Scenes from my windows during today's big storm.
(Washington, DC)
I finally got outside after the snow stopped tonight.
Scenes of my neighborhood (Click pics to enlarge)
For Congress.org we decode what presidential budgets really mean (Produced by CQ-Roll Call's Andrew Satter).
It was once unimaginable that Democrats could lose control of the Senate. But the unthinkable is now conceivable. Republicans need ten turnovers. Add up the competitive races and they are roughly three short.
Where could those final three longshot pickups be? Although still relatively safe Democratic seats, there are possibilities.
New York: If Republicans find a strong challenger, Kirsten Gillibrand could face trouble. Two words: George Pataki.
California: If devilish red-eyed sheep can help Carly Fiorina beat her GOP primary foe Tom Campbell and go on to defeat Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer, then here's the ad for the task (creepiest ad I've ever seen).
Indiana: Former Sen. Dan Coats looms as a GOP threat to Evan Bayh.
And now for something really odd: Vulnerable senators from the party in control handpicked by Majority Leader Harry Reid to publicly challenge their Democratic president and play the outsiders in an obviously choreographed session aimed at impressing anti-Obama voters. I suppose it's effective politics, but so totally trippy.
Senate race ratings
on CQ Politics
Here's how to help us help Haiti. (Video by Trail Mix Fish Camp Boss Colorado Bob)
Pardon my Déjà vu ... I've seen this before:
PROSPECTS ARE DIM FOR REFORM IN '94
Orlando Sentinel
By Craig Crawford
Date: Aug 28, 1994
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Look no further than David Price for reasons why health reform could be all but dead for this year. "President Clinton's health reform plan has been dead for months," the North Carolina congressman told a gathering of about 100 voters in his district last week.
A Democrat with close ties to congressional chiefs, Price has voted his party line on most issues since getting to Congress in 1986.
But in last week's meeting with voters, Price dismissed the reform alternatives by Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell and House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt.
"It's pretty clear we're not going to pass the Gephardt or the Mitchell bill," Price told constituents sitting in the auditorium of the East Wake Middle School.
Most of the residents of this rural community on the outskirts of Raleigh nodded their approval at Price's predictions of health reform's doom. Enthusiastic applause erupted when he said, "I'm willing to go back to the drawing board."
This is startling talk from a Yale-educated Clinton friend who has backed nearly everything the White House wanted, from gun control to the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Price's skittishness on health reform is partly linked to his state's tobacco titans, who fumed at Clinton's call for dramatic increases in cigarette taxes to help pay for his plan. Nonetheless Price's district includes few tobacco farmers and the industry was placated with a smaller, phased-in tax increase.
"Most of the bureaucratic and other governmental aspects of President Clinton's plan have been dismantled," Price noted.
It's no wonder that Democratic leaders who control Congress have sent lawmakers home for a break without even a test vote on health reform. If they can't count on Democrats like Price, they might as well stop counting.
With a seat on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Price relies on strong ties with Democratic leaders to funnel federal money to his district's so-called Research Triangle. Party bosses could easily call for a favor in return for helping Price boost local universities and high-technology firms.
But health reform has become such a nonstarter that Price and other loyal Democrats talk as though it isn't a priority.
"We're having an easier time defining the problem than finding the solution," said Price, a former political science professor at Duke University.
That is hardly the rhetoric that will sustain legislation to overhaul one-seventh of the nation's economy.
Yet the leader of Price's political party - the president - has made health reform the signature crusade of his administration. Clinton stood before Congress and national television cameras a year ago threatening to veto anything less than insurance coverage for all Americans.
Now his friends talk as though it was all a dream. Here's what Price envisions as "the best" Congress can do this year about the nation's health-care woes:
"We're not even going to try to solve it all at once," Price said. "We'll take a few steps and go from there. We need to find sensible solutions."
But some in the crowd were not content with Price's backpedaling from Clinton's health-care agenda.
One man complained that any tobacco tax should be voted down. And several spoke against provisions in Democratic reform plans that would guarantee access to abortions.
Price assured his voters by promising that, in the end, Congress would not do very much.
"Let's just agree to disagree on some of these issues for now," Price said. "Because whatever plan we choose is going to be pretty modest, if there is one."
Phil Sees Shadow
Earlier tonight I riffed on a since-retracted Reuters story about President Obama's tax plans. I'm glad the story wasn't true because it seemed stunning that, as the story claimed, this White House would back the middle class tax hikes described. But of course I'm not glad that I believed the story and quoted it. Compared to other wire services, Reuters has a reputation for a bit of hyperbole in its prose, but I've never had reason to question its factual integrity. Lesson learned. I apologize for this. My post referring to this article has now been removed.
The primary elections of 2010 began tonight in Illinois, including the contest to claim President Obama's former Senate seat. Expected rivals: Alexi Giannoulias vs. Mark Steven Kirk.
Artie Shaw and Cole Porter kick off the Midterms
A video look at the traditional media frenzy for the unveiling of the president's annual budget on Capitol Hill -- "Everybody Back Up."
Now on Congress.org
- Military budget may lead to Hill battle
- Obama budget would cancel NASA program
- Budget boosts education overhaul
- Obama defends budget cuts
- Roundup: Obama lays out 2011 budget
Hollywood Won't Like This
Obama budget would cut $6.2 million from the National Endowment for the Arts and the same amount from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Take that, Oscar!
"The Hurt Locker" should win Best Picture, nice to see a woman directing a war flick. George Clooney plays himself in "Up in the Air." Meryl Streep for "Julie & Julia" a no brainer. Anna Kendrick gets Supporting Oscar if you're looking for a newcomer. "Inglourious Basterds" didn't work for me, couldn't follow the plot. Haven't seen "Avatar," guess I must. And I always root for Randy Newman.
List of 82nd annual Academy Award nominations
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