Blog Archive: January, 2011

As Chinese President Hu Jintao visits Washington one subject being discussed is China's currency manipulation. China keeps its currency "weak" because it mean goods made in China have a huge price advantage in world markets. This is part of a larger national strategy to take over key strategic industries. more »

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A couple of weeks ago it looked like Senate Democrats were "fired up and ready to go" on reforming the filibuster system. All of the returning Senate Dems signed a letter calling on Harry Reid to push for change, and that unanimous opinion looked like the foundation for real change. But then two things happened: First, reform of the process seemed to get bogged down in ... what else? ... process. But there also seemed to be a growing under-the-radar sense that maybe, with their political fortunes waning, this wasn't the time for Democrats or progressives to weaken the power of the minority.

But the minority would still be able to filibuster. What would be weakened is the ability of any single Senator to paralyze the entire system, and to use that power for negotiations that are little more than blackmail.

When they think of the filibuster, a lot of people picture Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. You remember - with his tie askew, his hair wild, and his eyes filled with the fire of righteousness, speaking up for "the little guy" to an uncaring body of cynical solons: "You think I'm licked. You all think I'm licked. Well I'm not licked. And I'm gonna stay right here and fight for this lost cause."

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During the presidential campaign, Republicans enjoyed poking fun at Obama's "Yes, We Can," campaign slogan. Most often they simply restated it as "No, You Can't." However, the GOP majority in the House is setting out to exemplify its own slogan: "No, We Can't."

The "We" in this case is the same "We" Obama spoke of with his slogan — the collective "We," encompassing all Americans. "No, We Can't," however reflects the GOP's emphatic belief that when it comes to the challenges we face — from health care to climate change and then some — there's just nothing we can, or should, do.

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• MORNING MESSAGE: New Civil Tone, Same Old Lies
• Progressive Press Obama On Jobs Before SOTU
• Repeal Push Fizzles With Public
• China Faces Frustrated US Businesses
• What's Next For Obama Reg Reform?
• Fuzzy First Steps For Wall St. Reform
• Rift Forming On Right Regarding Debt Ceiling

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With Chinese President Hu Jintao’s state visit, it is a good time to reflect on how the dysfunctional U.S.-China relationship has developed, and to consider why it may be time for a trial separation. For nearly 40 years, the U.S. and China seem to have modeled their partnership on Sid and Nancy. more »

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Two years after a catastrophic financial collapse and six months after the passage of a Wall Street reform bill, astonishing tales of volatility in the market are all too common. If you think inexplicable flash crashes are worrisome, brace yourself for the next big financial “innovation” – Twitter Trading. more »

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Yesterday the House Republicans began the floor debate over its bill to repeal the health reform law. more »

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The latest Democracy Corps/Campaign For America's Future poll on jobs and the economy has a clear message for the President and his party: Stand up for jobs, and protect Social Security and Medicare. The results couldn't be clearer. Yet it's still rumored that the President's State of the Union will emphasize deficit reduction over job creation, and the White House has refused to assure worried Democrats that the President won't also propose cuts to Social Security.

How many polls will it take to convince the White House that this is political suicide? How many expert analyses will it take to persuade them that its premature to make deficits the priority when the country desperately needs jobs and economic growth?

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What is it about jobs that is hard to get?

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The Senate is considering reforming the rules for filibusters. In the last few years the filibuster has been used so frequently that it is now conventional wisdom that "it takes 60 votes to pass a bill in the Senate." This is because the public, and apparently even much of the news media, does not understand how the Senate operates. more »

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