Republicans have pulled off a neat trick with respect to Jared Loughner. They have worked very hard to characterize him as a “whacko” and a “nutjob” (inadvertently hurting the prospect of a successful prosecution, by the way), going so far as to use the shooting as an opportunity to revamp the nation’s mental health system. I’m all for that, but the ulterior motive from the right is to absolve themselves of blame and marginalize the voices talking about overheated political rhetoric.

Connecticut is poised to be on the leading progressive edge of what is possible under the new federal health care law by providing a rather robust state-based public option. If the state adopts the proposed SustiNet health plan (PDF) it would integrate the many different group insurance plans the state currently provides into a unified [...]

Our Justice Department is not even being held to the very low standard that our nation’s spooks are.

Wonder how many wingnuts will claim MLK was a Republican?

Oh dear, Wiki-leaks hated by Beauty Queens and Tyrants alike.

Dave Matthews Band – What you are, and, Vince Gill – What You Give Away

I’m sure Congressman Rivera will feel right at home in the kleptocratic House GOP caucus. I just hope Speaker Boehner asks Eric Cantor to count the coffee spoons after regular Tuesday meetings.

As bmaz noted, we have learned that long time commenter and my blogmate at Next Hurrah, “Sister Sara,” passed away last year. If you’re familiar with her comments and posts, you’ll remember that she was incredibly knowledgeable with long experience in progressive politics (including in Wellstone’s early career). It was a tremendous gift to have spent so much time online with her.

I will settle for partial Chinese mothering and an emotionally well-adjusted potential future pathologist.

Today is the twentieth anniversary of the launch of Operation Desert Storm and the beginning of direct attacks on the Iraqi people, attacks which have left Iraq devastated. It is impossible to count the cost in terms of Iraqi lives disrupted and destroyed. On 16th of January 1991, US fighter jets headed into Iraq airspace: [...]