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- Ron Johnson, a Republican businessman hoping to unseat Russ Feingold in Wisconsin, summarizes the GOP platform this year: "I don't believe this election is about details. I really don't." Somewhat contradictorily, Johnson also says that he wants to tell people "what my philosophy is." I don't know what his "philosophy" is, but I'm gathering that it has something to do with his "manufacturing background." Perhaps, "don't govern" is his "philosophy?" I can't imagine why this simple businessman doesn't want to tell voters what he'll do once he's elected to the Senate.
- Maybe I'm missing something, but isn't it quite likely that the bloc of five Blue Dog Democrats threatening to vote against Nancy Pelosi for speaker -- should Democrats keep the House -- are among the most likely to lose their seats in a couple of weeks? I know that some Blue Dog rump has to survive for Democrats to keep the majority, but at this point, we don't know what that rump will be. Ultimately, while the speaker is an important position, it isn't critical to this hypothetical and narrow Democratic House majority and the Democrats' agenda.
- One thing to keep in mind when you hear "year of the outsider" theories for the midterms: It's not a cliché to say that each congressional race is different. Barbara Boxer will probably hold on in California because she's a reasonably popular incumbent. Harry Reid is a very unpopular incumbent, and if he survives in Nevada, it will only be because he engineered a lunatic to run against him. Rand Paul will probably win in Kentucky because Republicans tend to win elections in Kentucky, as reflected in the polls. As tempting as it is to construct a national narrative for the election, it's ultimately the product of local circumstances.
- Remainders: Five zombie economic ideas that refuse to die; David Broder thinks the political environment of 1976 offers "lessons" for the politics of 2010; nothing screams freedom like hiring active-duty military personnel to be your personal goon squad; and oh, how original, another article explaining how awesome a Republican-led Congress will be for Barack Obama.
-- Mori Dinauer
