Barack Obama wins. Mitch McConnell is talking nice about the president-elect. And Henry Waxman bounces John Dingell from the chairmanship of the all-powerful House energy and commerce committee.
It's a good time to be a liberal in Washington.
Sure, Clintonites are scoring well in the Obama administration sweepstakes, and the Clinton years are remembered by liberals for the exasperating triangulations of Bill, Hill and their crew. But the combo of Obama's triumph and the far-from-over economic meltdown has provided liberals with their best opening since the days of the Great Society, or even the New Deal. Forget--for the moment, only for the moment, I promise--Hillary Clinton's possible appointment as secretary of state. There's something larger going on and it's truly a fundamental change: the market is dead. It cannot even take care of itself. So how can anyone rely on--or call for--market-driven solutions for the challenges that face the nation: the economy, the health care crisis, and global warming?
Government is back--or will be back, when Obama and the new more-Democratic Congress take the stage. Sure, it matters who's running what department. (Isn't the whole world waiting anxiously to see whom Obama will install as secretary of the treasury? Last night on CNN, David Gergen passionately urged for this announcement to be made soon.) But the circumstances at hand will force whomever Obama appoints to high positions to move fast and to do things. With Waxman heading the House energy and committee hearing, global warming legislation of some sort will certainly be introduced and probably passed in the House. With ex-Senator Tom Daschle, who is savvy in the ways of legislating, running the Department of Health and Human Services and functioning as Obama's health czar, there's a better chance the new Obama administration can get something done on the health care front. Whoever is named Treasury honcho will have plenty of policy running-space. And the Dems in Congress will face not much difficulty in passing a mega-stimulus bill in January.
In other words, it ain't all about the Clintons. But once that soap opera is done--or at least the current episode is completed--there are bigger things to ponder. Yes, even bigger than the Clintons.
******
If you want to know when I put up postings or articles or appear on radio or television--that is, if you really care--you can follow me on Twitter.com. My Twitter ID is DavidCornDC.
![[RSS]](http://67.192.49.194/templates/images/rss_icon.gif){kind=icon}
Comments
""There Are Bigger Issues To Ponder""
no kidding.
Posted by: as_if!
| November 21, 2008 11:49 AM
""There Are Bigger Issues To Ponder""
and even bigger issues to continue sweeping under the rug if not ignoring entirely.
Posted by: as_if!
| November 21, 2008 11:50 AM
DC,
No kiddin.
Looks like Clinton will get the formal "ask" after Thanksgiving.
She will do fine and the drama will subside.
The next few weeks will be a bumpy ride.
I wonder if the M$M will ever connect the economy to the Iraq occupation? The Bush hobby war broke the back of our financial system - the M$M is now concentrated on the auto workers? The unions? Even the banks, homeowners, lenders, credit card companies? No mention of the occupation sucking the life out of our economy while rewarding defense contractors?
Maybe ponder is too passive? Bush can't hand over power fast enough.
Thanks
Posted by: capt
| November 21, 2008 12:27 PM
suddenly we are all italics.
Posted by: as_if!
| November 21, 2008 1:07 PM
I thought we were all Georgians?
Posted by: capt
| November 21, 2008 1:34 PM
WSJ Editor: Economic Meltdown Linked to War on Xmas
http://tinyurl.com/6kys5v
*****
Anything except Iraq?
Posted by: capt
| November 21, 2008 1:37 PM
where'd the itallics go?
Posted by: as_if!
| November 21, 2008 3:27 PM
as_if! --- All html tags taken off this blog many moons ago.
capt --- Looks to be that you'll have a new governor soon. How will that be?
Posted by: David B. Benson
| November 21, 2008 7:11 PM
And which media maroons are CREATING the drama, David? Ah -- yes, you would be one of them.
Posted by: Patsi
| November 21, 2008 8:35 PM
Here's the weekly news quiz. It's 20 multiple choice questions.
http://news.aol.com/news-quiz?icid=200100397x1213870257x1200843739
Posted by: Alan
| November 22, 2008 12:13 AM
Verdict is in: Zogby poll supposedly demonstrating 'ignorance' of Obama voters was a joke
http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/verdict-zogby-poll-suppsedly-demonst
That poll created by wingnut John Ziegler purporting to demonstrate that Obama voters were misinformed by the mainstream media about Barack Obama and Joe Biden (and defended so scatalogically by Ziegler) has been examined by objective polling experts beyond Nate Silver now, and the verdict is unanimous:
=========================
*some of those words are links at the site
Posted by: Alan
| November 22, 2008 12:45 AM
IDB,
I will hate to lose Bill Richardson.
But he is a good guy with experience. Not too sure what "sec commerce" really does but Bill will likely do well.
This was his last term as gov (per Wiki):
"Richardson's current term in office ends in 2011 and he is term-limited from a third term as governor"
So he will just be leaving a little early.
Posted by: capt
| November 22, 2008 9:24 AM
Requiem for a Maverick
John McCain ran one of the most incompetent, schizo campaigns in history — and for that we owe him big-time
http://tinyurl.com/68lxog
Posted by: capt
| November 22, 2008 11:37 AM
capt --- Commerce includes NOAA and NIST and a bunch of other units I don't interact with:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Commerce
Posted by: David B. Benson
| November 22, 2008 6:26 PM
Media PUTZ of the Week:
http://mediaputz.com/08/11/putz1113.html
Posted by: Alan
| November 22, 2008 11:39 PM
bush cheney slaughter of iraqis now 1.2 million
http://tinyurl.com/27egyu
Posted by: as_if!
| November 23, 2008 6:54 AM
9 H-BOMBS EXPLODED BELOW ARCTIC CRUST
On November 17 and 18, 2008 nine H-Bombs were exploded below the Arctic Ocean
They punched a hole in the crust and will allow petroleum from the bottom of the crust to leak into the Arctic Ocean. This could destroy life in large sections of the area.
http://tinyurl.com/6ahje9
Posted by: as_if!
| November 23, 2008 11:55 AM
Progressive complaints about Obama's appointments
http://tinyurl.com/63rqwt
Posted by: capt
| November 23, 2008 2:37 PM
EMERGENCY WARNING FOR OFFICE WORKERS
http://tinyurl.com/5p2o5u
Posted by: as_if!
| November 23, 2008 11:35 PM
Post A Comment