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- There's not much more to be said about the GOP's "Pledge" but to note how it has failed to inspire movement conservatives in any big way. Red State's Erick Erickson calls it "ridiculous" and "dreck" while the Club for Growth's Andrew Roth assails it as "weak." The most prominent supporter is National Review, which praises the "bold," "wise," and "shrewd" Republican plan. This says more about National Review's continuing decline into a public-relations shop for the GOP than anything else.
- Ahh, "moderate" Democrats, cowering for fear that Republicans will accuse them of raising taxes despite the fact that Republicans would make this accusation regardless of what tax rates were. The Democratic leadership could, I don't know, schedule a vote before the midterms and dare Republicans to vote against extending tax cuts for those making under $250,000, but apparently that's off the table. Meanwhile, 44 House Democrats have found the time to write an urgent letter to Nancy Pelosi on lowering taxes on capital gains and dividends, which apparently is the only thing holding back economic growth.
- Speaking of taking care of the wealthy, it's astonishing the degree to which they have nearly completely captured our political system and successfully portrayed themselves up as John Galts whose magnanimousness is solely responsible for the continuing prosperity of the country. Or as Dean Baker says, we never talk about poverty -- you know, real human suffering -- but are fixated on the ups and downs of the stock market.
- Many thanks to Sarah Babbage, Peter Bolton, Sam Petulla, and Justin Snow for holding down the fort in my absence. Remainders: Peter Suderman's hatred of "Obamacare" is nothing less than obsessive; once again, I'm mystified by the appeal of Mickey Kaus; finally, a libertarian who understands liberals; Jonathan Zasloff on enforcing Sharia law in the United States; and things that bother conservatives, a continuing series: "The cycle of the seasons is among the oldest natural phenomena known to humans, and we don’t need experts or bureaucrats to know when they start and end."
-- Mori Dinauer
