Obama, Republicans Are Just Not Into You; Advice: Forget About Them

That’s what Eugene Robinson in the Washington Post suggests (h/t Plum Line).

For what it’s worth, my advice for Obama is to forget the Republicans. Not literally, of course – the new House leadership is going to make itself hard to ignore. But ultimately, it’s the president who sets the agenda and who ultimately is held accountable for America’s successes and failures. Obama’s focus should be on using all the tools at his disposal to move the country in the direction he believes it must go.

John Podesta of the Center for American Progress argues in a report that …

Krugman: Republicans Don’t Want Economic Recovery As Long As Obama Is President

Paul Krugman explains why there is reason to be suspect about why attacks on the Fed by China, Germany, and Republicans.

It’s no mystery why China and Germany are on the warpath against the Fed. Both nations are accustomed to running huge trade surpluses. But for some countries to run trade surpluses, others must run trade deficits — and, for years, that has meant us. The Fed’s expansionary policies, however, have the side effect of somewhat weakening the dollar, making U.S. goods more competitive, and paving the way for a smaller U.S. deficit. And the Chinese and Germans don’t want …

Scrapping My Next Book Idea

by Gabe Berman
Gabe is the author of Live Like a Fruit Fly

I was thinking my next book should be a science fiction story about Republican elected officials who were eager to work with the new black president. But after the publication of The Roots of Obama’s Rage by author Dinesh D’Souza (pictured), I don’t think my idea is outlandish enough to grab America’s attention, given what D’Souza wrote.

From the back cover:

The most powerful country in the world is being governed according to the dreams of a Luo tribesman of the 1950′s (President Obama’s father) – a …

Democrats Actually Fighting Back Against Republican Hypocrisy On Health Care

By Yashwanth Manjunath

Republicans have made their position quite clear on health care reform. They are 100% against ANY federal involvement in health care. Republican Andy Harris made news when he demanded his government-run health care as a member of Congress.  Now, four House Democrats, Joseph Crowley of New York, Linda Sanchez of California, Donna Edwards of Maryland, and Tim Ryan of Ohio are finally fighting back against the Republicans’ blatant hypocrisy and lies. They have released a letter to Republican congressional leaders asking them to announce which of their members will forgo their federally subsidized health insurance policies …

Sarah Palin Says Daugher Bristol A Better Role Model Than Murphy Brown

According to her forthcoming book, parts of which are starting to leak like a BP oil spill, Sarah Palin puts her daughter Bristol’s morals against those of Murphy Brown, the fictional character once played by Candice Bergen.

Which is the more courageous course for a young, single mother: to sit down and shut up and avoid the critics, or to speak out in a painfully honest way about how tough single parenting is? I’m biased of course, but given a choice of role models between Bristol and Murphy Brown, I choose Bristol.

Let’s not forget that, unlike the real Bristol …

Democrats Want Vote To Extend Middle Class Tax Cuts; Boehner Calls It A Tax Hike

Democrats are considering a vote that would extend middle class tax cuts, but not deal with the cuts for the top 1%, at least not at first.  Greg Sargent has the story.

Steny Hoyer, the number two in the House Dem leadership, told Democrats at a caucus meeting this morning that they would get to vote this year on just extending the Bush tax cuts for the middle class, a senior Dem aide tells me, signaling support for a confrontational move towards the GOP that liberals have been pushing.

Because all brackets are not being included here, the Republicans …

On Thursday’s Radio Show…

• Ralph Nader tells Alan why he believes the TSA is failing to make air travel more secure.

• Conservative columnist Mark Steyn sits down with Alan to debate the 2011 Republican agenda.

• Extend tax cuts for the middle class but not the rich? Alan weighs in.…

James Carville: “If Hillary Gave Up One Of Her Balls And Gave It To Obama, He’d Have Two”

Political strategist James Carville still loves the Clintons more than the Obamas. His comment came at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast talk.

James Carville dropped this one-liner: “If Hillary gave up one of her balls and gave it to Obama, he’d have two.”

The quote was first noted by Tribune reporter Mike Memoli on his Twitter account.…

GOP Ready To Wield The Spending Knife? Not So Much

by Sandi Behrns

For nearly two years, Republicans, especially those of the Tea Party variety, have drilled the idea into American minds that the single greatest issue we face is over-spending in Washington. The TARP bailout, the auto bailouts, the stimulus, even health care reform were lambasted as wasteful spending. (Never mind the demonstrable evidence to the contrary.) Finally! After having snatched control over the House in the recent midterms – it’s time to get serious and put those campaign promises into action, right?

Considering that, so far, the GOP’s two main areas of concern have been to adopt a …

Patrick Byrne And Overstock.com: Libertarianism In Action

By William K. Wolfrum

Patrick Byrne is many things: The CEO of Overstock.com; The son of former GEICO CEO John J. Byrne; The world’s leading Naked Short Selling conspiratorialist; One of the all-time great practitioners of Issuer Retaliation; A leading voice in teaching the public what a “Cookie Jar Reserve” is, and on and on.

Aside from his other hobbies, Byrne is a self-described Libertarian. And judging from his attitudes toward his customers and investors, Byrne is a shining example of why Libertarianism is a muddled and often evil ideology.

Byrne – who has led Overstock.com…

Pic Pick: Photo Of The Day

An unidentified (thankfully) passenger at Denver International Airport had a TSA/Junk encounter, or so it seems. (h/t Mediaite)

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