one doesn't have to know all that much about the court to see that the loss of kagan isn't helpful
there has been a tremendous amount of movement on dadt in congress the last few days, i'd like to tell you, but it's unfortunately a rather long story
the bottom line---the votes do appear to be there, it does not quite appear that leadership knows what it has, but it will soon
scott brown spoke pretty unequivocally today, it'd be a smart move for #41 from massachusetts, elections have consequences, he is after all scott brown
it's all very, very complicated
the republicans have made it quite clear, and they mean what they say---they will kill everything and literally anything until the 2011 tax rate is established
we all saw the clinton/obama/bush/mcconnell/boehner tax plan whoosh thru the senate yesterday, 81-19
we all recall the mud throwing mutiny mounted against the president by the house libs, led by pete welch, anthony weiner, george miller, lynn woolsey...
it appeared tho, as of yesterday, that the progressives had conceded to their prez, consensus was that the tax cuts for the rich, and the republican written estate tax, and the 2% holiday on social security payroll on the workers' end, and the 13 months extension of unemployment---it was all sposed to pass today
but the progs did it again this morning, thru a snit over rules---essentially, they demand an opportunity to OPPOSE the senate bill as written (otherwise known as clinton/obama/bush), which embarrassment nancy, on the president's behalf, apparently, wishes to avoid
it does, however, look like the mcconnell/boehner bill will ultimately make it thru pelosi's place, the weiners, et al, will get a comprehensive amendment they can call their own
now, if that deal is ever done, once the 2011 tax is established, then, yes, there are republicans willing to deal, willing to go over on dadt and other things
meanwhile, harry has for weeks been like this---we'll do dream, we won't do dream, we'll do start, it's our top priority, we'll do dadt in a defense appropriations, we'll do it stand alone, we'll do dream as part of defense, we'll do it separately, start is our top priority...
he changes literally almost by the hour
bottom line---if and when he ever gets the votes on anything he'll go
and, like i said, once the tax bill is done, the browns and snowes and collins and murkowskis and lugars, benetts and voinovichs are willing to play
however...
an entirely new battlefront, as you probably know, has emerged in the last three days---this 1.1T omnibus with all the earmarks
the govt failed to pass a budget for 2010, has been operating on cr's (continuing resolutions) since october 1, the last passed on 12-8 running for only 2 weeks, i believe
republicans are on to the omnibus
republicans have a big decision to make, should they block it?
if they do, a war will break out, and that will very, very negatively impact movement on dadt (and the dream and the start...)
start, by the way, is probably more neocon than left
the gop's weighty call on the omnibus is complicated by the fact that so many of us ourselves are major earmarkers---and in THIS omnibus
maverick mccain, of all people, is the topical leader of tea, here, he has made anti-earmarks a mavericky crusade for his career
KEITH OLBERMANN REPORTED AT 8:01 EASTERN TONITE THAT HARRY HAS PULLED THE OMNIBUS
that's pretty much where it stands, dadt, in congress, i believe---the votes probably are there, but leadership is still having trouble getting its act together
i could provide many links, more than half from politico the last 3 or 4 days
stay up