Sam (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
l33tminion) wrote2010-01-21 07:01 pm
l33tminion) wrote2010-01-21 07:01 pm
Far, Far Too Much News
Too much to talk about, so I'm going to do my best to get it all out there.
CrisisCamp Boston:
My company is hosting an unconference this Saturday. Interested in technology (especially information technology) used in disaster response? You should go!
Citizens United vs. Federal Election Comission:
In a 5-4 ruling today, the Supreme Court overturned limits on corporations spending money on political campaigns. Full text of the opinion here. Disclosure requirements were upheld, businesses still can't deduct money spent on politics as a business expense.
The Guantanamo Suicides:
Harper's Magazine has an investigative piece about how the Bush administration covered-up (and the Obama administration continues to cover up) the murders of three Guantanamo Bay prisoners who were tortured to death at a secret site just outside the prison perimeter. This story has not become widespread in the US media, for some reason. I realize Obama doesn't want to be focused on the past, but actively carrying on a cover-up is an entirely different matter.
An Unexpected Development:
Interesting:
Hamas has accepted Israel's right to exist and would be prepared to nullify its charter, which calls for the destruction of Israel, Aziz Dwaik, Hamas's most senior representative in the West Bank, said on Wednesday.
The MA Senate Special Election:
Scott Brown won for a variety of reasons. Coakley ran a horrible campaign. Brown ran a very good (if rather nondescript on the issues) one. The media will try to spin this as a repudiation of progressive ideals, but it's not. Some of the media will try to spin it as endorsement of far right ideals, but it's not that either.
Most of the Democrats who voted for Brown think that the Senate healthcare reform bill is not strong enough (ironic, since now they're more likely than not to get exactly that version of the bill, not something slightly better... unless House Democrats go one further and scuttle the bill entirely). Many of those who thought it would be a good idea to stay home were motivated by the same reasoning. The media will also act as if Obama, not Coakley, was on the ticket, but Obama is still way popular in Massachusetts. Republicans like Brown can stand on such a "do nothing" platform in part because the media gives very little attention to some glaring problems with the status quo.
It's worth remembering that this doesn't really change the state of the legislature that much. The more relevant effect will be on the 2010 primaries. For the Democrats, this contest creates pushes in both directions, so we'll see who's victorious, but expect the Republicans to tack strongly to the right.
538 has a ton of interesting stuff to say: Brown might be the dark horse the Republicans need for 2012 (though isn't he emerging a bit early for that?), Brown may be very influential holding the pivotal most-liberal Republican spot, that this represents the failure of the Democrats strategy of "post-partisanship" (which you'd think would be about painting liberal policies as centrist, but instead is about painting centrist policies as liberal and then having them opposed by Republicans anyways no matter how well they poll), whatever the consequence of the election, it has the potential to be tremendously demoralizing for liberals.
Howard Dean's response is that "the Democrats haven't been tough enough". Brad Hicks echos that sentiment.
WHEW.
CrisisCamp Boston:
My company is hosting an unconference this Saturday. Interested in technology (especially information technology) used in disaster response? You should go!
Citizens United vs. Federal Election Comission:
In a 5-4 ruling today, the Supreme Court overturned limits on corporations spending money on political campaigns. Full text of the opinion here. Disclosure requirements were upheld, businesses still can't deduct money spent on politics as a business expense.
The Guantanamo Suicides:
Harper's Magazine has an investigative piece about how the Bush administration covered-up (and the Obama administration continues to cover up) the murders of three Guantanamo Bay prisoners who were tortured to death at a secret site just outside the prison perimeter. This story has not become widespread in the US media, for some reason. I realize Obama doesn't want to be focused on the past, but actively carrying on a cover-up is an entirely different matter.
An Unexpected Development:
Interesting:
Hamas has accepted Israel's right to exist and would be prepared to nullify its charter, which calls for the destruction of Israel, Aziz Dwaik, Hamas's most senior representative in the West Bank, said on Wednesday.
The MA Senate Special Election:
Scott Brown won for a variety of reasons. Coakley ran a horrible campaign. Brown ran a very good (if rather nondescript on the issues) one. The media will try to spin this as a repudiation of progressive ideals, but it's not. Some of the media will try to spin it as endorsement of far right ideals, but it's not that either.
Most of the Democrats who voted for Brown think that the Senate healthcare reform bill is not strong enough (ironic, since now they're more likely than not to get exactly that version of the bill, not something slightly better... unless House Democrats go one further and scuttle the bill entirely). Many of those who thought it would be a good idea to stay home were motivated by the same reasoning. The media will also act as if Obama, not Coakley, was on the ticket, but Obama is still way popular in Massachusetts. Republicans like Brown can stand on such a "do nothing" platform in part because the media gives very little attention to some glaring problems with the status quo.
It's worth remembering that this doesn't really change the state of the legislature that much. The more relevant effect will be on the 2010 primaries. For the Democrats, this contest creates pushes in both directions, so we'll see who's victorious, but expect the Republicans to tack strongly to the right.
538 has a ton of interesting stuff to say: Brown might be the dark horse the Republicans need for 2012 (though isn't he emerging a bit early for that?), Brown may be very influential holding the pivotal most-liberal Republican spot, that this represents the failure of the Democrats strategy of "post-partisanship" (which you'd think would be about painting liberal policies as centrist, but instead is about painting centrist policies as liberal and then having them opposed by Republicans anyways no matter how well they poll), whatever the consequence of the election, it has the potential to be tremendously demoralizing for liberals.
Howard Dean's response is that "the Democrats haven't been tough enough". Brad Hicks echos that sentiment.
WHEW.