Limited Filibuster Reform Showdown Today

I say limited because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's proposed rule change is extremely limited to only eliminating the silent non speaking obstructive hold that is today incorrectly called the filibuster on only presidential appointees, meaning nominanees to executive agencies like the National Labor Relations Board or the Consumer Protection Board or the Secretary of State or Defense, and on and on. It does not include "filibusters" on judicial nominees or legislation. Well, the Senators all met in the Old Senate Chamber last night, and that must have been crowded, if you have ever been to the old Senate Chamber, you know what I mean. They met for three hours to discuss some insipid and downright insane "bipartisan" solutions to this crisis that is entirely of the Republicans' own making. One solution from John McCain was so outrageous that I could not write about it last night as I might have called for bodily harm to befall him. John McCain's solution to Republican obstruction was for the twice popularly elected (by overwhelmingly margins each time, once over John McCain himself) President of the United States to delegate his appointment powers to, get this, John McCain and the Republican Party.
Election 2014: Delaware’s Most Vulnerable Incumbents

Election 2014: Delaware’s Most Vulnerable Incumbents

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I'm El Somnambulo, and I'm a listaholic. Admit it: So are you. Bearing in mind that incumbents need viable challengers in order to be vulnerable, here is a list of those with at least reason to be worried: State Auditor Tom Wagner: A do-nothing R in an increasingly D state. Here's the problem. If a do-nothing R is replaced by a do-nothing D, does it really make any difference? No doubt it does to Tom Wagner. But not to Patrick Harker or Lonnie George. Which is my point. And the problem. State Treasurer Chip Flowers: While the R's talk hopefully, and, IMHO, delusionally, about defeating him, I suspect that any real challenge would come from the Democrats. We'll likely know in 6 months or so whether there will be a party-backed challenger. We might as well get used to Flowers being a polarizing figure by choice. Which would be fine if it was principle, not ego, driving that train. State Senator Greg Lavelle (4th SD): Got 50.8% against Michael Katz. Probably less vulnerable this time, but he's got two more years of anti-gay and pro-gun votes on his record. Will a credible challenger emerge? I know that people expect me to have Ernesto Lopez on this list, but I don't see him as particularly vulnerable. Feel free to make a case. More inside....

Monday Open Thread [7.15.13]

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The Editorial Board of the Independent on the Zimmerman verdict:
[T]he first black president of the United States ventured an early comment, saying that if he had had a son “he would look like Trayvon”. In so saying, Barack Obama pinpointed the truth that a great many white Americans will see a young man up to no good before they see a president’s son. For all the civil rights advances over half a century, personified by the black family now residing in the White House, racism remains pernicious and entrenched. [...] [T]he verdict leaves the impression not just that it is acceptable for an individual in large parts of the US to take the law into his own hands, but that the life of a young black man is cheap. This incendiary case from central Florida – electorally, a swing district of a swing state – shows how far, despite Mr Obama’s election, the US still fails to practise racial equality.
And if you celebrated Zimmerman's verdict, Andrew Sullivan" says you just might be a racist. At the very least you are repellant. And I agree with him.
Zimmerman Not Guilty Open Thread

Zimmerman Not Guilty Open Thread

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I'm as shocked and disgusted as I was last night when I heard. 2nd degree murder was likely a stretch but to acquit this guy from hunting down and killing this kid is an amazing injustice to the rest of us. Today I'm thinking about how to best prepare the kids around me to deal with this open season on them. Jay Smooth is reported to have said yesterday: "The fundamental danger of an acquittal is not riots, it's more George Zimmermans." Quite right.