How Obama's Campaign Manager Answered My Question

A couple friends invited me to meet this guy last night.



Yep, that's Jim Messina, the Obama for America 2012 campaign manager.

And here's the crowd that greeted him last night at OFA Nevada's Las Vegas headquarters.







Apparently we've become famous in DC for defying "conventional wisdom" in what Messina referred to as "The Nevada Miracle", but what we just call reelecting Harry Reid and rejecting teabagger crazy. So it made sense for him to come here and hear from us about how "The Nevada Miracle" can lead to Barack Obama's reelection.

Short answer: It won't be easy.

Voters are angry, and many just seem to be angry at everyone in Washington. Economists are worried about the recent debt deal making a "double dip recession" more of a possibility as the federal government potentially removes critical investment that our economy actually needs more than ever right now. In short, the country is looking awfully messy right now and folks are asking if President Obama really "gets this".

Does he? I asked Jim Messina last night about the state of the economy and what Obama's response to it will be. And I wasn't the only one asking. But before I left, I wanted to hear how the Obama campaign will tackle the #1 issue in America today... And boy did I get the answer!

Here it is. No really, click on that link. And click here. And remember this.

[Rachel] Maddow discussed how historic the past two years have been, “If the Senate ratifies the START treaty tomorrow it caps an astonishing period in American political history. For the last two years, Democrats have held the White House as well as big majorities in the House and Senate. The record of achievement in that time, even in the face of unified at times totally random republican opposition, Republican opposition even to things Republicans had proposed in the first place, unified Republican opposition to their own ideas? Their track record even in the face of that is historic. Whether you agree or disagree with what Democrats have done in the first two years of President Obama’s presidency, they have freaking done it.”

She listed all the accomplishments, “The fair pay act for women, expanding children’s health insurance, new hate crimes legislation they said could not be done, tobacco regulation, credit card reform, student loan reform, the stimulus — which in addition to helping pull this country back from the brink of a great depression, was also the largest tax cut ever, the largest investment in clean energy ever, the largest investment in education in our country ever. There was also a little thing you may have heard of called health reform. Also, Wall Street reform, the improvements to the new G.I. Bill, the most expansive food SAFETY BILL SINCE THE 1930s. And tomorrow, President Obama will officially sign a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Later Rachel Maddow delivered the kicker, “There are big things this administration said that it wanted to do that it hasn’t done yet. Energy reform, immigration reform, the bush tax cuts for the rich were extended, closing Guantanamo. Those are some of them. Today it looked like one of the important judicial nominees will not get a vote to become a judge this year. There is territory the White House has said it would like to cover that it has not yet covered. By my estimation it is halftime, right, in the first term and with this vote tomorrow they will have gone 85% of the distance they said they wanted to go in the first term of the president.”

If you would have told policy people and political scientists two years ago that halfway through his term in office, Barack Obama will have accomplished 85% of his agenda, they would have laughed at you and told you how impossible that would be given the amount of polarization in our legislative process. If you would go on to tell them that after one year Obama would lose his 60 vote majority in the Senate, and would still pass major legislation the experts would have told you to seek mental help, but this is exactly what President Obama has accomplished.

What Obama has managed to achieve has not been seen in this country since FDR and the New Deal, and on a smaller level LBJ after President Kennedy was assassinated. The past two years have been historic, yet a small vocal minority of Obama’s base is upset with this president and the nation as a whole tends to give him little credit for what he has done.

All too often, we focus on what Obama has not accomplished yet, or on what Obama compromised with Republicans to get passed. And yes, it's real. And yes, as we're seeing with the most recent debt deal, it can be disconcerting. However, we shouldn't forget why this happens: Our government wasn't designed for speedy, revolutionary change, so it obviously wasn't easy to start undoing 40 years worth of radical right policies in just 2 years!

And really, we don't always remember the historic scope of every Democratic accomplishment and every Obama success earned in 2009 and 2010. Every previous Administration that tried universal health care, from Truman to Nixon to Clinton, failed on a colossal scale. No President since Johnson has been successful in pushing "big things" at the federal level, such as the Recovery Act, until this one arrived.

Last night, Messina acknowledged that this may be their biggest challenge going forward. So much really has been accomplished by the Obama Administration, but will the American people really care? And why should they care when the unemployment rate is still over 9%, people are still losing their homes to foreclosure, and three wars are still being waged abroad while Congress breaks for recess after debating whether or not to end Social Security & Medicare as we know it?

He then said that elections are not about the past, but about the future. And he said Obama wants to push for more job creation. OK, so how?

Here comes the infrastructure bank. It looks like this is the idea that's getting the most traction, and at least this would move us back in the right direction of investing in our economy to create jobs. And even though it may not pass The House any time soon, Jan Schakowsky's jobs bill is EXACTLY what we need right now, and hopefully President Obama is willing to fight to at least get much of these good, solid ideas into whatever infrastructure bank proposal that actually lands at Congress' doorstep this fall.

And looking forward, Obama needs to reaffirm that our country really does still "do BIG things". That's what the American people are looking for, and perhaps that's why Obama's poll numbers are looking good nationally, and rebounding to healthy leads here in Nevada and in Colorado. Perhaps despite the differences and despite the occasional outbreaks of outrage & despair, Barack Obama can still lead us in doing big things by taking charge and pushing for real action to strengthen economic recovery.

And regardless of how enthusiastic or "meh" we're feeling about the Obama campaign right now, the truth of the matter is that we need him to perform strongly next year if we want to retake The House and boost our numbers in The Senate. We need for the Democratic ticket to perform well from top to bottom, and I'll be doing my part here in Nevada (again) to make it happen. Hell, I'm even starting with my own canvass on Saturday!

So was I completely satisfied by Jim Messina's answer to my question? If you read above, you can tell. So what am I doing about it? I'm ready to take action, and I'm ready to elect more and better progressive Democrats to make it happen.

NV-Sen: Georgiou's Gone

Well, at least I don't have to complain about endless mindless chatter about that campaign destined to go nowhere. At long last, we're all put out of that misery.

“I continue to believe that my background and experience well qualify me to serve in the Senate,” he said. “However, at this time, I have concluded that I can more effectively contribute to resolution of the serious economic issues facing our state and nation through my work in the private sector.”

[Byron] Georgiou, a Democrat, entered the U.S. Senate race early, shortly after concluding his service on a federal commission that investigated the collapse of the financial industry. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., had appointed him to that panel.

But shortly after his announcement, Berkley decided to enter the race as well and Reid threw his full support behind her.

After Berkley’s entry in the race, Reid publicly criticized Georgiou, saying he regretted appointing him to the commission.

Georgiou, who had lent his campaign $1 million from his personal fortune, then encountered serious fundraising challenges, raising just $140,000 last quarter.

Still, Georgiou vowed to stay in the race, appearing uncowed by Reid’s roadblocks.

As recently as this month, Georgiou spoke of the possibility of running as a non-partisan candidate, which would have freed him from a primary against Berkley.

It's over. It's finally over. And I'm sure the recent PPP poll had a part in ending it.

NV-03: Who Does Heck REALLY Serve?

Oh, my. I guess yesterday's "event" with Joe Heck didn't quite go as planned.

What especially looks to be the problem at hand was the event Joe Heck attended. Was it private? Were protests allowed? Who was causing a scene?

Honestly, that's missing the point. Why is Joe Heck's event page completely empty? Why was a constituent who RSVPed to an event that was supposedly "open to the public" kicked out for wearing a "Beyond Coal" Sierra Club t-shirt? And why weren't local constituents allowed to ask questions of (supposedly) their member of Congress?

Seriously, something is wrong with this picture.

When did it suddenly become acceptable for a consulting firm working with the oil industry to shield an elected public servant from the voting public that he's supposed to serve?

After I wrote my first diary yesterday, I heard firsthand reports from a few people who made it inside. Now I understand why they didn't want more people inside. Heck said one of our energy problems is that "we can't utilize fracking to its full potential". So our energy solution lies in a dangerous practice going after a limited amount of natural gas? And how is that supposed to help us in Nevada?

And how on earth is the "clean coal" myth supposed to help? Apparently that was the other "bright idea" Heck threw out yesterday. There's no such thing as "clean coal", and America will do just fine without it.

So these are the "energy solutions" coming from Joe Heck? No wonder why his new dirty energy friends had their PR people kick citizens out of that "open to the public" meeting yesterday. What will fracking for natural gas or "clean coal" actually do for Nevada? Absolutely nothing.

On the other hand, we have great potential for renewable energy. Why wouldn't Heck address that yesterday? Was he afraid someone would ask why he pledged to oppose any climate legislation that could create more clean energy jobs here in Nevada?

So who does Joe Heck really serve? It doesn't sound like he's doing anything to help us in Nevada. Heck, he won't even listen to us!

NV-03: Public Kicked Out of "Public Event" with Joe Heck

(Also at Daily Kos)







Wow. So much for Joe Heck wanting to "meet with the public". In the first "public event" since Congress started August Recess, Joe Heck sat for a "discussion" with Nevada Energy Forum... Which is really part of American Petroleum Institute, which is really a front group that the oil industry uses to promote destructive extraction efforts and deny the reality of the climate crisis. Oh yes, "man of the people" Joe Heck took part in an oil industry funded event that turned away working people looking for answers. And not only that, but the organizers even kicked out someone who RSVPed simply because she wore a Sierra Club t-shirt. (And worse, she wasn't even taking in a sign or being confrontational at all!)

So our Congressman is cozying up to Big Oil today at a fancy resort in his first week back in Southern Nevada and lets his Big Oil friends keep the "pesky public" out of a supposedly "public event".

Maybe this is why he and his dirty energy buddies were shaking in their boots today:



We know Heck has said some crazy things before, but he must especially be afraid of us catching onto his bait and switch on "creating jobs". He likes to talk about it an awful lot, but he actually opposes climate action that can save our planet while also creating many new good jobs here in Nevada!

This is what Joe Heck is defending:



And these are the real Nevadans that Joe Heck doesn't care about:







Nevada's future is in renewable energy, and so is our entire nation's. Harry Reid gets it, and so does Shelley Berkley. So why won't Joe Heck or Dean Heller work with the rest of Nevada's Congressional Delegation to create more jobs here in Nevada while also taking important action on climate change? Are they that beholden to Big Oil and the rest of the fossil fuel industry that they're willfully blinded to reality?

Oh wait, I can answer my own question. We were turned away by Joe Heck's dirty energy, dirty money BFFs. No wonder why he didn't actually want questions from the public.

Is All Really Well on The Good Ship Nevada?

According to some pundits, Brian Sandoval is "Teh Awesomest Gube... EVAH!" and Nevada's current economic woes have nothing to do with our unsustainable "growth begets growth" economic delusion model. Ever since the state budget agreement was cobbled together at the very last minute, we seem to have yet again forgotten why Nevada can't get out of this mess.

Or have we?

Nevada Resort Association lobbyist and Democratic power broker Billy Vassiliadis said “some semblance of a broad coalition” will come together in the next 60 days. Its goals will “depend on what the broadest number of people want to do. Poll after poll show the public doesn’t want to see more cuts in education,” he said. The coalition will have to figure out what people will support.

In the post-session disappointment of 2011, labor unions and many large-business leaders, particularly from gaming and mining, declared Nevada’s legislative system broken. Getting two-thirds of lawmakers in both the Assembly and Senate, as required under the state’s constitution, to raise taxes was simply too high a hurdle given Nevada’s fractious politics. [...]

Leaders from the AFL-CIO, the state’s largest union; the Nevada State Education Association, which represents teachers; and gaming and other industries have been meeting to discuss what would work, according to sources. Discussions have focused on a “margins tax” on businesses — a tax on adjusted gross business revenue — similar to what was proposed in 2011 by Democrats to replace the tax based on payroll.

So business and labor may actually join forces on some sort of progressive tax reform? Is this for real?

We'll see how this develops, or even if it holds up, but obviously something's happening. More and more Nevadans, even those who had been accustomed to embracing status quo, are now wondering if we can afford to continue living under it. Something's got to give. We need change.

So will we get it? That's what we need to make sure happens. Simply put, we can't afford NOT to. Without investment, our state will never grow and flourish. We invest in our schools, our roads, our parks, our buses, and our cities for a reason. When we invest in our public infrastructure, we will soon reap the rewards of a stronger and more stable economy. We don't get any of those rewards when we don't invest.

And this is why Nevada hasn't yet escaped the brutal cycle of extreme booms and extreme busts. We've been dangerously over-dependent on artificially fueled "growth" for far too long. We just can't afford to keep delaying action to invest in our state.

Despite what we've been hearing about the value of "austerity", reality is that austerity is the very last thing Nevada needs right now. People are out of work, jobs need to be created, and we need to invest in our economy and rebuild our state to do just that.

Enter the Masters

So they'll be drawing the lines?

District Judge Todd Russell has named three people including Carson Clerk/Recorder Alan Glover as masters to handle the process of redistricting both Nevada's four seats in the House of Representatives and the Legislature.

“It's a very doable job,” said Glover. He is also a former state Senator and Assembly member who has participated in the redistricting process in those capacities.

The other two are Tom Sheets and Bob Erickson. Sheets is a prominent Las Vegas lawyer with the firm of McDonald, Carano, Wilson. He was chairman of the Nevada Tax Commission for six years and has served with the American Arbitration Association for more than 30 years.

Erickson was director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau's Research Division from 1985 until his retirement in 2003. In that capacity, he managed both the 1991 and 2001 reapportionment/redistricting efforts.

In addition, Russell set a Sept. 19 hearing to resolve legal issues and provide the team of masters with instructions.

“What we'll do is obviously wait until after the hearing on the 19th and wait for instructions from the judge on what exactly we're supposed to do,” said Glover. “Hopefully we'll have a rather detailed game plan here.”

And apparently, Sheets is a Democrat, Glover is a Republican, and Erickson is Nonpartisan (Independent)... And all are white males. Wow. So much for "diversity".

It is odd that Judge Russell appointed this set of "masters" to handle the line drawing when the matter of the Voting Rights Act hasn't yet been settled. Am I the only one here who sees a problem?

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing personal against any of these appointees. I'm just wondering if this really represents the diversity of Nevada.

Maybe if we like the results of independent redistricting, we should keep doing it... And follow California's example in appointing a commission that better reflects our population. And that really isn't a bad thing.

Lesson Learned: If We Don’t Like It, Then We Must Change It

A MoveOn protest formed Downtown yesterday, and I was there for it. People were angry about what just happened, and they had questions for Dean Heller. Unfortunately, Heller's office in Las Vegas didn't really do anything but provide a printed statement on his vote yesterday.

Oh yes, that's right. It was all just a word salad full of regurgitated teabagger talking points that equate eliminating Social Security and Medicare to "protecting" them. And yes, his statement actually went there.

So that's why we weren't happy yesterday.









Most of the group stayed downstairs as Heller's office agreed to only "two at a time", then directed security to politely guide everyone holding signs down to the "free speech zone" below the stairs. So the rest of us stayed downstairs as passersby along Las Vegas Boulevard were honking in support. A local attorney walked by, and he was flabbergasted as soon as he realized what happened. A local homeless person also came over and tried to argue with the group, but I just felt sorry for him.

And then, things got far more interesting. A staffer from Harry Reid's office came down to join us, and he proceeded to explain what's actually in the debt bill and how to move forward. He discussed Reid's disappointment in the lack of new revenues in the final bill, how he worked to build a firewall around Social Security, Medicare, & Medicaid benefits in the final bill, and what to do now to prepare for the fight ahead on the "Super Congress" commission.

So what can we do now? Well, start by encouraging Reid to stay strong and ensure his appointees to the commission do the right thing on it. And looking further ahead, we need to make sure we no longer have to worry about Dean Heller and Joe Heck encouraging the teabaggers to continue with their irresponsible and dangerous behavior. We're already seeing Heller's poll numbers drop. If we want to avoid this kind of preventable drama in 2013, we can start by changing Congress.

We're All California Now.

Does this sound familiar?

But really, this budget is filled with worrisome cuts. Deep cuts to higher education that will force higher taxes tuition for students. Delays to K12 funding that will challenge our teachers and hurt our next generation. And, as noted already, some very real cuts to law enforcement. As Sen. [ ] has pointed out several times in the press, we are now at one of the most austere budgets in a generation or more.

But even with this austerity, we have not arrived at anything representing stability. There are a plethora of reasons for that, but the biggest of all of these is clearly [ ] insistence on a preference for income and sales taxes over the more stable property tax. Sure, this budget includes the [ ] tax provisions championed by [ ] and [ ], but these revenue sources are hardly sufficient to overcome the loss of the taxes at the end of the month.

As the dominoes fall from this budget, expect instability to continue to raise its head. Already several counties have discussed applying a local tax to recover some of the cuts from the loss of the [ ] tax. Expect such a measure to appear to show up as soon as the November ballot in [ ], and perhaps elsewhere next year.

These funding levels themselves are unsustainable for the long haul. Eventually things fall apart. Infrastructure crumbles, the mentally ill are exposed through homelessness and crime, and the state becomes a less welcoming place for rich and poor alike. And when you talk about business friendly climates, stability is always at the top of the list. For so long we have been able to balance the act through super glue, chewing gum and duct tape. And so it goes this year, with the "triggers" being this year's duct tape.

I could be talking about the federal debt hostage debacle that's still playing out today, or I could be talking about the state budget madness that ended in yet another insufficient, kick-the-can-down-the-road-again compromise. Guess what? This was actually California's budget, and in far too many ways what has happened in California in the last 30 years refused to stay in The Golden State. Rather, the radical right has used its successful implementation of constant paralysis and "austerity" as a blueprint for infecting other states... And now, the federal government as well!

Trust me, I lived through it. It's a very familiar feeling to me. The radical right strongarms Republicans into silly "no tax pledges" that lead to not-so-silly political "hostage crises" that lead to government shutdown, and ultimately disgusting "bargains" that throw seniors and disabled onto the streets, make the working poor even poorer (and perhaps out of work, too), bleed public education dry, and ultimately make lousy economies even worse. Time after time, this is what a crazed minority causes in California. And now, it's going national.

When anyone asks why California politics is so dysfunctional, remember to provide the real answer. Oh, and make sure to let one know that this is what will happen to Nevada and the nation as well if we allow the "tea party" extremists to amass any more power.

Am I disappointed with this debt deal? You betcha. Do I wish for more and better progressive Democrats to fight harder against this nonsense? Of course. However, I refuse to ignore the real cause of this crisis. I lived in California far too long to miss the real culprits behind this garbage, and I know the only way to stop it is to stop allowing these reactionary radicals to become any more powerful.

And We Have a Deal?

So a deal has been reached on the debt ceiling and the federal budget (for now). Will it lead to hell on earth? The Obama Administration says no.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

And here is President Obama speaking for himself.



So are they correct? Well, it's complicated. Pimco CEO Mohamed el-Erian and Former Biden Staff Economist Jared Bernstein point out the obvious that the last thing we need right now is divestment in our economy. And yes, federal budget cuts amount to divestment, since these mean less money for research and development, less funding for at least some parts of the social safety net, and less funding for infrastructure repairs and development.

So yes, this deal sucks. However, it may not actually lead to hell on earth. Ezra Klein notes all the problems just waiting to rise to the surface with this deal, which pretty much is in agreement with what el-Erian, Bernstein, and other economic policy wonks have noted. However he also notes some hidden gems, such as keeping the Bush tax deals on the table and preserving the fundamentals of Medicaid & Social Security. (Medicare beneficiaries shouldn't see cuts any time soon, but there may be problems in the future over negotiations on possible provider cuts.)

So what does this mean? Basically, expect an even tougher climb to economic recovery for now... But do continue to hope for recovery, as debt default would have meant a total end to that. Do feel disappointed over what's happening, but don't set your hair on fire and call President Obama a ruthless Republican (and expect me or anyone else reality based to take you seriously).

Republicans Stand Tall Against... REPUBLICAN Ideas!

When did this...



Become this?





When a Democrat became President?

Of course, Boner's capitulation to crazy teabaggers died in The Senate last night... And Boner is looking increasingly irrelevant in this whole debt ceiling fiasco.

The events of the past 24 hours have been beyond bizarre. We have, in effect, been conducting a legislative thought experiment around the question, “What is the least conservative debt-ceiling bill that can pass without Democratic votes in the House?” A few minutes ago, we learned the answer. But the answer doesn’t matter.

There is exactly one question worth asking now: What is the debt-ceiling compromise that can win the support of the House, Senate and the White House? That means winning the support of Democrats as well as Republicans. That’s what every effort in every chamber should be oriented toward. Instead, Boehner has spent the past two days wasting his political capital assembling an irrelevant coalition of conservatives. [...]

To govern is to compromise. And when you’re in charge, you have to govern. [Emphasis mine.] [...]

Lately, Boehner has not been governing. After he failed to pass a conservative resolution to the debt crisis without Democratic votes, he should have begun cutting the deals and making the concessions necessary to gain Democratic votes. That, after all, is what he will ultimately have to do. It’s what all this is supposed to be leading up to.

But Boehner went in the opposite direction. He made his bill more conservative. He indulged his members in the fantasy that they wouldn’t have to make compromises. It’s as if Pelosi, facing criticism for dropping the public option, had tried to shore up her support by bringing a single-payer health-care bill to the floor. Even if that would have pleased her left wing, what good would it have done her? Her job was to prepare her members to take a vote that could lead to a successful outcome.

This is what a few crazed Congressional Republicans have caused.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

So what are we supposed to do? Throw ourselves into a likely Constitutional Crisis? Play with platinum coins? How on earth can the supposedly greatest nation on earth conduct its official business like this? Now wonder why the rest of the world is either laughing at us and looking at us with total disgust and disdain.

So why didn't teabaggers object to George Bush's reckless spending on billionaire (tax cut) bailouts, bank bailouts, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and pharmaceutical industry bailouts (Medicare Part D as passed in 2003)? And why didn't teabaggers object to Ronald Reagan raising the debt ceiling twice as fast as Barack Obama has? And why didn't teabaggers demand an illogical and irrational "Balanced Budget Amendment" (that never accounts for recessions, natural disasters, wars, etc.) during any Republican Presidency?

So get ready for it. I'll have to repeat myself again. This is madness!

And get ready to do it again.

Joe Heck: Email, Phone (202) 225-3252

Dean Heller: Email, Phone (202) 224-6244

These Republicans need to stop flip-flopping on their own fiscal policy and stop letting crazed teabaggers hold America hostage. They need to raise the debt ceiling and do so without threatening Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and/or any other cuts to the vulnerable who can least afford it.

Dean Heller's Roll of the Dice... On OUR Dime!

This is what Dean Heller stands for.



While our other Senator is working hard to avoid a disastrous debt default and the government shutdown, deeper recession, and global financial catastrophe that would follow, Heller would rather play Russian Roulette with the full faith and credit of the USA.



In case you missed it in the video, here's some of the text of Harry Reid's speech this morning.

A Band-Aid approach to a world crisis is an embarrassment to Congress, to this country and to the world.

United Senate Democrats – all 53 of us – have informed the Speaker that his legislation was doomed in the Senate, because we would not vote for a short-term extension of the debt ceiling. It would put our great nation on the path to another default extravaganza in a few weeks.

Virtually every expert – every economist, every rating agency, every market analyst – has said the kind of short-term plan the Speaker proposed was no answer to the crisis Republicans have created. If we are trying to avert the kind of financial calamity default would bring, the Republicans’ plan is not was not a solution.

As the experts say, all too soon we would be back in the midst of partisan wrangling, with our economy once again held prisoner by extremist Tea Party Republicans.

Our economy cannot bear this kind of uncertainty any longer.

Congress and the White House are on lockdown, and the business of the country is not being conducted.

I say no, not again will we fight another battled like the one in which we are now engaged.

But default is not an option, either. And we cannot wait for the House any longer.

It is time for Republicans to stop the political games and embrace compromise.

No matter how long Republicans delay, the deadline will not move. We have hours – I repeat, hours – to act.

At least Reid is ready to act... Even if his bill also contains more than enough cuts to harm economic recovery. The unfortunate reality is that some sort of compromise has to be reached, and Dean Heller simply can't keep running to the press and claim he won't vote for anything that's "not good enough" for him.

Guess what? None of these plans is "good enough" for me, or even for the American economy. But if we don't see a deal emerge this weekend, the devastation that will soon emerge is sure to sink our economy, along with the rest of the world.

Even Republican Senators are now decrying the extremist, hostage-taking insanity that's crippling The House and threatening all the rest of us. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) explained this morning how forcing another hostage crisis over the winter would hurt us.

[...] I do agree with the, fact that, you know, having these debates in the middle of an economic downturn that we’re having right now is not healthy, and there’s no question that business people, those people that hire employees all across our country watch this and become uncertain.

So, in a perfect world — and I know we’re not in a perfect world — but if we can get worked out over the next several days something that actually achieves all those on the front end and extends the debt limit beyond this next election, to me that would be a perfect solution and I hope we can do that.

And another Republican Senator, John Kyl from next door (Arizona), is asking the House TEA-nuts to drop the "BBA hostage taking".



Of course, neither one of them wants to admit the full truth. Conservative Republican economic policy adviser Bruce Bartlett (who served Presidents Reagan & GHW Bush) called out the obvious on MSNBC yesterday.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This is reality. George W. Bush's billionaire bailouts (the 2001 & 2003 tax cuts for the super-rich), wars of profit (for private military contractors), pharmaceutical industry bailouts (the Medicare Part D plan that passed in 2003), and TARP bank bailouts all led to the federal budget deficit we face now. And last winter, President Obama agreed to keep Bush's billionaire bailouts going. And this summer, Obama has agreed to cut domestic spending instead of undoing Bush's bailouts/tax cuts. We've already seen intense compromises from Democrats... In fact, many progressives are getting sick and tired of it.



(And for the record, their rally in DC yesterday was much better attended than the teabagger rally on Wednesday.)

But instead of doing the obvious and going to the bargaining table, Dean Heller instead wants to cheer on the hostage taking extremists and threaten not to vote for anything that's "not good enough" for him? Well, that's not good enough for Nevada! We deserve better.

Joe Heck: Email, Phone (202) 225-3252

Dean Heller: Email, Phone (202) 224-6244

Call Heller, along with fellow Nevada's House Republican, Joe Heck, and tell them to stop this madness and work with fellow Nevadan Harry Reid to stop a ridiculously preventable debt default.

NV-02: Mark Amodei's Two Faces

We have a campaign that's rapidly heating up! Take a look at Kate Marshall's new ads.





I knew this was coming. Mark Amodei invited it.

Mark Amodei is trying to sail in the winds of Tea Party extreme conservatism that has swept the nation. He’s not alone. Somehow the GOP has regressed into a pissing contest over who are really the authentic conservatives.

Mark Amodei, Brian Sandoval, Dean Heller and John McCain all used to be different. Each has played a much more moderate tune in the past. Some of their moves would just not be acceptable today, perhaps even warranting raised eyebrows, questions of patriotism or accusations of socialism. At the very least, their past behavior is just not acceptable in the Republican Party anymore.

Today, Kate Marshall highlighted this phenomenon in a television commercial, targeting her opponent’s record on taxes. He did indeed sponsor a tax increase to the tune of a billion dollars in 2003. Socialist! You can argue all you want about what Kate Marshall would have done, but if you don’t see the inherent hypocrisy in Mark Amodei’s rhetoric today, you are missing the point entirely.

Does he just expect all of us to forget his own words and deeds in 2003? All of a sudden, he's become a born-again teabagger?

It's just pathetic to watch Mark Amodei run away from his own record. He can run, but can he really hide? Kate Marshall seems to be making sure he can't.

If Debt Deal Is "Not Good Enough" for Dean Heller, He'll Crash & Burn Our Economy

No really, read for yourself.

Nevada Sen. Dean Heller hasn’t finished reading through the fine print of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s and House Speaker John Boehner’s competing proposals to raise the debt limit. But already, he seems to be trying to carve out a space for himself to vote “no.”

“Nothing good is going to come out of these speeches and nothing is going to come out good for Nevada if interest rates go up and we don’t pass something by August 2nd,” Heller said Tuesday afternoon.

“I do believe it’s a critical date,” he said. “But that’s not to say that I’ll vote for any of these plans if they’re not good enough.”

So is Heller that eager to wage war against fellow Nevadan Harry Reid? And for that matter, is Heller also that eager to wage war against his fellow Republicans?



Maybe if the consequences of debt default weren't so dire, I'd be sitting back, munching on popcorn, and enjoying yet another round of Republicans eating their own. But right now, this is getting dangerous. We're perilously close to wrecking our own economy, and it's all because some crazed teabaggers refuse to agree to ANYTHING reasonable and responsible.

The tea party is so hell-bent on [supposedly] getting America's finances in order, they're willing to suffer the personal consequences of a government default. That's according to leaders of the Tea Party Patriots, who spoke with reporters in Washington this morning as the city remains gripped in debt ceiling stalemate.

Jenny Beth Martin, a co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots (the grassrootsier wing of the movement) agreed that default -- and the requisite end in government payments for the programs that go with it -- could hurt the thousands of tea party voters she represents. But she said her members are willing to take the hit. [...]

"As somebody who has gone through bankruptcy, I don't want to see our country into trouble that my family went through." she said. "I understand that means that you've got to sit there and look at: 'What can you do different? Can we sell anything? How can we get out of this mess?' And that's what our government needs to be looking at."

Oh, great. So now we're supposed to take macroeconomic advice from a bunch of fringe looney tunes who can't even keep their own checkbooks balanced?! Frankly, I've never bought the "treat government like personal finances" analogies, but the hypocrisy here simply can't be avoided.

So what do Dean Heller and his new teabagger BFFs actually want to do to our country? Force us into default? Cut off Social Security and Medicare benefits to Nevada seniors? Shut down the national parks? Give Moody's and S&P reason to downgrade our treasury bonds, which would likely forever reduce global confidence in the US economy?

Believe it or not, this is providing "inspiration" for Congressional Republicans.

According to the Washington Post, the House GOP leadership played a short clip from the Ben Affleck movie “The Town” to rally their caucus around Boehner’s debt plan [...]

In the movie, the characters then put on hockey masks and bludgeon two men with sticks, then shoot one man in the leg.

In real life, Boehner has since decided to rewrite his plan and delayed a vote until “Thursday or Friday,” after failing to secure enough support for the current version. [Emphasis mine.]

Even some Republicans are now pulling back and wondering if they've gone too far... Including their own 2008 Presidential Nominee.



So why are Dean Heller and other "Rogue Republican Rebels" so willing to crash and burn the American economy?



This madness has gotten way too out of hand. It needs to stop, and Dean Heller and Joe Heck need to tell their Republican colleagues that this must stop.

Joe Heck: Email, Phone (202) 225-3252

Dean Heller: Email, Phone (202) 224-6244

Do they really want to be part of the blame if America is forced into debt default and a "Second Great Depression"?



And call Harry Reid's office at 1(866) 736-7343, and email him here, to thank him for being responsible and encourage him not to cave into these extremists' irrational demands.

OK, We Ranted. Now, Let's Act!

Below is the message I wrote to Joe Heck. Please write to him as well, and call his office at (702) 387-4941 or (202) 225-3252.

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Our fellow Nevadan and our Senator, Harry Reid, has proposed a plan to raise the debt ceiling while cutting $2.7 trillion from the federal budget. This plan includes $1.2 trillion in discretionary cuts, which is actually a larger amount than what House Speaker John Boehner has been proposing. This plan seriously tackles the budget deficit while helping America avoid the catastrophic consequences of defaulting on our national debt.

Please support Senator Reid's balanced approach to avoiding debt default, and please urge your fellow Republicans to allow for a fair up or down vote on Reid's plan, and to support Reid's plan as well. This is our last chance to avoid disaster, and I hope you will vote to prevent Nevadans from suffering the consequences of this preventable disaster.

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Also call Dean Heller's office at (202) 224-6244, (702) 388-6605, or (775) 686-5770, and email him here to let him know Nevadans demand an end to this political hostage taking. Oh, and make sure to thank Harry Reid and Shelley Berkley when you have time today for doing the right thing. Now it's up to "We the People" to stop the madness on Capitol Hill!

UPDATE 10:00 AM: I just called Heck and Heller. Heck's office says he hasn't made a decision yet, other than he doesn't support debt default. Meanwhile, Heller's office says his position is whatever the most recent press releases and statements posted on his Senate web site say. Neither would commit to either the Boehner plan (which is looking less likely to pass) or the Reid plan (which can pass, and makes sure not to touch Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid), so keep the calls going. Also call 1(866) 736-7343, thank Senator Reid for all the work he is doing on this, and urge him not to give up on passing his plan (which IMHO is the best of this whole sorry bunch).

Free the Hostages Already

It wasn't pretty last night, but it needed to be done.

Speaking from the East Room of the White House, President Obama gave his official endorsement to Sen. Harry Reid’s debt limit plan, channeling his signature compassionate academic style in a speech that was much a helpful primer to the nation on debt ceilings, financial markets and congressional budgets as it was a chance for him to frame the debate as a battle between right and wrong.

“The debate right now isn’t about whether we need to make tough choices ... the debate is about how it should be done,” Obama said. “Most Americans, regardless of political party, don’t understand how we can ask a senior citizen to pay more for her Medicare before we ask a corporate jet owner or the oil companies to give up tax breaks that other companies don’t get.

Why? What, this isn't enough for you?



Maybe that's why Americans seem to be increasingly angry at everyone in Washington these days?

And in a bizarre twist of fate, the IMF is now lecturing America on how to handle its wallet (after decades of the US joining the IMF in doing it to developing nations)!

Tick tock. With a week to go until Uncle Sam runs out of cash, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said that enough was enough yesterday, calling on politicians to stop bickering and act urgently to stave off global financial meltdown by raising their country's debt ceiling.

The government of the United States will move more than $14.3 trillion (£8.7trn) into the red next Tuesday, surpassing an upper limit on the national debt and therefore preventing the Treasury from being able to pay its bills. That would leave the US unable to service its debt, leading to economic chaos.

The IMF published a harshly worded review of the US economy yesterday, calling for an immediate increase in borrowing limits followed by a "comprehensive solution" which will allow the US to reduce its public borrowing in the medium term by cutting spending and increasing the government's revenues.

But first, they must avoid what would be an unnecessary default. "Directors [of the IMF] highlighted the urgency of raising the federal debt ceiling and agreeing on the specifics of a comprehensive medium-term consolidation programme," said

Again, why are we even here? What is the point of this? This is nothing more than a political crisis. If Congress were to just raise the debt ceiling now and take care of progressive tax reform soon, we wouldn't have this problem. But since that is anathema to teabaggers, we're at this zenith of stupid.

So why can't Congress just raise the debt ceiling already? This hostage crisis may be fun and games to them, but everyone else is sick and tired of it.