Are they that stupid?

Will Congress really allow their automatic pay increases to go into effect, and get pay raises as the first order of business in the new Congress?
http://www.miamiherald.com/business/nation/story/832167.html

Imagine if the first two big stories out of the next Congress are the Senate's refusal to seat a black senator from Illinois and the House's $4,700 Congressional pay raises.

A rational Illinois Senate proposal

Roland W. Burris is a decent, good man with a decent, good record. He is of the generation of black men and women (first to graduate here, first to be appointed there, first to get elected where ever) who made possible the election of an African America president. In fact, he is of the generation who made it possible for African Americans to vote in at least a dozen states. Unlike those who now knee jerk oppose his appointment to the U.S. senate because of their opposition to Gov. Blago, Burris fought Blago, the corrupt Illinois state machine, and the corrupt Chicago machine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_Burr is

But for his sponsor, Burris would be deemed the ideal interim elder statesman caretaker appointment until an election can be held.

Illinois Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois House Speaker Madigan (as well as President elect Obama and White House COS designate Emanuel, who were two of the main forces behind Blago in 2002, when he was the face of reform, and who endorsed him in 2006, when everyone already knew he was dirty) need to make a decision. Do they want the Obama administration to begin under the cloud of the Blago scandal circus, or do they want to put this behind them?

Let Burris state unequivocably that he will not be a candidate for reelection.

Then, let Quinn and Madigan (and Obama, et al.) agree to the Burris appointment.

And, get this off the front pages.

Blago has demonstrated a few things by his (admittedly very clever) appointment of an African American elder statesman - - he's not stupid, he knows how to play the game, and he's not going away either quietly or without taking others down with him.

The choice is clear. This embarrassment can go on for months (if not years) with the entire state and national Democratic party establishment fighting a qualified, dignified, elderly black veteran of the civil rights movement in court and in the halls of the Senate (will they call security to toss him out? cuff him?). Or, all can agree to Burris, which gets Obama off the hook, gets the Senate Democratic caucus off the hook, and gets the most visible national aspects of the Blago saga off the front pages.

That is, unless you like hearing the phrases "President Obama" and "corrupt Illinois politics" used repeatedly in the same sentence.

BTW - I hope Gov. Paterson takes note. Isn't there a beloved elderly political, social or media figure in New York, with roots in the civil rights, equal rights or other progressive communities, who would make an excellent interim caretaker senator from New York? If le princesse du Bouvier-Kennedy, or l'comte du Cuomo, or any of the serfs want the seat, let them open a campaign account and run for it in 2010.

As long as we have "hope"

It's war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
http://www.miamiherald.com/889/story/831009.html

Al Qaeda-linked terrorists are poised to take over Somalia.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/5min/story/830732.html

Unpopular decisions are required in Iraq.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/830734.html

And we will have an inexperienced novice in the White House, focusing exclusively on domestic policy. Good times.

Caroline Kennedy, author

Can we please stop crediting ANY celebrity with the authorship of ANY book?

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/20/books/review/020QUEENA.html?_r=2&oref=slogin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profiles_in_courage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Sorenson

They hire ghost writers.

They don't write "their" books.

Why does the media insist on insisting they do?

And, why does the "reality based community" buy into the lies?

If you repeal Bush's tax cuts . . .

, or let them expire, how have you not raised taxes on those earning under $250,000?

I just got back from vacation . . .

so bring me up to date. What did the released tapes reveal? the transcripts? I'm sure they proved that there was nothing improper discussed between Emanuel and Blagojevich.

Because I'm absolutely sure the tapes and transcripts were released as promised, and I'm sure that they fully absolve Rahm, et al. from any suspicion.

After all, I'm sure Obama's team abided by the crisis management rule of "get it out, get it out early and get it our fully". Let's face it, you only break that rule when you have something to hide.

No way would they let this drag on!

No way would they pull the old "Bush-and-Cheney-talking-about-Scooter" line of "I can't comment on an ongoing investigation". What nonsense that would be. After all, as all the progressives said at the time, why not? Why can't you comment on an ongoing investigation, unless you're part of the cover up? We know our team would never play that game!

And, no way would they have issued some narrowly drawn statement that really doesn't answer the question of who said what to who. I'm sure there was no lawyer-ed up statement like "there were no INAPPROPRIATE contacts about PERSONAL enrichment"

So tell me - - what did the tapes say? Because the full and uncensored release of all information should start to reverse the negative polling data on this issue.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/22/p oll.obama.blagojevich/

CHRISTMAS VACATION UNTIL 12/29 !!!

TALK TO YOU THEN !!!