Tuesday Morning

All going according to plan.

Monday Night

Rock on.

Ah, Well, Nevertheless

As everyone discovers annually, "means testing" only "saves" money, even in theory, if you start phasing out the benefit at pretty low income levels, turning it from a universal program to a poors program right away.

And it's always those supposedly all important nice middle income suburban voters who discover they don't get much of anything.

The voters those "moderates" are always supposedly catering to.

Sources tell me that White House and Democrats considering attaching means test to a number of key agenda items - from EV rebates and free community college - as a way to shrink reconciliation bill and pacify spending hawks.

— Jarrett Renshaw (@JarrettRenshaw) September 27, 2021

don't worry there will also be targeted tax credits for nonprofits that help people apply for means-tested programs

— Six Zebra Army (@tomscud) September 27, 2021

Make the benefits universal, and increase taxes on the rich. Everyone know this, and pretends not to.

At least Donald Trump's grandkids won't get free community college!!!!!

Or pay more in taxes.

Happy Hour Thread

Get happy.

INFURIATED

Suck on this, at least for the moment.

FRUSTRATION WITH BIDEN: Moderate Democrats expected Biden to start twisting House progressives’ arms during their White House meeting last week. But we’re told by sources in the progressive camp and another senior Democratic aide that the president has neither asked progressives to drop their demand that the reconciliation bill pass in tandem with BIF, nor pressed them to accept a stand-alone vote on BIF this week — at least not yet. This has infuriated moderates.

Toddlers used to getting what they want all the time (they still might!)

We Were All Innocent Children Then

Every time there's some major criticism of Meet the Press (weekly, really), a very large number of people on Twitter comment something like, "TIM RUSSERT IS ROLLING IN HIS GRAVE." 

The best you can say about Tim Russert is that he was much more skilled at being horrible in his job precisely in the same way that Chuck Todd is.

But the broader point is most people were blissfully unaware of just what a shitshow everything was in the early aughts, the era of Peak Russert.

As for the criticism, it's that "I'm John McCain's daughter's father's daughter" was a guest, and lied, and they promoted her lies.

1. You invited someone with no life experience or accomplishments outside the entertainment industry to talk politics.
2. She told a series of demonstrable lies.
3. You have now amplified those lies on Twitter, w/out comment or editing.

Everyone involved should be embarrassed. https://t.co/s49oHnLQU8

— David Roberts (@drvolts) September 26, 2021

As has long been the case, the responsibility isn't just with the producers and hosts of the show, it's with the supposed journalists who endorse this format week after week by their presence.

Joining me for insight and analysis are Amy Walter, editor-in-chief and publisher of the Cook Political Report, Eddie Glaude, Jr. of Princeton University, NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent Leigh Ann Caldwell and Meghan McCain, columnist for TheDailyMail.com.

Well It's Old News Now

Is there even a good theory for this? It is amazing.

(lack of coverage of the coup memo, if it isn't obvious).

I suppose "can't upset one of Maggie's sources" is one theory, but even I don't really buy that one!

Lunch Thread

Manchego Monday.

8 Can't Wait

We do love freedum in America.

Amyiah Cohoon had just gotten home from the hospital in March 2020 when a sheriff’s sergeant arrived, warning of possible charges and even jail time. The high school student’s offense: posting on Instagram that she had “beaten the corona virus.”

It was early in the pandemic, and her county in Wisconsin had yet to record any cases of covid-19, court documents say. “Concerned citizens” started calling local officials.

“If [the post] doesn’t come down, the sheriff has directed me to issue disorderly conduct citations, if not start taking people to jail,” the Marquette County, Wis., sergeant told Cohoon’s father, according to dash-cam video obtained by The Washington Post “Because it is causing a disturbance to the public.”

THE TRUMP ECONOMY WAS THE GREATEST EVER

I'm not saying you have to hand it to him, but it's actually kinda true that before Covid hit, the "economy" as a lived experience for many people was better than it had been in decades. Tight labor market! That was supposed to have been made illegal by the Volcker Accords of 1981.

I know people don't like suggesting that Trump support comes from anything other than racism, and sure racism has to rank pretty low in your concerns, at best, to support Trump, but the weirdos we call "swing voters" are mysterious creatures. Despite the general pretense in The Discourse that these people are making informed decisions, unlike The Ideologues Of Left and Right, their connection to "politics" as people who follow politics understand it is pretty tenuous.

"Life's pretty good, keep that guy in charge" is a motivator, and a reasonable one, for people.

Again you don't have to hand it to him, but no one really doubts that if the economy had been a disaster during his term, his support would have been lower. I don't buy the political scientist "nothing matters but the economy" view, but it certainly matters!

Temerity

A story. When I was in law school, a long long time ago (but not so long), Justice Scalia came to speak. This was shortly after Lawrence v TX. My classmate asked him "do you sodomize your wife?" bc Scalia thought the state could ask and criminalize this. All hell broke loose https://t.co/jsYinbkgGn

— Liz Sepper (@lsepper) September 26, 2021

I vaguely remember this when it happened. Everyone agreed this man was likely worse than Hitler.

This combines "the highest virtue is civility to your betters" with "never, ever, suggest elites should face the consequences normal people face due to policies those elites have implemented."

Morning Thread

Just another manic Monday.

Sunday Night

Rock on.

Sunday Happy Hour

To bipartisanship!

Use It Or We All Lose It

One does wonder what our military and security and intelligence and law enforcement apparatus is for if we're unwilling to bring any of it down on the people attempting to overthrow the government.

2021 is peak Democratic power. Sure you can get a few more Senate and House seats, maybe, but that Senate number is never going to 60.

Brunch Thread

Weekending

Vote Harder

It is an annoying message, as it is directed at people who do vote.

Sunday Morning

Oh what a beautiful morning.

Saturday Night

Rock on.

8 Can't Wait

Do nothing and noisy activists will be back with their very upsetting slogans.

Afternoon Thread

Gotta do it.

The Paper Of Record

It really is quite astounding.