Politics from a moderate-leftie in a U.S. now proudly moderate-left! http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/ at the Montauk Club http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/parchives/100311.html http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/archives/1003a.html#10b Don't know if you saw this yesterday, but the latest anti-Census rant from the wing nuts is that it asks people their race. (It's been asking this for several go rounds, of course...) The first to be mortified seems to have been the Corner's Mark Krikorian, who suggests checking "other" and writing in 'American.' It was picked up here and here. http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/archives/1003a.html#10a http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/parchives/100310.html The Trashcan Sinatras were just there. http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/archives/1003a.html#9c Did you see it? I only caught the last ten minutes or so, as I had to find Fox News on my system. But it looked like Massa was doing some back pedaling, and resorting to nonsubstantive lines (people should get involved and vote, for instance). Said he wasn't forced out by the party, he chose to leave the House on his own. When Beck asked him, point blank, if Rahm Emmanuel threatened, intimidated, or harassed him, Massa didn't confirm, instead opting for a line like "do I look like the kind of guy who could be intimidated?" Right about then Glenn Beck looked at the camera and apologized to the audience for having wasted their time. http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/archives/1003a.html#9b Over in the Wall Street Journal, economist David Cutler argues that the Obama plan does limit health care costs. He acknowledges that he's not the CBO, though, and gives the plan more credit than they do. (Perhaps the WSJ should have given him more space for that part.) http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/archives/1003a.html#9a Obama gave a rousing speech today on health care reform to a bunch of Pennsylvania college students, and as Arlen Specter said, the fire could have helped at the SOTU speech. And as much as Obama looks like Henry V in this pic, it does seem a little comical that his sleeves are rolled up to invigorate such an audience. http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/archives/1003a.html#8a http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/parchives/100309.html http://www.samueljohnson.com/blog/parchives/100308.html