The biggest problem with American politics today is that we’ve only got two parties. One of them is corrupt, and the other is corrupt and crazy. Now, mind you — I don’t use that term lightly. I mean really, absolutely nuts, certifiable — head-trauma crazy. And today, Hugh Hewitt’s unhinged column at Clownhall demonstrates just how crazy the right has become.

The Audit the Fed program was a transpartisan success for FDL and a broad coalition of activists.

In 2011 we’re beginning a new chapter with the FDL Writers Foundation – a new non-profit designed to support the work of talented journalists covering the issues you care about most, like financial reform and Fed transparency. Donate $25 to the FDL Writers Foundation today.

Even though the Treasury Department isn’t sanctioning servicers for their failure to comply with HAMP guidelines, it looks like in some cases, the courts could. In a case in the Indiana Court of Appeals, a foreclosure case was reversed for essentially one reason — failing to follow FHA guidelines when proceeding to foreclosure, guidelines which aren’t substantially different from HAMP guidelines.

It’s just a data point — but the story of Adrian Lamo being involuntarily hospitalized in response to reporting having his laptop taken is a whole lot different than it is if he has just had his drugs taken away.

Looking back on the year, I believe that the best victory for progressives was student loan reform, which was passed as part of the reconciliation measure. While not as large in scale as some of the bills passed by this Congress, it still was a substantial measure that ends over $60 billion in government waste. I’m proud of the role FDL played when our “Students, Not Banks” campaign helped make sure uncompromised student loan reform was passed this year. Looking back at the year, I wish progressives had been given the chance to have more clear fights like this one.

Please support FDL with a tax-deductible contribution to the FireDogLake Writers Foundation – even $25 will go a long way.

• Your latest IOKIYAR.
• The human cost of endless war.
• Introducing: the Climate B.S. of the Year Award.
• Those lovely people over at Fox.
• Also, the director’s cut of Grease 2 is available.
• A damn good point, from Atrios.

Apparently there is one right-winger punished over pushing the Iraq War…naturally it’s a woman.

Animusic — Resonate Chamber.

We could comfort ourselves with the idea that this bankster-created economic crisis could have been far worse, had it not been for the success of the social safety net we’ve created since the Great Depression. But that’s just denial talking. We have to do something about this situation; while we cannot morally create any more pain for our fellow Americans, we surely must tell their stories.

If the rules are changed at the beginning of the next Congress, it will happen one of only two ways: either they will employ the “Constitutional option” using a simple majority or there will be a bipartisan compromise using a traditional two-thirds vote. Given how modest the changes being debated are, both potential paths might produce very similar changes this time, but which process is used could have a huge long-term impact.