There's a certain amount of "outrage fatigue" you experience when blogging about the state of our union. The amount of bad news that I recount here makes it harder and harder for me to stay positive.

So thank heavens for Katrina vanden Heuvel for focusing on positive changes we could make to benefit us all. How does this list look to you? What would you add, subtract, or expand upon?

Alternet:

...House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will begin to answer that call (of the November 2006 elections) by pushing a "100 Hours" agenda -- including common-sense legislation to increase the minimum wage, cut interest on student loans and open the way for Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices.

That's a good beginning, but it's only a down payment on a broader agenda. Progressives now have the opportunity to develop a new vision that returns power to the American people for the first time in generations. But to-do lists don't add up to a vision. But Democrats must show they are serious by passing bold measures that define a new "people's agenda." With that in mind, here are ten existing pieces of legislation that deserve to be passed by our new Congress.

Read Katrina's list here

Look at this Yahoo headline of a Reuters story:

Bomb kills 15, Bush critic Pelosi visits Baghdad

"Bush critic"? That's the best descriptive Yahoo can think of to give Pelosi?

Not "Speaker of the House" Pelosi? Not "Third in Line for the Presidency" Pelosi?

Not even "California Congresswoman" Pelosi?

But, yes, all you lurking Freepers, keep crying that the media is liberal.

Tell you what, when Yahoo News refers to Bush as "Constitution Ignorer" George W. Bush or "Human Rights Violator" George W. Bush, you might just have a point.

This is getting ridiculous. Every time I turn on FOX NEWS they have another clip of Rosie O'Donnell cued up as they prepare to rip her.

In a new FOX News/Opinion Dynamics poll, (.pdf) one of the questions was:

3. – 10. I'm going to read you the names of several individuals and groups.
Please tell me whether you have a generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of
each one. If you've never heard of someone please just say so. (RANDOMIZE)
SCALE: 1. Favorable 2. Unfavorable 3. (Can't say) 4. Never heard of

Favor Unfav Can't Never
able orable say heard
Democratic Party 51% 35 13 1
Republican Party 39% 49 12 -
George W. Bush 38% 58 4 -
Dick Cheney 37% 53 8 2
Nancy Pelosi 33% 24 23 20
Donald Trump 30% 53 16 1
Robert Gates 28% 16 29 27
Rosie O'Donnell 25% 58 15 2

How many American troops were killed because Rosie spoke out on The View? How many Iraqi civilians died because Rosie spoke out on The View? How many Americans lost their health insurance because Rosie spoke out on The View? Has Rosie slowed up the reconstruction of NOLA because Rosie spoke out on The View? There are many other silly questions included...

...are technically still in process, but let's hear it for Pelosi and Hoyer plowing through the agenda they promised:

Ethics Reform

Minimum Wage

9/11 Panel Recommendations

Stem Cell Research

Medicare

I'm a little disappointed that the Senate hasn't been as aggressive--their version of ethics reform is little more than window dressing. I do think that this flurry of activity after the "Do-Nothing" 109th Congress should make the White House very nervous when they start settling into hearings for accountability on a variety of issues.

What do you think should be Agenda Item #1 at the conclusion of the promised 100 Hour Legislation?

PFAW suggests Election Reform.

The Washington Note: Did the president declare a secret war against Syria and lran?

Halfway There: Nancy Pelosi will have no honeymoon with the Vatican or its American representatives. They are stalking her. Indeed, they have already broken cover

Britannica Blog: Americans are dying for Iraq's pro-Iranian theocracy

Wampum: Former No. 2 at the Interior Deptartment, J. Steven Griles is gonna look good in orange

Truthdig: The life and death of a 40-year CIA asset

HOLY CRAP: Can I get an "Amen"?...A loaded word, loaded with relevance... What does the Christianist Right see when they look at history? OK, how about when they look at a Bible?

We're now in the Congressional Democratic majority's first 100 hours to clean things up and make some positive changes. More power to them. However, I would be remiss to not mention David Dreier's (R-CA) little petulant press conference before the swearing in. Poor "wittle wamb" doesn't think the Democrats are going to be nice to the minority party. Gosh, can anyone think of where a precedent like that originated? Hey David, does this ring a bell?

News Hounds describes the fun, as covered by Major Garrett on FOX News Special Report:

Major Garrett: "Key Republican, David Dreier, a member of the outgoing GOP leadership who has to date been reluctant to criticize Pelosi, today lashed out."

David Dreier: "There is tremendous inconsistency in virtually everything we are seeing in their plans, and I'm so disappointed. They've basically said they're going to stomp all over minority rights."

Comment: Dreier is complaining about what he sees in their plans, not in anything they've actually done. On top of that, Dreier, who was a part of the GOP controlled Congress is complaining about "minority-rights" when the Congress he was a part of refused to even respond to Pelosi when she asked for a "Minority Bill of Rights", which Dreier and fellow Republicans are now seeking for themselves.

Continue reading »

Arianna has some very interesting news from today.

We're still on the Hill, and the great news of the day -- indeed, the best news we've heard all week-- is that tomorrow Democratic Congressional leaders will come out with a strong statement on troop escalation, laying down a marker and establishing the Democratic position on what has become the first critical decision on the war in Iraq facing the 110th Congress.

And as FOX & Friends tried to immediately smear Nancy Pelosi and Jane Harman by telling us they were "cat fighting"---Huffington said:

Noticing how relaxed and comfortable Harman appeared, we couldn't resist asking her about the article in today Washington Post, headlined "Passed Over By Pelosi, Harman Doesn't Get Even. She Gets Mad." Harman shook her head and insisted it was time for the media to stop trying to paint everything Pelosi does as "a catfight." Got that WaPo? Time for a new story line.

...who the first person the TODAY Show interviewed----(play Jeopardy Think music)---

Here's a hint: It wasn't Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid....Got it yet? Here's one last hint. It was a Republican....Time is up...

(Answer below the fold)

Continue reading »

Miami Herald:

A Leon County judge on Friday nearly derailed Christine Jennings' long-shot bid for Congress, ruling that the Southwest Florida Democrat has no right to inspect the secret software used in electronic voting machines in Sarasota County.

The tersely worded decision by Circuit Judge William Gary is a major blow because Jennings contends in a lawsuit that the ATM-styled machines used in Sarasota malfunctioned and cost her the votes that would have propelled her to victory in November.

ES&S, the company that makes the voting machines as well as ones used in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, says the machines did not malfunction and that the software is a trade secret.

Continue reading »

Emptywheel has created a basic test for all lawmakers.

Well, the BCIS has decided to revamp the test required of applicants for citizenship. So I think we, the blogosphere, should put together our own new test--fifty questions a legislator should be able to answer correctly before he or she can vote on laws relating to those subjects. I've made a start below. Once we get a bunch I plan to put this into a document and send it to Pelosi and Reid. Hell--at the very least, maybe they can get their legislators to cram for the quiz so they don't sound quite so embarrassing in interviews...read on