Don’t believe everything you hear. The Senate Democrats are not on the verge of a collapse. They are on the verge of compromising every single thing they want just so they can get a “health care reform” bill passed.

Here’s what I’m being told:

The Democrats have given Joe Lieberman everything he wanted. Joe will now vote for the bill.

Ben Nelson (D-NE) is being threatened with having every major military installation in Nebraska shut down. Yes, I know, but the Democrats are playing for keeps on this and health care “reform” is more important to them than the military.

Liberals are being told they have to accept this to given them any credibility going into next year’s election. They don’t want to be accused of “killing reform.”

Lastly, the CBO scoring of the bill is going to look fine now that the Medicare affecting portions are going to be dropped.

Inevitably, this legislation is going to cause health care costs to skyrocket and force people into socialized medicine.

But Barack Obama and the Democrats don’t care. They want to be seen as doing something and beating the Republicans — with what, they don’t care.

It’s a bad time to be an incumbent Democrat:

Like many Democrats nationwide these days, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter who was easily elected in 2006 finds himself trailing his chief Republican opponent in a potential 2010 match-up.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state shows former GOP Congressman Scott McInnis ahead of Ritter 48% to 40%. Four percent (4%) like some other candidate, and seven percent (7%) are undecided.

This is down from McInnis/Ritter 44/39 in September, and can’t really be blamed on the health care rationing bill, although it’s entirely possible that the Democrats’ recent decision to shut down the coal industry is a factor here.  What makes this fascinating to watch is that Bill Ritter was a 2006 Golden Child; even in 2008 he was popular.  Right now Colorado Democrats should be giving serious consideration to trying to replace him in the primary.

Won’t happen, of course.

Moe Lane

PS: Scott McInnis’ website is here.

Crossposted to Moe Lane.

Interest in the recent spat of Democrat retirements from the House of Representatives has highlighted interest in a House Retirement Watch. So far, 23 members of the House — 11 Democrats and 12 Republicans, have announced plans to leave the House by the January 3, 2011 end of the 111th Congress:

DEMOCRATS

1. Neil Abercrombie (HI) Resigning to run for governor of Hawaii.
2. Brian Baird (WA) Retiring.
3. Artur Davis (AL) Running for governor of Alabama.
4. Bart Gordon (TN) Retiring.
5. Paul Hodes (NH) Running for U.S. Senate.
6. Kendrick Meek (FL) Running for U.S. Senate.
7. Charlie Melancon (LA) Running for U.S. Senate.
8. Dennis Moore (KS) Retiring.
9. Joe Sestak (PA) Running for U.S. Senate.
10. John Tanner (TN) Retiring.
11. Robert Wexler (FL) Resigning effective in January of 2010. There will be a special election to replace Wexler on April 13, 2010.

REPUBLICANS

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It’s amusing to watch the swarm of enraged Democrats promising revenge against Joe Lieberman for his daring to oppose the Medicare buy-in.  Isn’t this the party that has spent the last year constantly ridiculing Republicans for supposedly demanding ideological purity in their ranks?  What’s particularly amusing is that the Democrats screaming bloody murder don’t seem to have the slightest self-awareness of the contradiction in their positions. 

Even putting the hypocrisy aside, the accusation that Republicans seek philosophical purity is belied by the contrast between Democrats’ calls for revenge and the GOP’s treatment of its moderate senators.  Conservatives have often been unhappy with moderate GOP senators like Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, but I don’t hear even the hardliners calling for revenge

It’s also amusing to observe the very short memories of the Lieberman haters.  Just a few years ago, they tried to punish Lieberman for his stance on the Iraq War by encouraging and supporting a primary challenger.  You see how well that worked.  Let’s hope they keep it up, because the result will be to drive Lieberman into the arms of the Republican caucus, thus ending the threat of a filibuster-proof Democratic majority.

As for the mainstream media, while it has presented both sides of the Lieberman controversy, it appears oblivious to – or unwilling to point out – the hypocrisy of Democrats seeking to stamp out ideological diversity in their ranks. Perhaps that’s because virtually everyone in the MSM assumes, without really questioning, that the GOP is the party that’s drifted so far from the center that it can’t tolerate moderates.

Let’s play a what if game, shall we?

According to a numerous reports, Senator Reid has caved to Senator Lieberman’s demands — NO public option, NO trigger, NO Medicare buy-in.

Senator Reid now needs 60 votes to pull the public option out of the bill. Will all the liberals, the Burris-Sanders-Franken-Brown-Feingold block of Senators, and perhaps others, vote to pull the public option out of the bill?

Burris and Sanders have said publicly they would not vote for any bill without the public option. They likely will not vote to pull the public option.

And will these liberals see from the way Senator Lieberman has whip-sawed the caucus and the White House that if they just hang tough, they can get what they want? In short, will these liberal Senators pull a Lieberman? My guess is they will, yes, they will threaten to vote against any amendment to pull the public option out of the bill.

My guess is also that the Dems would not believe them, and will force a vote to call their bluff. This is where it gets interesting, because the Republicans will have to vote to keep the public option in the bill, and the Dems would have to vote to pull the public option out of the bill. (BIG FUN). But the vote will likely come in the manager’s amendment — so it will not be that clear cut.

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RedState Morning Briefing
For December 15, 2009

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

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The Washington Post, on fallout from the recent retirements of Democratic members of Congress:

What most concerns Democrats is that the latest round of retirements will prompt other longtime lawmakers in competitive districts to rethink their reelection plans, [former DCCC Chair Martin] Frost said. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, acknowledged that “some more” Democratic retirements will be announced before the end of the year, but that the number will be “nothing on the scale of 1994, when you had 28 Democratic open seats” and the party lost control of the House.

Unfortunately for Van Hollen, the Washington Post isn’t interested in supporting the spin:

Joe Gaylord, who was chief strategist for former House speaker Newt Gingrich in the 1994 cycle, said Democratic retirements accelerated in 1994, compared with their pace in 1993, and he predicted the same could happen this time. “It got collectively worse as they moved along,” he said.

In other words, it’s early days yet. And take that cliche however you like.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to Moe Lane.

Still up on the noun vs. adjective bit of conservatism, I want to make sure you all knew that Jenny Sanford, wife of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, has endorsed Nikki Haley for Governor.

This is a big deal in the Palmetto State. Jenny Sanford has long been viewed apart from her husband as solidly conservative, both fiscally and socially. It’s not just that Jenny Sanford is instinctually conservative, but she is truly a conservative — unashamed to be in the trenches, getting her hands dirty, fighting for the conservative cause without apology.

In an open letter to South Carolina voters, Mrs. Sanford says, “Our state’s future is too important to leave to just another go-along-get-along career politician. Nikki Haley is the best person to be South Carolina’s next Governor.”

Amen to that.

Let’s get Nikki Haley elected.

It is called projection. The big spending, tax-hiking cover of the Florida accuses his opponent who has always been committed to cutting spending and taxes as being a big spending tax hiker.

Come on, Charlie. Even the media is calling you out for your lies.

“When you hear people out there on the campaign trail talking about what they’re going to do, look at what they’ve already done,” said Crist, going on to cast Rubio as a big-spending, tax-raiser. “Let’s make sure the words meet the facts. I don’t believe in raising taxes. I’m running against someone who wanted to,” said Crist, apparently referring to Rubio’s support of a plan to raise sales taxes while cutting property taxes.

But Crist never mentioned that he signed a budget this year that includes more than $2-billion in new taxes and fees. In fact, several times Crist made claims about his record that have been widely debunked or undercut by reality

Stop being a girl and own up to your record, Governor.

From the diaries by Erick. Chapter 10 next week.

But it’s worth looking at Reich as a true acolyte of the religion of government.

When I came to the above sentence, it occurred to me that the same could be said for many of the most prominent liberal / progressive / statist politicians in today’s world.  “Man-made global warming” is obviously one of the religions of today’s Democratic Party.  If Abortion isn’t the most sacred of the faiths, it’s really far up there.  But Jonah Goldberg points out the truth of the matter is that Hillary Clinton and others are true religious believers in the power of Government as a religion or a faith.

Time and time again in this chapter we see that Mrs. Clinton and others attempt to use government to give meaning to the lives of individuals.  Government can’t give meaning to my life.  In truth, I am insulted that anyone believes I would want the government to give me some sort of meaning.  My life derives meaning from my faith and my family.  However, to the liberal fascist, only the government can give us meaning.

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To the Democrats, the ends justify the means to pass health care. Speaker Pelosi is widely rumored to have told an assembled K Street cognoscenti that she would sacrifice 30 Democratic House seats to get health care reform passed — and, of course, she said “We would do almost anything to pass a healthcare bill.”

The White House has convinced itself that it in the interest of all Democratic Members of Congress for ObamaCare to pass.

But the reality is that ObamaCare is a political failure, and therefore it is not in the political interest of Members of Congress to pass ObamaCare.

But the entire MSM, the White House, the House and Senate Dem Leadership, the majority of the Democratic Coalition and most of the outside factions of the Democratic Party’s coalition is pumping the airwaves and blogosphere full of their latest pack of lies and disinformation:

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Ah, the politics of fear.

The entire Democratic Senate caucus is headed to the White House on Tuesday afternoon to talk health care with President Obama, just as the administration urges Majority Leader Harry Reid to cut a deal with Sen. Joe Lieberman, who is emerging as the skunk at the party for supporters of the massive package to create a new entitlement.

[snip]

Congressional staff familiar with negotiations said the White House is strongly urging Reid to work with Lieberman to eliminate the Medicare provision.

But Reid and other Democratic lawmakers are said to be furious that Lieberman publicly called for the elimination of the proposal before members received an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office on the cost of such a plan.

More accurately, the politics of being afraid.  The White House is afraid that they won’t get something that they can call a win (our B+* President hasn’t actually had many this year); the progressives are afraid that their own base will descend upon them with torches and pitchforks if there is no progress against the hated foe; and Red State Democrats are afraid that if they keep on this course they’ll be interacting with the 112th Congress as lobbyists.  It should be one sockeldanger of a meeting tomorrow.

Moe Lane

*Ahem.  ‘Surprisingly tasty.’

Crossposted to Moe Lane.

Earl Glynn has a fascinating look at congressional expenditures that taxpayers are paying for.

Guam’s Delegate, for example, had all of us pick up $6,090.00 in food expenditures in Guam. Madeleine Bordalio may have no vote in Congress, but she can stick it to the taxpayers nonetheless.

There’s also an $8.80 laundry bill taxpayers paid for and a whole lot more. Most interesting to me is that the Guam Delegate who has no vote and is only there because we took Guam from Spain in a war over a century ago and wanted to be kind has billed the taxpayers for more than any of the guys who can actually vote.

I realize we’re playing adolescent word games with the NRSC when it comes to Carly Fiorina. Just last week, John Cornyn said the NRSC would not be endorsing anyone, including Carly Fiorina.

Reconciling that with the fact that the NRSC is entering into a joint fundraising venture with Fiorina is impossible.

The NRSC and the Fiorina campaign joined forces to form the Fiorina Victory Committee, according to paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission on Dec. 4. The committee allows the party and Fiorina to split funds raised via joint events or appeals.

The CQ article says a few times that the NRSC has not endorsed Fiorina, but that is like Bill Clinton saying he “did not have sexual relations with that woman.” In fact, the NRSC is fully in bed with Fiorina.

Inevitably though, what the NRSC does in response is what they did with CQ.

The NRSC told CQ-Roll Call it is “willing to conduct joint fundraising events with virtually any Republican candidate who asks, provided they have the potential to help the Committee raise money in addition to their own campaigns.”

Of course, what they did not tell CQ is that they really have no intention of doing that. Take Chuck DeVore for example. He has tried a half dozen times to meet with John Cornyn, but has been rebuffed each time. In fact, Cornyn said last week he would love to meet with DeVore, but failed to mention his staff has rebuffed every single offer to meet by the DeVore campaign.

The NRSC cannot keep having it both ways. The Washington punditocracy may buy into the “we have not endorsed anyone” horse hockey, but the rest of us know that line is no better than Clinton’s denial of sex with Lewinsky.

No one is genuinely buying it.

• The Buster Chair
  All I want for Christmas. Hell, it's all I've wanted for Christmas for the last ten Christmases in a row. Ain't gonna happen though. But still, if ever I make big money, this sucker is mine. And no, I will not let the kids sit in it.
• Joe Lieberman: Let's not make a deal!
  Ezra Klein accuses Joe Lieberman of supporting a health care holocaust in this country letting hundreds of thousands of people die. At least he did, but after several people mentioned it on twitter, he toned his post down. Still pretty flamboyant of a statement.
• Georgia political blogger holds nothing back
  The Atlanta Journal-Constitution profiled yours truly.
• Woman Comatose Month After Botched Abortion Gets $1.9 Million Settlement
  Ugh. But hey, it's a constitutional right!
• Texas Trouble for Sarah Palin?
  I think Palin should endorse Perry. He's the conservative in the race.
• GOP parties hearty
  It's just like high school. Geez. Nothing wrong with it. Not trying to throw stone. But I do think it is interesting that Barbara Boxer's Deputy Chief of Staff hangs out with the GOP.

Great piece by Jed Babbin over at Human Events.

Yesterday, President Obama’s two principal economic advisors — National Economic Council Director Larry Summers and Council of Economic Advisors chair Christina Roemer — gave us a glimpse into the continued tumult in the White House’s over how to restart America’s economic engines.  

Summers said, “Today, everybody agrees that the recession is over, and the question is what the pace of the expansion is going to be.”

Roemer — asked if the recession is over — said, “”Of course not. For the people on Main Street and throughout this country, they are still suffering, the unemployment rate is still 10 percent.” She also said that the recession won’t be over until unemployment reaches “normal levels,” about 5%.  

For the record, I don’t actually care if somebody believes in stuff like astrology. But fair’s fair, and if we’re going to have to listen to liberal elites sneering about creationists, said elites can take the time to explain why they don’t sneer at astrology devotees*:

For those limited to text: somewhere around 30% of Democrats believe in a whole range of New Age stuff, explicitly including astrology. This is roughly double the number of Republicans also surveyed. Similar numbers and ratio for conservatives/liberals**.

A quote for you, to roll this up:

A touchstone to determine the actual worth of an “intellectual”- find out how he feels about astrology. - Robert Heinlein

I would have added that quote attributed to G.K. Chesterton about the implications of ceasing to believe in God, but the actual quote is hard to pin down.

Moe Lane

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Bart Gordon ( TN 6) has bailed on his re-election

After more than a quarter-century of public service to his home state of Tennessee, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced his plans to retire from Congress when his current term ends in 2010.

“I feel honored that the people of Middle Tennessee have allowed me to serve them for the past 25 years,” said Gordon. “Every decision I have made in Congress has been with their best interests in mind. I hope the people here at home feel that I have served them as well as their good advice and views have served me.

“When I was elected, I was the youngest member of the Tennessee congressional delegation; now, I’m one of the oldest. In fact, I have members of my staff who weren’t even born when I took office. That tells me it’s time for a new chapter.”

Gordon, the dean of the state’s congressional delegation, said he made his decision after consulting with his wife, Leslie.

Dave Evans (R) - Retired Army Reserve Major General, Ex-Defense Department Civilian Official & GOP Activist
Gary Mann (R) - Realtor & Ex-Psychologist
Jim Tracy (R) - State Sen., Insurance Agent & Ex-NCAA Basketball Referee
Lou Ann Zelenik (R) - Rutherford County GOP Chair & ‘08 State Rep. Candidate

Wonder if news of Tracy entering race scared Gordon off?  Republicans will control redistricting in TN so this, Tanner, and Davis seat should be made all more GOP friendly

On December 16, 1773, a group of Americans who had had enough of a government that didn’t represent them gathered at Boston Harbor and lit the fuse of the Revolution.

Today, these patriots are the inspiration for millions of Americans fighting for their freedom.  The modern Tea Party movement was ignited by the failed $787 billion stimulus package.  The author of that stimulus bill was Dave Obey, the chairman of Appropriations and a member of Congress for 40 years too long.

I am running to permanently retire Dave Obey and end his reign as the king of the spending machine, but I can’t do it alone. This Wednesday, the 236th anniversary of the original Boston Tea Party, I’m asking as many Americans as possible to join me in sending a message to the father of the failed stimulus by contributing whatever they can to retire him in a nationwide moneybomb at StrikeaBlowforFreedom.com.  Can you help us?

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(H/T Instapundit) While I see Mickey Kaus’ point in the abstract:

People in the know in Washington appear to have already considered and dismissed the “ping pong” option–the possibility that if the Senate finally passes a compromise health care bill, Pelosi’s House might simply vote “yes” on the exact same bill, avoiding the need for a “conference” to reconcile the House and Senate versions and instead sending the bill directly to the President for his signature. But from outside Washington, out here in the real America, this “ratification” route still looks awfully appealing–especially this week.

…there are pragmatic problems to consider: the House health care rationing bill passed with only two votes to spare, and only because of the Stupak amendment.  The Senate version currently lacks similar language, and it will probably not even get to a vote unless ‘public option’ is removed.  Put another way: for this gambit to work it’ll require no public option and hefty rules against federal funding of abortion.  Put yet another way: this gambit doesn’t just metaphorically gut-shoot progressives.  It requires that progressives metaphorically gut-shoot themselves as part of the process.

I’m not saying that they won’t do it.  Progressive Democratic legislators are quite good at emulating jellyfish.  But this would be above and beyond the usual spinelessness.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to Moe Lane.