line/on board with what he wants and push it through. It is time to heed Congresswoman Maxine Waters' (D-CA) advice.





If Democrats want to really show that they can lead, they have to close ranks and the President needs to step up - shove the Republicans out of the way - just as the Republicans did during the Bush years. Because all the Republicans can do right now is spread wrong information - see all of today's answers by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT). He said that the Congressional Budget Office said that tens of millions of people would go into the public plan and bankrupt us. What's nakedly obvious is that he's really saying that if there is a public option, the insurance companies will lose tens of millions. Mr. Gregory rightly corrected the Senator, pointing out that the C.B.O. said that 10 million would go into the public option but that also another 3 million would go into private insurance plans. Senator Hatch also proudly states that 85% of the people in the U.S. have health insurance but never mentions the details, where the information and not the devil, are contained. Such as the number of people who are under insured - 25 million people. Or the unknown number of people who will have their claim denied for one reason or another (an arbitrary insurance adjuster's decision). Senator Schumer talked about taking on the Insurance companies, and sadly this is never a rhetorical tact that the conservatives take, but it does give one a clear sight line into a blatant agenda. They are hoping for an Obama Waterloo.

There are three more things we'd like to quickly comment on from the program in terms of the healthcare debate. One, Mr. Gregory asked Senator Hatch if Senator Kennedy's absence from the debate was a big lose. He was right and wrong in the same sentence. Sen. Hatch said that yes, Sen. Kennedy is missed (the correct answer) and he continued to explain that Sen. Kennedy would be calling him up and saying let's work this out (the incorrect answer). Sen. Kennedy would be getting people in line with the public option, certainly not calling Sen. Hatch to get that done. Sen. Kennedy is sorely missed from the debate because most people don't realize how important of an issues this has been to him over the years.

And inside this fight we come to point number 2, which is that there is a 'gang of six' in the senate finance committee supposedly coming up with a bi-partisan bill that will serve as the Senate's bill. Isn't the most democratic notion to question why these six individuals are deemed to have so much decision making power. The Senate bill should reflect what the President wants and then get it through with a majority.

This brings us to the third part of this small trifecta. Senator Hatch said that reconciliation (a rarely used procedure in the senate that attempt to push a lawyer through with a simply majority - 51 votes - instead of the traditional two-thirds majority vote of 60) would be an abuse of Senatorial process in using it for Healthcare reform. The Democrats should be clear that if reconciliation is needed, it will be employed and if it's not made clear, then we'll continue to be mired in a endless list of concessions, which will render healthcare reform completely impotent.

8.16.09: The Healthcare Debate - Framing the American Debacle

Today's Panel: Fmr. House Majority Leader Rep. Dick Armey (R-TX), now the head of FreedomWorks, an organizer of protesters at town hall meetings; Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), Member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; Fmr. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD), an informal adviser to the White House and author of "Critical: What We Can Do About the Health Care Crisis"; & Rachel Maddow, Host of MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show.
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This column has been holding off as long as possible in commenting on the healthcare reform debate, the reason being is that we wanted to get the most clear picture of what both sides of debate want. Waiting was the responsible thing to do to try and understand as thoroughly as possible all the concerns... and because one of the debate's focal peaks had potential to develop on today's Meet The Press.

Before we get into the details, this column feels compelled to point out that in the midst of such a heated national debate where anxiety is high, profits are at stake, special interests abound, and suspicion on both sides runs rampant; a trusted voice is needed to cut through the clutter and create a calming effect. Well, the most trusted man in news passed away. Tim Russert was that newsman. When Walter Cronkite recently died, it got people thinking of the question of who is the most trusted person in news. Mr. Russert had gained the trust of more Americans than any other television journalist and his voice is needed in this debate.

With that said, can Mr. Gregory bring us back from the brink from the hysterical by dispelling the 'death panel' healtcare bill myth? To be clear, the 'death panel' notion is based on a provision in the bill that would require Medicare to reimburse the patient for this voluntary advance directive consultation with one's doctor. When the provision is described and discussed in clear language, it is a reasonable provision that keeps the control of an individual's life in his/her own hands. The term 'Death Panel' is the creation of a completely irresponsible political figure - Ms. Sarah Palin.

Mr. Gregory asked about such a provision that was in included in the Bush Administration's Prescription Drug Benefit bill in 2003, to which Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) said had he been in the Senate at the time, he would have opposed it because of the $10 trillion it adds to the country's long-term debt. Despite not really answering the question, his answer is fair enough based on financial reasoning. Since he was not a legislator at the time he can not be held accountable for that Republican initiative, but the Senator also opposes the Democrat's healthcare plan on the same grounds - it's not cost efficient. However, the Democrat's healthcare plan will add $1 Trillion to our national debt over the next ten years. By that rationale, the current proposition seems almost frugal. Republicans are playing politics with Americans' lives to ensure that insurance companies maintain their profit trajectory. On the other hand, Democrats and President Obama haven't made it reassuringly clear how it will be paid for. Saying that is going to be mostly paid for with the savings from streamlining and updating the system, it doesn't inspire confidence. We'll believe it when we see it because it doesn't matter which party controls the executive branch, that notion that it will be paid for from savings is unrealistic in this country. Is it going to be paid for by taxes on the richest 1%? By taxes on the middle class? Or are we simply going to borrow more money for it? To cut through the clutter, the President and the Democrats in Congress need to make this stupidly clear.

The substance of today's panel did actually come from fmr. Sen. Daschle and Sen. Coburn. Rachel Maddow made her first appearance today on Meet The Press and it was a necessary one because of the individual sitting to her left, ironically, Mr. Dick Armey - former House Majority Leader from Texas. The organization founded by Mr. Armey, Freedomworks, has contributed solely in a negative way to the debate. Mr. Armey speaks about freedom and liberty, as he did on today's program, but his sense of it is completely warped. It's freedom, liberty, and profit at the expense of others or at the very least a knowing disregard for the adverse repercussions self-interest inflicts. His facts are just those - his facts, and Ms. Maddow was an essential foil to Mr. Armey's bluster.

So we refer back to Sen. Coburn and his quote from the Washington Times as cited by Mr. Gregory, that the Democrats healthcare plan will kill Americans... The real substance? These are the kinds of statements that will contribute to the dreaded notion, which this column fears, that a bill will be passed but will essentially be compromised to the point of rendering it ineffective. (Mr. Daschle today said reform was a 50-50 chance.) What's more is that he stood by this statement and went on to say that America's healthcare system is among the best in the world, which simply is not true. Senator Daschle rightly pointed out that our infant mortality rate and life expectancy are ranked very low compared to the other industrialized nations of the world. Despite Senator Coburn's contention that these are not true measures is weightless. These are the measures! Added to what we pay as a country (12% of our GDP) comparatively to other countries, it makes our healthcare system the equivalent of a rusted out car with a half-assed paint job. To use a phrase, cash is needed for this clunker. And if his figures are to be believed, Mr. Daschle pointed out that it is projected that our healthcare in its current state will cost us $35 Trillion over the next ten years - an unsustainable figure.

But there is Mr. Armey arguing that Medicare is tyranny because seniors can not get out of it even if they wanted to, also arguing that social security should be phased out. These two arguments directly point to a solely profit driven agenda, one as we stated above should be allowed to dominate despite its effect on the vast majority of the country's citizenry, with some of those individuals mistakenly advocating against their own self-interests.

As it stands right now, the insurance companies, over 1,300 strong in the U.S., have the most leverage and decision-making power on how costs, profits, and money are distributed. (Let's not even start on the Pharmaceutical Industrial Complex's influence.) What's wrong with that? Well, let's put it this way... When the fate of all is controlled by a private few [read: privately held company] not answerable to anyone except a profit-driven board of directors, there is no accountability to the majority. Corporatism is not beholden for the general welfare. Your life will be shortened, your liberty compromised, and your pursuit of happiness will be given a placebo shot and sent on its way.

8.2.09: "We're in a Different Place"

Today's featured guest, National Economic Council Director Dr. Larry Summer, answered, "We're in a different place," referring to Mr. Gregory's initial question on whether the recession is over. Dr. Summers is correct on more levels than even he realizes. It's like the one solid truth that everyone believes. Financially, we certainly are in a different place, in fact, we're all over the map.

President Obama, this week in discussing race, referred to the unfortunately Gates-Crowley situatution as a 'teachable moment.' Well, the interview with Dr. Summers was certainly one of those with regard to the economy. One should be suspect of any layman who completely disagrees or agrees with what the Obama Administration is doing in trying to fix the economy. There are so many facets in deficit, so many institutions holding toxic assets, so many feelings with the rise and fall of the Dow. In conversation, you say 'off on a tangent' meaning the point isn't completely germain to the conversation, but when discussing the economy, tangents are just other causes for anxiety - main point being that no one really has a complete handle on it all. However, Dr. Summers provided hard truths and hard defenses as to where we are now.

First and foremost, he said that the job situation will not get better for a while, that jobs are always the last to bounce back after a recession. It's the ugliest reality, with which we have to deal. Unemployment benefit aid is running out for those without a job, unemployment higher than expected (9.5%) and that also translates to the people with work who are now continually balancing themselves on a wobbly base. It's easy to criticize the stimulus plan, but Dr. Summers is correct that without it, many more teachers and policemen around the country would have been laid off, and even though new construction projects are still at a crawl, the stimulus is pumping cash into new building. Speaking of construction, it is the one manufacturing industry in this country that can serve as a true barometer of how we're doing. Construction is bought and sold in country. It's not like a car made and then shipped someplace else.

And it can not be emphasized enough, as it was during the interview, that when the Obama Administration took office, the economy was in much worse straits than was originally thought, which makes all statistical indicators guesses at best. With that said, Dr. Summers clarified that the Administration was always clear that there was no clear picture of where the economy was when they started - a worrisome political answer.

And this gives an opening to conservatives who criticize President Obama's deficit spending. In all fairness, where were these cries when the Bush Administration enacted its tax cuts or the prescription drug benefit, which didn't include negotiating with the pharmaceutical companies? No one has paid for that yet so no one is exempt from big spending. Unfortunately, Americans have short memories... At least, as Dr. Summers pointed out, people are speculating when the recession is going to end and not if we're going into a depression.

What is essential is investment and that is what the stimulus is! For long term health, we do need investment in our schools, solar and alternative power, and reforming healthcare as Dr. Summers pointed out, 'crucial foundation for the country's future.' That's where the focus has to be - on the future because the 'now' is an alternate reality, certainly a different place.

7.26.09: Hillary Clinton

Many of the President's critics say that he is taking on too much at one time and ask how can he be effective in taking on so many things simultaneously. The simple reason that he has taken so much at one time is that he has to. When you look back at the years of the previous administration, you feel inclined to ask, what really got done domestically? The signature example that someone would give you is the prescription drug benefit for senior, which most seniors would tell you the 'donut hole' aspect of the legislation is a tremendous physical and mental burden on them. Outside of the two wars and the 'war on terror,' nothing else got done so that's why President Obama has many things to tackle.

By that same measure, HIllary Clinton, in the first six months of her tenure as Secretary of State, has logged in over 100,000 miles traversing the globe repairing America's reputation around the world. No easy task given our recent unilateral approach to foreign policy. Mrs. Clinton rightly noted that, 'Our priorities for the last eight years did not seem to include other countries or consider them.' Unilateralism is leadership by 'follow us or else,' which by nature sparks resistance.


However, where the unilateral approach should be maintained is with North Korea, which Mrs. Clinton addressed first in today's exclusive interview. The rudimentary policy toward North Korea is contain, sanction, and deny. Mrs. Clinton stated that North Korea's behavior would not be rewarded. This column would take it further and not reward bad or good behavior by Kim Jung Il's regime. The writing is on the wall, so to speak, for North Korea. Kim Jung Il appointed his youngest son to succeed him. It has been reported that the Great Leader has pancreatic cancer. When he passes, there will most certainly be a power vacuum, and like Rome, once Caesar is gone, those who are left will squabble for control and things will crumble. This will bring the generals to the table and not unwillingly. This is the waiting game being played.

With regard to Iran, a country which this column believes is a linch pin for a more stable world. Secretary Clinton's statements were mixed on the regime and taken at face value, could negatively effect any thawing of relations between the U.S. and Iran. She first stated, "We want to affect The internal calculus of the regime." There are a myriad of interpretations for a statement like that. Knowing how sensitive Iran to such statements, it can be troubling given the tenuous situation post-election in the country. To 'affect the calculus,' or in other words, try to overtly stir the public ire for the regime could see a backfiring effect. The people of Iran, it seems, have come to a conclusion. The people have moved and are fighting past the regime, oppression is no longer tolerable to the Iranian people. Mrs. Clinton's concluding statement should be the tact we take at the moment, which is to say that 'the people deserve better.' Mr. Gregory asked her if the regime was illegitimate, which she wisely circumvented when answering the question.

The other significant topic that needs to be touched on is Afghanistan and the fact this is month has been the most deadly since we entered the country in 2001 - an unsettling fact given that we've been in country for 8 years. David Gregory questioned when Mrs. Clinton pointed out that we are there with the goal to dismantle and destroy Al Qaeda, but that we are fighting the Taliban. Instead of asking this obvious leading question, which only leads us to an answer we already know, why not ask what the depth of the relationship is between Al Qaeda and the Taliban at this point. How much of a proxy are the Tabiban to Al Qaeda now? How coordinated are they? Are they, in fact, what stands in the way of us capturing Al Qaeda leadership?

Mrs. Clinton said that a key strategic change has been that we are clearing and holding areas of the taliban while and training people in those towns/villages to live without a Taliban presence. The United States has to at some time stop the strategy of 'going in, destroying everything, and then leaving things as a crap show' as has been our history. The administration's approach is the right one, but because of this absolutely necessary 'hands-on' approach, proximity is risk and there will unfortunately, but inevitably, be casualties. And had the focus always been on Afghanistan and not Iraq, this month would not carry that statistic.

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Much has been made, yet not of late, of how the working relationship would be between Secretary Clinton and President Obama. To hear Mrs. Clinton say that the real story should be the common cause that the two officials share is reassuring to say the least, but you also believe it. It's like people of the same zodiac sign, if you believe in that sort of thing. Two people of the same sign get along very well but also occasionally butt heads pretty hard. Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton share the same political sign, not to mention a mutual respect. Mrs. Clinton also mentioned decisiveness and dedication in describing Mr. Obama - these are two qualities Madam Secretary also possesses. Something important should be pointed out with regard to shared philosophy. As we said, everyone wants a piece of Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton and what they both do is talk to ordinary citizens [people] home and abroad. It's not a forum that many politicians are comfortable with and most only meet with country officials when visiting, but this continued effort to connect with the people has immeasurable dividends. This is the dream team - world famous people that others gravitate to - tasked with restoring the American Dream home and abroad. As our parents always said, 'We'll see.'


Pertinent Link from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/27/us/politics/27clinton.html?_r=1&hp

7.12.09: The Tale of Two Tails

This week's Meet The Press boils down to the tale of two political figures - President Barack Obama and Governor Sarah Palin. Some conclusions can be made simply from the nature of the topics discussed in relation to each individual. When discussing Mr. Obama, healthcare, the economy, the deficit, international trips and goals while with Ms. Palin the discussion veers toward weather or not stepping down from the Governor's office in Alaska was the right thing to do.

Roger Simon said on today's program that if the Republicans had to choose a candidate for 2012 today, it would be Sarah Palin. He explained that all she would have to beat is Governor Tim Polenty (R-MN), Bobby Jindal of Louisiana (R), and Mitt Romney (R). The pragmatic reading of Mr. Simon's assessment is that those other individuals don't have enough political clout, popularity, or charisma to win the nomination over someone who just quit her political post.

Today's first guest, the MTP champ, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) he was not shocked but a bit surprised that she stepped down. He explained that the Palin family have had to endure unprecedented, sustained person attacks from the media establishment. In the case of Mr. McCain, all of his Palin statements are a defense of self - simply defending his choice of Ms. Palin as the Vice Presidential candidate in 2008. David Gregory asked Mr. McCain if her if resigning as Alaska's Governor was a poor reflection on her leadership ability. He deferred to the Palin line that stepping down was in the best interest of the state. Andrea Mitchell, one of today's roundtablers, said that the residents of Wasilla feel she quit on them and that the label of 'quitter' is going to stick with her.

How could it not? That is what she, in fact, did. Also, I do not think we've gotten the true reasoning for her decision. Personal attacks are a part of being in public office and not being able to stand that heat doesn't speak at all well of one's leadersthip meddle. Project hypothetically, for a moment, Ms. Palin in the Presidential position - how would she react to a serious crisis or to a scandal (inevitable for any administration)? Mr. McCain said that he was confident that she would make a fine President, but again refused to give her any kind of endorsement for future office.

Meanwhile, Mr. Obama is actually taking heat for his policy decisions - on healthcare, the economy and deficit spending, actions in iraq and afghanistan. Now, granted, he is the President and his feet should be felt to the fire but putting these two individuals in the same arena is ridiculous. How many times does it need to be said that these are serious times and serious people need to make serious decisions. Ms. Palin's doings and actions are those of self-interest and despite her saying it is in the best interest for the people of Alaska that she step down is such an illogical argument, that it throws all of her decisions and motivations into question.

On to more serious topics, Mr. McCain called it 'generational theft' again when referring to Mr. Obama's healthcare plan. But how about the bill for two wars? We'll be paying for those for a long time to come - into the next generation so what does that actually mean. 'Generational Theft' is a catchy political phrase, but no politician right now is immune from that charge. He actually called for lower taxes on corporations and said to focus on small businesses. Hmmm... isn't it the corporations that create an untenable situation for many small businesses to survive, making them unable to compete? Karen Hughes, another on today's roundtable, said that there is a fine line between 'mavericky' and quirky (in referring to Sarah Palin), and in the case of Mr. McCain, maverick has succumbed to empty political bluster.

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) followed Mr. McCain to defend Mr. Obama's policy choices and recent statements that the administration misread the economy. To this point, we've all learned by now that there is not an instant fix and the complexity is so vast that no one has a solution or an amount of sufficient cash to correct any one of the various problems. Mr. Schumer defended the President by saying that he wasn't going to be deterred by an one statistic this week or another, but has his eye on the goal of long-term economic stability - gradually but certainly he said. However, the statistics from week to week are daunting and in front of our face, making them impossible to ignore.

There are complaints that the stimulus has not been used for its intended purpose, that it's not enough, that it's a waste, that it contained too much pork, etc. One thing specifically is that the states have used their respective stimulus amounts to sure up the respective state governments instead of creating jobs. This was to be expected because all the states are short of cash. What people don't know or have seem to have forgotten is that during the Bush Administration, the President drastically cut federal aid to all the states, leaving them to borrow and create bonds that are now worth nothing and hence in grave debt as is the case of California and Pennsylvania to name a few.

The stimulus will take time to work, the American people will have stopped waiting and given up on it when we actually see the fruit of it. Roger Simon said that Mr. Obama now owns the economy, it is no longer a Bush mess to clean up. The President's poll numbers are down and it seems as though nothing at the moment is really working. It almost seems like too much for any one individual to carry on his shoulders. Some relish in saying that Mr. Obama is failing in doing so. What do you think Barack Obama is likely to do in the face of all this? Quit?

Hardly.

6.28.09: The Democrats Need One More Idea

David Axelrod, on today's Meet The Press, once again hammered the Republicans for not having any new ideas. Some would say that this is beyond the point of bullying as these kinds of statements are echoed by every other Democrat. In all frankness, until the Republicans actually come up with one... we say hammer away. However, with all that hammering, the Democrats really need to build something. But are they? That's the real story.

This week, President Obama's Climate Bill went to the floor of the House and came out with a three-vote victory. Forty-four Democrats didn't vote for it. Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) said later in the program that Democrats were jumping off from the President's agenda faster than Republicans. To say that's a bit of hyperbole is a modest understatement, but nonetheless the victory was a narrow margin. Mr. Graham also made a point of saying that the bill would go no where in the Senate.

On the healthcare issue, Senator Graham analogized that the Obama Administration was using Rovian and Tom Delay-type tactics to make people vote for something they don't want to vote for. In that statement, he basically threw most of George Bush's policy wins under the bus. Using those tactics pushed their entire agenda through the Congress. Now, a Republican Senator is invoking those names as negatives. He used bullying as a criticism instead of offering a solution.

However, Democrats seem to be getting sheepish about their agenda and this is an area of grave concern. It is the Democrats who actually need a new idea, which is that, as a party, they have to not be afraid of upsetting the other side. The need to lead and ignore the kicking and screaming of the Republicans while stepping through the door. Additionally on healthcare, today's first guest David Axelrod, President Obama's senior advisor, said that he thinks there will be a public option in the bill.

Mr. Gregory phrased the question to today's panel, a good one, (New York Times' David Brooks, Washington Post's E.J. Dionne, Vanity Fair's Dee Dee Myers & Republican Strategist Mike Murphy) this way: Is this pragmatism and the art of compromise on the part of this president, or is it weakness? The Obama Administration needs to remain pragmatic, but comprise less. Mr. Axelrod needed to make it clear that a public healthcare option is essential to the bill and that they is no way the President will not sign it into law without this provision - Senator Graham's statement be damned. Say it today and start fighting for it or the rhetoric will nosedive in credibility.

And a note on credibility, this column gives more reverence to Mr. Mike Murphy then any other Republican Strategist that appears on the program or otherwise so it is reassuring to have The Washington Post's E.J. Dionne as his foil on today's panel to... well, frankly to call 'bullshit' on some of Mr. Murphy's statements. Case in point being the Wyden Bennett Healthcare plan, which basically stipulates that healthcare would be available to everyone through private insurers who are mandated to become more cost efficient and not adding insanely to the deficit. Mr. Murphy said that this is a much better plan than the public option and that the Democrats could pass that instead. At this point, Mr. Dionne rightly pointed out that the bill, which is law in Massachusetts, could have been passed at any time while Republicans held the majority.

Speaking of Massachusetts, Gov. Mitt Romney, Senator Graham's companion guest today, pointed out the success of the program passed under his leadership. Mr. Romney relies on people's short term memories in the hopes that they will forget some very liberal stances (being a pro-choice Republican Governor) he held while Governor of the state. Credibility remains an issue for Mr. Romney and will dog him when he attempts another unsuccessful run for the Presidency.

So, lastly, when he says that public figures should be held to a higher standard, in reference to the revelations of Governor Mark Sanford's (R-SC) behavior this week, we agree with him but for completely different reasons. Affairs are personal matters, a tragedy of family life that no one is immune to, and most people understand this. Where Mr. Sanford should be held accountable is in his duties as Governor of South Carolina. He left the state without informing anyone as to where he would be and then had his staff lie about his location. This is irresponsible behavior - obviously if there were an emergency while he was away, it leaves a leadership void in the most crucial hours of any crisis - the first few.

5.31.09: Justice Needs Cataracts Surgery

The controversy surrounding the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor is due to a speech she made in 2001, which contained a statement that could be interpreted that a Latina woman, as a judge, could make a more informed decision than a white male. The second 'worrisome' statement is that she will use the perspective of her race and heritage in making decisions. We have screen-captured the statement from today's program to ensure accuracy.






The concern amongst Republicans is that this statement suggests that Judge Sotomayor will not be an impartial justice, once again, because of her heritage and race. First, in this excerpt, there seems to be a context missing when Ms. Sotomayor refers to 'that life.' To whose life is she referring? This is fair game for questioning and if a satisfactory answer isn't given, then there can be legitimate concern. justice should be blind - fair and impartial. As far as using her heritage, in other words her background, in decision-making it would suggest that she is inclined to activism instead of unbiased interpretation.

However, let's look at this through a different lens. If a justice were presiding over a case that involved malpractice and a cancer patient, and had previously had cancer or had a family member with the disease then wouldn't experience come into play in the decision making process? Regardless of the ruling, if the justice has had a personal experience with cancer, wouldn't that justice want to know as much as possible to make the correct decision? Experience is affecting the decision-making process.

Or simply, maybe Ms. Sotomayor gave the speech to a predominantly Latino crowd, and feeling particularly proud with others in the room voicing their approve, she played it up a bit. Who knows?

But racist? Consider the source of these most vocal attacks - Rush Limbaugh. In a defensive and wounded position, an animal can be at its most dangerous. From this stance, Mr. Limbaugh is achieving his goal - to focus and get more of the attention on him. That's it. Not to mention, but it must be, that Mr. Limbaugh makes many veiled racist statements daily on his program so this sort of hypocrisy can not even be cut with a knife.

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), ranking Republican on the Judicial Committee and its chair, Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) were on the today's Meet The Press. What is mystifying to this column and I'm sure many others, is why can't an elected official from The Republican Party, a leader, step up and echo Mr. Sessions' measured statements of today and his call to stop labeling Ms. Sotomayor as a racist. More than anything, the absence of an elected Republican leader is what is holding the party back. Ideologues such as Mr. Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich, have insufficient experience to truly affect positive change. The lens, from which they view the world, is too narrow and limits one's perspective. Republicans are becoming fond of saying that justice should be blind, and a justice to just call balls and strikes, but that's not how it is in the real world, the changing human condition demands that the law be given perspective. Relentless dogma is what we should strive to avoid. Instead, Justices should keep their eyes wide open to the changing reality to apply the law most accurately.

By the way, Ms. Sotomayor will be confirmed as a United States Supreme Court Justice. Barring some sort of Larry Flynt type evidence, she will be confirmed.

Also, as a side note, doesn't Senator Sessions look an awful lot like Defense Secretary Robert Gates? Having more fun with pictures this week, see below and decide for yourself.

5.17.09: The Wrong Debate

For us wonks at the MTP Opinion, the anticipation for the program is only growing at the moment with all the talk during the week of the rating challenges, which Meet The Press has dominated forever... Now, it's a toss up so we were anxious to see how David Gregory would respond. Today's first two guests, the respective chairmen of our two major political parties, Tim Kaine (D) and Michael Steele (R) discussed the positions from the party perspective and how they were at odds with individuals in each party.

It's amazing how this country can't seem to get past things without being able to maintain a perspective on history. What that means is that we collectively keep going back to the same old debates that, frankly, cripple progress in this country, and today's first topic has wrongly come to be one of the defining pillars in each of the party's platforms - abortion, referring to Mr. Obama speaking at the Catholic university Notre Dame today.

Here's why we have to move on from this. First, the President actually has lead on this debate in discussing ways of preventing unwanted pregnancy. That should be the real focus instead of weather it should be illegal or not, and it shouldn't be. Most people would say that they would hope that the circumstances don't drive a woman to an abortion - the sympathy. However, it is a woman's individual right... signed into law. It should be taken out of the political debate. Take the two chairmen. Tim Kaine, the Democrat, is pro-life. And Michael Steele, though he says he's pro-life as well, he has made some statements that contradicted that position. Given this division, when the subject of abortion is brought up, the first thing that should be talked about is the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and what can be done to reduce it. It's the harder road to go down and that's why the debate remains 'legal or illegal.' It's the easier road and you crash either way.

And speaking of crash, this column, on many occasions, has cited Nancy Pelosi as the major train wreck of the Democratic Party leadership. Part of being a good politician is knowing what questions are going to be coming at you and having an answer prepared before you're hit with it. Ms. Pelosi needs to work on this. 'Dazed and confused is not good way for the speaker of the house to look,' Peggy Noonan (Wall Street Journal) aptly stated on today's panel. Ron Brownstein from the National Jounal postulated that arguments made of the past are used to shape the future.' If this is the case for Ms. Pelosi then it is an argument that is lost because she unnecessarily escalated the argument as Mr. Brownstein also observed.

If she was not told about waterboarding, just say so without making accusations. As soon as she did that, Republicans pounced and effectively changed to focus of the debate. Michael Steele's answer on today's program with regard to the subject is a clear illustration of the conservatives' cavalier attitude to one of the platforms of this nation's moral fiber, which is that we, The United States, does not torture. First, his focus, he admits, is not weather we should torture or not, but what did Speaker Pelosi know and when she knew it. 'She stepped in in big time,' he said. Great for 'gotcha' politics and nothing else.

But Mr. Steele also said that we used techniques that we're appropriate at the time. What does that mean exactly? This is where Mr. Gregory as moderator needs to address that, but this column gets the feeling that unfortunately, where Mr. Russert listened, Mr. Gregory simply waits to talk. So 'appropriate at the time,' but according to whom? A lawyer instructed by the Bush Administration to craft a memo? And when Mr. Gregory asked Mr. Steele what his personal view is to torture, he didn't answer and said his personal opinion did not matter. Rarely does this column use such verbiage but Michael Steele is a bullshitter; he rarely gives a straight answer and given he takes that tack too much he instills no confidence or trustworthiness. That's the case for any political animal that does that. Hypothetically, if he 'personally' disagrees with torture, but tows the party line that it is all right in some circumstances, doesn't that speak negatively of his integrity?

And one last thing on this for today. Mr. Steele, when asked about a truth commission, said that we should put it on the table. This would be another dog and pony show that would result in nothing. Instead of a commission, there should be an investigation and until the latter word gets swapped out for the former, we'll never know what happened.

OK, one more thing... speaking of not knowing what happened, an extension of the whole torture issue is the debate on whether or not the additional pictures of military misconduct from the Abu Ghraib prison. One today's program (part of the panel), Richard Haass, Council on Foreign Relations and author of War of Necessity, War of Choice felt that President Obama made the correct decision in not releasing the photos. Mr. Obama's primary reason was that it would further endanger the American military personnel. This angered the left and those whose goals is to use such things to press for Bush Administration indictments. However, in this instance we do know what happened and we have already seen many pictures and unless they show something further that we don't know, then it's just sensationalism, and this column commends the decision not to release them because even the whiff of sensationalism is not anything this administration needs.

Switching topics, the ever popular 'State/Fate of the Republican Party' came up again, but we'll be a bit forgiving here because this is certainly a topic that has to be addressed when you have the chairman of the party on the program. We'll start with a flurry of quotes and phrases from today's program...

'I want both Colin Powell and Rush Limbaugh,' Michael Steele.

'I didn't know Colin Powell was still in the party,' Former VP Dick Cheney via videotape from Face The Nation.

'Great Parties Evolve, and this one is still rocking from the hits it took,' Peggy Noonan.

'Cycle of contraction,' Ron Brownstein.

'Closer to a purer base,' Jon Meacham, Newsweek.

'What about Charlie Crist, Republican Governor of Floriday, campaigning with Mr. Obama on the stimulus?' David Gregory.

'Scary,' Mr. Steele's comment with regard to Democratic Party consolidation of power.

It is true that the Republican party is becoming purer to its base, hence they are contracting. With the population demography changing in the country, how could it not when a purer base means solidifying identification with big business and the Christian right? It seems as though the Republican Party will look the other way for Mr. Crist because of his popularity in a state that is a perpetual election battleground, but not with Arlen Spector, a 'traitor,' according to all Republicans. However, Mr. Brownstein did point out that Mr. Spector did vote with Republicans two-thirds of the time. Yes, Senator Spector's move was for self preservation, that is to be expected - he's a politician. But why this feeling on his part that his survival was in jeopardy? A less inclusive party perhaps could be the reason.

Michael Steele wants both - conservative and those a bit more moderate - but other forces in the party are dictating that you have to choose. This speaks to a philosophical problem in the Republican party, alluded to above in this column. The Republican party wants all its individual members to be on the same point on every page. Whether it be torture or abortion or taxes, it must be lock-step, but the world doesn't work like that and nuance is required in the face of complexity. This philosophy is unrealistic.

And what's really scary is that Mr. Steele's goal, as chair, is for Republican Party dominance and opines a sense of loathing at the possibility of Democratic Party dominance, but expresses this with seemingly no regard or recollection of recent history, namely the past eight years of Republican control and the disastrous outcomes due to their policies.

5.14.09: From Todays Huffington Post

David Gregory's "Meet The Press" Ratings Hit New Low — The Sunday Morning Horse Race Is On


If the Sunday morning TV throne is empty, then the race for the crown is on.

NBC's "Meet the Press" suffered its lowest ratings since David Gregory became moderator last week, dipping below the 3 million viewer mark for the first time since August 19, 2007*.

"Meet" averaged 2.97 million total viewers for the May 10 broadcast, which featured Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari, Steve Coll and Andrea Mitchell.

Meanwhile, CBS' "Face the Nation," which featured an interview with former Vice President Dick Cheney, averaged 2.74 million total viewers, and ABC's "This Week," which featured interviews with National Security Adviser Jim Jones and Senator John McCain, averaged 2.62 million total viewers.

Compared to this same week last year, "Meet the Press" is down 28% in total viewers, while "Face the Nation" is up 17% and "This Week" is up 4%. And compared to the May 3 show, "Face the Nation" has slashed its viewing gap with "Meet" by 69% (230,000 viewers compared to 740,000 viewers), while "This Week" has cut its viewing gap with "Meet" by 38% (350,000 viewers compared to 560,000 viewers)

In the Adults 25-54 demographic, all three shows were down compared to the same week last year, with "Meet the Press" averaging 1 million viewers (-35%), "This Week" averaging 800,000 viewers (-16%), and "Face the Nation" averaging 760,000 viewers (-6%).

Last month, Fox News Sunday's Chris Wallace (who averaged 1.32 million total viewers last week) told the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz that "the throne is empty" (in regards to Tim Russert's successor as the Sunday morning TV king). The LA Times that same day focused on Stephanopoulos as the main threat to NBC's ratings dominance. Last week, the LA Times wrote that "Meet the Press" may soon lose the top spot in the Sunday morning ratings.

*"Meet the Press" did average 2.17 million total viewers on June 8, 2008, but it was only at 86% coverage then and thus is not a fair comparison.