Michelle Obama at a presentation at the Seed School in Washington DC -- from the Chicago Tribune.
CRITICAL NOTE ON THE UPCOMING PA ELECTIONS ON NOV. 3.
There is a hugely important race for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Nov. 3. The Republican candidate is running an ad showing the President's name with a hammer and sickle through the "O".
If that weren't reason enough to make sure you vote on November 3, try this one. The winner of this race will determine the political balance of the Supreme Court -- which could be crucial to redrawing lines for legislative districts after
the 2010 census.
Pennsylvania has been ranked the second worst gerrymandered state in the country -- right in front of Georgia. Districts were gerrymandered by the Supreme Court in 2000, which led to the loss of 1 Democratic seat. If districts are gerrymandered by a Republican Supreme Court in 2010, we could lose 2 or 3 additional seats.
So please make sure you contact everyone you know and make sure they get out and vote in this race on November 3.
The Great Game, Round Three from the Journal of International Security Affairs
Very interesting long-form essay on the emerging global struggle for power and resources among the former Soviet republics in central asia.
"The new Great Game pits Western powers against Russia in the scramble for energy along the Caspian Basin, an oasis of oil and natural gas. Along the periphery, other actors (among them Iran, China and India) have also staked their claim in the unfolding tug-of-war over Caspian energy."
Think Before Surging (Fareed Zakaria) from the Washington Post
"Dick Cheney has accused Barack Obama of "dithering" over Afghanistan. If the president were to quickly invade a country on the basis of half-baked intelligence, would that demonstrate his courage and decisiveness to Cheney? In fact, it's not a bad idea for Obama to take his time, examine all options and watch how the post-election landscape in Afghanistan evolves."
Russian Elite Must Embrace New Era with America (Editorial) from Gazeta [of Russia in English]
"One cannot build a joint military system with those whom you consider your chief enemy … Here, a substantial segment of the ruling class and ordinary people are sincerely convinced that the United States wants to destroy, dismember and nullify Russia."
After Reform Passes (Paul Krugman) from the New York Times
"So, how well will health reform work after it passes? There’s a part of me that can’t believe I’m asking that question. After all, serious health reform has long seemed like an impossible dream. And it could yet go all wrong. But the teabaggers have come and gone, as have the cries of “death panels” and the demonstrations by Medicare recipients demanding that the government stay out of health care. And reform is still on track. Right now it looks highly likely that Congress will, indeed, send a health care bill to the president’s desk. Then what?"
Senators Say Health Care Bill Endgame in Sight from Politico
"Democratic leaders are now in intensified talks about what form of a government insurance option will reach the Senate and House floors. Aside from the opt-out track, Democratic leaders are also pondering whether to include a “trigger” mechanism for a public option."
Public Option: Win or Lose, Little Down Side for Senate Democrats (Jill Lawrence) from Politics Daily
"It's now settled that the health reform bill coming to the Senate floor will include a public insurance option, supported by premiums and run by the government, with states permitted to opt out if they don't want to offer it. And for the life of me, I can't find much of a down side for Democrats."
How Reid Found HIs Silver Bullet (Sam Stein) from the Huffington Post
"On Monday, it was alive and well after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that he would include the provision as part of a broader health care bill. The announcement was a dramatic triumph for the progressive community, which had howled and hissed for months as the prospects for a government-run plan dimmed."
Critics Warm to Boxer's Climate Role from Politico
"When the California Democrat finally released a 923-page climate change bill late Friday, some of her harshest critics admitted that she had gotten it right. She did it by negotiating with coal state senators and ceding some of the limelight to Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), all while holding the line with liberal special interests. "
Hillary 2016? (David Paul Kuhn) from RealClearPolitics
Usually I dislike Kuhn -- but he presents an interesting "what if" set of scenarios here.
"Clinton's coalition is the sleeping giant of American politics. No other national politician, save Obama, has proven able to raise as much money. Much of her base was, like Obama, also loyal for deeper reasons than politics. This is doubly true for the Democratic women who were, and still are, personally invested in Clinton's almost-historic presidency."
In His Own Image: Obama's DNC from Politico
"The Democratic National Committee, often relatively inactive in the year after a presidential election, is ramping up its hiring and aggressively broadening its mission under the direction of Obama campaign veterans intent on applying the lessons of 2008 to races in 2010 and 2012. "
'Chill Out,' Graham Tells Critics from The State [of South Carolina]
"Lindsey Graham returned the fire with a grin, at times shouting over his most boisterous critics and telling some who questioned his Christianity and party loyalty that their minority conservative views wouldn't succeed without the political coalitions he said, are necessary to serve the majority of Americans and attract enough votes in Congress. "If you don't like it, you can leave," he said. Some did."
In my view, a preview of the future for the Republican Party
The Presidency and the New Partisan Press (Jack Balkin) from Politico
"We have been witnessing the return of a twenty-first century version of the party presses of the late 18th and 19th centuries. These party presses have no obligation to be journalistically objective, and they are not."
HEALTH CARE NUGGET [from 2008]!!
Landmark Victory: Mental Health Parity is Now Law from a press release from the American Psychological Association
How did I miss this!?
"President Bush signed mental health parity into law today, taking a great step forward in the decade-plus fight to end insurance discrimination against those seeking treatment for mental health and substance use disorders. This historic legislation requires that health insurance equally cover both mental and physical health."
BOOK NUGGET!!
The Race Man: A Review of Up From History: The Life of Booker T. Washington from the New Republic
PET NUGGET!!
Baxter: The World's Oldest "End of Life" Therapy Dog Dies from Huffington Post
"Baxter, the beloved therapy dog with his own Facebook page and book, Moments With Baxter, died at age 19 on Friday, October 16 after years of volunteering at San Diego Hospice, where he comforted many patients at the
end of their lives."
A very moving video on the life of this dog and the difference he made.
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