Ironically, I think the WH has little tolerance for such tomfoolery…

Note this recent exchange from SecDef Gates…

SEC. GATES: Last question.

Q Mr. Secretary, on the alternate engine, you sounded like you’ve come up with a very hard recommendation for a veto. Last year, there seemed to be a caveat in that you did not want the program to be disrupted. If it were, then you would recommend the veto. Is there a difference this year or will you again have that caveat on disruption on the alternate engine?

SEC. GATES: I was very concerned about the program last year. And that was the reason that the veto threat was focused on disruption of the program. We think that the level of costs is such now that — and the fact that this is unnecessary — that it’s important to take a final stand. Thank you all very much.

ct

Morning CT and thanks for the news Attaturk.

Shelby is one of the worst pigs in all of the Senate. What really needs to happen is for Harry to tell him to sit down and STFU. But alas, Harry has no spine and can not lead.

How is effective governance enhanced when 1 developementally arrested ninny is allowed to stop the proccess with his own little hissy fit? The situation in the Senate has become intolerable and truly disfunctional.

It is refreshing to see some good old Mid Western sensibilitiesto reign…

Sen. Al Franken ripped into White House senior adviser David Axelrod this week during a tense, closed-door session with Senate Democrats.

Five sources who were in the room tell POLITICO that Franken criticized Axelrod for the administration’s failure to provide clarity or direction on health care and the other big bills it wants Congress to enact.

The sources said Franken was the most outspoken senator in the meeting, which followed President Barack Obama’s question-and-answer session with Senate Democrats at the Newseum on Wednesday. But they also said the Minnesotan wasn’t the only angry Democrat in the room.

“There was a lot of frustration in there,” said a Democratic senator who declined to be identified.

“People were hot,” another Democratic senator said.

Democratic senators are frustrated that the White House hasn’t done more to win over the public on health care reform and other aspects of its ambitious agenda — and angry that, in the wake of Scott Brown’s win in the Massachusetts Senate race, the White House hasn’t done more to chart a course for getting a health care bill to the president’s desk.

I hope Democrats remember this jackassishness in 2012 when the GOP will once again control all three branches of government. I know they won’t, democrats seem to be slow learners.

As far as the country being ungovernable, it’s been that way for a long time unless you are rich and powerful. Only after you meet those two criteria does the government work for you.

Aloha, Raven and Oldie…! ;-) Can’t sleep…! *g*

Up on the MT?

Me neither!

me 3.
That is a goofy shot of Richard up top, but, he’s only talking out of one side of his mouth. I thought he was a politician.

Don’t think ungovernable is quite right but there sure seems to be a void where leadership should be.

Good morning by the way.

Nope, sea level…! Makes it all the worse…! ;-)

So Harry Reid tells O to make some recess appointments? When you’re schooled by Harry of all people you know you’re a leadership void.

The no sleep thing must be goin around. Even CBL is up right now. That never happens.

Off to get ready for work. Hope all you pups have a wonderfull day.

Morning all.

You know the Sens can get mad at the WH if they want but it is they that voted to have Harry as their leader and they can get rid of Harry as well.

It would be rather nice if they deep-sixed Reid…! ;-)

Btw, I posted a new diary…! ;-)

Good morning to all!

I think Reid should call a recess so that Obama could recess-appoint EVERYONE on his list of nominees. That would clear the backlog all at once and send a resounding response to Shelby and his fellow obstructionists. But of course, that would require a tiny bit of courage, so it will undoubtedly remain a daydream (this world looks much brighter when I close my eyes and fantasize…).

Good morning, pups. It’s Brooks, Cohen and Krugman today. Oh, cripes. Bobo’s being a sociologist again. In “The Sporting Mind” he gurgles about an argument that American moral thinking is a fusion of athletic traditions champions sport culture, but not the spectacle of big-time college games. It must be silly season. Mr. Cohen, in “Dog Days in China,” says that there’s nothing rational in the view that it’s weird of the Chinese to eat dog. After all, in the West pet “micro pigs” are becoming fashionable. Prof. Krugman addresses “Fiscal Scare Tactics” and says fear-mongering on the deficit as part of the Republican political strategy could end up doing as much harm as the fear-mongering on weapons of mass destruction.

Here they are.

The coffee, tea and hot chocolate are ready, and I’ve got banana pancakes for breakfast. It’s entirely possible that the Reid problem will be taken care of by the voters in Nevada. He seems to be facing an uphill fight for reelection, which serves him right. Have a great day.

Courageous and forward thinking is no longer allowed, please turn yourself in to the principal’s office for punishment.

Howdy hi and morning all.

Man, I hate Friday’s anymore. World markets are tanking again. In a couple of hours we’ll be getting the jobs report. Later, no doubt the FDIC will tell us how many banks they’re closing this week. And I wonder what the Friday news dump will bring. BTW, about when does that dump usually happen?

Well, I have a gallon jug of Beam, and a couple of liters of Paul Mason. I was saving those for later this weekend and the game in particular, but if anyone has the urge I could crack them.

Speaking of such things, anyone remember just what a thumper box is? Do I need a car to convince the revenuers that that stuff in the garage is fuel?

Anyway, everyone have a good day, or at least try to keep smiling :D

is that like a slobber box?

Well there’s a new way of making things even more ungovernable.

“Hey, that’s a nice lookin’ bunch of nominations ya got there, Mr. President.

Be a shame if somethin’ happened to them.”

More like an anti-slobber box. ‘Sposed to cut down on the production of methanol. It’s been too long since I fooled with such things.

Some hillbilly I’d make.

Growin’ is easier than brewin’ and that’s all I have to say on that subject!

No doubt, no doubt. But to each there own. My luck, they’d all be male’s anyway.

Cool, coffee pot has quit perking. Now to get the sun to come up.

Especially here in the Isles, mon…! ;-)

While still at school I spent one summer in a market garden learning how to grow chrysanthemums from cuttings a skill I still use today and grow beautiful flowers for the house.

I’ve never tried smoking chrysanthemums.

A handy skill that I wish I had. Some plants can only be grown that way. I think strawberries is (are?) one of them. I have room for a fair sized plot, and those would be a lot more fun than the tomatoes and beans I usually grow.

I’m sure the ground squirrels would appreciate the change in diet.

Then push for votes on the holds and point out the 70 times Repugs held up filling posts and the threat to national security.

The Chinese use it as a drug

It is a flower that has grown in gardens all around the world as far back as any records can tell. In China it is an emblem and greatly prized for medicinal properties particularly as an anti-inflammatory.

Reid is more concerned about Reid than about doing something positive for America. Actually the most positive thing he could do for America is resign.

I vaguely remember that you’re supposed to eat Chrysanthemums though, not smoke ‘em. I could be wrong though.

Sic smoking Al on them. He got them to vote to protect rapists. Let’s see what else he can do.

Good Lord! It’s o dark thirty and all y’all are talking Beam and Smokin’?
Bunch a old hippies, no doubt. *g*

So basically our government currently owned by Northrop Grumman?

I’d like to know how it is a strike by union workers protesting work conditions or breaches of employment contracts is so much more dangerous than a strike by a single senator on behalf of a single corporation?

yesterday it was all in the tub. my, how these early morning threads degenerate.

Hey, nomolos and I tried to get back on topic. Really, we did.

Unfortunately, the only thing worse than a DFH is an *old* DFH. (hangs head in shame)

Heh, heh, heh. Watcha gonna do?

News talking about the Teabaggers/young voters/and the Teabagger convention. Very pricey….guess I won’t go. G’ Morning folks. Wet
here again this Fri am

You lift that chin right up, my friend. The Only real hippie is an old hippie, I believe.

Well there’s a new way of making things even more ungovernable. Now each of these nominations has to get 60 votes for cloture — and we all know how aggressive Harry Reid is on that and how often the GOP wants to help out.

is this really true? or could the dems just let the republicans filibuster (which is limited by the rules) an when the Rs are done or give up, pass the nominations by simple majority? or are the rules for confirming nominations different than the rules for passing legislation?

Northrop, Goldman Sachs, AIG, BOA and a few others.

Morning, Bev.
Not wet yet, but will be later. I have to say the foothills are lookin’ mighty green and it’s nice to see. Lots of trees are budding and blossoming too. I think I’m about ready for spring. It’s such a hopeful season.

Guilty here as well.

On the up side; I’m at work making tooling for the destructive testing of a torque sensing thingy for the oil drillin biz. Demand for the product is “robust”. (hate that word) The small shop I work for is the machined component maker. Report this week is that it will be a good year for us.

So Shelby has put a “blanket hold” on 70 of Obama’s nominations to fill executive post vacancies (or to replace Bush appointments currently holding the positions) so Alabama can receive tens of billions of dollars in earmarks for military contracts for planes the Pentagon neither wants nor needs.

Every Democrat who appears on every media outlet or writes for any publication should force a discussion of Shelby’s hold-for-the-sake-of-earmark-money, and the president should sign recess appointments for all 122 of his nominations, not just the 70 covered by Shelby’s blanket hold. That way, when these nominations expire at the end of this year, if the Senate Republicans want to place a new hold on re-appointsments, Obama’s picks for the positions can just stay in those positions until the Senate votes on their confirmations. Senate “holds” won’t mean anything because the people Obama wants will already be installed in those positions.

Meanwhile the Democrats can force a public debate on earmarks for the DOD that the Pentagon doesn’t even want.

Aha, Franken delivered a sternly worded …

i thought chrysanthemums contain the neurotoxin pyrethrum (used as an organic pesticide)? doesn’t make me interested in smoking or eating them!

but i maybe full of shit about the neurotoxin thingy?

Swim is up top…

Nope, you are not full of shit. I just googled and you are correct, as usual Your Majesty. That’s what they used to say on Mr. Rogers.

You are correct. Do not eat large quantities although the petals are nice and pretty in salads.

oldnslow: Will the outlook for your company still be bright if the repeal of tax credits for oil drilling in Obama’s budget actually passes? Although the repeal wouldn’t go through until next year, oil men here in Texas are already screaming about it and how it will cripple the domestic oil industry.

thanks demi and nomolos. at this point in my life, i’m all for protecting what little gray cells i have left!

Here’s a fun quote about that:

In 1946, in Amsterdam, pyrethrum was added to the municipal water supply. Not only did the pyrethrum succeed as an insecticide, but people continued to drink, bathe and cook with the water without becoming ill.

Seems insects are more susceptible to the toxin than mammals. Still, moderation is probably called for.

They do love to whine.

Yes, we should be OK because this thingy is a serious productivity enhancer the companies want it bad.

ah, more thanks.

i’ve not enough coffee yet to overcome my laziness with the google. much appreciate the added info!

Our leadership sure have the Repubs cowed, don’t they?

The Senate is a laughingstock. It should be stripped of all it’s powers, other than ceremonial, similar to the House of Lords in GB. The Senators should be required to wear togas. What pompous patricians.

It’s almost surprising that more Rs haven’t done this before. Given the lack of resoluteness within the Ds, what is the possible downside to blocking everything to protect your state’s pork projects? Since the Senate, a body put in place to protect us from the “tyranny of the majority”, ceased to be a “club of gentlemen” as far as the Rs were concerned years ago, they have a tremendous number of minority weapons. All the options the Ds have in return requires that they have the backbone to return rudeness for rudeness, to cut them back at every turn. Which means the Ds will instead complain in public and lose every battle because they would have to risk corporate lobbyist dollars by making anti-Repubilican, read anti-corporate, stands.

This is what the Ds get for letting the Rs know that they needn’t be taken seriously. The solution lies with the Ds.

isn’t this the same party that complained about ‘unnecessary spending?’

if my memory serves me correctly, i recall the reich-wing noise machine all shrill and echoing premier bush’s outrage a few years back about how earmarks were ‘ruining’ the legislative process and how all the democrats were using them… and (according to their talking points) only dems…

i am certain these pillars of fiscal responsibility and legislative purity will of course pillory these repuglican senators for this needless pork spending (NOT)

So where was Franken when he could have stod up early and said: I will filibuster any bill w/o a robust public option as defined on the site Firedoglake.

Had he and the other supposedly progressive senators spoken loudly and clearly saying they would accept nothing less then Medicare for all, we would have it.

*clap* *clap* *clap*

Yes! Have you got a brain in that head? Where did you get that thing!!! How much would it cost to get a brain for all these Dems??