The rather painless vote on a no strings attached temporary increase in the debt limit back in January and the easy passage of a continuing resolution this week made it seem as if the age of manufactured budget crises might finally be over. But apparently Speaker John Boehner is not ready to give up on them just yet. Yesterday, he said he was planning to hold the debt ceiling hostage once again.

There is some joy to be taken in the fact that nobody was able to harpoon the elusive white whale of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and that somewhere Pete Peterson weeps.

But we are, as the HuffPo notes, in a permanent state of “cliff crisis” now. Timothy Geithner says the debt limit has once again been reached, and Peterson can take solace in the fact that Obama’s resolve not to negotiate with Republicans over the debt ceiling is indeed just as strong as his commitment not to negotiate over taxes for the rich.

Social Security has not been saved from cuts, but it appears to have gotten another temporary reprieve. It will probably only be a few months before it is under attack again.

Reid’s proposal would not eliminate the filibuster. It would instead required Senators who want to prevent a vote to continuously hold the floor. What impact this would have depends on exactly how the rule is written and interrupted. It would also remove the need for a cloture vote on motions to proceed.

The Senate Democrats are starting to get serious about reforming the Senate rules to make the chamber slightly less idiotic. One of the changes they are thinking about making is forcing the minority who wants to filibuster a bill to actually speak continuously on the Senate floor.

A new Huffington Post poll/YouGov poll has found one of the highest level of support for marijuana legalization of any national poll. Overall it found 59 percent of Americans think marijuana should be legalized, while just 26 percent think it should remain illegal.

Early in the election it was thought Mitt Romney would have an advertising advantage. Not only was Romney raising more money than Obama in the beginning, but also there are significantly more well funded Republican leaning Super PAC’s. This expected advantage, though, has not materialized. In the big swing states the Obama team is actually winning the ad wars.

every now and again, I see an article or series of articles where the claims made are so egregious and the conduct so reprehensible, that I have to respond, even if it means burning a bridge.

Yesterday Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) made news by claiming an unnamed third party connected to Bain Capital told him it is likely Mitt Romney payed almost no taxes for years. This is unconfirmed hearsay, which if untrue Romney could easily refute by releasing his returns. Refusing to do so only feeds such rumors.

New Jersey’s Republican Governor Chris Christie recently admitted that the war on drugs has been a “failure” in a speech at The Brooking Institution.