Politics Plus

The Republican Party has broken the Senate, and as usual, it’s up to the Democrats to clean up the mess they have made.  Led by Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Tom Udall (D-NM), joined by Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and the entire freshman class of Senate Democrats, and supported (at last) by Harry Reid (D-NV), the effort for filibuster reform reform has a good chance of succeeding in January.

On the Senate floor Monday afternoon, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell railed against his counterpart, Harry Reid, and a “cohort of short-sighted Senate sophomores,” for proposing to modify the Senate’s filibuster rules on the first day of the 113th Congress to limit the extent to which the minority can gum up legislative business.

“Does [Reid] believe that on the day he finds himself in the minority once again that he should no longer be heard?” McConnell asked, “Or does he think that Democrats will remain in the majority from now until the end of time?”

In a Monday interview, one of the supposedly short-sighted sophomores said, contra McConnell, the reforms Democrats are proposing could in theory go much farther, but are being designed with future power shifts in mind.

“The point I would make is that I’ve said from the outset is that a test of a good proposal is whether or not you could live with serving under it in the minority,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR). “That’s why the talking filibuster is the right way to go. McConnell has broken the social contract. His team, under his leadership, uses it constantly and silently, out of public sight. Really the proposal I put forward restores the basic elements that existed in the past, and I’m quite happy to live under that structure as a minority. … [That] has been part of every conversation I’ve had with colleagues. … If we’re in the minority and we’re blocking something, we should be accountable to the public.”… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <TPM>

Rachel Maddow covered this issue in two segments. In the first, she explained the debate over filibusters.

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In the past the minority could use the filibuster to shine light on a perceived injustice to the public and put public pressure on Senators, before they voted on an issue. That was, and is, the proper use of the filibuster.  It was never intended as a tool for minority rule.

In the second, Rachel and Sherrod Brown discussed the future of the Senate.

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Can we live with the proposed rules if Republicans control the Senate in the future. I think so. As pleasant as the idea of hogtieing the Republican Party sounds, if the people are stupid enough to elect them, they have a right to govern. Anyway, since Bought Bitch Mitch has his panties in a major bunch, opposing filibuster reform, that proves it is good for America.

Contact your Senators.  Tell them the filibastards have had their way far too long, and to take the Senate back!

Fossil fuel energy companies have made a fortune, because they have been allowed to externalize the costs of the health and environmental damage they cause onto private individuals and US taxpayers, creating artificially low energy prices and erecting a barrier to entry by green technology into the energy market.  More than any other factor, the carbon we pump into the atmosphere every day, because the companies don’t have to pay for the damage, has increased the acceleration toward global climate change.

Representatives from 194 countries will meet in Doha, Qatar from November 26 to December 7 for the latest round of international climate talks.

The key question for many is whether or not President Obama will chart new territory for leadership by the United States, a country which has long refused to make the necessary commitments that scientists say are necessary to avert a 2°C rise in global temperatures and the associated climate change such warming is likely to trigger.

As this question about Obama lingers environmental campaigners in the US, global leaders more broadly are being called to the challenge as well. On Friday, the UN expert on global solidarity said that without international unity, the fight against climate change would not be won.

Virginia Dandan, charged by the UN to report on issues of global solidarity, urged world governments to see beyond the cost of climate change in terms of money, and to adopt a strong commitment to international cooperation as a key element towards a successful round of talks in Doha… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Common Dreams>

Photo credit: One Green Gnome

I fully agree with the author that international cooperation is needed, and I am not satisfied with Obama’s environmental record.  In his defense, however, the presence of eight Democratic Senators who would goose step with Republicans on energy policy made progress impossible.  The following DINOS have joined Republicans to support the Keystone XL Pipeline: Sens. Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Jim Webb (D-Va.).

I also recognize Obama’s need to walk a fine line to protect the recovery in progress and his need to depend on fossil fuels until green energy sources are sufficiently developed to take over the load of US energy consumption.

For now, I would propose two things, which Obama cannot do on his own.  First, eliminate all subsidies for fossil fuel companies, except for subsidies to programs for carbon removal.  Second, institute a carbon tax just high enough to make it less expensive for energy companies to upgrade to the best anti-carbon technology available than to pay the tax.  The savings from the subsidies and proceeds from the tax, should be divided between deficit reduction, carbon removal, and green energy subsidies and R&D.  I certainly would love to see other suggestions.

We need to take every opportunity to pressure our elected officials in both parties to join the international effort to stop climate change.

In general, I abide faithfully by the Eleventh Commandment: Thou shalt not commit Teabuggery!  However, this is a rare occasion that I actually agree with Teabaggers that their plan for their future coincides with the best interests of the American people overall.

I say the Tea Partiers should go for it:

The tea-party movement is trying to regroup after taking some licks in this month’s elections. Several groups already are setting their sights on 2014 congressional races, in which they plan to promote their preferred candidates and hope to weed out Republicans they consider insufficiently conservative.

Yeah, that’s the ticket! You know, if we get enough Tea Partiers as the GOP nominees, as BooMan notes, Democrats may be able to take back the House and keep the Senate.

You know they make ideal opponents, because they have such a fine grasp of reality … the reality on Planet Bizarro, that is… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Crooks and Liars>

Woooo Hoooo!  Here’s some video.

What can I say?  If Teabaggers want to bring us more like Asinine Akin, Batshit Bachman, Christine O’Dunce, Drill Baby Dingbat, Moron Mourdock, and Obtuse Angle, who am I to complain?