Shorter Eric Cantor

Democrats are being meanies or wusses or both, when they point out that they've been getting death threats from Republicans and/or Teabaggers.

And we're not even making the (obvious) linkage between Repub incitement and attempted arson. I can't even imagine how he'd behave if we did that.

Oh, wait, I've seen my two year old daughter throw temper tantrums, so I guess I can.

This Is Why I Was Glad We Picked Him...

Some Things You Have To Read For Yourself

Chris Jones profile of Roger Ebert for Esquire.

And the blog that he writes about. Roger Ebert's.

Go.

Because It's Wickedly Funny

Our Insane Defense Budget

From the inestimable Spencer Ackerman, a Defense Analyst of Excellence, a look at why we push so many $$ down the DoD rathole...

My favorite quote:

It’s only a slight exaggeration to say we don’t use combat aircraft in the wars we’re fighting. You have to come up with a baroque set of Michael Bey-esque geopolitical calculations by which we would use combat aircraft in any conceivable war. The U.S.’s area of combat-aircraft dominance is called Planet Earth. No Air Force is going to challenge ours. No actual U.S. adversary has an air force, and the list of real-potential U.S. adversaries that do starts with Iran and ends with North Korea, neither of which are remotely stupid enough to test us in the air. The most likely scenario for using combat aircraft in a U.S. war is an alien invasion.

and summed up...

But by all means, freeze spending on school lunch programs and Head Start and shit like that.

Dear MSM And Idiots With Whom I Argue...

via Ezra Klein.

Can Democrats Govern?

So asks Ezra Klein. I happen to agree with every word written here so I'll leave it at this:

If Democrats abandon health-care reform in the aftermath of Brown's victory, the lesson will be that they can't govern. No majority within the realm of reason will give them the votes to move their agenda swiftly and confidently. Even the prospect of the most significant legislative achievement in 40 years, an achievement that will save hundreds of thousands of lives, will not keep them from collapsing into chaos when they face adversity.

At that point, what's the pitch for voting for Democrats? That they agree with you? A plumber and I both agree that my toilet should work. But if he can't make it work, I'm not going to pay him any money or invite him into my home. Governance isn't just about ideology. It's also about competence and will. That's where Democrats are flagging.