Democratic leadership looks ineffectual again. Sen. Harry Reid couldn’t get the votes together to restrain inflation of Medicare payments, allowing Republicans another winning hand in what has become little more than a political game instead of real health care reform.

Today the FDL Action PAC launches an online phone bank effort to call 40,000 of the most progressive Democrats in Nevada, asking them to contact Harry Reid and let him know they support a public option. As Senate Majority leader, it is Harry Reid’s choice and his alone to include the public option in a [...]

Musicians, including R.E.M and Pearl Jam, launched a formal protest of the use of music used in conjunction with torture that took place at Guantanamo Bay and other facilities. And they’ve announced they are supporting an effort seeking the declassification of all secret government records pertaining to how music was utilized as an interrogation device.

Both Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, and Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor (the music of Rage Against the Machine and NIN is believed to have been used as part the torture of detainees) are involved in the campaign.

Discredited, unpopular former Vice President has opinions. Here’s some change I can believe in. Kristof: no more troops. Nah, Fox never uses RNC talking points. Uh, Laura? It’s not just Dole and Frist that lost. See George W. Bush for $4.95.

In the annals of football and sacrifice, Pat Tillman has nothing on this poor soul who has had the league of Pat Patriot soil his love of ‘Murica more thoroughly than his hero’s pants soiled were in rehab. Mark Muller, owner of Max Motors and wannabe arms dealer (he saved Missourians from having to make [...]

Featuring new videos from Thao with The Get Down Stay Down and In Cadeo.

Victor Davis Hanson crankily informs the universe that he doesn’t like the movies today, the teevee shows today, the jungle music today, or anything else of today, because it’s all Mao Mao Mao all the time… I guess these days even Matlock sounds like he’s going commie. Poor misfortunate bastard. Fortunately for VD, though, over [...]

  Yesterday, the Senate followed the House in approving the transfer of terror suspects facing trial from Guantanamo Bay to prisons inside the United States. This bill, which will now go to the White House for signage, makes it much easier for Obama to close the prison camp which has been the subject of international [...]

The Hill reports the Senate failed to get even 50 votes Wednesday on a procedural motion on the Medicare “Doc fix,” the first health care reform-related bill. On a vote of 47-53, the Senate knocked down Majority Leader Reid’s motion to proceed on the so-called “Doc fix,” a bill to eliminate automatic Medicare cuts for [...]

In short, even after the auto task force pulled off what I consider a least worst solution, I’m not convinced Rattner, at least, fully understands the market.