Remember cramdown? It was a proposed change to bankruptcy law that would have allowed judges to modify the mortgages on primary homes for people entering bankruptcy. Supporters of the change argued that cramdown would provide an important stick to force lenders into modifying loans–and in so doing help millions of people stay in their homes.

I find this memo from Third Way (PDF) to be comically poorly timed. No surprise they mine any and all data points to claim the need for Democrats to move to the right, but they also claim the path to victory this November is not rallying the liberal base, but winning over the moderates–despite the fact that Democrats have already won over moderates.

Today is a worldwide action day to combat climate change; October 10th is designated as the date for a Global Work Party. Happily for me, it is a bright warm fall day, perfect for planting. I have seeds ready to go into my garden, on a day just before rain is predicted. There are buckets out to catch the rain, for watering. Although it will be almost 90F, there will not be air conditioning in my house, which has lots of shade trees keeping it cool. To get to my garden, I will walk, not drive.

Today we have the CT Senate race (ABC) and the IL Senate race (NBC). Michael Hayden creeps up crops up on CNN, where we also have midterm pollsters. (Lordy, I wonder if there’s a fund for the treatment of Tweety’s Hillary obsession.) 60 Minutes features “Speed Traders,” look for masaccio’s take on that in a bit. Expect a lively discussion during Book Salon today, Joe Trippi will be here for Ari Berman’s “Herding Donkeys: The Fight to Rebuild the Democratic Party and Reshape American Politics.” And it is 10/10/10, find an event near you.

I’m Only Sleeping from the television cartoon show, The Beatles, broadcast from 1965 to 1969 on ABC.

The NY GOP gubernatorial nominee, Snarlin’ Carl Paladino, is nuttier than any other wingnut hopeful in the USA, even the ones whose commercials are about the key issue of whether or not they are having sex on Satanic altars.

Pennsylvania is one of those states in the industrial Midwest where the public mood is incredibly inhospitable to Democrats. At the same time, the Democratic enclaves around Philadelphia and its suburbs could boost statewide candidates if they manage to hold serve elsewhere. The Senate race is intriguing for how Joe Sestak is running against Pat Toomey – painting him as too extreme for the state and comparing him to the likes of the state’s former conservative Senator, Rick Santorum.

The Democratic Party, while not yet in denial, is not running on a platform to address any of nation’s critical problems. They’re silent. And without knowing what, if anything, they plan to do about the monstrous issues facing the country, they’ve given the voters no reason to vote for them.

Charles Ferguson has made a documentary that must be seen if you want to understand why the same people who let the housing bubble and the 2008 financial meltdown happen are still in charge. But if you can’t go out and see Inside Job right away (it opened in New York and Los Angeles Friday), read Ferguson’s article, “Larry Summers and the Subversion of Economics,” summarizing his case in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Wow, pretty amazing how closely the Democratic National Committee is monitoring and quickly responding to communications to LGBT donors being asked to hold off on their donations this year until LGBT Americans get the things the Obama team promised.