The far-right conservatives are “coming after” mainstream Republicans. Soon there won’t be anybody left in the GOP.

Mornin’.  Last night still smarts. Washington Journal: 7:30am – Trent Duffy, Republican Strategist & Karen Finney, Democratic Strategist.  9am – Gov. Mitch Daniels (R-IN).  9:30am – Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA). Host: Steve Scully ABC’s This Week: Republican Chairman Michael Steele and Democratic Chairman Tim Kaine.  Roundtable: George Will, Cokie Roberts, Sam Donaldson, Donna Brazile, and [...]

Yakky Doodle starring in Out Of Luck Duck.
What’s on your mind?

As of 11:07 p.m. ET, we have a health care reform bill. Although five minutes remained on the clock, the votes were all in with 220 Yeas, 215 Nays. Of the Nay votes, 39 were Democrats. There was a lone Republican Yea from Rep. Joseph Cao of Louisiana. Good for him. There has been clapping [...]

We’ve been betrayed: the Stupak Amendment passed 240 to 194 and with 64 Democrats voting Yea.

The Stupak Amendment went down about 8:12 p.m. ET, more Nays than Yays; Rep. Stupak asked for a roll call vote. Watch the vote with us after the Republicans finish their unilateral debate about their own substitute health care bill.

Ah, Republicans. So used to obstruction that they’ll obstruct their own priorities.

Here it is. There will be 20 minutes of debate on the Stupak Amendment, and then, I assume, a vote. I’ll be updating.

The Stupak amendment would prevent any private health insurance plan from covering elective abortion, if even one of its customer used even one dollar of affordability tax credits. The problem is that the Stupak amendment will conflict directly with other parts of the bill. The bill would require “guaranteed issue.” This means that any insurer offering coverage to individuals on the health insurance exchange most accept all customers.

Today’s book salon focuses on something that I think should get a lot more attention than it does – our psychological well-being as progressive activists.

Hillary Rettig’s book, The Lifelong Activist, seeks to help us build activism sustainably into our lives. In order to do so, we’ll need to take better care of ourselves.

She starts with an aspiration and a challenge, offering this vision:

“Imagine how different the world would be if there were twice – or ten times! – as many progressive activists as there are now, and if those activists were happy and effective and enjoying long full-time or part time careers. Entire societies and cultures, and quite possibly every society and culture, would be transformed.”