Liberal Minded

Hi Mark,

Love the mention of me in the Jan/Feb 2009 edition of The American Prospect (p. 4):

"And on tapped, the Prospect's staff blog, commenter Leo wrote, "I didn't even have to know the guy's background to know he was a vegetarian." Sorry to disappoint, but Adler is, in fact, a meat-eater."

Mark, sorry to disappoint, but I wasn't referring to Ben Adler, whose proclivities I have no idea of. The post I was commenting on was about Rajendra Pachauri whose "proposal" was being "mocked" and "excoriated".

Here's my comment:

"Why was his proposal so unpalatable?"

See, this is the thing. I didn't even have to know the guy's background to know he was a vegetarian.

You wonder why people make fun of him? It's like the Rabbi recommending a reduction in pork products....

It's rather difficult to consider this a comment on Adler since it wasn't his "proposal" and no one, as far as I know, was making "fun of him".

Thanks in advance for the correction in your next issue.

Sincerely,

LEO

It's hard to imagine anyone looking back at 2008 and feeling nostalgic. In fact, it's hard to imagine anyone looking back at this entire decade and feeling nostalgic. Talk about 'Lost Generation'? This one practically qualifies as a 'Lost Decade'.

First, there are the lost opportunities since 2000: on the environmental front, on fostering peace and democracy in the Middle East and elsewhere, on improving the lives of average Americans and ensuring that one generation is more successful than another. It just hasn't happened. And that's more than enough to warrant 'Lost Decade' status.

But added to this are all the ways we've actually lost ground and moved in a negative direction: we've lost ground economically and militarily; we've lost ground in our overall quality of life and in the opinion others have of us. Worst of all, we've lost ground spiritually and morally, dragged down by a cowboy ideology that values aggression, self-gratification and small-mindedness over tolerance, generosity and inclusion.

It's been a rough couple of years.

But before we write off this period entirely, it's only fair to acknowledge the glimmer of hope on the horizon.

We have a new president and increased Democratic majorities in the House and Senate. It may take us another decade to repair the current mess but this dramatic shift is like a huge collective shout-out to ourselves and to the world, never to count us out -- never to underestimate the resilience of American democracy.

This glimmer of hope is our chance once again to move forward. It's our chance once again, in the tradition of what's best in this country, to make the world a better place to live.

Let's say someone robs a bank and right before he gets nabbed by the police, he hands over the loot to one of those Salvation Army bell-ringers.

Are we going to spend much time dwelling on the probity of the bell-ringer -- much less, let him hold on to the money?

That's kind of like the situation with the Governor and his offer of the vacant Senate seat to Roland Burris. It doesn't matter how "good and honest" Burris may be, the reason he got handed the nomination was because the Governor was about to be nabbed by the authorities. Without that circumstance, Burris would never have gotten the nod.

So it makes no sense for anyone, including Burris himself, to ask us to ignore this fact. Doing so would validate the crime.

Well, I guess it'd be an understatement if I said things look messy at the moment.

Unfortunately we have to clean up after the elephants -- not after they've left but while they're still here making a mess.

It's hard to imagine the outcome at the moment but within weeks, Blago is going to be impeached. There is not a vote in the Illinois State Legislature that won't be against him. This current attempt at nominating a Senator will die a natural death as the chief promulgator is no longer in office.

It's going to be an incredibly difficult couple of weeks in Illinois but the destination is clear.

Alexi makes the cut:

Gov. Blagojevich’s actions today demonstrate an even greater need for the General Assembly to move quickly with impeachment proceedings and remove him from office. The question here is not whether Roland Burris would make a good Senator. The question is whether Blagojevich should have the right to make the appointment. Regardless of whether he wanted to appoint Mother Theresa or Abraham Lincoln, I believe Blagojevich lost that right when he allegedly attempted to sell the Senate seat to the highest bidder. He abused his power and should lose his appointment power. Because of Blagojevich’s actions, the appointment process has been tainted and will continue to be tainted as long as he holds office. In the best interest of the people of Illinois, I encourage Secretary of State White to refuse to certify the appointment.

[h/t Larry]

Illinois SOS Jesse White:

As I have previously stated publicly, I cannot co-sign a document that certifies any appointment by Rod Blagojevich for the vacant United State Senate seat from Illiois.

Although I have respect for former Attorney General Roland Burris, because of the current cloud of controversy surrounding the Governor, I cannot accept the document.

[h/t TheCapitolFaxBlog]

Could Chicago become the new capitol of the breakaway 'Central North-American Republic'? This might be our only consolation if the (crack-pot) predictions of Igor Panarin, former KGB analyst and current dean of the Russian Foreign Ministry's academy for future diplomats, comes true:

Mr. Panarin posits, in brief, that mass immigration, economic decline, and moral degradation will trigger a civil war next fall and the collapse of the dollar. Around the end of June 2010, or early July, he says, the U.S. will break into six pieces -- with Alaska reverting to Russian control. [Andrew Osborn, "As if Things Weren't Bad Enough, Russian Professor Predicts End of U.S.", Wall St Journal, 12/29/08]

On the other hand, if this is typical of what passes for critical thinking at the KGB and the state academy for future diplomats, maybe it's the Rooskies who are going to be having problems.

[h/t Steve Benen]

Even retailers are finding Obamamania irresistible if this section featuring Obama paraphernalia in the Walgreens on State and Walton is any indication. The sign says, "New Item: Obama Tshirts/Sweatshirts" and in addition to the hats and badges, you can also pick up a copy of Obama's autobiography and various "special editions" devoted to the incoming President.

The following ended an article in Politico titled "Obama's Five Rules of Scandal Response":

"To the extent that the report succeeds in its goal of establishing the distance between Obama and Blagojevich, it necessarily raises the question: Why was the president-elect and leader of the Democratic party playing no role in a key appointment to national office being made in his home state, and by a Democratic governor?"

So first they condemn Obama for potential shenanigans with Blago over the nomination of a replacement senator and when that's found to be complete rubbish, they then go after him because he played "no role" in a nomination process that he has absolutely no legal part to play.

This "necessarily raises the question": Is one of the qualifications for working for Politico that you have to be a totally clueless idiot? Does anyone still think these dolts have any credibility?

Best news I've heard all month. Clyde Prestowitz on this evening's Newshour with Jim Lehrer:

We're in a crisis right now. And it's painful, and it's going to get more painful. But the good news is that, at least for the United States, we're going to have a manufacturing renaissance.

Jobs in production are going to come back to the U.S. because the only way for the U.S. to achieve sustainable, long-term growth is for the U.S. to produce more here, export more, relatively, while Asia imports more relatively. So I see this as the beginning of a long-needed shift in the base of the U.S. economy.