Last Call

President Obama kicked the insurance industry in the teeth today, using his weekly address to go after the industry's ad campaign efforts to kill Obamacare.

In unusually harsh terms, Mr. Obama cast insurance companies as obstacles to change interested only in preserving their own “profits and bonuses” and willing to “bend the truth or break it” to stop his drive to remake the nation’s health care system. The president used his weekly radio and Internet address to challenge industry assertions that legislation will drive up premiums.

“It’s smoke and mirrors,” Mr. Obama said. “It’s bogus. And it’s all too familiar. Every time we get close to passing reform, the insurance companies produce these phony studies as a prescription and say, ‘Take one of these, and call us in a decade.’ Well, not this time.”

Rather than trying to curb costs and help patients, he said, the industry is busy “figuring out how to avoid covering people.”

“And they’re earning these profits and bonuses while enjoying a privileged exemption from our antitrust laws,” he said, “a matter that Congress is rightfully reviewing.”

The president’s attack underscores the sharp break between the White House and the insurance industry as the health care debate moves closer to a climax. When Mr. Obama took office, he and his advisers had hoped to keep insurers at the table to forge a consensus. But as the months passed, the strains grew — until this past week, when industry-financed studies attacking the Democratic plan signaled an open rupture.

It looks like the President has learned the lesson here: the insurance companies were never on the White House's side. When it became clear that this time reform could really happen, they kicked into attack mode.

Glad to see Obama is not backing down. But this legislation is out of his hands. Will the rest of the Dems in Congress get that same message? Doubtful. After all, it'll only take one net vote with the Party of No to filibuster the legislation.

Do you think the insurance companies can get one Democrat to defect? Ask yourselves this: why haven't we seen real health care reform in this country before now?

The answers to both those questions are interlocked. But Obama is playing the kind of hardball needed to win.

His signal of support for reviewing the industry’s antitrust exemption put him in league with Democratic leaders in Congress pushing for repeal or revision of the McCarran-Ferguson Act, which was passed in 1945 to keep regulation of insurers in the hands of the states. Although he did not explicitly endorse overturning it, a spokesman said it was the first time he had raised the matter publicly as president.

Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the Democratic leader, testified at a Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday in favor of getting rid of the exemption. A day later, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the House speaker, said, “There is tremendous interest in our caucus” in such a move.

Obama has to be careful here. He's certainly upped the ante this weekend. The insurance companies will respond.

Sooner or later one side will have to go all in...or fold.

Snowe Job Part 6

Ezra Klein's interview with GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe is a real eye-opener, and if you had any hope that Snowe's interested in anything other than her own Sensible Centrist bona fides, they get dashed pretty quickly.

You were the only Republican to support the Senate Finance Committee’s bill. What do you see in the bill that your colleagues don’t?

Well, it’s hard to speak for others. Could be a philosophical difference or a policy difference. They would have liked more time, and I don’t disagree with that. In the Gang of Six, when the deadline was September 15th, we wanted to continue instead of ending at that point, but the chairman felt he had to move forward. There are a lot of issues. I said in the committee the other day I still have concerns.

You mentioned the Gang of Six. Looking back, would you consider that process a success or a failure?

It was an outstanding process. I think that if the American people had had a window into those deliberations people would have felt very encouraged. It’s a rarity today in many ways to have that opportunity to sit down with your colleagues, face to face, several days a week for multiple hours, just working through issues. It didn’t culminate in agreement, but it did establish the foundation and essence for the legislation that was ultimately reported to the Senate Finance Committee.

When Obama was elected, there was a real hope that we’d be entering a less partisan, more cooperative era. Was that an unrealistic expectation?

It shouldn’t be. I think the art of legislating has somewhat been lost here in Congress. It generally just boils down to simple talking points and soundbites, rather than really immersing ourselves in the substance and complexities of any given issue. You really have to take the time to examine all facets of it. People question that this took several months. It should have taken longer, frankly.

The rest of Snowe's answers are equally as depressing and condescending. She talks about affordability, but when Ezra Klein basically says "Look, the public option and mandates would make insurance both affordable now by driving down costs for everyone" Snowe responds with the same psuedo-libertarian "Well, government's not the answer" crap that the rest of the GOP is hiding behind.

And in the end she talks about how the discourse is cheapened because of folks like Glenn Beck, and then turns around and says the mean ol' Democrats won't listen to the reasonable, Sensible Centrists like herself. If they did, why gosh, there'd be no reason for Glenn Beck to attack. Then, she goes on to say that the kind of fundamental change that's needed for the system isn't necessary, and we just need to tweak a few things here or there...

The plan here is simple. Snowe dreams of having a grand compromise for the sake of grand compromise, not for a bill that makes health care reform a reality.

If the Dems can't figure this out, then they deserve their fate in 2010.

Rush Into The Flames

I know I reference Steve Benen's Washington Monthly blog around here a lot, but there's a reason I do so, I respect his opinion and his logic. Today for example he completely takes apart El Rushbo's WSJ op-ed (natch) where the radio gasbag plays the victim card and loses terribly by complaining that the mean old liberal dominated America is against him.

But putting all of that aside, here's the crux of the defense:

The sports media elicited comments from a handful of players, none of whom I can recall ever meeting. Among other things, at least one said he would never play for a team I was involved in given my racial views. My racial views? You mean, my belief in a colorblind society where every individual is treated as a precious human being without regard to his race? Where football players should earn as much as they can and keep as much as they can, regardless of race? Those controversial racial views?

No, Rush, these controversial racial views.

Limbaugh's record of racist commentary ... includes not only a habit of comparing black athletes to gang members but a general hostility toward black people. Limbaugh only recently suggested that having a black president encouraged black children to beat up white children -- he's also compared President Obama's agenda to 'slavery reparations,' used epithets to reference his biracial background, and compared Democrats responding to the concerns of black voters to rape."

The WSJ op-ed concludes that there is an effort underway "to keep citizens who don't share the left's agenda from participating in the full array of opportunities this nation otherwise affords each of us."

Yes, The Man is always trying to keep the white conservatives down. It's nice of this multi-millionaire who managed to avoid jail time after a series of drug felonies to explain this to us.

Ouch.

In all seriousness, after nearly two decades of tearing into Democrats, liberals, and anybody else to the left of him unopposed from his little on-air Jabba the Hutt dais, you think he'd develop some sort of thick skin. But no...Rush, like every other Winger out there, just can't take what he's been dishing out for years and years. And now that America has rejected his stupidity and voted the Dems into office overwhelmingly, he laments the fact that suddenly he can't snap his fingers and win the universe anymore.

The real issue is that a bunch of white multi-millionaires told another white multi-millionaire to piss off, and he's taking it out on those mean liberals like a seven-year-old throwing a tantrum.

It's pathetic. While you're at it there, Rush...dig the hole deeper. Blame Obama.

StupidiNews, Weekend Edition!

• A battle is shaping up between India and Albania over the remains of Mother Teresa.
• Pakistan has begun its latest ground offensive into Al-Qaeda and Taliban territory.
• Republicans hope targeting embattled Charlie Rangel (NY-D) will win them seats in 2010.
• The growing insider trading case against Galleon Group Raj Rajartanam may issue in a new era of SEC crackdowns.
• Radio pay-for-play legislation is moving through Congress and has reached a possible full vote.

Joe Cheater-man

Steve M. at NMMNB observes that Joe F'ckin Lieberman's half-assed statement that he's thinking about actually not being the member of the Dem caucus to kill Obamacare in the Senate is part of a larger pattern of being a complete assclown, because the Dems refuse to actually punish the guy.

And what evidence is there that anything like that would actually happen? What evidence is there that he would be punished by Democrats -- ever, for anything?

Lieberman's like a member of a married couple who's always cheating, and not even trying to conceal it, then taunting his spouse with stories about what great sex he had in that motel. The Democratic Party is the spouse who covers up insecurity by angrily telling Lieberman that maybe he should just get the hell out and be with the person he had the affair with if the sex was so damn great -- but, in reality, the Democrats really couldn't bear that, so they do whatever will make Lieberman happy. And Lieberman knows the Democrats will always do that; he milks that for everything it's worth, so he never leaves.

And he keeps cheating.

This is not a healthy relationship. But I strongly doubt it's going to get any healthier.

Not until one side or the other leaves the abusive relationship for good. And I'd know which one I'd like to see gone for good from the Senate.

Does anyone here honestly think Lieberman isn't going to stab Obama in the back here?

The Hypocrisy Is Galling

The next time you hear a Republican complain that he or she is being "unfairly silenced" by the "tyranny of the liberal majority", please direct them to this article right here.

Fifty-three House Republicans have signed a letter to the Obama administration asking for the ouster of Kevin Jennings, an official charged with promoting school safety, because of his career as an advocate of teaching tolerance of homosexuality.

“As the founder of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, Mr. Jennings has played an integral role in promoting homosexuality and pushing a pro-homosexual agenda in America’s schools — an agenda that runs counter to the values that many parents desire to instill in their children,” the lawmakers write.

They cite as evidence the foreword Mr. Jennings wrote for a book titled “Queering Elementary Education: Advancing the Dialogue About Sexualities and Schooling” (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1999).

When they look at you curiously in dull ignorance and say "But that's not the same thing at all" please kindly tell them to go screw themselves.

It's very cathartic. Trust me.

MSNBC's Dirty Little Secret

Steve Benen:

Politico asked a variety of television talk-show hosts who their favorite guests are. MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski apparently had no trouble quickly naming her choice. (via Dave Weigel)

Brzezinski jumps at the chance to name Pat Buchanan "because he says what we are all thinking."

Um, Mika? Have you heard the kind of things Buchanan says?

If Buchanan's remarks reflect what the "Morning Joe" team is thinking, that's a problem.

No, the real problem is Pat Buchanan says the kinds of things he says and still has a job at MSNBC, or any network for that matter.

Why is he employed there?

All Their Base Are Belong To GOP

James Carville's polling outfit has compiled a report on the Teabagger base of the GOP:

"They believe Obama is ruthlessly advancing a 'secret agenda' to bankrupt the United States and dramatically expand government control to an extent nothing short of socialism," the analysis said." While these voters are disdainful of a Republican Party they view to have failed in its mission, they overwhelmingly view a successful Obama presidency as the destruction of this country's founding principles and are committed to seeing the president fail."

The analysis argues that Obama's unpopularity among conservative Republicans is both quantitatively and qualitatively different from liberal Democratic ire against George W. Bush -- that the GOP is more heavily conservative than the Democrats are heavily liberal, and that the hatred of Obama is more intense than Dem hatred of Bush was. All of this adds up to a powerful set of emotions that the Republican Party as a whole cannot ignore.

One thing that the firm makes clear, though, is that this is not about racism, but about ideology: "Instead of focusing on these intense ideological divisions, the press and elites continue to look for a racial element that drives these voters' beliefs - but they need to get over it. Conducted on the heels of Joe Wilson's incendiary comments at the president's joint session address, we gave these groups of older, white Republican base voters in Georgia full opportunity to bring race into their discussion - but it did not ever become a central element, and indeed, was almost beside the point."

The massive racism is incidental, you see. They just really, really, really hate Obama to the point of breaking from reality. BooMan plays out what this means for the Republicans in 2010:

The Republicans have unleashed a beast that they don't seem able to control. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the Sunshine State, where Governor Charlie Crist's campaign for U.S. Senate is starting to look a little wobbly. But, it's also evident in Upstate New York, where a special election is coming up in the 23rd District for the House of Representatives. The Chairman of the NRSC, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, has wisely sought out candidates who fit their states in Illinois (Mark Kirk), Connecticut (Rob Simmons), Delaware (Mike Castle), New Hampshire (Kelly Ayotte), and Florida (Gov. Crist). But the base of the Republican Party is no match for these "moderates" and, other than Castle, none of them seem assured of winning their primaries. Cornyn certainly has failed to clear the field for them, which means any victory could be pyrrhic if it winds up consuming the entire bankroll and leaves nothing left over for the general election.

The Village keeps thinking that the Democrats will lose dozens of seats in the House next year. That is possible, but only if the Democrats don't pass their agenda...and even then, the reality is that the Teabaggers want to hijack the Republican party so far over to the right that 90% of the current denizens in the Republican side of the aisle would be tossed for ideological impurity.

It's actually about a lot more than race: it's about change, real actual honest to goodness change, and the people who have been beaten with the fear stick for the last 30 years have now broken the leash and are loose. The Republicans can't control them anymore, and this hurricane is liable to cost even more GOP incumbent lawmakers their seats than Democrats.

The GOP civil war is raging. The results will be that the Democrats are the biggest winners of all.

Wage-ing The Battle

USA Today reports wages are falling to their worst yearly drop since 1991, but driving it is deflation.

Colorado announced this week it will become the first state to lower its minimum wage since the federal minimum wage law was passed in 1938. The state will cut its rate by 4 cents to $7.24 an hour Jan. 1, to reflect a drop in the consumer price index.

Retirees are also feeling some pain. Social Security announced Thursday that it will not give cost-of-living increases to beneficiaries next year because prices have fallen in the past year.

Weekly wages have tumbled largely because employees are working fewer hours — an average of 30 per week — than at anytime since the government began tracking the data in 1964.

Hourly wages are stagnant or declining, too. After adjusting for inflation, average hourly wages have dipped a half-percent this year to $18.67 an hour in September.

Prices measured by the CPI are down 1.8% from their peak in July 2008. For seven months, the CPI has declined from the same month a year earlier — the longest stretch since 1955.

That trend is upsetting a wide range of wage-and-benefit packages in this recession.

Nearly 80 million people have wages or benefits tied to changes in the consumer price index. Those include contracts for 2 million unionized workers, food stamp payments and some child support checks. The Labor Department announced Thursday that federal pensions won't increase next year.

The consumer price index fell 3.3% in the last quarter of 2008. Most cost-of-living adjustments include the end of last year in changes that take effect Jan. 1.

Ten states link minimum wages to inflation. But, unlike Colorado, most states do not cut minimum wages when prices fall.

Ohio recorded a 0.2% drop in prices in the past year, says Dennis Ginty of the Ohio Department of Commerce. Like Social Security rules, Ohio's law permits only cost-of-living increases, never decreases, Ginty says.

Business groups say this one-sided inflation adjustment is unfair. "The bar should move both ways, up and down, if you're going to have a cost-of-living adjustment," says Shawn Cleave, a lobbyist for the Oregon Farm Bureau.

The problem is with the dollar's collapse, we're now seeing a lurch in the other direction, only without the wage increases to go with it. the result will be our consumer driven economy will be flat broke soon, and without anyone to do the consuming.

What recovery? What middle class?

Video Gaming Out The Dystopian Obamafuture

Yes, apparently the Winger fringe is already gaming out their response to "Obama's failed coup to form a North American union in 2011" triggering the Second American Revolution as the gang at Barefoot & Progressive reports:

Yes, this game is good practice for the future lynchers/Tim McVeighs of America.

Location: Virginia, U.S.A.
You are a militia commander and in control of 1 county.

Mission: To defeat all enemies of the United States, both foreign and domestic. Includes:
C.O.R.N.Y. (Congress of Rejected and Neglected Youth) Shock Troops
Obama's police force (Ameritroops)
The Cong (Former congressional leaders)
Nation of Malsi (Islamic fundamentalist troops)
Black Tigers (black nationalist troops loyal to Obama)
NHKS (National Honor Killing Society) Yet another Islamic army
I.S.U.E. ( International Service Union Empire) Troops
U.N. (United Nations) Peacekeepers

Oh, and my favorite part:

Sarah Palin The Patriot Leads Revolt Against Hamas

March 7, 2011 - Yesterday Sarah Palin was spotted helping to take out several Hamas warriors who were guarding Rahm Emanuel. Rahm was able to escape thanks to yet another suicide bomber who blew himself up. Sarah Palin is expected to be on the ticket in some way for the next Presidential elections to be held 60 days after Obama's capture in Virginia. Sarah ran after Rahm with at least 300 Militia, many of whom are from Texas and out for blood following the massacre that was revealed outside of Dallas by Obama's Police force, the Ameri-troops.

Killing Obama and his Jew/Muslim cronies has never been more fun for White Male Liberty Patriots living in their mother's basement.

Do I even need to say it?

Yes. Yes I do.

WOLVEREEEEEEEENS!

When I said Obama Derangement Syndrome was a cottage industry, I wasn't kidding, folks. It's like Mafia Wars on Facebook, only gone horribly, horribly wrong.

And yet there are plenty of people who think this is going to happen for real. Best to get your County Commander training in now, loyal patriots!

The LG&M gang has more, as do Teh Sadlies.

What They Fail To Say Is That Bush Did It Several Times

As FOX News tries to paint health care passed under budget reconciliation as another "nuclear option" extension of Obamafascism.

A key House committee on Thursday quietly altered its health care legislation in a way that could allow the Senate to mow over Republican opposition to Democratic reforms by exploiting a budgetary loophole.

The Ways and Means Committee adjusted its health care overhaul package so that the Senate, down the road, could avoid a filibuster and pass health care reform with a smaller number of votes than normally required.

The long-discussed process, nicknamed the "nuclear option," is known as reconciliation. It's coming into potential play after the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday became the last of five committees to approve health care reform legislation, sending the overhaul proposals a big step closer to the president's desk. Before it gets there, though, the bill has to pass from the committees to the floors of the House and Senate.

Under the normal process, senators can filibuster almost anything and the debate would only be cut off if at least 60 lawmakers vote to do so. For that reason, 60 is considered the magic number in the quest to pass health care reform out of the Senate.

Note how a Senate filibuster, another parliamentary procedure, is considered not only "the normal process" but required in order to pass legislation by FOX News. It is not. Legislation only needs 51 votes to pass, and even then technically legislation only needs 50 votes plus a tiebreaker cast by the Vice-President.

But FOX here frames going around the filibuster instead of leveling the playing field as somehow scurrilous, unconstitutional, and wrong even though Republicans have filibustered nearly every single bill in the last three years.

And people wonder why FOX News should be considered a partisan entertainment division of News Corporation rather than a news outlet.

StupidiNews Focus

Zandar's ire. It is raised.

A justice of the peace in northern Louisiana has refused to grant a marriage license to an interracial couple because he believes it would harm any children born of that relationship.

“I’m not a racist,” Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in the state's Tangihapoa Parish, told the Hammond, Louisiana, Daily Star. “I do ceremonies for black couples right here in my house. My main concern is for the children.”

The Louisiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is calling the justice's move "tragic and illegal."

The Hammond Daily Star reports:

Beth Humphrey, 30, said she and her boyfriend, Terence McKay, 32, both of Hammond, intend to consult the US Justice Department about filing a discrimination complaint.

Humphrey said she called Bardwell Oct. 6 to inquire about getting a marriage license signed. She said Bardwell’s wife told her that Bardwell will not sign marriage licenses for interracial couples.

The paper quotes the justice of the peace as saying that “99 percent of the time” an interracial couple will consist of a black man and white woman, and “I find that rather confusing.”

Evidently, Bardwell has long had a policy of not marrying interracial couples, and admitted that Louisiana's attorney general had warned him years ago that he could "get into trouble" because of it.

“I told him if I do, I’ll resign,” Bardwell told the Daily Star. “I have rights too. I’m not obligated to do that just because I’m a justice of the peace.”

Actually, I'm pretty sure the Justice Department disagrees with you on that. And in an era where a child of an interracial couple can grow up to be President of the United States of America (or even a political blogger like myself), as a mixed-race person might I offer a hearty "screw you, I hope the DoJ fries your ass" to Magistrate Bardwell.

It's 2009. The world's changed. Louisiana in fact has a pretty long history of interracial couples and children of those couples (and not from marriage), as do many other Southern states. This kind of thing isn't going to fly anymore. Might as well ask anyone who comes in for a marriage license to flip a coin, heads they can, tails they're one of the 50% or so of marriages that end in divorce, so why bother?

But don't use mixed-race kids as an excuse to deny marriage saying "society will not accept them." What society should not accept, sir, is your staggeringly ignorant self being a magistrate, or in any position of governmental power like that at all.

StupidiNews!

• An explosion in Peshawar, Pakistan has killed 11 as another police station is targeted by militants.
• A Louisiana Justice of the Peace has denied a marriage license to an interracial couple based on concerns for the children they may have.
• One industry booming in this economy: debt collection.
• Bank of America has posted a billion dollar third quarter loss based on loan defaults.
• The FCC is considering a measure like the "Schumer Box" in the credit card industry to make cell phone and internet bills more clear.

Last Call

Meghan McCain has lousy political views on a number of subjects. She is, however, not deserving of the attacks on her physical self for one photo.

Having said that, what did you expect your Republican friends to say about the picture, madam? They're not exactly the forgiving type of anyone left of, say, Malkinvania.

Having said THAT, I wonder what the reaction from the Wingerverse would be if Sarah Palin struck a pose like that.

But there I go assigning logic to the illogical.

Up, Up And Away, In My Beautiful Balloon

Really not sure what to make of this story.

A 6-year-old boy was found hiding in the attic at home Thursday, several hours after the runaway flight of his family's experimental balloon riveted the nation and led to a frantic search for the child, who was feared to have fallen from the craft.

The news that the boy was safe at home came during an afternoon press conference with Larimer County Sheriff's Office officials.

"Apparently the boy’s been there the whole time. He’s been hiding in cardboard box in the attic above the garage," Sheriff Jim Alderden said.

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"I don't want to conjecture but this is not first time we are searching for a kid and once he realizes everyone is looking for him he hides because he's afraid of getting in trouble."

One of boy's older brothers had initially told authorities he saw his brother climb into a box compartment attached to the bottom of the balloon before it became untethered and took off.

"He was very adamant. That was his consistent story," the sheriff said.

First things first: young Falcon is fine and unharmed. A missing child is no joke, ever. Not in America in 2009.

On the one hand, it's a kid in a balloon. Local law enforcement is just not equipped to handle balloon rescues of a six-year old. Where the hell is that in the manual, ya know?

On the other hand, searching the place basement to attic at the same time might have been a good idea too. Surely somebody was detailed to do that, right? Balloon was on the roof of the house, so searching the area around that, like the attic, would seem like a logical place to start.

Then again, logic dictates that most houses don't come with their own experimental weather balloon, so assigning logic in order to make sense of the story fails on a number of levels anyway.

Again, the important thing is the boy was found unharmed. The Larimer County Sheriff's Office there did their job: they recovered the balloon, found the child, and nobody was harmed in the end, so a win is a win. Kudos to them. They had to think fast and act fast and performed admirably, and even if they found the boy right off the bat, they still would of had to deal with the balloon in a safe manner, which they did.

Still, science should be used responsibly, folks.

The Black Hole

Thinking about this week's Rush Limbaugh/NFL story, I've come to the conclusion that the Wingers really, honestly believe that Rush Limbaugh is not a racist. This represents a fundamental break with reality of course...but they can't admit what Rush does is racism, because if Rush Limbaugh is a racist, and all of these guys agree with Rush on a regular basis on any number of issues, why then, that means all of them are racists, too.

They're not covering Rush's ass because they like the man. They're covering Rush's ass because if he goes down, the rest of Wingnut Industries, Inc. goes down the tubes along with him. It's self-preservation, plain and simple.

The irony is that in defending Rush's behavior, the Wingers are actually more racist than Rush (which is like being more evil than Lex Luthor or something, I know) because they tolerate this behavior and even implicitly condone it. In many ways that's actually far worse. In effect, Rush's defenders have doubled down on the dirty deeds.

They've got no choice now. They really ARE "all Rush Limbaugh now" in the Wingerverse. Not a single one of them can disown Rush, and standing up for him only makes them look worse. It's mass suicide over, well, Rush Limbaugh.

Maybe this will lead to a psychotic break back into reality for some of the Wingers. Maybe this is truly "peak wingnut". Perhaps some will escape the black hole and make it to the escape pods in time.

...Naaah. Who am I kidding? These guys are bonkers for getting themselves into this mess in the first place.

Smokin' The Grassley

Now, I've documented the silliness of Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley several times before, but this time the Chuckster has completely gone bye-bye, as Steve Benen notes.

This week, Grassley appears to have completely lost it, offering at least tacit support for radical "Tenther" theories that insist that health care reform may be unconstitutional.

"I'm not a lawyer, but let me tell you, I've listened to some lawyers speak on this. And you know, it's a relatively new issue. I don't think we've ever had this issue before of having to buy something. And a lot of constitutional lawyers, saying it is unconstitutional or at least in violation of the 10th Amendment. Now maybe states can do this, but can the federal government? So, I have my doubts."

This was specifically responding to a question about individual mandates -- a measure he's already endorsed as a good idea that he supports.

Obvious inconsistencies notwithstanding, the notion that health care reform is "in violation of the 10th Amendment" is demonstrably ridiculous. The idea that "a lot constitutional lawyers" see health care reform as unconstitutional is absurd.

But the fact that Grassley is even talking like this suggests the reform fight has really pushed him over the edge. He's up for re-election next year -- in a state Barack Obama won by about 10 points -- and there are reports Grassley may face a very credible Democratic challenger.

Embracing fringe, right-wing legal theories may excite the base a bit, but in general, Grassley's bizarre turn to the far-right is not only painful to watch, it's a risky political strategy that may cost him his job.

The overwhelming irony is that since a United States Senator is basically saying that the United States Congress has no right to actually pass laws that apply to the United States Of America and that as a member of a legislative body that Grassley's basically arguing should be null and void, I'd have to ask him when he was resigning from that most august body in protest. Somehow, I don't think he's going to resign that Senate seat.

But then again, it looks like keeping that seat isn't up to him, now is it? Chuck Grassley's basically running on the notion that the Senate is doing too much work. Try selling that hog's bona fides at the Iowa State Fair.

PS, why are we trying to make these guys happy again?

Pass Rush

Gotta say, I'm disappointed in Rick Moran for this.

No, Limbaugh is no racist. He’s a blowhard. He’s a conservative poseur. He’s a racial provocateur. He’s a rabble rousing polemicist.

That's the first paragraph. It gets worse from there as America's sport has in the space of 24 hours become the largest bastion of liberalism since Bring Your Partner And Some Soy Milk To Work Day at ACORN.

How the hell do you defend a jagoff like this, man? And "racial provocateur" means what, he's a racist only with a clever mustachio and pantaloons and a jaunty beret, perched rakishly askew? How does that particular distinction work?

Screw that. Honestly defending Rush is impossible, and yes, the NFL is full of felons, assholes and they are woefully short of minorities in positions of actual power...kind of like the Republican Party, actually, so making THAT argument against the NFL kind of only points out how even more dismal the GOP's record on racial diversity and tolerance is.

Also, Thers again, because Thers is awesome.

In Which Zandar Answers Your Burning Questions

John Cole asks:

This really sums it up, doesn’t it:

A key House committee on Thursday passed legislation reining in the multitrillion-dollar market for financial derivatives.

The House Financial Services Committee passed the bill on a 43-26 vote, with only one Republican, Rep. Walter Jones (N.C.), siding with all Democrats.

The bill is the first in a series of measures the Obama administration and congressional allies are pushing to remake the financial system. House leaders are eyeing votes in November, while it may take more time for the Senate to consider legislation.

Exactly what would have to happen before Republicans would agree to regulation of a sector of the economy that could bring down the house? The financial crash of 2008 was not enough?

Well, for that to happen we'd have to have something totally crazy happen like a housing depression errm the doubling of unemployment ahhh the dollar collapsing ummm putting taxpayers on the hook for trillions oh screw it, I don't understand the jagoffs either.

Oiled Up, Dollar Down

With the dollar continuing to deteriorate, oil is on the rise, spelling big trouble for the economy.

Oil prices rose more than $2 to above $77 a barrel on Thursday after the Energy Information Administration (EIA) announced that crude supplies rose a less-than-expected 400,000 barrels, while gasoline inventories dropped 5.2 million barrels.

These gains added to an earlier rise, as the euro fell on disappointing Q3 earnings reports, traders said

U.S. light, sweet crude for November delivery hit its highest level since October 2008 at above $77.

London Brent crude was up.

"At this stage the market is dominated by nothing commodity-driven — just the weaker dollar and earnings season," said CMC Markets analyst James Hughes.

We're already seeing evidence now that the flight from the dollar into commodities like oil is underway. Triple digit oil this winter would mean brutal prices this summer. It's looking like another oil bubble is forming. Oil has been floating between $60 and $75 a barrel since May or so, but the break upwards today to $77.50 is a major indicator that the move is on.

On top of all the other financial problems your average American is facing these days, let's throw in $4 a gallon gas again, eh?