November 2006
6 posts
A Test Case for the Dems: Big Pharma or Medicare...
When I worked in Washington, the biggest lobby – after Big Oil, and the big military contractors – was the big pharmaceutical companies – Big Pharma. Early in the Bush administration Big Pharma pushed the new Medicare drug benefit through Congress, releasing a $600 billion dollar gusher in their direction. The bill included a guarantee that Medicare wouldn’t use its huge bargaining leverage to...
The Five Most Powerful Americans over the Next...
The five most powerful people in America over the next eighteen months will be: 1. Dick Cheney, because he runs the executive branch and is the closest thing the Republicans have to an ideological rudder. Forget the Baker Commission. Forget Bush (if you haven’t already). Cheney will have more say over what happens in Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, during the next eighteen months than any other...
John McCain's Real Plan for Iraq
I talked with John McCain Sunday morning in the green room just before “This Week.” I asked him why he continued to call for more troops for Iraq when he must know it’s a political non-starter. He said he thought it important for the morale of the troops. McCain gives every impression of meaning what he says, which is one of his greatest assets. But I simply can’t believe this one. What’s...
Why Are They Gunning for Howard Dean?
What can possibly account for the post-election victory party pummeling of Howard Dean by inside-the-beltway Democrats? Prominent Democratic consultants (James Carville, Stan Greenberg) go on the record (“you can quote me”) with complaints barely two weeks from a Democratic sweep. Leading congressional Democrats (Rahm Emmanuel) vent their anger vociferously (“on background”). Why? Dems now control...
But the Good News
Grass-roots progressive activism is not only alive and well but perhaps more dynamic than at any time in the last twenty years. Progressives got out the vote for Democrats and Independents – overriding the much-overestimated Rove machine. Also, take a look at what happened to conservative ballot initiatives in several red states. South Dakotans defeated a broad-scale ban on all abortions, 56 to 44...
The Democratic Victory: Keep Your Expectations Low
Hold the champagne. Don’t expect anything bold to come out of the new Democratic House. First, Dems don’t have enough votes to overcome Bush vetoes. Second, the new Dems are from marginal districts where they will have to be moderate-to-conservative in order to be reelected. Third, the Dem leadership has its eyes on the big prize – the 2008 presidency – and doesn’t want to do anything to scare...
