On the other hand, I tune into C-Span’s Washington Journal and callers on the Republican line say that Obama is too “anti-business” and probably should be called a Communist; one small business owner justified this by saying it was very difficult for his business to get credit and loans right now. He didn’t explain, but I guess he was thinking that it would be less Communist for Obama to make the recalcitrant banks begin to loan out the money we’ve been handing them.

On the other hand, if people think the right is going to deliver on any populism, they might recall (certainly the press won’t do it for them) that Bush tried to privatize Social Security, and it would now be dead had he succeeded.
~

@El Cid — I hear this a lot. People are justifiably pissed but for the wrong reasons

@ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© — didn’t you hear Rich Lowry? Privatizing social security is the best way ever to stick it to the rich!

“Winners have to win, and losers have to lose” There is why Too Big To Fail needs to be legilslated away, right there in a nutshell. Grayson could probably sell the thing if he had some support.

He might even be able t

sorry, cat stepped on keyboard.

He might even be able to make people understand that there is nothing “free-market” about financial corporations using the U.S. Treasury as a backstop.

Also, we just need to STOP ALL DA SPENDIN’ to get the economy going again.

Small Business Republicans should shut the fuck up. If they’z so smart, how come they ain’t CEO of a bank?

My favorite line from Grayson was in response to the question of whether Democrats would pay a political price (the usual inside baseball question), and he said he didn’t know and _he didn’t care_ !

Why is it that only one guy out of nearly 300 or so Democrats in Congress has the balls to stand up and tell it like it is? How is it that one single guy can craft a message that not only resonates, but also has the benefit of being true?

I mean, dear fucking lord–the dude hasn’t paid a single “political price” for telling it like it is. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite, as he’s gained huge notoriety and even respect for being a Democrat who has the balls to stand up for actually-liberal ideas. And one would think that some other Democrats would see how Greyson has benefited from all this and join him.

If just few more did (especially in the Senate), things would be quite a bit different, IMHO. It’s really is a shame so many of them are gutless turds.

Now I get it: if there’s more snow for the Winter Olympics, the economy will improve! Yay!

Wait; what?

Hard to believe that Grayson is not in a safe, liberal district. He’s near Orlando! And Paperboy is so right. He won’t play the political game. Has he ever been on Hardball? Probably not.

Democrats I respect:

-Barnie Frank
-Alan Grayson

…

That’s it? Seriously?

I mean, dear fucking lord–the dude hasn’t paid a single “political price” for telling it like it is. In fact, it’s been quite the opposite, as he’s gained huge notoriety and even respect for being a Democrat who has the balls to stand up for actually-liberal ideas. And one would think that some other Democrats would see how Greyson has benefited from all this and join him.

I dunno. My congressman is Jim McDermott and I totally love love love him. He’s been reliably liberal since he got into congress…and not shy about speaking out (remember “Baghdad Jim?” Google it if you don’t). Trouble is: he has relatively little power or influence, largely IMO because he’s regarded as a loose cannon.

Mr. Johnny-come-lately has got the spotlight because he’s new but we’ll see how much real influence he can achieve.

Stephen, I’d put Bernie Sanders and Dennis Kucinich on that list, and Sherrod Brown and Jay Rockefeller on their better days. There’s probably a half-dozen or so more in the House, but I don’t know their names as well.

Stephen said,

February 11, 2010 at 18:48

Democrats I respect:

-Barnie Frank
-Alan Grayson

Add Bernie Sanders to that list.

Oops–shoulda kept reading–sorry for the double response

Ed Markey’s pretty awesome. Every time I’ve e-mailed I’ve gotten a specific response to the substance of my email, and the one time he planned to vote contrary to my expressed wishes it was explanatory and even somewhat apologetic.

I’ll add Al Franken to that list.

Also,too Anthony Weiner. Who pronounces his name correctly unlike John Boner.

Also,too Anthony Weiner.

Saw him recently on the Daily Show. Likable, funny and apparently liberal. Nice.

Funny how nobody is putting Nancy Pelosi on the list although she certainly has done a better job of managing House Democrats than her analogs in the Senate.

I enjoyed the bit at the end about the record warm weather in Vancouver. Definitely a refreshing change of pace from Snowpocalypse Climate Change Denial.

Pelosi was forever lost to me after her ridiculous “impeachment is off the table” garbage. Even if it is, you don’t SAY it. She’s a horrible politician. Inherited her seat and has never really had to fight hardball politics.

Also,too Anthony Weiner. Who pronounces his name correctly

Not to quibble, all in good fun — in its native German/Yiddish Weiner would be pronounced vine-er. How ei becomes ee in Weiner is a mystery to me. Regardless, I love the guy. I hope he doesn’t waste his potential by running for NYC mayor & instead looks to the Senate. Gillebrand (or Schumer, either one) should be sent home to retirement.

So how come none of the folks you all listed are on the Sunday talk shows over and over? Why the constant Old Dude Who Lost and Some Other Old Dude Who Hasn’t Held Office For A Decade?

It’s almost as if ::gasp:: there is no liberal media bias!!

That just can’t be. I’ve been told over and over again …

Add Al Franken to that list too. He’s new but he’s showing a lot more spine that most of the established figures.

Complaining about humoungous unearned bonuses paid for by taxpayer bailouts is so six months ago.