TGIF Open Thread [10.18.13]

Ron Fournier:
"Faced now with the choice between partisan politics and a risky high ground, the president has an opportunity to leverage this 'victory' for a long-term budget deal that raises taxes and tames entitlements. Obama won. Now can he lead? Does he have the guts to anger liberal backers with a budget deal on Social Security and Medicare? Is he willing to engage sincerely with Republicans? Does he want a legacy beyond winning two elections and enacting a health care law that, judging by its horrendous launch, may never live up to its promise? If the answer to those questions is 'yes,' Obama has hidden his intentions well."
Give me a fucking break. Why is it that these idiot pundits always turn to "can he lead and can he engage with Republicans?" The only thing, THE ONLY FUCKING THING, that is preventing a pretty massive Grand Bargain in DC that will anger us liberals is the Republican intransigence on not raising one more cent in revenue. They refuse to close loopholes and tax giveaways for their rich friends and corporations, because it increases their taxes. When will Ron Fournier ask the Republicans when they will engage?
DEGOP’s Cowardly Silence Continues

DEGOP’s Cowardly Silence Continues

I'm not surprised Charlie Copeland has no thoughts in his head regarding the Republican engineered clusterf*ck the country just endured. All Greenville Republicans should be cowering embarrassed in the corner of their mansions. They let their party turn in to the party of lunacy. The party of climate change denial and default denial. The party of "We can't win at the ballot box, so let's fuck shit up." It is natural and fitting that Copeland would have no comment to make on the latest Republican assholery. If he commented on the insane default brinksmanship, even with a meek, "both sides need to work together" statement he would only establish himself as a target for the Sussex County assholes that he ultimately works for.
Comment Rescue: Waking Up Carney & Coons

Comment Rescue: Waking Up Carney & Coons

If ever a comment cried out to be rescued....
I feel like this fiasco has been a wake-up call; its time to fix citizens united, get campaign finance reform and strengthen the voting rights act. Help me, Delaware Liberal. How do we effectively get our three C’s to get this issue front and center, so that when the Dems pick up more congressional seats in 2014, they can move quickly to amend these laws? Carney, Coons and Carper have nothing to fear in their re-election bids and should be howling and screaming about this.
First of all...
A shamless plug for one of my favorite DE Arts Organizations

A shamless plug for one of my favorite DE Arts Organizations

The Delaware Shakespeare Festival has returned with its popular Halloween-themed entertainment,

Shakespeare/Poe-A night of readings from the dark side.

After its hit debut in 2012, Shakespeare/Poe will travels to three unique venues: the gothic halls of Rockwood Mansion, the eclectic galleries of the Newark Arts Alliance, and the grand Read House & Gardens in Old New Castle. Each venue will host two performances each over the weekends of Oct. 18-20 and October 25-27.... More

Hey, a regular Thursday Open Thread [10.17.13]

No more titles with Republican Shutdown and Default Apocalypse references. Ah, it is so nice to get back to polling and random political stories and tidbits, at least for a while. Last night, as you know, Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) was elected to the U.S. Senate over teabagger Steve Lonegan in New Jersey. This is a pickup for the Democrats, who increase their Senate majority to 55.
The Tea Party’s Rebel Yell!

The Tea Party’s Rebel Yell!

TPM has a story up about how the Tea Party looks at what happened yesterday.
For a certain block of House conservatives, the ones who drove Speaker John Boehner toward a government shutdown and near-default against his will, the lesson of the last few weeks isn't that they overreached. Not that they made unachievable demands, put their leadership in an impossible position, damaged their party's position with the public and left a deep uncertainty about whether the GOP conference can recover and legislate. No, what they're taking away from the 2013 crisis is: They didn't go far enough.
How classic is it that McConnell snuck a $2.9 billion earmark for KY into the the CR/Debt Limit bill?

How classic is it that McConnell snuck a $2.9 billion earmark for KY into the the CR/Debt Limit bill?

This just cracks me up.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) struck a deal with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday, averting a potential debt default and reopening the government while leaving the Obamacare virtually untouched, once passed by Congress and signed by the president. Though the deal comes with concessions from both parties, it also benefits McConnell's home state of Kentucky. Section 123 of the Senate bill secures $2.918 billion in funding for the Olmsted Lock and Dam Authority for a dam project on the Ohio River being developed by URS Corp., a construction management company.
Oh... the debt... ohh... the out of control spending....Oh my! Oh My! Teabags unite!! Circular firing squad assemble in the village green!! Hilarious.