This time of year I always love reading the Golden Dukes nominations. But it’s the Local Venue category that’s the great pleasure. Because it’s there that we hear about a lot of quality muck I’d never even heard of before. Like this nomination from TPM Reader CE …
NY State Supreme Court Judge Ronald Tills, of Buffalo, now serving time in Jessup federal prison for transporting women across state lines for the purpose of prostitution.
Judge Tills would load up his motor home with his friendly law clerk, a local sheriff and several of the women he knew from the local massage parlor (as well as one he met when she appeared before him in court) and drive on down to Kentucky for weekend retreats with fellow lodge brothers in the Royal Order of Jesters, an elite group of Shriners.
From TPM Reader JG …
I’ve been getting really depressed lately about politics. I was at first depressed because the public option was dying, but now I’m much more depressed because of the anti-Obama frenzy I’ve been seeing coming from progressives.
Dem staffer convicted of assault after bar fight gets out of hand at Dupont Circle nightspot.
It’s a great situation when every member of the caucus can kill the legislation on a whim.
Also cool how well that Nader thing worked out in 2000. That was cool.
As you can see, we’re down to the gut-check moment about the health care reform bill slouching to passage up on Capitol Hill. Assuming the bill passes stripped of a Public Option and Medicare Buy-In, just what’s left? My own sense is that the Public Option has been so heavily debated and politicized that most people just don’t have a very clear idea what’s in the rest of the bill. And to a substantial degree I include myself in that category.
For my own part I think the centrality of the Public Option has been overstated. But that judgment aside, I’m pretty sure most of us don’t have a clear understanding of the rest of what’s in this bill. So I’ve pulled together a group of people who I think know a lot about these issues to help me hash out just what’s in this bill and what to think about it. Paul Starr, Robert Reich, Roger Hickey and Jon Cohn have signed on to discuss this with me in a special discussion we’re hosting over at TPMCafe.
We’re going to be adding to that list. I’ve spoken with Markos about having someone from Kos join us. And I’ve been sending emails to Gov. Dean’s rep but for some reason can’t get her to respond. (Not sure what that’s about. Maybe someone can help me.)
We hope to get things started later this afternoon.
Karate-man turned pundit Chuck Norris rolls out new word for health care reform: “Herodcare.”
Calling in the big guns, last night the Family Research Council held a special “Prayercast” with numerous Republican members of Congress, asking God to sustain the filibuster of Health Care Reform in the senate.
From TPM Reader AK …
If I feel abandoned, it’s not by Obama and the Democratic party, it’s by those on the left advocating to kill the bill.
I am unemployed and have a pre-existing condition that requires daily medicines, quarterly doctors visits and an annual test. I am on COBRA, which runs out mid-2010, when I will have to find new health insurance. I will need to purchase some kind of health insurance, assuming I can find provider who will insure me
As I mentioned earlier, at TPMCafe we’re hosting a online conversation about the details of the current Health Care Reform legislation. Joining us are Paul Starr, Roger Hickey, Jon Cohn, Robert Reich and others we’ll be announcing shortly (as soon as we can strong-arm them into signing on).
Here’s my first kick-off post. And here’s the response from Paul Starr arguing for what’s in the current bill and why it matters.