The Republican abuse of the filibuster is finally even getting to the American people.

Think Progress:

One of the greatest obstacles to passing progressive legislation in Congress has been the use of the filibuster in the Senate. With upwards of “40 cloture votes since the start of the 111th Congress in January, this Senate is on pace to record the second-largest number of filibuster roll calls,” transforming what was intended to be a seldom-used procedural tactic into an all-out tool for obstructionism. Now, a new CBS/New York Times poll finds that more Americans support ending the filibuster and requiring legislation to pass by a simple majority:

As you may know, the Senate operates under procedures that effectively require 60 votes, out of 100, for most legislation to pass, allowing a minority of as few as 41 senators to block a majority. Do you think this procedure should remain in place, or do you think it should be changed so that legislation is passed with a simple majority?

Should remain 44

Should be changed 50

[Don't Know] 6

I would bet you that on January 1, 2009, most American had no idea what the filibuster even was. The constant abuse of this practice is not escaping the notice of our citizens. And you know the only reason why Americans are getting fed up with the filibuster is because the liberal blogosphere has been getting this information out there to the American people.

Leave it to a wingnut Republican to post a video from inside the green zone after an attack. I would think that's a no-no, but I'm not a Republican in Congress.

The Pentagon told a North Carolina lawmaker Tuesday that he couldn’t re-air a video he'd shot in Baghdad after accusations surfaced that he breached operational security in detailing enemy rocket attacks. Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Republican, traveled to Iraq with other lawmakers for the first time on March 22. The video was the second incident stemming from that trip that has drawn unwanted attention to McHenry.

I wonder if he had on his lapel pin? Here's a golden oldie?

(posted on January 11th, 2007)

Barney came down on McHenry for breaking the rules and trying to implement an amendment. It's a new dawn in the House and the Republicans will not like it all that much…

Download | Play Download | Play (h/t Mark)

He cracked me up when he said his past behavior was not relevant…Hilarious.

SMH: (h/t Nonny Mouse)

Australia and other countries have demanded that China explain why it launched a missile last week to knock out an ageing weather satellite.

US spy agencies say China conducted a successful test of a satellite-killing weapon on January 11, knocking out the Chinese satellite with a "kinetic kill vehicle" launched from on board a ballistic missile.

The impact following the first known satellite-killing test in space in more than 20 years occurred more than 800 kilometres above the Earth.

Australia, the US, Japan and Canada are concerned about the possible militarisation of space and the hazards posed by debris from such tests.

IHT: China's missile test: A message for the U.S. Of course, if you're going to posture yourself as the big, bad cowboy of the world, you got to expect a little pushback.

Lawyers, Guns and Money

Via,screenwriter John Rogers definitively demolishes the second half of the above oft-repeated bit of conservative received wisdom. In addition, why don't we look at Glenn Reynolds' claim about Hollywood's "falling revenues." Just for the hell of it, why don't we look at some actual data about the "falling revenues" of "liberal Hollywood":

Box Office Revenue, domestic, change from previous year:

2004: +2.5%
2003: +0.2%
2002: +9.0%
2001: +9.8%
2000: +2.9%
1999: +7.2%
1998: +9.2%

You get the idea. Revenues have been slightly off so far this year, but 1)it's a long year, and 2)if there is a decline, it will be the first one since 1991.

So, we are left to conclude that either 1)Hollywood has become more "out of touch" with people since January 1 2005 (and was a bastion of profitable conservative pandering as recently as 2002), or 2)Glenn Reynolds is a hack who makes stuff up in accordance with his reactionary political biases. I report, you decide!

Exclusive: Novak co-operated with prosecutors         Roger,screenwriter John Rogers definitively demolishes the second half of the above oft-repeated bit of conservative received wisdom. In addition, why don't we look at Glenn Reynolds' claim about Hollywood's "falling revenues." Just for the hell of it, why don't we look at some actual data about the "falling revenues" of "liberal Hollywood":

Box Office Revenue, domestic, change from previous year:

2004: +2.5%
2003: +0.2%
2002: +9.0%
2001: +9.8%
2000: +2.9%
1999: +7.2%
1998: +9.2%

You get the idea. Revenues have been slightly off so far this year, but 1)it's a long year, and 2)if there is a decline, it will be the first one since 1991.

So, we are left to conclude that either 1)Hollywood has become more "out of touch" with people since January 1 2005 (and was a bastion of profitable conservative pandering as recently as 2002), or 2)Glenn Reynolds is a hack who makes stuff up in accordance with his reactionary political biases. I report, you decide!

Secret Service Searches Home of Protester

Renee Jensen of Elkins, West Virginia, likes to express herself. She has put up as many as a dozen signs in her yard over the past year, protesting the war in Iraq, Bush and Cheney, and the crackdown on civil liberties.Some of her signs have said:"Mr. Bush, You're Fired." "Mr. Ashcroft, We Prefer Our America emain the Home of the Free and the Brave."....

The mayor of Elkins, Judy Guye, tried to use a city ordinance to make Jensen take her signs down. "Guye had said she believes Jensen's signs pose a potential traffic hazard, since people driving by her house often stop or slow down to look at them," Paul J. Nyden wrote in an article for the Charleston Gazette on January 16. Nyden pointed out that the mayor, "a Republican, had a pro-Bush sign in her own front yard."

Guye backed off. But those were the least of Jensen's problems.

In the fall, the Secret Service gave her a call...read on

Tuesday :: January 18, 2005

Tragically, a family was murdered in New Jersey last week. The father of the family, Hossam Armanious, was a "Coptic Christian" who had argued with Muslims in an internet chat room. The Coptic Christian community in New Jersey believes the murder was a hate crime. Authorities say it's only one theory under investigation.

Already, conservative christian commentators are spreading filth. With headlines like Jihad in New Jersey, they want to know why this family's murder isn't receiving the attention of the Scott Peterson or Kobe Bryant case. Read the column, it's sick and a reminder of how many hatemongers are out there and how destructive they can be....read on

The Iraqi elections that went "better than expected" produced a bump in President Bush's approval rating, according to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.
Between January 14 and 16, 51 percent of survey participants expressed approval of Bush's performance as president. But 57 percent of the 1,010 respondents during the February 4 thru 6 poll stated that they approved of how the he does his job.