A view from a hotel room in one of China's major industrial cities. No commentary necessary. By James Fallows at the Atlantic. UP-FRONT ON-THE-MONEY PUNDIT OF THE DAY!
The Politics of Ressentiment [yes, that's spelled correctly] (Julian Sanchez) from True/Slant
Usually I save the overtly political items for further down the daily list -- but not today. Here's a really insightful look at what's driving conservatives these days.
"Ressentiment is a sense of resentment and hostility directed at that which one identifies as the cause of one’s frustration, an assignation of blame for one’s frustration. The sense of weakness or inferiority and perhaps jealousy in the face of the “cause” generates a rejecting/justifying value system, or morality, which attacks or denies the perceived source of one’s frustration. The ego creates an enemy in order to insulate itself from culpability."
Andrew Sullivan of the Atlantic has some additional comments on these ideas HERE.
Obama Averts the 'Nobel Trap' (Editorial) from Le Figaro [of France in English]
"He graciously accepted the praise of the prestigious jury, but did so without seeming to enjoy his tremendous popularity outside the U.S. so as not to benefit those who criticize him for being naive with his consensual approach to international issues."
Mr. Obama's Afghanistan Gamble Corners Europe from Le Figaro [of France in English]
"The European allies of NATO were demanding a strategy for getting out of Afghanistan. … Obama has taken them at their word. If they intend to preserve relations with Washington, it will now be harder to refuse contributions to an effort presented as limited in duration."
The Climate Summit and the Challenge of Governing the Planet (Editorial) from Le Figaro [of France in English]
A perceptive take on what the Copenhagan Summit seems to demonstrate. On the truly macro-level, can the nations of the world really deal effectively with something as global as climate change? As things stand now, it seems not.
"The fact that questions of such complexity are being discussed in a forum as large and disorganized as this shows how much progress is needed … Whether there is an agreement or not, the creation of a global organization for the environment is required to end the rat race."
More on Liberal Opposition to Health Care Reform (Michael Tomasky) from the [Manchester] Guardian
An EXCELLENT run-down of what's still in the Senate health care bill.
"What liberal coming out of that coma would say this was a bad deal? Not a one. It only looks like a bad deal because a) people made a fetish of the public option, which I was certainly for but not as a fetishist, and b) because people liberals don't like (Lieberman) have had too much power in this process."
Health Reform Options Narrow (Ed Kilgore) from the Democratic Strategist
"But the fact remains that there are only 58 reasonably assured votes for cloture on the recently negotiated Team of Ten "deal" for health care reform. ... So what are the options left to the White House and the Democratic congressional leadership?"
Illusions and Bitterness (Paul Krugman) from the New York Times
"There’s enormous disappointment among progressives about the emerging health care bill — and rightly so. That said, even as it stands it would take a big step toward greater security for Americans and greater social justice; it would also save many lives over the decade ahead."
Has Howard Dean lost His Mind? (Ruth Marcus) from the Washington Post
"At this point, the bill does more harm than good,” he told George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s Good Morning America. “This is an insurance company’s dream, this bill. ” This is self-defeating lunacy."
Sorry Senator Kerry (Gail Collins) from the New York Times
"Politicians switch direction all the time, but the Lieberman experience has been weird because he doesn’t seem to feel as though he’s changed. He bounds around happily, doing the talk shows, confident that he’s the same independent-minded independent who believes in independence as always."
The Case for Optimism on the Economy (Alan Blinder) from the Wall Street Journal
"There are serious dangers to the nascent recovery. But you've heard all that many times. Let me offer instead, in deliberately one-sided fashion, the case for optimism. It is, after all, the holiday season."
Speaker Pelosi to Shield Vulnerable Members from Controversial Votes from The Hill
I suspect there's nothing new here. I think this has been going on from the beginning of the congressional session THIS year.
"Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has privately told her politically vulnerable Democratic members that they will not vote on controversial bills in 2010 unless the Senate acts first."
SEVERAL GREAT PROFILE NUGGETS!
1. Nancy Pelosi: Runner Up for Person of the Year (Karen Tumulty) from Time Magazine
"It can be foolish — maybe even dangerous — to underestimate Nancy Pelosi. A former stay-at-home mom of five who didn't run for public office until she was almost 47, Pelosi holds the highest post ever attained by any woman in U.S. history, and stands second in line of succession to the presidency. She has consolidated more power than any other Speaker in modern history, scholars of the office believe."
2. Can Artur Davis Become Alabama's First Black Governor? (Cynthia Tucker) from the Atlanta journal Constitution
I have to confess that I'm a huge fan of both Artur Davis and Cynthia Tucker.
"Davis, the black Democrat who has represented Alabama’s seventh district in Congress since 2003, is running a shrewd campaign, with Jere Beasley, who once served as lieutenant governor under George Wallace, as his campaign chairman. Several polls have shown Davis either leading or keeping up with Republican contenders, while easily besting a Democratic challenger."
3. Dubya: The Surreal Afterlife of an Ex-President from the [London] Independent
At least he's keeping his mouth shut for the most part.
"What has the most unpopular US President of all time been doing during his first year of retirement? Telling bad jokes – and defending his reputation, discovers Alex Hannaford in Texas"
BOOKCASE NUGGET!!
Eleven of the Coolest Bookcases! from the Huffington post
"Coolest" -- and easily the most dysfunctional.
OCTOPUS NUGGET!
Wannabe Crabs from Andrew Sullivan's Blog at the Atlantic
I am increasingly becoming a fan of octopi!
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