I’d expect several trial balloons about what the President will discuss in the State of the Union, and we already have one informed by his recent speeches: “competitiveness.” I agree with both Krugman and Robert Reich on this; if competitiveness is used as a frame to call for new investments, particularly in infrastructure and education, while fending off right-wing austerity, then great. If it’s a way to suggest that manufacturing companies should cut payrolls, or America should pass a bunch of corporate-written free trade agreements, or that we should do whatever’s on the mind of the Jeffrey Immelts of the world, then, well, not so great.

It’s looking more and more like Keith Olbermann was forced out, a lot of speculation out there but most telling is the Bring Keith Olbermann Back Facebook page Keith himself set up.

Next week is the State of the Union address, and I thought I’d offer a little last minute, unsolicited advice to the president and the White House speechwriters. Some may think it presumptuous, but as one of “we, the people,” I think it’s allowable. It’s not like they have to take the advice, after all . . . but it sure would be nice to see and hear something like this.

Bradley Manning, alleged U.S. Army whistleblower, is in two ways — one likely, the other certain — being punished for the crimes of others.

Social Security is ours. We earned it. It has nothing to do with the Federal deficit. Leave it alone, politicians, or lose your jobs.

We’re having a tea party tomorrow… sort of an office warming.

Linda Ronstadt — Blue Bayou, from episode 523 of The Muppet Show.

Keith Olbermann just signed off MSNBC for good — and already folks are wondering if Comcast is behind this. What do you think?

MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann has announced his final Countdown program. We’ll add details about this situation as we get them. But the first question has to be: Is this the first action by cable conglomerate Comcast, after the FCC and Justice Department approved their takeover of NBC, in deciding what we see on television?

So, anyone missing Rick Santorum yet? The guy who once named a stillborn fetus “Gabriel” and took it home to meet his kids still has trouble with that oh-so-tricky distinction between “person” and “not-a-person.”