Good Morning and welcome to the first Talking Points report from Davos, Switzerland and the World Economic Forum.
I arrived last night and I must admit that the crisp Swiss air does add an extra charge to the heady and far-reaching discussions we’re all having here. I’m planning on meeting up with Tom Friedman for lunch today and hopefully also reconnecting with some friends from the British Labour Party who I haven’t had a chance to speak with since the end of our presidential election. I’m also going to be attending a seminar on bridging the global digital divide, especially in sub-arctic regions where the expansion of the Internet will apparently be a great boon for economic development. Much talk here of course about the American economy and whether the new American administration will retreat toward isolation or return to the embrace of â¦
Okay. Look. Fine. Whatever. I’m not in Davos, Switzerland. I’m in my Du Pont Circle apartment in Washington, DC. But obviously everyone else who is anyone is in Davos. But for me – no invite. Despite my heroic efforts exposing the Bushies’ attempt to smear the out-going administration with trumped up stories of inauguration day vandalism (contained in this article in Slate) I’m clearly not a big enough player to go to the international shindig’ in the Alps.
But who cares about that nonsense!
Look. The Dems have not had a good week. But if they’re shrewd their big opportunity just opened up for them. What is it? Easy. PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. It’s a three-fer. No. Make that a four-fer. 1. Good policy. 2. Outflanks Bush’s rapidly growing momentum on taxes. 3. Stymies those who support privatizing Medicare and turning it over to HMOs. 4. Draws the first real political blood from the new administration.
What about Ashcroft? &%$# Ashcroft! This is the real deal. That is, if the Dems know to seize the opportunity.
