leo's blog

A number of blogs (1, 2, 3) have pointed to the Politico article on the "brewing rebellion" of the GOP "grassroots" over such issues as gay marriage or the deficit.

So somebody at the Chicago Tribune finally got one of those letters from the credit card companies saying their rates were going to be jacked up.

That's the only explanation I can find for this article "Cardholders stunned by huge rate hikes, slashed credit limits" making its appearance so late in the game.

Mark your calendars: October 15th will be a Day of Health Care Liberation for millions of our fellow Americans who currently have no access to health care:

It's the hand of the Lord, I tell you!

Fran Spielman (Sun-Times):

Mayor Daley’s $2.5 billion plan to privatize Midway Airport collapsed today for lack of financing, leaving taxpayers with a $126 million down payment, but no apparent way to shore up city pensions and rebuild Chicago’s aging infrastructure.

The dark ages are over...

Transcript:

THE PRESIDENT: Dan from CNN.

DAN LOTHIAN (CNN): During the campaign you were criticized by some within your own party for perhaps not being able to be tough on foreign policy matters. Now you’ve had this friendly interaction with Mr. Chavez. Are you concerned at all about how this might be perceived back in the U.S. as perhaps being soft? Already one senator is calling this friendly interaction irresponsible. And as a quick follow-up, if I may, when you got the book from Mr. Chavez, what did you really think? (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: I think it was a nice gesture to give me a book; I’m a reader. And you’re right, we had this debate throughout the campaign, and the whole notion was, is that somehow if we showed courtesy or opened up dialogue with governments that had previously been hostile to us, that that somehow would be a sign of weakness. The American people didn’t buy it. And there’s a good reason the American people didn’t buy it — because it doesn’t make sense.

[Courtesy of the Orange Satan]

My how times have changed (WaPo):

Thought of the Day: To all the former members of the Bush Administration, including those in the CIA, who now urge that we sweep everything under the carpet, all I can ask is, Who's Soft on Crime Now?

The reason you bring people to justice is, first, because it's the right thing to do, and second, because if you don't, someone down the line is guaranteed to repeat the crime. Deterrence is as important as accountability.

The Editorial Board of the Chicago Tribune never ceases to disappoint. Here's their latest attempt at delaying universal healthcare -- complete with warmed-over talking points circa 1993. Nothing learned, nothing remembered.

The column goes everywhere from denying that this is an urgent problem to warning that they're going to take away your private insurance.

Here's my email to them:

Jan Schakowsky asks us to avoid the soft bigotry of low expectations when it comes to the values and laws we stand for (from the HuffPost):

Times are tough but I don't think it's time to declare victory in the sense of this NY Magazine headline:

As the privileged class loses its privileges, a collective moan rises from the canyons of Wall Street.