Category Archives: Politics: US

Not Machiavellian Enough

Posted on August 7, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

Part of President Obama’s problem is that his opponents do not fear him, and he too often seems to want to be loved. Have we read a single story of President Obama wreaking vengeance on a political enemy? Or even threatening it?
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Posted in Politics: US | 6 Comments

The Search for Sanity in the House GOP Spreads

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

Steve Benen is hunting for sanity in the House GOP. So is Kevin Drum.

(Earlier post: How Many Sane GOP House Members Exist? And Does It Matter?)

Unfortunately, they think that for the search to have meaning it has to be run, or at least approved, by Speaker Boehner. What a thin reed to have to rely on.

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How Many Sane GOP House Members Exist? And Does It Matter?

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

This is probably a very dumb question, so forgive me in advance:

Suppose after Boehner’s latest effort tanks that the somewhat-less-evil Reid bill gets before the House somehow or other and the CNN Doomsday Clock keeps ticking. And suppose that the very large majority of the 193 Democrats in the House (modulo a Blue Dog here or there) are prepared to vote for it.

Then all you need is 30-40 somewhat sane (or subject to Wall St. pressure) Republicans out of the 240 in their caucus, right? Is party discipline so strong, madness so widespread, that they don’t exist?

Or am I missing something more basic about House procedure which might prevent that vote from happening?

Posted in Econ & Money, Politics: Tinfoil, Politics: US | Comments Off on How Many Sane GOP House Members Exist? And Does It Matter?

Shorter Obama Speech – July 25, 2011

Posted on July 25, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

“Since nothing else has worked, I’m going to try some mild populism tonight, but I’m still prepared to meet the GOP 90% of the way and enact Hoover-like policies in a recession.”

(Shorter Speaker of the House John Boehner: “Get stuffed.”)

Posted in Politics: US | 1 Comment

Cynical. But Wrong?

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

Jonathan Schwarz offers a very cynical contrast in Barack Obama Is Powerless Before the Majesty of the Law, contrasting (1) Obama’s acceptance of the (IMHO correct) advice of (all of?) his lawyers that he should not rely on an interpretation of the 14th Amendment that would have allowed him to raise the debt ceiling unilaterally with (2) Obama’s rejection of the (IMHO correct) advice of (most of) his lawyers that he lacked the authority to bomb Libya unilaterally.

Schwartz’s conclusion: “Of course, as people with a sophisticated understanding of the law know, there’s a huge difference between ignoring the debt ceiling and bombing Libya. For instance: Obama wants to bomb Libya.”

To be fair, the consensus on the 14th Amendment issue is probably wider than on the War Powers issue, but even so.

Posted in Law: Constitutional Law, Politics: US | 2 Comments

Painful Joke

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Michael Froomkin

The Republican vision is that 20 white male billionaires will own everything and rule the world with an iron whip. The Democratic vision is completely different, in that not all the billionaires will be white men.

via A Tiny Revolution

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