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- Among health care reform's many obstacles, few are more frustrating that the hostage crisis that ensues every time a "centrist" Democrat insists they are the linchpin of the whole endeavor. Fortunately, Harry Reid and Senate leaders recognize that they need to keep their 60-vote caucus together rather than dealing with irrelevant Republicans. Maybe they'll also try making use of pressure from liberal activists to sway Dems who wish they didn't have to weigh in on issues that could piss off their financiers.
- Regardless of whether we need a second stimulus (third, actually), I think that politically, it's DOA. Conservatives are beginning to hone inchoate anti-government rage into a more finely-tuned (if factually and conceptually challenged) critique of the ARRA and it seems unlikely that the aforementioned Democratic centrists will be on board without the sense of impending crisis.
- Simon Johnson makes the excellent point that the G8 summit happening in Italy this week is a fairly worthless and dated institution, better replaced by the G20, which is more inclusive and a better reflection of actual global economic relationships. I agree, but why stop there? Isn't it time, for instance, that the five permanent members of the UN Security Council lose their special status? What's the point of freezing in amber the immediate post-WWII victory status quo?
- Until today, I had no opinion on Jeb Bush. But after reading this Esquire interview with him, I think it's safe to say he's completely internalized GOP denial about the political landscape, doesn't have any sound policy ideas, can't stand the fact that Barack Obama is popular whereas his brother is loathed, and believes climate change science is "politicized." In other words, he's the perfect Republican presidential candidate.
- Conor Friedersdorf offers an excellent observation about the conservative trope against "elites," namely that a lot of elites are outspoken conservatives. And tellingly, the meteoric rise of the last year's Republican vice-presidential candidate owed her success specifically to wooing said conservative elites. This is a good opportunity to remind readers that according to conservatives, an "elite" isn't delineated by wealth, education, status, or power -- although these are part of the equation. No, the defining feature is cultural, i.e. not being a "real American."
- Remainders: Arlen Specter, loyal Democrat; another cogent meditation from the Big Hollywood crew; the GOP could really use a better farm team; Republicans stand at the precipice of losing Hispanic support for good; Senator Al Franken continues to blow the minds of his Republican colleagues; and why acknowledge slavery in America when you can pretend it never happened?
--Mori Dinauer
