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    God save us. Bob Kerrey is running (5.00 / 2) (#1)
    by caseyOR on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 01:07:41 PM EST
    for the Senate, again. Like a bad dream, or a bad penny that just won't go away, Kerrey, faux-Democrat, has reversed his earlier, relief-inducing decision Not to run for the Nebraska senate seat now healed by Ben Nelson, also a  faux-Democrat.

    Kerrey has an unwarranted confidence in the power of his own intellect and the rightness of his ideas. As we have seen in the past, Kerrey practically considers it his duty to torpedo the Democratic caucus, whatever Democrat might be in residence in the Oval Office, and everyone in the nation who still clings to some shred of hope that the Democratic Party will finally wake up from its big-money-induced coma and do right by the American people.

    There is no hope.

    His first wife was my mom's first cousin (5.00 / 1) (#74)
    by Militarytracy on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 11:41:22 PM EST
    I be related to his first round of chillins.  My Uncle Ben is a Republican, so he collected more than his fair share of Bob stories.  Now he swears that they had a party for Bob when he first ran for office, and Bob got very liquored up and put himself to bed in my Uncle Ben's bed, he just disappeared from the party.  My Uncle Ben thought that was creepy, and I guess that was just the beginning of a long dislike "

    Parent
    Here is a link to the Kerrey (none / 0) (#4)
    by caseyOR on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 01:09:48 PM EST
    Sounds just like Obama (none / 0) (#8)
    by Abdul Abulbul Amir on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 01:32:01 PM EST

    Kerrey has an unwarranted confidence in the power of his own intellect and the rightness of his ideas.


    Parent
    Post of (none / 0) (#9)
    by Wile ECoyote on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 01:39:33 PM EST
    the day.

    Parent
    Or Hannity, ... or Rush ... (none / 0) (#11)
    by Yman on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:00:04 PM EST
    ... or GWB ...

    Parent
    Seriously (none / 0) (#69)
    by lilburro on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 09:14:58 PM EST
    replace "Kerrey" with "GW Bush's entire foreign policy" and "intellect" with "bombs" and it's pretty much spot on.

    Parent
    Well, if your'e looking for candidates (none / 0) (#17)
    by observed on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:35:27 PM EST
    who are NOT running on their self-perceived intellectual prowess, Santorum comes to mind.
    Do you "Rick" Santorum, much?

    Parent
    What a crock! (none / 0) (#88)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:54:06 AM EST
    Oh, for crying out loud! (none / 0) (#54)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 06:52:24 PM EST
    I saw that headline somewhere and assumed it must have been a typo since he'd just gotten through a long period of deliberation to announce he wasn't going to run.  Arrgggghhh.

    Parent
    Subject: One arrogant banker (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 01:09:40 PM EST
    A banker left a one percent tip at a restaurant in California, according to the linked article.  That may have been bad enough, but he left a note on the receipt that said "Get a real job."  You know, if there was a problem with the service, he should have asked to speak to the manager.  The "Get a real job" note was totally unnecessary.  The guy who purportedly originally posted this on his blog (which was subsequently taken down) said:
    `I work in the corporate office of a major bank for a boss who represents everything wrong with the financial industry.'

    The blogger said that his boss will tip exactly one per cent of the bill `every time he feels the server doesn't sufficiently bow down to his Holiness.'

    Obviously, I don't know the whole story, or if this was totally made up.  If true, I have two thoughts:  #1:  The poster is not long for the banking world (probably his own choice, since his nom de blog is "FutureExBanker."  And, #2:  The banker boss has very obviously never been "behind the scenes" in a restaurant kitchen.  (You don't even want to know the half of what goes on back there some of the time.)  And if he ever goes to that restaurant again, you better believe that they will remember him.  

    Unbelievable... (5.00 / 4) (#5)
    by kdog on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 01:12:26 PM EST
    it is bankers who need to get real jobs and stop leeching off of people who work for a living, like waiters and waitresses for example.

    Parent
    One of the rules of life (5.00 / 3) (#39)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:59:58 PM EST
    Never piss off someone who is alone with your food.

    Parent
    Oh, man, (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 04:10:43 PM EST
    is that ever true!  Not only have I been in and at times worked in a whole lot of restaurant kitchens, I also have many friends and relatives who are/were involved in food service.  As I said, you really, really don't want to tick off the restaurant staff!  It can get ugly.   ;-)  

    Parent
    Five sisters, four of whom ... (5.00 / 1) (#45)
    by Yman on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 05:35:47 PM EST
    ... were waitresses in high school or college.  Had it drummed into me how hard a job it was and how much they depended on tips, so I now tend to overtip, if anything.

    If that post is true, that guy sounds like a complete a-hole.

    Parent

    Yep (5.00 / 1) (#62)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 07:44:30 PM EST
    I would, too.  While customers are, of course, critically important to restaurants, if they can't keep good staff on, they will soon lose many more of their customers.  If I were the manager/owner of this restaurant, I would tell the guy that he should take a hike.    

    Parent
    In most cases, (none / 0) (#48)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 06:04:41 PM EST
    employers are not required to pay the federally mandated minimum wage for workers who depend upon tips.  So, yes, tips are crucial for wait staff.  And it's not an easy job in any way.  I've never waited on tables (although I have many friends and relatives who have), but I have worked in restaurant kitchens.  If anyone thinks that any of these are easy jobs, I invite them to spend some time either waiting on tables or cooking in a restaurant kitchen.  It ain't easy.

    Parent
    Of course, (none / 0) (#67)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 08:25:05 PM EST
    the managers and owners of restaurants would never tolerate this, Donald, and I would never excuse it, myself.  However, the manager's eyes cannot be everywhere at all times, and sh!t happens.  If you don't see it, you can't fire someone for it.  

    Parent
    Or flip off (none / 0) (#68)
    by fishcamp on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 08:42:33 PM EST
    somebody who cuts you off on the highway as they could be a Federal judge.

    Parent
    It was a hoax (5.00 / 1) (#99)
    by jbindc on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 12:14:15 PM EST
    the bill was actually just over $30 - not $133.

    The photo was altered.

    From HuffPo:

    CORRECTION:
    On Monday evening, True Food Kitchen in Newport Beach released an official statement based on their investigation (described above) into the authenticity of the purported receipt showing a 1% tip. The restaurant's statement reveals that their hard receipt copies do not, in fact, match the photo (shown above) that was initially posted on futureexbanker.wordpress.com (since taken down). The complete statement from True Food Kitchen:

    We're glad to respond to the news stories about a tipping incident at True Food Kitchen in Newport Beach.

    Our first concern upon learning about this situation was our staff. We are very fortunate to have employees that are talented, bright, and undoubtedly, some of the best in the business.

    However, we would like to report that there is misinformation circulating about this situation. The dining receipt that was originally posted on the blog, Future Ex Banker, and then republished by various websites, was, in fact, altered and exaggerated. We'd also like to assure people that the receipt was not posted and altered by anyone on behalf of True Food Kitchen. We respect our guests' privacy and take it very seriously; we would never share personal information.



    Parent
    I Tip Well... (none / 0) (#10)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 01:53:50 PM EST
    Never do I not tip 20%+, but one time I had service at a restaurant/bar that was so bad, I left a negative tip.

    Which is another pet peeve, when servers and bartenders are so worried about the tip, they open multiple tabs when you switch from bar to table.  And in this case the bartender was trying to keep the drink tab running, while the wait staff let this non-sense continue, and then there was a shift change.  I had either 3 or 4 tabs at the end of the evening and the service was really, really bad.  Didn't matter, the frown (negative tip) was turned upside down by someone and I didn't bother contesting it.  I made my point and my companion thought it was as hilarious at I did.

    Not defending the banker, but without the facts or a tidbit... Just because he's a banker doesn't mean he's the GD devil, especially when the unspecific details come from an underling and then vanish.

    And the other point, I can't count the times wait staff has changed my tip.  Usually for a dollar or two, certainly not worth calling my CC.  I would say 1 in 5 times it's changed.  One time, $10 was turned into $110 at an ice house for a couple of beers.  That one I did contest and found out the bartender did this to a bunch of folks right before they quit.  

    My point is they are no Saints either.

    Parent

    They're not (5.00 / 1) (#18)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:37:56 PM EST
    But on the two occasions where I did not leave a tip because the  service was truly abominable, I asked to speak to the manager.  I explained my dissatisfaction, and why I was not going to leave a tip.  Both times, the entire meal was comped, with many apologies from the managers, and in one case, the manager even gave me a coupon for a free meal for two in the future, and said that he would like me to come back and see that they could do better.
    Mr. Zorba and I have never had a problem with servers or bartenders padding the tip.  And I do check my credit card charges, comparing the statements with the receipts I have, all the time, including on-line.  Where the heck do you live that you run into this so much???  Maybe you should move here- apparently, we have more honest wait staff and bartenders.   ;-)  
    PS  And you still don't want to tick off the restaurant staff, not if you intend to go back to that restaurant.  As I said, they have ways of getting back at you.  

    Parent
    Well... (5.00 / 1) (#26)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:21:44 PM EST
     ...maybe because a lot of my tabs are closed around 2am, I don't know.

    I have asked friends, and same stuff.  I will say Houston is full of scoundrels, which in this case stinks, but right on when you need a 12 pack set outside the back door...

    And I did complain once, years ago, and same results that you had, but I feared the reprisal so much that when we went back, I couldn't get past someone recognizing me and messing with my food.  And that was my a favorite close-to-home spot that I had to stop eating at.  Not worth it IMO.

    I have a really hard time believing that it's never happened.  I believe you, but damn... them is honest peoples.

    Parent

    LOL! (none / 0) (#37)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:54:34 PM EST
    Well, we're old f@rts- we are never, ever out until 2AM any more- not for many, many years (in fact, not since before we had kids, lo those 30+ years ago).  That may be the difference.    ;-)

    Parent
    I'll add some of your complaints.. (5.00 / 1) (#21)
    by kdog on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:49:13 PM EST
    to my anti-plastic rants;)

    I pay by the round and tip by the round...in cash.  I think y'all are nuts leaving your credit cards with bartenders...going over the bill with beer goggles, who needs it!

    Unless I know the bartender and I can run a tab without plastic...and in that case it's not really a tab at all, its more like a drink all night for free deal, and leaving 50 bucks for my buddy for taking care of me.  Whatever he wants to put in the register outta that is his business;)

    Parent

    Kdog, I appreciate your (none / 0) (#24)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:07:36 PM EST
    concerns, and we have a close friend who feels much the same about "living off the grid" as much as possible.  But you're on the losing side of history, my friend.  It's only going to get worse.  And if you use the web at all, you don't think that much of your information is accessible to those nefarious few (including the government) who choose to look for it?  Not to mention- do you live totally off the grid, or do you go to the doctor occasionally (electronic medical records), do you pay taxes (IRS information could be compromised)?  Do you ever travel by airplane (you have to provide a photo ID)?  Do you ever go out of the country (you must have a passport)? And on and on.

    Parent
    Don't I know it sister... (none / 0) (#25)
    by kdog on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:21:34 PM EST
    I try to strike a balance between individual sovereignty, economic or otherwise, and convenience...totally "off the grid" would require more sacrifice than I am willing to make....so far, but the bastards may end up pushing me there eventually before I die.

    Parent
    Somehow, I don't see (none / 0) (#30)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:27:30 PM EST
    you living as a hermit in a cave somewhere, my friend.  Be well.   ;-)

    Parent
    When I tended bar... (none / 0) (#28)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:25:38 PM EST
    we didn't even take plastic (small college town dive).  If you were known and trusted to settle at the end of the night, that's the way it worked.  Especially when we were slammed.  It's always good to be a regular!

    I'll also just say that back in those days, the end of the night settlement wasn't always in cash either.  

    Parent

    As it should be.... (none / 0) (#35)
    by kdog on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:50:27 PM EST
    and you probably got stiffed less than the establishments taking cc's, with cardholders sobering up and disputing charges...especially at strip clubs.

    Parent
    Ah, yes, those (none / 0) (#36)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:50:29 PM EST
    were the days, my friend.  And I leave you with the original Russian/ Russian Gypsy version of the song, "Those Were the Days."



    Parent
    When I Use Cash with the Goggs On... (none / 0) (#31)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:34:17 PM EST
    I get tip crazy.  Plus I lose stuff all the time, keys, phone, and cash.  Tipping only makes my pocket a hot mess of wadded up bills.  Trust, this is a no brainer for me.

    It's rare for me to have cash, my wallet doesn't have a bill carrier, just room for ID, CC, ATM card, and a couple of other random vitals.  

    I have mentioned this before, it's regional, last time I was in NYC, I was freaked out by the number of places that didn't take plastic.  But here, everyone uses the card/tab system, and most places will swipe it and give it back to you.

    Parent

    NYC rents are so crazy... (5.00 / 1) (#34)
    by kdog on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:48:29 PM EST
    credit card fees take too much a bite out of the profits...ya can't blame 'em for being cash only.

    "Hot mess of wadded up bills"...too true!  When I woke up hungover like a motherf*cker Saturday morning I thought I'd found money or something, but upon futher review it was just fat wad of singles that replaced my skinny wad of twentys.

    Parent

    In Wisconsin We Use to Call a Bunch of Ones... (none / 0) (#78)
    by ScottW714 on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 09:29:47 AM EST
    ...a Polish Knot.  

    Invariably the big bills get used first because of their convenience and the pre-drinking organization. If you got anything bigger then a $5, you didn't have enough fun.

    Parent

    Yes, exactly, Donald (none / 0) (#58)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 07:16:03 PM EST
    n/t

    Parent
    Yeah, OK... (none / 0) (#81)
    by ScottW714 on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:10:39 AM EST
    Donald, please.  My friend got her car broke into a couple years back and they stole her laptop.

    HPD, (same as you right?) wouldn't even come to the scene, and her car wasn't the only one.  Like 10 cars had their windows smashed out in the same parking lot.  And we were at one of the nicer places in town, Galleria.  A week later she had to go to the precinct and pay $12 for the police report for insurance.

    I am positive, calling them over a couple bucks would result in much laughter...

    And I am cool with that, they got better things to do then chase tipping disputes.  Trust me, it has nothing to do with being shy, it's about reality.

    And for the rest of it, I express my concerns through my purchasing power.  They can suck it, way too many places in Houston for me to waste my time trying to change bad management.  Once you lose me, that's it.  This is the norm, at least amongst my friends, tip normal and never come back, let market deal with it.

    No offense, but you sound like my mom who lives in a town of 20,000.  Where there is literally no crime that won't be investigated.  That just isn't the case here, which is why I suspect why it happens and why I don't really care.

    Lastly, you are assuming that someone changes the actual paper copy, who's to say they don't type it in incorrectly (tips are entered by hand), which I am sure can be explained away as an error.  What do you think they are going to go all CSI, comparing what is charged to the paper copies for a month.  Seems ridiculous IMO.  Maybe management might if they aren't in on it, but surely the cops aren't going to bother.  Especially if the server isn't the person entering the numbers.

    Parent

    Wow, do I want this creep's name publicized! (none / 0) (#65)
    by shoephone on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 08:09:51 PM EST
    And I suspect that it will be. They've got the credit card number, they've got his signature, and you can bet at least one sever at that restaurant is going to leak the info ASAP.

    Parent
    Hey Tent... (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 01:15:48 PM EST
    Ronaldo: pure (none / 0) (#16)
    by jondee on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:31:06 PM EST
    glittering, panache..

    I still remember that phenom from Northern Ireland, George Best saying that his one regret was that he never got to play on a Brazilian team.

    Parent

    MileHi still in the house? (5.00 / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 01:27:10 PM EST
    Saw Steve Wynn and The Miracle 3 Friday night...sweet baby jesus what a monster show, my ears are still ringing.  "Out of This World" might be my new favorite song.  "Ribbons & Chains" was another highlight.

    And, of course, "Amphetamine"...they closed the main set with it and whipped up such a frenzy I wouldn't have batted an eye if people staring spontaneously combusting into flames. No exaggeration.

    One of my cohorts got a signed set-list from drummer extraordinaire Linda Pitmon when she thanked him after the show for buying her a brewski mid-set.  She was working the skins hardcore and looked thirsty;)  I got to shoot the sh*t with Mr. Wynn for a couple minutes...super nice guy.  I told him Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3 is the best band in NYC, and he replied "I won't argue with ya!".  

    Simply phenomenal man...


    Very cool. (none / 0) (#12)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:06:33 PM EST
    I saw on FB they were playing NYC (Bowery Electric?) and wondered if you were going.  Sounds like you had quite the stellar time!  Did they do That's the Way Love Is or Colored Lights?  

    Wish they'd make it out West--maybe I'll have to book a house concert--how cool would that be?!

    Parent

    Super cool... (none / 0) (#15)
    by kdog on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:19:47 PM EST
    I've been on my bro-in-law to book them for a backyard summertime bbq since last year...it would be legendary.  If it ever happens, you're pre-invited.

    "Colored Lights" was bestowed upon us, I found a blog post with the set list and some pics.  True story about Jason Victor busting a string, and changing it mid-song in time for his solo...now that's f*ckin' rock-n-roll!  

    Parent

    Yeah, let me know! (none / 0) (#19)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:39:12 PM EST
    That would be f*ckin' rock and/or roll!  

    Which reminds me--I've been meaning to ask if you got the email I sent you awhile ago?  

    Parent

    I didn't... (none / 0) (#22)
    by kdog on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:50:56 PM EST
    but if I didn't recognize the name or subject I may have deleted it in error...its an old address that gets a lot of spam.

    Sorry man...nothing important I hope.

    Parent

    Nothing life or death I'm sure. (none / 0) (#29)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:27:29 PM EST
    Don't even remember what it was for sure--probably a link or something.  

    Thought I put "Talk Left" in the subject line. but who knows.

    Parent

    there's nothing quite like (5.00 / 2) (#13)
    by CST on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:11:24 PM EST
    a college-educated presidential candidate railing against college education for "brainwashing" and "elitism".

    Let me be blunt - there's no way you would have made it this far without that degree.

    And as for the brainwashing - I'd call that church.

    Does everyone "need" a college education?  Probably not.  But the greater point that is being missed by all that is that what Obama actually said is that everyone should be able to afford a college education.  How much money your parents made should not be the factor that determines whether you can go to college or not.

    I guess when your basic platform is anti-science, the best you can hope for is that Americans don't go to college.  They might even meet some gays and minorities that they don't hate.  And then we'll all go straight to hell.

    Actually, "post-secondary" is the term (none / 0) (#20)
    by Towanda on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:46:34 PM EST
    that I heard Obama use, perhaps interchangeably -- and that is not restricted to college in the traditional, four-year, bachelor's-degree sense that his critics are imputing.  It can mean technical schools, two-year certificates, etc., training for specific fields that a lot of Repubs promote (rather than the much-maligned liberal arts degrees and the like that they claim train students for nothing . . . another untruth).  

    In sum, they attack their own stands again, the stoopids.

    Parent

    Perfect (5.00 / 1) (#32)
    by ruffian on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:40:12 PM EST
    I guess you would have to know what 'post-secondary' means. Santorum probably thinks it means a graduate degree.

    Parent
    There is a Penn State... (5.00 / 1) (#33)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:45:04 PM EST
    joke in there, but its probably too soon for that.  

    Parent
    NYPD Uses White House Money to Watch Muslims (5.00 / 0) (#14)
    by ScottW714 on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 02:17:22 PM EST
    Money designated for fighting drugs.
    LINK

    The NYPD needs to be seriously defunded of federal money.

    I knew it was bad, but, I had no idea (5.00 / 4) (#40)
    by Anne on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 04:03:27 PM EST
    it was this bad:

    Barack Obama is close to becoming the first president in at least half a century to finish a full term without making an appointment to a U.S. appeals court, considered second in importance only to the Supreme Court.

    In particular, the DC Circuit Court.

    Marcy Wheeler:

    The DC Circuit is the most important circuit court because it hears the appeals on all the most important cases emanating from the seat of our federal government. If it involves Executive Branch decisions, federal agency decisions, decisions on foreign entanglements of the US government and, notably over the last decade plus, all Guantanamo detention cases. The entire set of federal Habeas Corpus law appears to lay in the hands of the DC Circuit and Obama, through derelict neglect, has put it in the destructive hands of Janice Rogers Brown.

    There were two openings on the most critical Circuit court in the country when Barack Obama took office, and he did not bother to even make a single nomination for nearly two years and, instead, waited until his huge senate majority was effectively down the crapper with the 2010 Congressional election disaster. Since that time, another seat has gone vacant on the DC Circuit, and Obama barely lifted a finger to support his sole nominee, Caitlin Halligan, whose nomination went down in flames in December.

    [snip]

    Compare and contrast the reckless malign neglect of Obama with the dogged determination and followthrough effort and success of Bush and Cheney. When Bush nominated Miguel Estrada in 2001, he had a lot smaller numbers in the Senate behind him than Obama has had at any point. The Democrats blocked Estrada. But the Bush White House and their supporters did not put their tail between their legs and hide, they made an unholy racket across the political spectrum that directly led to the confirmation of four other judges to the DC Circuit, including Janice Rogers Brown, Brett Kavanaugh and the now Chief Justice, John Roberts.

    As much as those Supreme Court nominations are important, the importance of the Federal judiciary, in particular the DC Circuit, cannot be overstated.

    Just one more area where opportunity has been squandered; the consequences will be felt for years.

    It must be the long game (5.00 / 1) (#42)
    by Edger on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 04:10:03 PM EST
    He's incrementally giving them enough 11 dimensional rope to hang themselves with. Or something.

    Parent
    Yup (none / 0) (#44)
    by AngryBlackGuy on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 05:27:44 PM EST
    Obama has just been sitting on his hands.  All he had to do is snap his fingers and the GOP fillibuster which existed from day 1 would have magically disappeared and all his nominees would have gone through.

    Constitution and what really happened aside of course.

    Parent

    It's (5.00 / 2) (#46)
    by lentinel on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 05:46:53 PM EST
    not his hands he's been sitting on...

    Parent
    When you don't nominate, filibusters (5.00 / 3) (#51)
    by Anne on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 06:39:56 PM EST
    aren't a factor.

    He absolutely squandered the majority Dems had until 2011, not to mention that he's shown a remarkable reluctance to bring any political pressure to bear and fight for those he has nominated.

    As a result, the courts continue to be dominated by Republican appointees, with predictable results; does he have no interest in moving the courts to the left, or what?  Do you have no interest in that, either?

    Once again, Obama-as-the-helpless-president continues to be the go-to excuse for everything.

    Parent

    I have every interest in that (5.00 / 1) (#63)
    by AngryBlackGuy on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 07:54:06 PM EST
    ithat I also recall that he had to pass the biggest stimulus in history and passed sweeping healthcare reform during that period.  The likelihood of him doing those things and successfully navigating multiple nominees through congress were low.

    Jeff Sessions was filibustering nominees in 2009.  You seem to think that they weren't filibustering until 2010.

    Your narrative forgets this part: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120482368

    Parent

    poor soul (5.00 / 3) (#70)
    by sj on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 09:31:30 PM EST
    only able to have all those people do only one thing at a time.  Presidenting is hard...

    Parent
    It is hard (5.00 / 1) (#71)
    by Edger on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 09:43:32 PM EST
    to find a spare moment to focus on the small stuff, I'm sure. Campaigning takes almost 4 years, after all, and keeps the entire Cabinet busy 24/7...

    Parent
    Don't forget the work it takes (none / 0) (#72)
    by observed on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 09:58:20 PM EST
    to keep the message pipeline clear.
    It's no mean feat when some anonymous peon posting on a blog is completely in tune with the campaign message, 99% of the time.

    Parent
    I know (none / 0) (#73)
    by Edger on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 10:00:35 PM EST
    It really takes it's toll. It's amazing how much abg has aged, just in the past six months alone.

    Parent
    What I described (none / 0) (#105)
    by AngryBlackGuy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 03:08:06 PM EST
    is how our system works.  No president attempts simultaneously fights over crucial issues in any but the most worst circumstances.

    Your criticism applies to Obama and every other president ever so I don't give it much weight.

    Parent

    Oh, baloney...take a stab at explaining (5.00 / 1) (#109)
    by Anne on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 04:00:36 PM EST
    this, if you can:

    Democrats and Republicans have long wrangled over appointments to the D.C. Circuit. During George W. Bush's presidency, for example, Democrats repeatedly blocked Washington lawyer Miguel Estrada, whom Bush named in May 2001; Estrada withdrew in September 2003. Bush, however, named four judges over his two terms, John Roberts (now chief justice of the United States), Janice Rogers Brown, Thomas B. Griffith and Brett M. Kavanaugh.

    During President Bill Clinton's second term, Senate Republicans stalled Kagan, then a top Clinton policy adviser, for the D.C. Circuit. Yet Clinton successfully appointed David S. Tatel, Judith W. Rogers, and Merrick B. Garland.

    Obama isn't just like every other president, ABG, so please stop hawking that nonsense.

    Being president is multi-tasking to the nth degree - that's the job, ABG; if Obama didn't know how to do more than one important thing at a time, he shouldn't have signed up for it.

    Parent

    Re: Explain it (none / 0) (#114)
    by vicndabx on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 07:49:24 PM EST
    Bush, however, named four judges over his two terms
     all of which assumed office in his second term.

    Clinton was slightly more successful - 2 of the 3 you name were appointed in his first term.

    What is the sense in nominating if the likelihood is low for appointment?  The process is extremely intrusive, why subject someone to that w/o assurances on the outcome?

    Parent

    Oh. My. God. (5.00 / 1) (#122)
    by Anne on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 09:38:31 PM EST
    The excuses and rationalizations never stop.

    Tell me that when Dems finally saw the chance to break free of the George Bush-GOP domination, knew that a Democratic president would have the opportunity to replace all the Bush US Attorneys, and nominate good judges to the bench that you ever - ever - saw yourself, three-plus years into a Democratic administration, falling all over yourself making excuses for why this Democratic president has been stunningly indifferent to putting the kinds of judges we all wanted on the federal bench.

    What is the sense in nominating if the chances are low?  That you even have to ask that question, that you are willing to settle so easily, is just so unbelievably sad and weak.

    Parent

    ::shrug:: (none / 0) (#129)
    by sj on Wed Feb 29, 2012 at 11:28:44 PM EST
    Well, then we are even.
    Your criticism applies to Obama and every other president ever so I don't give it much weight.
    I don't give much weight to your blind support for O.  See how much that bothers you?  That's how much your opinion bothers me.  And in case you hadn't noticed, we are in the "most worst circumstances" unless you're a banker or major corporation.


    Parent
    Note also (none / 0) (#64)
    by AngryBlackGuy on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 07:55:07 PM EST
    If Obama got every nominee through the courts would still be dominated by progressives.

    Parent
    Oh, boo hoo! The helplessness, (5.00 / 2) (#52)
    by Anne on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 06:44:38 PM EST
    well, we're all just helpless to overcome it; my goodness, you do like to clutch at those pearls, don't you?

    When you stop gasping in indignation, maybe you can explain how Republicans managed to get their way, even without majorities.

    Or would that get in the way of all that helplessness?

    Parent

    Your claim is that Obama has nominated zero (5.00 / 1) (#76)
    by Farmboy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 09:13:43 AM EST
    appellate judges. Donald responds that Obama has nominated 35 appellate judges, 26 of which have been confirmed. These are two conflicting statements.

    You could have chosen to respond with some objective citations to defend your statement.

    Choosing to respond with personal attacks and insults instead of facts makes it seem to me that you're the helpless one here.

    Parent

    Sorry, but I made no such claim. (5.00 / 2) (#94)
    by Anne on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 11:23:10 AM EST
     
    I specifically referenced the DC Circuit Court in the very beginning of my original comment, so I'm hard-pressed to understand why you thought I was saying that Obama hadn't gotten any appellate judges on any court.

    That information was also available at the Reuters article, which I linked to.  I don't know, maybe you didn't read it.

    As for Donald, he appears to only have read the referenced article/post looking for ammunition; if my tone was too sharp for you, I'd suggest you go back and read Donald's comment again.  He can dish it out, which means he needs to be prepared for what comes back the other way, but as per usual, Donald delivered his scathing opinion as if it were the last word anyone needed to read, and never returned to answer for it or engage on the merits.  You may not have noticed, but this is his pattern.

    Maybe you don't think the DC Circuit is important, and maybe you don't think there's anything more Obama could have done, but when, as the Reuters article points out, two of the three vacancies on the DC Circuit have been vacant since he took office, how do you explain his failure to nominate only one person in over three years?  And that nomination didn't happen until late in 2010.

    We are assured that Obama is now up to speed on nominations, but now there is the obstructionist GOP to deal with and the election-year window that is closing.  

    One could almost ponder that the failure to get appellate judges on the Court that rules on all matters pertaining to Guantanamo and habeas corpus was more deliberate than negligent, but either way, I don't see how we're better off for Obama's neglect of the DC Circuit in particular and the federal judiciary in general.

    Unless that's a case you intended to make, but forgot while you were lecturing me on the proper way to frame an opinion.


    Parent

    Anne, it seems like a reading problem. (none / 0) (#104)
    by KeysDan on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 02:11:28 PM EST
    "Barack Obama is close to becoming the first president in at least half a century to finish a full term without making an appointment to a US appeals court, considered second in importance to the Supreme Court."

    It seemed clear that your comment dealt with the importance of nominations/confirmations to the D.C. Circuit Court, and not the unimportance of any other appellate court.  

    Parent

    Something that can't be helped for now? (none / 0) (#56)
    by Edger on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 07:09:22 PM EST
    I think I'm starting to get it here now...

    He's not a king or a miracle worker.

    None of his so-called "troubles" can be helped until he has a 100% approval rating first, and is not stressed thinking about the 2012 election.

    Or until his party controls the house and senate again like they did until the 2010 midterms when he was unable to convince enough people that his batsh*t crazy drive for bipartisanship with batsh*t crazy republicans was the only way to go.

    ...

    Or maybe he's not having any troubles at all, and he's just extremely competent and effective. At accomplishing everything he sets out to accomplish...

    He certainly blows me away.

    Parent

    On the front lines of the War on Drugs. (5.00 / 2) (#47)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 06:00:14 PM EST
    Today was my day off, my day to get stuff done.  So, I call the Dr's office to get my Rx for my pain meds refilled (of course, it requires a new Rx each time).  No problem they say, we'll call that in for you.  Cool so far, right?  

    Well, I go to the Safeway to do my weekly shopping and pick-up the Rx.  The Pharmacist tells me they can't fill that particular med over the phone but the Dr's office has the Rx waiting for me.  Fine, what.ever.  I load the groceries in the truck and drive all the way over to the Dr's office and pick-up the Rx.  Stop back at the Safeway to drop it off to get filled.  

    No can do says the Pharmacist, they misspelled the drug name (an "I" instead of an "E").  Can't change that and doesn't know "how much of an as@hole the friendly local Fed would be about it" if he went ahead and filled it.  Grrr.  He calls the local DEA office to check and of course, has to leave a message because gawd forbid they actually answer the phone.  

    What seemed like a fairly simple endeavor this morning turned into an all afternoon ordeal.  I still don't have my Rx and don't know if I'll have to do the whole pointless exercise over again.  In the meantime, my tolerable headache has turned into a full blown migraine, which is what I need the meds for in the first da#n place.  Double, triple Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

    Major sympathies (5.00 / 1) (#59)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 07:17:02 PM EST
    The amount of totally wasted time on not just my part but the doc and the pharmacist I had during the 4 or 5 years I was looking after my elderly mother and had to wrangle her prescription drugs was absolutely criminal-- and there wasn't even a pain pill in the bunch.

    All were standard meds for chronic conditions in the smallest doses, nothing exotic at all, but all 6 or 7 of them had been written at different times, so of course had to be renewed and picked up at different times, and I could not convince her doc to just sit down and start from scratch so I could get them all taken care of at once when they needed renewal.

    I can't help but think there's perhaps not a huge but a significant amount of health care money to be saved by figuring out some sort of system that makes all of this go easier on doc, pharmacist and patient than this.


    Parent

    Thanks. (none / 0) (#118)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 09:00:10 PM EST
    I really don't have a problem with my transplant drugs in that regard at all.  Some come from the local CVS and get mailed to me at no cost and the rest come from another national mail order place.  

    The only problem with them I have is the co-pay on my Prograf changes month to month so I never know what its going to cost me.  Hard to budget for that.  

    Which reminds me--time to set out my pills for the week!

    Parent

    Apologies on behalf... (5.00 / 2) (#75)
    by kdog on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 08:47:25 AM EST
    of a tyrannized nation.

    There is always the street corner pharmacist...he/she don't take no insurance, but they'll treat you like the adult you are...no permission slips or DEA approval required.

    Parent

    I wouldn't even know... (none / 0) (#120)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 09:01:55 PM EST
    how to go about finding one of those around here!  Besides, I have to be pretty careful about the quality these days.

    Parent
    Anyone here read Japanese? (5.00 / 1) (#66)
    by Edger on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 08:09:59 PM EST
    The first and third links in this quote (bolded by me) are to Japanese News articles.

    Official found dead, head covered with plastic bag after measuring radiation in Tokyo park
    February 25, 2012

    According to a Japanese news outlet, Iza, on July 1st, 2011 63-year-old Mr. Takashi Kabayama was found dead with a plastic bag over his head in his home office.

    Kabayama was a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly for the Liberal Democratic Party and had been measuring radiation in an assortment of locations throughout Tokyo. He would then upload his findings to his blog for the world to read, and on the day before he died (June 30, 2011) he  measured 0.25 microSv/h in Mizumoto Park in the Katsushika ward located  in Tokyo.

    Fukushima Diary reported on February 22, 2012 via Gendai that ludicrously high levels of cesium contamination were discovered, also in Mizumoto Park. These levels were so high that they "turned out to be the same level of [the] `off-limits zone' in Chernobyl."

    more...



    Josh came home from school yesterday (5.00 / 2) (#79)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 09:54:52 AM EST
    so upset.  Racism really upsets him, and one of his friends "M" is many generations here.  "M" is not a bad kid, I like him.  Am I surprised that he makes racists comments, no....and I don't think it is a mystery where a twelve year old will get that from either.  Josh can't get "M" to stop calling some people who have a diverse ethnicity OREOs.  He finally asks me what he can do about it because nothing is working so far.  I tell him to tell "M" that if he one day wants his front teeth knocked out to keep calling some people OREOs :)  That's where I see that this is going :)

    Yesterday though it was female classmates, once again all "white" twelve year olds too.  They were discussing who the worst people in the world are.  Barack Obama was #1, Osama bin Laden came in #4.  Josh was so upset.  How can that be mom?  That doesn't make any sense!  It has to be something they are learning from their parents! YUP!

    good for Josh (5.00 / 3) (#80)
    by CST on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:05:40 AM EST
    It can be hard confronting your friends.

    I remember growing up and hearing a lot of nonsense, mostly anti-asian in my neighborhood (at that point anti-black was passe).  My sister was really good at calling people out.  I just walked away and found new friends.  But I always kind of respected her more for sticking around and working at change.  I just don't have any tolerance for it and I don't bother with people who do.  But then I had the liberty of being in a place where I could just make other friends.  It's hard standing up to your peers at that age.  I'll do it now if it comes up but back then I just walked away.

    Parent

    They learn it from not only parents... (5.00 / 2) (#82)
    by Edger on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:12:27 AM EST
    In 1965, a year after the Civil Rights Act passed, I was a grade 8 student at Williamsburg Junior High, Arlington, VA. 1500 white children. That was the year they started to integrate the school. The way they did it was to enroll 4 black children. 2 boys, 2 girls. They lasted about a week, if my memory is correct. That was as long as they could put up with being beaten up, spit on and having books thrown at them in the hallways between periods. The teachers and staff did very little if anything about it. The school board administrators then said effectively: "See! Integration will never work!"

    Some days, since 2001, it seems like people are trying to resurrect the mindset that was so widespread in those years.

    Parent

    It has gotten very crazy feeling around here (5.00 / 1) (#83)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:27:00 AM EST
    I am someone who will listen to others.  They don't have to agree with me, and just because you disagree with me doesn't mean that I remove you from my life list.  As you can imagine, I'm really hearing from the Republicans around here right now.  They are incensed and I'm the only liberal who will listen to them, treat them like human beings.

    They know that barring some kind of huge crisis that can be realistically hung on Obama, that they are going to get their ever lovin a$$e$ kicked in this election.  And they all just get crazier and crazier and crazier, their eyes are all jacked up when they look at me right now.  They get all breathless talking about the price of gasoline and how that will nuke Obama.  Nah!  Flash burn at best, and I don't even think they'll be getting that out of it :)

    Parent

    The price of gas will continue to rise (none / 0) (#84)
    by Edger on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:34:56 AM EST
    continually no matter who wins this year.

    21 hrs ago...

    Under fire from Republicans over high gas prices, President Barack Obama on Monday cheered news that the Canadian company hoping to build the Keystone XL Pipeline to carry oil from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico would press ahead with a US-only segment of that controversial project.

    "The president welcomes today's news," spokesman Jay Carney said. "We support the company's interest in proceeding with this project."

    The southern segment would connect a storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, to refineries in Texas. Carney also signaled that Obama, who last month rejected a key permit for the entire Canada-to-U.S. pipeline, would approach a new application for the rest of the project with an open mind.

    Oct 15, 2011...

    [Keystone XL's] consultant testified to Canada's government that KXL intends to increase oil prices on Midwestern refineries by six dollars a barrel by diverting crude oil to Texas. A report prepared by Purvin and Gertz International Energy Consultants for KXL estimates it will raise Keystone's profits almost two billion dollars per year. Cornell University warns that this will destroy permanent Midwestern jobs by taking 2 to 4 billion dollars more from our economy every year by increasing gas prices 10 to 20 cents per gallon.

    Phillip Verleger, an energy economist, agrees the pipeline will increase our fuel bill $4 to $5 billion, increasing farmers' fuel costs by $2.6 billion per year, partly through manipulation. IHS Global Insights estimates every 24 cents rise in gasoline prices costs 410,000 jobs over a two-year period. KXL will hire only 20 new permanent jobs to operate its pipeline, according to the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) issued by the U.S. Department of State.

    More foreign oil is not needed, according to a U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) report that we already export over 2 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products per day. The EIA predicts that U.S. reliance on imported oil will continue to decline through 2035. Verleger advises that most of KXL's oil will go to China because we don't need more foreign oil than currently imported.

    more...



    Parent
    Controlling perception meltdown (5.00 / 1) (#85)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:38:44 AM EST
    Obama is good at it.  Wonder if the whole world will lose to the pipeline though in the end.

    Parent
    Well, it's pretty much killing (none / 0) (#86)
    by Edger on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:41:11 AM EST
    much of the environment of Alberta, on top of pouring enormous amounts of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

    Parent
    It's a lose/lose proposition (5.00 / 1) (#89)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:55:09 AM EST
    Not only that (5.00 / 1) (#91)
    by Edger on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:59:15 AM EST
    Probably most people don't know it, but this will be the second Keystone pipeline

    Parent
    It's great (none / 0) (#92)
    by Edger on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 11:18:46 AM EST
    if you're a politician who wants donations from oil companies, and don't give a sh*t about killing the environment or about poisoning the suckers who'll vote for you.

    Parent
    But you are destroying what your children (5.00 / 1) (#93)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 11:21:58 AM EST
    and your grandchildren will need to survive.

    Parent
    Democrat...Republican...Libertarian, whatever. (5.00 / 2) (#95)
    by Edger on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 11:23:39 AM EST
    All any of these idiots think about is, "The permanent negative consequences won't happen in my lifetime!"

    Parent
    Another crappy topic (5.00 / 1) (#87)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:52:56 AM EST
    Thought I would pass this along though because it got a thumbs up from someone retired out of Military Intelligence for being an excellent open source mock up of who has what and what will likely be used if Israel hits Iran.

    If a bunker buster can blow the first 100 feet of a 200 foot bunker, is the lower 100 feet celebrating a great victory?  

    Act of Valor is out...oh boy (5.00 / 1) (#97)
    by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 11:55:48 AM EST
    Really yummy war porn, even has real SEALs in it....leaves out all the real SEAL divorces though, emptied checking accounts while you were away, and crying broken family with emotionally abandoned children.  Being in the military is not easy, and it isn't sexy either....but your body may be sexier without body fat until it is old and broken with no body fat :)

    Dear kids,

    Please watch this movie.  We decided you would like it much better than a documentary, and you would be all amped up and we would have to lie to your face less to get you to sign on that line.

    Your Truly,
    The Recruiter

    Quote of the week (5.00 / 0) (#98)
    by Edger on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 12:02:07 PM EST
    from a commenter at RSN...

    "Democrats put their hand on the Bible and agree to uphold the Constitution."

    "Republicans put their hand on the Constitution and agree to uphold the Bible."



    Nice linkage... (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 01:09:06 PM EST
    well said Mr. Pierce, on all counts.  Especially liked this bit...

    Ultimately, in any authoritarian solution, the people with the power get lazy, and stupid, and they start making enough mistakes that people get tired of living with them. It's one of the reasons we don't have East Germany anymore. And baseball always has had a sweet tooth for the authoritarian solution.


    I just read Greenwald's (none / 0) (#23)
    by observed on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:02:50 PM EST
    post on the reason for the protests in Afghanistan. Very informative.
    You think they might be mad because of their children being killed? Nah---it's all about a stupid book.
    Nice catch, also, about articles which list the number of dead in protests, but don't say who killed whom. Leaves you wondering.

    Here's something rare (none / 0) (#27)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:25:19 PM EST
    In this day and age.  Mr. Zorba and I recently purchased a new couch, which will be delivered next week.  We just got a hand-written note from the salesman, thanking us for our purchase.  I don't remember this ever happening before.  Will we use this furniture store again in the future?  You better believe it.  The customer service while we were there (and afterwards, obviously) was superb.  It's the little things that count, and are remembered.

    Good news (5.00 / 3) (#38)
    by jbindc on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 03:54:51 PM EST
    What you might want to consider, then, is actually writing a note to the manager and cc the district manager or home office to tell them of the superb customer service you received.  It's something that will go in the employee's personnel file, and in turn, there is a good chance that you will be treated the same when you return.

    Managers almost never get to hear positive feedback - people only ever want to complain -  so it's refreshing to hear that an employee did a good job.  It's also good reinforcement for the employee, who will, in turn, continue to provide excellent customer service.

    Parent

    Excellent idea, jbindc! (5.00 / 3) (#41)
    by Zorba on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 04:04:49 PM EST
    I will do so.  This is a rather small regional chain (Pennsylvania and northern Maryland), and I will write management about our exemplary service.  They, and the salesman, deserve the kudos.  (Plus, I must say, the couch we bought is made in the USA.  Not that I'm a snob about stuff made overseas, necessarily, but it's nice to ensure jobs here whenever we can do so.)  

    Parent
    We've got a used-car salesman (5.00 / 2) (#49)
    by Towanda on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 06:15:29 PM EST
    like that, after our purchase last year.  He drops a note and/or calls every few months.  A young guy, a go-getter in a good way and not at all pushy, he really comes across as caring to have our business again.  So, he probably will (not us for the next decade, so little do we drive, but he knows that we have young adults in the family -- since my daughter had to go along to approve :-).

    Is this rough economy returning this country to good customer service?  Is there a silver lining?

    Parent

    That's a very interesting thought (5.00 / 0) (#55)
    by gyrfalcon on Mon Feb 27, 2012 at 07:04:07 PM EST
    "Is this rough economy returning this country to good customer service?"

    (I live now in a tiny rural town, where everybody gives good customer service because they're basically taking care of their neighbors, which is a blissful relief after having spent so many decades in the relative anonymity of urban suburbs.)

    Parent

    Pierce is 1/2 right, let the market decide (none / 0) (#77)
    by BobTinKY on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 09:16:22 AM EST
    Two leagues.  One in which anything goes PED-wise, the second no PEDs allowed.

    See which one the fans support.  

    Do we really want professional sports leagues in which every one is required to take PEDs?  That is what you have if Pierce's position is adopted because the main advantage of taking PEDs is competing against those who don't.

    Roid-raging freak shows.  Enough to make you watch American Idol.

    From the Wikileaks Stratfor emails... (none / 0) (#90)
    by Edger on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 10:57:12 AM EST
    Wikileaks emails indicate Stratfor discovered Israel already destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities

    Officials from the global intelligence company Stratfor allegedly discussed that Israel may have already destroyed the Iranian nuclear facility, according to one of the emails released by Wikileaks Monday.


    Michigan Primary (none / 0) (#96)
    by CoralGables on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 11:28:23 AM EST
    Not often have I wished to live in Michigan but the past week would have been fun. The Florida primary onslaught of negative ads was cheap entertainment (not so cheap for Romney) and I suspect this week in Michigan was just as interesting.

    Polls show a back and forth between both Romney and Santorum, but recent polls and actual voting from other states have differed in that they have had a tendency to underweight the Santorum vote and/or overestimate the strength of the Romney vote.

    RCP has Romney with a 1.5% edge and Nate Silver gives Romney a 67% chance of winning. Neither of these mathematical models take into account what I believe is the milquetoast Romney support. The strong conservatives are voting Santorum and the I'll vote if I feel like it vote is going to Romney.

    The best friend Romney has right now could be Michael Moore, who may stir up just enough of the "I'll vote if I feel like it" GOP contingent to make it to the voting booth today for Romney to eke out a win.

    With Michigan being Romney's birth state, a loss tonight will have the chattering GOP spouting horns clamoring even more as to who they can bring into the fold at this late date. Me? I'm rooting for Santorum so the circus proceeds unabated.

    You may get your wish (none / 0) (#101)
    by jbindc on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 12:20:17 PM EST
    Of course, it probably won't actually be Republicans voting for Santorum.

    If this succeeds, I never want to hear another Democrat complain when the Republicans will invariably do this in a future primary.  

    And, be careful what you wish for:

    Polls these days show an unusually large degree of volatility. In the nine most recent polls covered by RealClearPolitics.com, President Obama's job approval ratings have ranged from 44 percent to 53 percent, the highest any national poll has shown since last May, soon after Osama bin Laden was killed. In general, in election matchups between Obama and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the range is from a tie in the new Gallup/USA Today national survey to a 10-point lead for Obama. When matched up against former Sen. Rick Santorum, the range has been from a Santorum lead of three points to Obama being up by 11 points.

    Wouldn't that suck if all these Dems cross over to vote and root for Santorum, and then somehow he manages to beat Obama?  Hate to be those people.

    Parent

    the only one there (5.00 / 1) (#102)
    by CST on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 12:31:39 PM EST
    that I could figure out was doing it for that reason was Michael Moore.

    One lady was voting for Ron Paul because she liked him better on the issues.  And the other woman voted for Santorum - but I got the impression that was an actual vote.  I imagine lots of people will cross over today but I wouldn't assume they are just doing it to mess with the process.  Some people just believe in registering their opinion every chance they get.  I would imagine it would help Ron Paul more than anyone.  And even the ones voting for Santorum may be legit:

    "The Santorum robocalls urges them to vote against Romney because he opposed the government bailout of the auto industry."

    Parent

    Nate (none / 0) (#103)
    by CoralGables on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 12:31:47 PM EST
    has now dropped Romney's chances of winning in Michigan to 55%.

    As to who will be voting for Santorum, it will most certainly be Republicans. Crossovers would vote for someone like Paul as a meaningless protest vote. Michael Moore and his publicized hilarity vote would hurt Santorum far more than help.

    Parent

    Nah (none / 0) (#106)
    by jbindc on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 03:10:01 PM EST
    Dems in Michigan would vote for Santorum. Only Dems who actually like Ron Paul would vote for him.  

    And while western Michigan will vote for Santorum because they are true believers,many of his votes in southeast Mi (i.e. the Detroit metro area) will be from Dems.

    Parent

    More (none / 0) (#107)
    by jbindc on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 03:15:11 PM EST
    You have a point (none / 0) (#108)
    by CoralGables on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 03:33:39 PM EST
    in that Romney saying the auto industry should have gone bankrupt would certainly get some to vote that otherwise wouldn't.

    As for Romney saying it's dirty... here's Romney talking,
    Feb. 18, 2007 ABC interview
    "When there was no real contest in the Republican primary, I'd vote in the Democrat primary, vote for the person who I thought would be the weakest opponent for a Republican"

    Parent

    Santorum (none / 0) (#128)
    by jbindc on Wed Feb 29, 2012 at 02:52:44 PM EST
    Was also once on the record for deploring the tactics of people crossing over to create chaos in a primary.

    Politicians.

    Parent

    Maybe (none / 0) (#110)
    by AngryBlackGuy on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 04:08:10 PM EST
    you have forgotten Rush on the radio telling his listeners to vote for Hillary.

    Perhaps you should view this as a more effective payback instead of something the dems came up with in 2012.

    Parent

    As Much as Moore (none / 0) (#111)
    by CoralGables on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 04:23:31 PM EST
    is trying to spin it as a Hillary move part 2 by way of the name he has used for it, there is really no comparison.

    Parent
    & of course there was Obama (none / 0) (#123)
    by The Addams Family on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 09:48:44 PM EST
    urging Republicans to be "Democrats for a day"

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    And I thought that was disgusting as well (none / 0) (#124)
    by jbindc on Wed Feb 29, 2012 at 10:12:44 AM EST
    Some economic (none / 0) (#100)
    by CST on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 12:16:26 PM EST
    red meat for Michigan.

    "The president said that those like Romney who advocated taking a tougher line with the UAW were pursuing "anti-worker policies in hopes unions like yours will unravel.""

    They're definitely in campaign mode.

    Meanwhile, the economic picture in Michigan is more complex:

    "Since the recession ended in mid-2009, some 94,200 jobs have been created"

    "One reason Michigan's unemployment rate is falling is because people are leaving the workforce in droves. Nearly 224,000 residents have dropped out since the recovery began, either because they have left the state, retired, returned to school or are too discouraged to look."

    "while the addition of 94,200 jobs is certainly a plus, it only puts a tiny dent in the overall job loss since 2000, which exceeds 850,000 positions"

    That being said, I think the Republicans are idiots for running against the autobailout.

    Olympia Snowe (none / 0) (#112)
    by CoralGables on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 06:08:40 PM EST
    Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, announced this afternoon that she has decided not to run for re-election.

    This is only good if the DEM's win this seat. If the GOP wins it, the likelihood of that candidate being further right is probably a given. And it's never good losing a female Senator no matter the party as more often than not a female Republican Senator is closer to the center than a male Republican.

    This very likely (none / 0) (#113)
    by CoralGables on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 06:17:09 PM EST
    will result in a swap. Dems lose a seat in Nebraska and hopefully win one in Maine.

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    Maybe, maybe not. (none / 0) (#117)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 08:55:13 PM EST
    Incumbents in Nebraska must file their intent to run by 2/15, no matter if they are running for their current seat or a different one.  Governor Heineman, the assumed candidate for the Senate seat and the one most feared by the Dems, didn't file by the deadline.  If Kerrey does decide to run, he could well win.  

    Now, whether or not that would be considered a Dem win is debatable, I suppose.  But in Nebraska, he's about as liberal as they come.  

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    I would definitely (5.00 / 1) (#119)
    by CoralGables on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 09:00:50 PM EST
    consider that a Dem win. I've never understood the folks that don't grasp the individual state's electorate when they trash a Dem for their votes. Kerrey in Nebraska would be FAR better than any Republican in Nebraska. That would be a major seat save.

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    The purity factor, I suppose. (none / 0) (#121)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 09:11:25 PM EST
    Just as prevalent on the D side as the R. We saw ample evidence of that here in the Romanoff v. Bennet primary race.

    I shudder to think how much worse off we would have been with a Ken Buck in office.  

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    The Repubs (none / 0) (#125)
    by jbindc on Wed Feb 29, 2012 at 10:13:59 AM EST
    Still only need to pick up 4 to take control of the Senate.

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    Snowe was facing a Tea Party challenger in (none / 0) (#115)
    by caseyOR on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 07:57:32 PM EST
    the primary. So, if the Dems cannot capitalize on this retirement by winning Snowe's seat, then her replacement will definitely be further to the right.

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    Word is (none / 0) (#116)
    by CoralGables on Tue Feb 28, 2012 at 08:40:21 PM EST
    she was very safe, and one of the very few Republican Senators I like. As long as it flips to the Dems, I'll wish her well. Otherwise I would prefer she had stayed.

    Parent