DAVID GUILBAULT

YA GOTTA LOVE INGRID

Can anyone listen to and watch Ingrid Michaelson without smiling?

RETURN OF OBSTRUCTIONISM

The New York Times, in its article "Obama Visits Capitol to Press Republicans on Stimulus Plan", quotes President Obama urging legislators to "put politics aside and do the American people's business right now."

"Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the House Republican leader, said after the meeting that significant philosophical differences remained between the president and the Republicans, but they also agreed on several fronts. The mere fact of the meeting, he said, was an early sign of a willingness by the White House to solicit input from all sides. ...

But even before the president stepped into the meeting, Republican leaders in the House asked their members during a closed-door meeting on Tuesday to oppose the recovery plan unless significant adjustments are made before the bill comes up for a vote on Wednesday. ...

“The goal is to seek their input,” Robert Gibbs, a White House spokesman, said of the meetings with Republicans. “He wants to hear their ideas. If there are good ideas — and I think he assumes there will be — we will look at those ideas.”

- Jeff Zeleny, The New York Times

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

When Republicans are in control, in the White House and Congress, they ride roughshod over feckless Democrats.  When the G.O.P. is not in power, they play a partisan game of obstructionism, and cry phony fouls.

As Bob Herbert writes today in his New York Times column, "The Same Old Song", "When the G.O.P. talks, nobody should listen."

"The question that I would like answered is why anyone listens to this crowd anymore. G.O.P. policies have been an absolute backbreaker for the middle class. (Forget the poor. Nobody talks about them anymore, not even the Democrats.) The G.O.P. has successfully engineered a wholesale redistribution of wealth to those already at the top of the income ladder and then, in a remarkable display of chutzpah, dared anyone to talk about class warfare. ...

When the G.O.P. talks, nobody should listen. Republicans have argued, with the collaboration of much of the media, that they could radically cut taxes while simultaneously balancing the federal budget, when, in fact, big income-tax cuts inevitably lead to big budget deficits. We listened to the G.O.P. and what do we have now? A trillion-dollar-plus deficit and an economy in shambles."

- Bob Herbert, The New York Times

SU JOB (1956-2008)

  

Photos:  Neil Lukas

THE LIGHT OF DAY

On his first day on the job, President Barack Obama shined the light of disclosure on government.  He said "For a long time there's been too much secrecy in this city.  Transparency and rule of law will be the touchstones of this presidency... Starting today, every agency and department should know that this admistration stands on the side not of those who seek to withhold information, but those who seek to make it known." 

Already, the 44th president of the United States is making the right moves:  Calling for the closing of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, tightening limits on lobbying, making it easier to get records under the Freedom of Information Act and limiting the use of executive privilege to keep presidential records secret.

Read about his first executive orders and presidential memorandums in The New York Times story, "On Day One, Obama Sets a New Tone".

Photo:  Pete Souza/The White House

FIRST FAMILY

 

OH, HAPPY DAY

Obama is Sworn In as the 44th President

Barack Hussein Obama's Inaugural Address

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Photo:  Doug Mills/The New York Times

EYES ON THE FUTURE

Photo:  Doug Mills/The New York Times

GOING MENTAL

As usual, David Brooks gives a thoughtful and cogent analysis of the financial situation in his column today in The New York Times.

PRIMER ON NEOCONSERVATISM

An interesting viewpoint on the end of the neocons by Jonathan Clarke can be found on the BBC website.

 

BUH, BYE, BUSH

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

PLUMBING THE DUMB

For years, I have lamented the desecration of my revered profession, journalism.  But, I never thought I would ever see it sink (pardon the pun) this low.  Joe Wurzelbacher, 'Joe the Plumber' of McCain campaign fame, is 'reporting' from Israel about the conflict going on in Gaza for Pajamas TV.  Has there ever been a more persistently vocal and annoying stumble-bum to bask in the spotlight of idiocy?

RIDICULOUS & SUBLIME

39:  Jimmy Carter:  Good man, weak president
41:  George H. W. Bush:  Career spy, corporate operative
42:  Bill Clinton:  Good president, weak man
43:  George W. Bush:  Buffoon puppet
44:  Barak Obama: Hope and promise

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy