Enza Anderson, El-Farouk Khaki, Susan Gapka possibilities
Early election contenders, others expected as Kyle Rae leaves seat for grabs
By Kris Scheuer
(Written Dec. 21 for Town Crier.)

Candidates are already lining up at the gates to replace outgoing councillor Kyle Rae.
Rae announced he won’t seek re-election in 2010 and with no incumbent it will be a wide open contest in Toronto Centre-Rosedale.
Here’s an early sneak peak at how the race is shaping up thus far.
Enza Anderson says she is running.
“It’s time for a change,” says Anderson, who has dropped the moniker “the supermodel” for a middle name. “I want to show people Enza Anderson is dead
serious about making change.”
The high profile transgendered local resident has run twice before in 2000 for mayor against Mel Lastman and against Rae in 2003.
As part of Anderson’s 2010 campaign she is using a shovel as her symbol, which is a play on Mayor David Miller’s broom from his 2003 campaign.
The mayor’s broom has been whittled down to a few short straws,”  she says over coffee at Woody’s bar on Church Street where she used to work. “The
shovel cleans up city hall.”One policy she’s advocating for is toll roads on the city¹s boundaries to help fund public transit.
She points out her own accomplishments to illustrate how determined she is to take on this new challenge of becoming a politician.
“I didn’t have any journalism experience when I went for the Metro (newspaper) job. When I went for the banking job, I didn’t have any banking
experience,” says Anderson.
For the past six years, she¹s written a column for Metro newspaper and also works part time as a financial services coordinator at Bank of Montreal.
“Being a councillor is about being able to communicate with people and get things done efficiently,” she says.
While Anderson doesn’t want it to be a focus, her transgendered status is still an issue for some people in Toronto.
“I still get called fagot and queer. People say that the city is so accepting. It isn’t, yet,” she says Dec. 16. “But I meet so many nice people, so that combats it.”
“If you can stand up to hate. You can stand up to anything,” she says.
Candidates can officially start registering Jan. 4 for the Oct. 25 election.
Susan Gapka ran in ward 27 in 2006 and is rumoured to be running in 2010.
She could not be reached for comment.
Chris Phibbs, former executive assistant for Kyle Rae, was considering throwing her hat in the ring but has ruled it out.
“I have though a lot about it,” says Phibbs, who works in Mayor Miller’s office. “I’m not running.”
Mayor Miller has already announced he won’t seek re-election, so Phibbs is considering her career options.
“There’s still a year to go and a lot of work to do. I’m certainly looking around for something new and exciting,” she says Dec. 14.
El-Farouk Khaki was a local federal NDP candidate. He is contemplating a run for council in this ward where he lives and works as a lawyer.
“I was considering it. It’s unlikely I’m going to be (running),”  he says Dec. 14. “I’m not closing the door to the possibility.”

They Greyfalcon was not impressed with the Obama campaign.  Unlike, most pundits, including  many conservative commentators, we do not see this as the “greatest campaign ever”, only a very opportunistic one.   His “eat the rich” message was actually passe, and was only successful because he faced an already discreditted Republican Party and and shabby McCain campaing that actually worked against the best candidate in the field, Sarah Palin.

Here we have a version of a speech that would have launched a campaign that we would have been interested in, regardless of the party.

First and foremost, I want to begin by stating that America is the greatest nation on earth.   No other nation has done more to advance to cause of liberty, justice, and security than this one.  The president’s first responsibility is as  commander and chief.  This responsiblity means that my top priority is to protect the American people from any threat to this nation, to even one of its citizens, will be dealt with the utmost severity.   The United States will not tolerate threats against our allies,  and we proudly accept the fact that we do have a responsibility to stop evil around the world.  That is why I will strengthen our military’s combat capacities by 10% in the first year.  The most important part of our military ’s combat capacity is our fighting men and women, and they will be rewarded for their unprecedented valor. 

 I will not sign a budget that does not include a 19%  increase in pay for enlisted   personnel and a 25% increase in pay for combat service.  Also, every member of our combat force will be given every vehicle, every vest, and bit of medical support before a single dollar will be allocated for anything else.  And any combat team in the field will be protected with the highest level of air support and tactical discretion.    And our intelligence services will be given every resource to provide us with the vital information we need to employ effective responses to threats.  There will be no prosecutions of  anyone who acting under the instructions  of this nation’s directives.  Our people are not the enemy. 

As president, my role is not to save the economy.  That is your job.  I believe that you are still the most innovative people in this world, and I believe in your ability to bring us to even greater heights than we have seen before.   I will not sign a revenue act that does not limit the maximum individual amount of total federal, state, and city liability to 32.99%. No person should ever have to pay more than a third of their income, no matter how much they make.  The time for punishing success is over.  Those who have seen the fruits of their labor and talent flourish are not a problem, they are good, descent people who should not be taken advantage of.  My goal is to have the top marginal rate down to under 25% in five years.  I will insist on a reduction for every income level, because I think that you are better at creating wealth than the government is.   I will veto any tax act that does not include a capital gains tax of  reduction to less than 15%, with the goal of eliminating the tax all together. 

 The revenues generated from the increase in investment will actually increase income tax revenues, even at the reduced rates.  Cooperate taxes will not rise above 25%, with a simplified code that only allows for viable deductions such as capital depreciation.

Regulation is not achieved by having more laws and more rules, it is achieved by having better performance on the part of the regulators.   I reject the notion that our financial predicament is the result of insufficient regulation.  The housing collapse that precipitated the crisis was created more by the government’s artificial propping up housing prices and by distorting Fannie and Freddie’s position with a guarantee to protect it from bad  investments.   I will veto any attempts to use your money to bail out financial institutions that did not establish sound risk management practices. 

JP Morgan Chase did not need bail out money, they were coerced into participation.  I will initiate an executive order releasing any institution from obligations that were imposed by Tarp and the Recovery Act.  Giving failing companies money for their poor performance then dictating terms to them is dealing in bad faith.  It is immoral.  Instead, we will provide reasonable market structural insurance for private and small business acquisitions and purchases of companies that are no longer competitive.  This will simply give you, the hard-working American people a chance to create consortiums to replace these firms.  It’s your turn.

I will appoint justices that base their law on the Constitution.  Yes we must adjudicate from the eyes of a modern world, but without the constitutional foundation then we have no means of  providing equal legal justice.   I will back our nation’s law enforcement, the best and most credible law force in the world.  I call for a 6-9% increase in pay for law enforcement officers.  It is my job to enforce the law, and I will initiate a program to stop violent crime at the source.  The FBI will be given every resource to infiltrate, apprehend, and neutralize violent offenders. 

The nation’s notorious hate groups and militias were brought down by relentless pressure and our ability to make them wonder if they had been compromised.  Violent criminals will be likewise pursues.  All crime is hate crime, I will veto any legislation that creates differential penalties for hurting a member of one group over another.  Instead the Attorney General will be advised to seek that punishments for violent crime be severe, and that the time be severed as it is sentenced.

And if elected, my presidency will not be about me or my popularity, it will be about you.

Up at the top of this blog, you will see a new tab,  ”Follow the Money.”

In politics, it’s important to understand  any special relationships elected officials may have with members of the community. When it comes to local politics, it’s not that hard to achieve a basic understanding.

Prior to my monitoring  Newport News City Council, I have in the past trained to lobby and have spent a good deal of time up at the General Assembly in Richmond.

I have also been heavily involved in Human Rights advocacy over the last several years.

So when, last August, I publicly promised to attend every City Council workshop and meeting, I knew that before  becoming too opinionated, it would be necessary to first do some orientation.

Well, between the forums, and the meetings, and the workshops, and the events, orientation is occuring.

 Amazing, but true. Most elected officials enter politics because they have the best interests of the community at heart.

 But sometimes I can’t understand why an elected official voted a certain way.

Many times, the explanation for a particular vote is as simple as this:  “The developer ( or whomever) wanted something and no citizen came down to oppose the matter, so we let the developer (or whomever) have it.”

But sometimes it’s not that simple.

Beginning today, and hopefully continuing for a long time to come, I will post local elected official’s statements of who donated to them and how they spent that money. I would urge you to check back to watch the project develop.

For the record,  donor information is not being compiled in an attempt to find corruption.  I don’t think there is any. 

If anything, it is my hope the information encourages you to give ten or twenty bucks to a candidate you believe in.

I am starting with Councilman Bateman and Councilwoman Scott.  Why? They are coming up for re-election in 2010.

 Dan Curran

Permalink: http://newportnewspolitics.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/new-project-follow-the-money/

Public Option Creator Backs Bill

Jacob Hacker, the intellectual father of the “public option” — now eliminated from the Senate’s health care reform bill — writes that it would “be tempting for me to side with Howard Dean and other progressive critics who say that health care reform should now be killed. It would be tempting, but it would be wrong.”

First Senator to Primary a Sitting Governor

Ken Rudin predicts the Republican gubernatorial primary in Texas next year pitting Gov. Rick Perry (R) against Sen. Kay Baily Hutchison (R-TX) will be “one for the ages.”

Interestingly, he notes that “never before has a U.S. senator gone home to take on his or her own party’s governor in a primary. As it is, the list of senators elected governor is small; just five have made the move in the past half-century or so: Price Daniel (D-TX) in 1956, Pete Wilson (R-CA) in 1990, Dirk Kempthorne (R-ID) in 1998, Frank Murkowski (R-AK) in 2002, and Jon Corzine (D-NJ) in 2005. But none challenged an incumbent to do so, in a primary or in the general.”

Health Care Bill Gets Bump in Poll

“Support for the health care reform bill that Democrats are pushing through the Senate has risen six points since early December,” according to a new CNN/Opinion Research poll, “and although a majority of Americans still oppose its passage, only four in ten agree with Senate Republicans that the bill is too liberal.”

President Obama’s approval rating also experienced a similar six-point rise.

This poll was conducted Wednesday through Sunday, “as Senate Democrats were negotiating a final health care bill, but before a crucial party-line vote early Monday morning.”

Whitehouse Predicts Day of Judgement

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) took to the Senate floor yesterday to blast Republicans for “the desperate, no-holds-barred mission of propaganda, falsehood, obstruction and fear” over the health care bill.

The video of the speech is definitely worth watching.

Read more…

Just Asking

Now that Democrats have proven they have the votes in the Senate to pass their health care reform bill, why do Republicans still insist on delaying the final vote until Christmas Eve?

The Takedown of a Pollster

Mark Blumenthal takes a year end look at Strategic Vision, the polling firm that failed to document or even defend its polling numbers.

Since Nate Silver accused the firm of fraud, Strategic Vision has not released a single poll.

Blumenthal notes that just last week, Strategic Vision’s David Johnson penned an op-ed for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Georgia politics and the firm “was identified as ‘a public relations and public affairs agency.’ In May, a similar op-ed described it as ‘a public affairs and polling company’ (emphasis added). So perhaps Johnson has decided to get out of the polling business altogether (neither Johnson nor the editors of the Journal-Constitution responded to my requests for comment).”

The entire episode is a good warning for those of us who pay a lot of attention to polls.

Democrats Expect Health Care Bounce

Though they won’t say it publicly, Ben Smith notes the White House at least thinks what Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is saying.

Said Schumer: “When people see what is in this bill and when people see what it does, they will come around. The reason people are negative is not the substance of the bill, but the fears that the opponents have laid out. When those fears don’t materialize, and people see the good in the bill, the numbers are going to go up.”

Former President Bill Clinton told Political Wire the same thing several months ago.

Worst Decade in 50 Years

Pew Research: “As the current decade draws to a close, relatively few Americans have positive things to say about it. By roughly two-to-one, more say they have a generally negative (50%) rather than a generally positive (27%) impression of the past 10 years. This stands in stark contrast to the public’s recollection of other decades in the past half-century. When asked to look back on the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, positive feelings outweigh negative in all cases.”

FDR Had a Deadly Secret

In the mail: FDR’s Deady Secret by Steven Lomazow and Eric Fettmann.

“Franklin Delano Roosevelt knew he suffered from a life-threatening condition that he could not, and did not ever, publicly acknowledge. So in 1940 he began a cover-up that lasted for decades after his death. Until now.”

Pricey Perks

Taxpayers “are spending more than $40,000 per month on office space, staff, cell phones and a leased SUV for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, even as he works as a lobbyist for private corporations and foreign governments,” Politico reports.

“The payments are perfectly legal under a federal law that provides five years of benefits for former speakers — but only if Hastert never makes use of his government-funded perks in the course of his lobbying work. Ethics experts say that sort of separation is hard to maintain.”

Ominously Dysfunctional

Paul Krugman: “Unless some legislator pulls off a last-minute double-cross, health care reform will pass the Senate this week. Count me among those who consider this an awesome achievement. It’s a seriously flawed bill, we’ll spend years if not decades fixing it, but it’s nonetheless a huge step forward. It was, however, a close-run thing. And the fact that it was such a close thing shows that the Senate — and, therefore, the U.S. government as a whole — has become ominously dysfunctional.”

Quote of the Day

“This isn’t about partisanship or procedure. It’s not about politics, and it’s not about polling. It is about people. I cannot look away. I cannot possibly do nothing.”

– Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), quoted by the Las Vegas Sun, just before the health care vote early this morning.

Health Care Bill Clears Key Vote

“Senate Democrats won a milestone victory early Monday in the health-care debate, approving a procedural motion to move the reform legislation to final passage later this week, and without a single vote to spare,” the Washington Post reports.

“The 60-40 tally, taken shortly after 1 a.m., followed 12 hours of acrimonious debate and required senators to trek to the Capitol in the aftermath of a snowstorm.”

Roll Call notes Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) “goal of clearing the bill before Christmas and Republican hopes of derailing passage have combined to force three cloture votes, including late-night and early-morning roll calls, because of Senate rules mandating 30 hours of sequential debate time prior to each cloture vote. At present, the third cloture vote, on the underlying bill, will likely occur Wednesday afternoon, with the vote on final passage set for Christmas Eve night.”

Marc Ambinder: “Let it be said, at 1:15 a.m. ET, that Democratic Party discipline held, that Republicans failed to kill health care reform, that the President now has a strong chance to sign into law an historic, expensive and far-reaching health care reform legislation before his first official State of the Union address in a month from now. The bruising year-long battle has left the Democratic party divided, has expended virtually all of the president’s political capital, and ithe legislation’s fidelity to the goals sketched by candidate Obama are questionable.  “

An Unlikely Friendship

On C-SPAN this morning, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) described his close friendship with President Obama, despite being one of the most conservative members of Congress.

Said Coburn: “I try to write him about every week or two. Write him a note, encourage him. No one has a tougher job than he does… We came into the Senate together, and I just have a lot of admiration for him. I’m 180 degrees from him on policy on most issues. But I think he’s a wonderful man.”

Coburn notes his relationship with Obama is “by far” much closer than he has with former President George W. Bush.

Read more…

Pass the Bill

Paul Krugman: “A message to progressives: By all means, hang Senator Joe Lieberman in effigy. Declare that you’re disappointed in and/or disgusted with President Obama. Demand a change in Senate rules that, combined with the Republican strategy of total obstructionism, are in the process of making America ungovernable. But meanwhile, pass the health care bill.”

“With all its flaws, the Senate health bill would be the biggest expansion of the social safety net since Medicare, greatly improving the lives of millions. Getting this bill would be much, much better than watching health care reform fail.”

Did Perry Promise Not to Run?

Some interesting behind-the-scenes from the Republican gubernatorial race in Texas: Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s (R-TX) campaign manager accused Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) of breaking a promise not to run for re-election, the Dallas Morning News reports.

Said Terry Sullivan: “He ran around scared for his political hide four years ago. They went around and told people to talk her into not running, that next time would be her time. He broke his word.”

Barbour May Have a Huckabee Problem

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R), considered to be a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2012, may have a bigger problem with granting pardons than Mike Huckabee (R), his potential rival who has been taking a beating for weeks on the issue.

Slate notes Barbour “has simultaneously ignored increasing evidence that there may be a disturbingly high number of innocent people in prison in Mississippi and handed out pardons to the convicted murderers who just happen to do work on his house.”

Top Political Stories of the Decade

Marc Cooper of the USC Annenberg School makes his picks:

1. The unconventional election process of 2000
2. The attack on the Twin Towers, September 11, 2001
3. The invasion of Afghanistan, 2001
4. The invasion of Iraq, 2003
5. The introduction of torture techniques as official American policy
6. The unprecedented expansion of executive power
7. Hurricane Katrina
8. The election of Barack Obama
9. The global financial crisis of 2008-2009
10. The media revolution

What do you think? Nominate your own stories in the comments.

Trafficant Gears Up

At a news conference yesterday, it sure sounded like ex-convict and former Rep. Jim Traficant (D) — who called himself “a bitter man” — is running for Congress again. He also says he’s got a book and movie deal in the works.

The video of the event does not disappoint.

Read more…

Quote of the Day

“We’re not here to husband our poll numbers like a trophy on a shelf.”

– White House adviser David Axelrod, quoted by The Nation, when asked about President Obama’s falling approval rate.

Specter Deadlocked with Toomey

A new Quinnipiac poll in Pennsylvania finds Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) and challenger Pat Toomey (R) are tied, 44% to 44%, in next year’s U.S. Senate race.

Said pollster Peter Brown: “Specter has the state’s Democratic registration advantage on his side, while Toomey can take heart in the numbers that show problems for Specter in measures in addition to the horse race. For example, voters say 50% to 38% he does not deserve reelection.”

In the Democratic primary, Specter holds a commanding 53% to 30% lead over Rep. Joe Sestak (D).

Franken Objects to Lieberman

C-SPAN cameras caught an odd but revealing moment on the floor of the U.S. Senate this afternoon: Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) objected to Sen. Joe Lieberman’s (I-CT) request for an extra minute to finish his speech.

Read more…

Rubio Pulls Within Single Digits

A new Zogby poll in Florida shows Gov. Charlie Crist (R) with a 9-point lead over Republican primary rival Marco Rubio (R), 45% to 36%.

A Rasmussen poll earlier this week showed the race tied.

DeMint Plans to Force Christmas Eve Vote

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) said he “is prepared to use every procedural tool to delay a vote on the Democratic health care legislation,” The Hill reports.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “is planning to schedule votes around the clock over the next week to meet a deadline of passing the bill by Christmas. Without the cooperation of Republicans, the marathon schedule would end with a vote on Christmas Eve.”

Politico notes that if the Senate “has any hope of passing the health care bill before Chiristmas, lawmakers will need to cast votes in the dead of night and early in the morning next week.. The Senate would essentially stay in session 24 hours a day next week to burn the clock on procedural rules that require a 30-hour break between votes.”

Quote of the Day

“Take it from someone who knows: these chances don’t come around every day. Allowing this effort to fall short now would be a colossal blunder — both politically for our party and, far more important, for the physical, fiscal, and economic health of our country.”

– Bill Clinton, in a statement backing the current health care reform bill.

Revisiting Clinton vs. Starr

Politico looks at The Death of American Virtue: Clinton vs. Starr by Ken Gormley and calls it “the first definitive history of the Clinton scandal” but notes “neither man can be completely happy about his portrayal in its pages.”

The book “asserts that Clinton had yet another extramarital affair, with Susan McDougal of Whitewater fame. Also in the book, Monica Lewinsky tells author Ken Gormley that she believes the president lied under oath when he described their encounters.”

“At the same time, Gormley offers a harsh portrait of Starr as a man out of his depth and who lost all sense of proportion. His interviews offer new ammunition to critics who contend the Lewinsky investigation was marred at its outset by improper questioning of Lewinsky in January 1998 by Starr’s lieutenants, who continued to grill her even after she asked for a lawyer.”

I am not one to rant. My blog is me, I am my blog etc. etc. but please everyone, as an industry we can do better than ‘New Year, New Career’ job adverts can’t we? I know it’s tough to write original copy for a decent job ad, you only need to read some of mine in the past to realise how tough I find it to0.

But please, please stop.

You know who you are, don’t make me list all the ads I find here… Get creative, think like a candidate, you WILL get the benefits and it is the originality that will be rewarded.

Rant over. Normal service will return.

If you liked this blog (The Human Face of Recruitment) then you can could have voted for it at the UK Recruiter blog of 2009 competition but it’s closed and I didn’t win – watch this space for the 2010 awards!

To talk more about this or any other people related topic contact Martin Dangerfield either on 0161 955 3647 or email martin.dangerfield@mckinleyresource.com.  As well as being a Regional Director for the IRP, Martin is Director of the innovative search business mckinley|resource, a freelance people consultant specialising in talent attraction, assessment and recruitment and a provider of business coaching for high growth entrepreneurial organisations.

Search for ‘People Consultant’ or go straight to www.martindangerfield.com

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a very

Happy New Year from everyone at Technical Moves

It never ceases to amaze me that some job seekers still shun LinkedIn… they receive my usual explanation that it’s being used by Agency Recruiters and Hiring Companies to find candidates and still they’ll dismiss it.

So some interesting facts from LinkedIn :

• LinkedIn has over 53 million members in over 200 countries and territories around the world.
• A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second and about half of members are outside the U.S.
• Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members.

That is a vital talent pool just ripe for the taking and it means that having a well presented profile, with recommendations, should be a vital part of any job search.

LinkedIn know that search is an important part of their offering and have rebuilt their people search platform – since release this has doubled the search activity on LinkedIn.  More here.

If you’re serious about finding a job, get on LinkedIn, get connected with old colleagues and contacts, and get involved. Join groups, answer questions and build your personal brand.

Who knows where it could lead.

Congratulations to the voters of Wakefield, Massachusetts. One in four of you came out to vote in the recent special primary election to choose Teddy Kennedy’s successor in the US Senate. Wakefield’s 26 percent participation was nearly double the statewide turnout of 14 percent.

Somewhere, the Founding Fathers must be beaming with pride.

In the past, I’ve vocally decried voter apathy. I’ve done my share of railing against low voter turnout in elections and poor attendance at Town Meeting. But now, I think I’m beginning to understand voter indifference, at least as it relates to the recent Special Senate Primary.

On the Republican side, there was essentially no race, a reality borne out by the fact that Scott Brown defeated Jack E. Robinson by a nearly 9-1 margin state wide. So a lack of interest in the Republican primary was easy to understand.

But in a heavily Democratic state, with four Democrats vying to fill the Senate seat of a party legend, how do you explain a dismal turnout of under 15 percent? Sure, Martha Coakley was the odds-on favorite, but her three opponents were investing huge amounts of time, money and advertising in a campaign to counter the impression that Coakley was the presumptive Democratic candidate.

Everyone knows that Massachusetts is a Democratic state. It’s even safe to say that it’s a liberal Democratic state. But just how left-wing are mainstream Democrats and unenrolled voters eligible to vote in Massachusetts Democratic primary elections?

It seemed that during the Democratic primary campaign Martha Coakley, Mike Capuano, Steve Pagliuca and Alan Khazei were jockeying for the left-most positions on a host of issues. In so doing, I believe that the Gang of Four drifted beyond the territory occupied by mainstream Massachusetts Democrats.

The state has its share of moonbats, there’s no question. Mike Capuano even brought in Nancy Pelosi to appease that constituency. But I doubt that the mass of regular Democrats, even in Massachusetts, were much impressed with the San Francisco Speaker’s endorsement of Capuano. It certainly didn’t bring him within striking distance of frontrunner Coakley.

I come from a long line of Democrats. My Irish and Italian immigrant forbears became American citizens and enrolled in the Democratic Party because Democrats were “for the working people.” But among the candidates in the recent Senate primary, I didn’t see a lot of working class values that my Democrat parents and grandparents would have recognized. Would earlier generations of Democrats who once proudly cast their votes for FDR, Harry Truman and JFK even recognize the Democratic Party of Coakley, Capuano, Khazei and Pagliuca?

I voted in the recent Democratic Primary, but I didn’t vote for any of the candidates on the ballot. I wrote in the name of a well-known local Democrat who is not presently holding office. I won’t name him – I wouldn’t want to destroy his chances in case he ever decides to run for local office again.

Memo to the state Democratic Party: even here in the Peoples’ Republic of Massachusetts, not everyone is to the left of Lenin. Even in Massachusetts, there are still moderate and even conservative Democrats. In the recent Senate Primary, those voters had nowhere to go. So they stayed home.

[This column originally appeared in the December 17, 2009 Wakefield Daily Item.]

Is Another Wave Coming?

Josh Kraushaar: “Here’s a statistic from the new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll that should send shivers down the spines of Congressional incumbents: only 38% of voters said they feel their representative should be re-elected, while nearly half (49%) believe it’s time to give a new person a chance.”

That’s even worse than right before the 2006 election that swept Democrats in control of the House and worse than right before the 1994 election that gave Republican control.

Traficant Mulls Comeback

“Beamed out of Congress and imprisoned seven years ago following his conviction on federal corruption charges, ex-Rep. Jim Traficant (D-OH) is weighing a political comeback,” reports CQ Politics.

“Traficant, who was widely known during his House tenure (1985-2002) for his bombastic populism and for his signature ‘Beam me up!’ expression of indignation against the government, said at a press conference Thursday that he would distribute nominating petitions in three congressional districts to gauge support for a 2010 House bid.”

Said Traficant: “I will assess my strengths and make a determination probably by the end of January.”

Tea Partiers Getting More Sophisticated

Slate notes that the tea partiers, “the group of mad-as-hell, not-gonna-take-it-anymore protesters who want nothing more than for government to get out of their lives and for Glenn Beck to fill the hole,” are beginning to exert more influence on Capitol Hill in the health care debate.

“For one thing, Republicans are increasingly trying to associate themselves with the movement. For another, more Democrats seem willing to hear them out.”

Hunter Claims Edwards is Father of Child

RadarOnline.com has published legal documents that show for the first time that Rielle Hunter claims John Edwards is the father of her child and which detail the money battle between the two as she seeks more than $17,000 per month from him in child support.

Obama Message Not Exclusive to Wrestling Show

To emphasize they are not inadvertently helping Republican Linda McMahon’s U.S. Senate race in Connecticut — she’s the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment — the Hartford Courant reports the White House says President Obama “did not tape a greeting to be aired exclusively on a wrestling program… Instead, the president taped a general greeting that was made available to multiple outlets who wanted to air it. The script contains a generic message of gratitude to the troops, it does not mention the WWE.”

Axelrod Defends Health Care Bill

On MSNBC, White House advisor David Axelod responded to progressives who believe that they should kill the health care bill now.

Said Axelrod: “I think it would be a tragic, tragic outcome. We’re on the verge of something that would make an enormously positive difference for people. And it is — I guess if you’re hale and hearty and you have insurance, it’s fine to say, kill this bill. Or if you have a good relationship — you’re healthy and you have a good relationship with your insurance company.”

“But if you’re a person with a preexisting medical condition or if you’re a small business person and you can’t get insurance for your employees, or if you’re someone in the single market, in other words, not through your employer and you’re paying a huge premium to get insurance now or you can’t afford it, I don’t think that you want this moment to pass. It will not come back again.”

Read more…

Carnahan Holds Slight Edge in Missouri

A new Rasmussen Reports survey in Missouri finds Robin Carnahan (D) leading Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO) in their race for U.S. Senate, 46% to 44%.

Another Look at Election 2008

Matt Forrest, an undergraduate student at UW-Madison, sends over a very interesting Election 2008 map that shows vote tallies as proportional symbols and coloring the symbols based on the margin of victory in that county.

Brown Leads for California Governor

A new Public Policy Institute of California survey finds Jerry Brown (D) leading all three potential Republican rivals in California’s race for governor.

Brown beats Meg Whitman (R), 43% to 37%, tops Tom Campbell (R), 46% to 34%, and beats Steve Poizner (R), 47% to 31%.

In the Republican primary, Whitman leads with 32%, followed by Campbell at 12% and Poizner at 8%.

Blacking Out McCain?

On a beach vacation in Hawaii, TMZ notes Sarah Palin sported a visor from the 2008 presidential campaign but apparently tried to cover up its “McCain for President” logo with black marker.

Support for Democrats Falls

“Less than a year after Inauguration Day, support for the Democratic Party continues to slump, amid a difficult economy and a wave of public discontent,” according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

Key findings: “For the first time, less than half of Americans approved of the job President Barack Obama was doing, marking a steeper first-year fall for this president than his recent predecessors. Also for the first time this year, the electorate was split when asked which party it wanted to see in charge after the 2010 elections. For months, a clear plurality favored Democratic control.”

Corbett Holds Solid Leads in Pennsylvania

A new Quinnipiac poll in Pennsylvania finds Tom Corbett (R) with a big lead over Jim Gerlach (R) for the Republican nomination for governor and holds double-digit leads over the top candidates in the wide-open race for the Democratic nomination.

Corbett leads Dan Onorato (D), 45% to 30%, and tops Jack Wagner (D), 43% to 33%.

Today was the much-anticipated debate between the five parties. While declaring a particular winner may be seen as bias, the parties clearly showed their colors today.

The distinctive personalities of the candidates pushed some of the parties into a much higher contention for the election. There still may be no point to all of this – as seen in the previous post to the loyalty of party members – but with a few candidates clearly showing a stronger approach. (In some cases ’stronger’ may also be considered a synonym for coherent, intelligent, or serious.)

For a personal opinion moment, I would rate the victors of this debate:

1. Earth

With a clearly thought out approach to policy, their candidate made the most obvious effort to answer the questions and also present herself as smart and policy positive. There were a few minor stumbles, but overall a very good effort to create a broad appeal while sticking to policy.

2. League/Red

While the League attempted stay on track, and even portrayed what may be the most sincere version of an off-beat party and platform, their candidate had difficulty answering some policy questions. Props to him though, since he has a talent for moving past questions that could negatively impact the view of his party.

The Red Scare did exactly what it set out to. It scared. (Their candidate even explained that as their purpose.) TRS’s candidate is a strong speaker, but has issue balancing this with the stronger policy as well as intelligibly abating certain issues the voters may have with the extreme platform. This was and is the problem for TRS. With Communism’s negative history, and this party’s extreme views (New Siberia, anyone?), it is unlikely that even what was a good argumentative style for the candidate will attract any new voters.

3. Pro/Gold -

The Pro Party doesn’t appear to have many issues, which may be the issue. At the very end of the debate, specifically the closing remarks, their candidate finally began to touch on party specific interests that may have opened up their appeal. However, the candidate did little talking during a moderately argumentative debate. A weakness that perhaps should be looked into. You can’t attract voters if they have no idea who you are.

The Gold Party knows how to stay on message, but their message doesn’t seem to be taken too seriously by voters. They appear much too enamored by their own cleverness to win any new votes – although they may win some if people decide to vote ’silly.’ The Gold Party appears to be an organized equivalent to the common attempt to elect Mickey Mouse.

There will be a longer piece on the debate to come later, for now readers, answer this: What are your opinions on the winners of this debate?

Comment on this post, and score them as I did, or just declare a winner. Please though, if you do list them, like this reporter did, star the party you are a part of.

Obama Calls New Houston Mayor

The voice mail message apparently left by President Obama for Houston Mayor-elect Annise Parker has made its way to the Internet.

Read more…

Schumer Uses the B-Word

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) “got busted” for referring to a female flight attendant as a “bitch” aboard a shuttle flight to Washington, D.C., the New York Daily Newsreports.

“Schumer was sitting next to protege Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, gabbing away on his phone, when a flight attendant told him to shut it down. Schumer argued, and lost. He then muttered his complaint about the flight attendant to Gillibrand.”

Said Schumer’s spokesman: “The senator made an off-the-cuff comment under his breath that he shouldn’t have made, and he regrets it.”

Quote of the Day

“Our Democratic friends are about to walk off a political cliff here.”

– Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), quoted by the New York Times, on trying to pass health care reform without any Republican support.

Burr Leads But Still Vulnerable

A new Civitas poll in North Carolina finds Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) leading potential challenger Elaine Marshall (D) by eight points, 40% to 32%, with 28% still undecided.

However, despite Burr’s current lead, “the Senate race remains one that could become competitive. When voters were asked generically if they would vote for the Democratic or Republican candidate for US Senate, Democrats held a one point lead (40% to 39%).”

Public Policy Polling: “Burr’s poll numbers this month are the worst they’ve been since June, and it’s increasingly clear he’s the most vulnerable Republican Senator in the country up for reelection next year.”

The Power of Pelosi

Time runs a must-read profile of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and “how she made her way from stay-at-home mom to the Speaker’s chair, how she operates with a pragmatism that is at odds with her liberal image, and how she has wielded her power to push through every major item on the Obama agenda this year.”

As I’ve said many times before, she may be the most underrated and most powerful politicians of our generation.

Obama Will Appear on Pro Wrestling Show

President Obama has agreed to deliver a taped holiday message to the troops on NBC’s “WWE Tribute to the Troops” special, TV Week reports.

Nader Still Talking About Senate Bid

In an interview with the Daily Princetonian, Ralph Nader says he is considering a run against Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT).

“Should he decide to run for Dodd’s seat, Nader said he plans to focus on the same issues that he did in his 2008 presidential campaign, including corporate crime, clean elections, single-payer health insurance, faster transitions to renewable energy, community health clinics and more farmer-to-consumer markets.”

Dean Rips Health Care Bill

In an interview on ABC News, Howard Dean stepped up his attacks on the Senate health care bill urging Democrats to start over using the budget reconciliation process that requires only 51 votes to pass.

Said Dean: “This is a bigger bailout for the insurance industry than AIG. Very small number of people will get insurance, if at all, until 2014.”

“This is the insurance companies’ dream, this bill,” Dean added.

The Note: “For the record, the White House position on health care is far closer to Joe Lieberman’s than Howard Dean’s. Yes, only one of them gets a vote. But only one of them is a Democrat, too.”

Person of the Year

Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” is Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke, “the most powerful, least understood government force shaping our lives.”

Lieberman May Run Again as a Republican

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) said that he would not rule out running for re-election in 2012 as a Republican, CNN reports.

Said Lieberman: “I like being an independent, so that’s definitely a possibility. But I’d say all options are open.”

Tomatoes Removed for Palin

The Salt Lake City Costco removed all tomatoes from the store before a Sarah Palin book signing, reports the Salt Lake Tribune.

“It turns out that Palin had been pelted with a tomato at an earlier stop on her book tour and the management at the Costco was determined it wouldn’t happen here.”

Crist, Rubio Now Tied in Florida

A new Rasmussen Reports survey finds Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) and Marco Rubio (R) tied in their Republican primary race for the U.S. Senate.

Crist and Rubio each get 43% of the vote, with 5% prefering another candidate, and 9% undecided.

More like him, please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP2p91dvm6M&feature=PlayList&p=A0B1AE9AB4598977&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=60

He just appeared on Sean Hannity last night. Here’s his website.

–

McCain Holds Big Lead Over Hayworth

According to a new Tarrance Group poll, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) leads possible challenger J.D. Hayworth (R) by a margin of 56% to 36%.

A poll released last month found the race a dead heat.

McCain has recently raised his partisan profile, vigorously opposing President Obama and sharply attacking the health care bill. Perhaps his angrier approach is helping him among Republican primary voters.

Dean Urges Senate to Kill Health Care Bill

In an interview on Vermont Public Radio, former DNC Chairman Howard Dean urged the Senate to reject the health care reform bill now that it has no Medicare buy-in provision.

Said Dean: “This is essentially the collapse of health care reform in the United States Senate. Honestly the best thing to do right now is kill the Senate bill, go back to the House, start the reconciliation process, where you only need 51 votes and it would be a much simpler bill.”

DeLauro Wants Lieberman Recalled

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) said that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) “should be recalled from office over his opposition to the Senate health care bill,” Politico reports.

Said DeLauro: “No individual should hold health care hostage, including Joe Lieberman, and I’ll say it flat out, I think he ought to be recalled.”

Of course, the U.S. Constitution does not authorize states to recall members of Congress.

Schwarzenegger Blasts Palin

In an interview with the Financial Times, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) questioned Sarah Palin’s motivation criticizing cap-and-trade legislation and doubting the link between man-made activities and global warming.

Said Schwarzenegger: “You have to ask: what was she trying to accomplish? Is she really interested in this subject or is she interested in her career and in winning the [Republican] nomination [for president]? You have to take all these things with a grain of salt.”

Herseth Sandlin in for Tough Fight

A new Public Policy Polling survey finds Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) “looking at her toughest fight for reelection since 2004 next year despite the fact that she herself is pretty popular.”

Herseth Sandlin leads Secretary of State Chris Nelson (R), 46% to 39%, “but that’s a close margin given that Nelson is an unknown to 59% of voters in the state.”

Analysis: “Herseth Sandlin’s standing is a good microcosm of the difficulties Democrats face this year in Republican areas. Even though she is personally popular and did vote against the health care bill, she still only has a single digit lead against a relatively unknown opponent.”

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

“You know, again, we are entitled to our own opinions. We’re not entitled to our own facts.”

– Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), quoted by Politico, criticizing Sen. John Thune (R-SD) for his failure to say when benefits to the proposed health care bill would become effective.

United GOP Says “No”

The Hill reports that GOP opposition has solidified against the administration’s agenda, noting that House Republicans voted unanimously against all three major Democratic bills in December.

While the House has passed an omnibus spending bill, estate tax cut extender and financial regulatory reform measures since the beginning of the month, “not one Republican backed any of the measures.”

Why Liberals Should Back the Health Care Bill

Ezra Klein: “On its own terms, the bill is the largest social policy achievement since the Great Society. It will save a lot of lives and prevent a lot of suffering. But moving forward, it also makes future improvements and expansions easier. A lot of the hard work of health-care reform — in particular, the money for subsidies — will finish this year. If reformers want to come back for the public option or more subsidies in a future year, they won’t be doing it atop a $900 billion price tag that’s being battered by tea parties and industry and everyone else. This bill doesn’t have all the good stuff it should have, but reformers can stop fighting for what good stuff it does have and concentrate more intently on what good stuff is left to achieve.”

Nate Silver: “For any ‘progressive’ who is concerned about the inequality of wealth, income and opportunity in America, this bill would be an absolutely monumental achievement. The more compelling critique, rather, is that the bill would fail to significantly ‘bend the cost curve’. I don’t dismiss that criticism at all, and certainly the insertion of a public option would have helped at the margins. But fundamentally, that is a critique that would traditionally be associated with the conservative side of the debate, as it ultimately goes to mounting deficits in the wake of expanded government entitlements.”

Jonathan Cohn: “Disappointed progressives may be wondering whether their efforts were a waste. They most decidedly were not. The campaign for the public option pushed the entire debate to the left — and, to use a military metaphor, it diverted enemy fire away from the rest of the bill. If Lieberman and his allies didn’t have the public option to attack, they would have tried to gut the subsidies, the exchanges, or some other key element. They would have hacked away at the bill, until it left more people uninsured and more people under-insured. The public option is the reason that didn’t happen.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

“If people want to use that politically, they will and if it’s not that, it’ll be something else. Politics is a brutal game and if you go into it, you clearly understand that everything is out there.”

– Mike Huckabee, quoted by the Seattle Times, on “the backlash he’s received from commuting the sentence of a man who later gunned down four police officers.”

Time For Obama to Get Angry?

First Read: “If there is one thing that both yesterday’s meeting with the bankers and today’s meeting with Senate Democrats have in common, it’s that they’re situations where some might argue that it’s time for the cool, calm, collected Obama to, well, lose his cool a bit. Of course, it’s only worth getting angry if you can follow it up with a tangible punishment. What’s the tangible punishment, for instance, with Lieberman? The Democrats and the White House have no margin of error on health care; they just don’t have the handful of Republicans they need to simply ignore Lieberman or Nebraska’s Ben Nelson. It certainly appears that Lieberman is getting everything he wants, which is causing a HUGE revolt of sorts on the left.”

As Markos Moulitsas tweeted last night: “Insurance companies win. Time to kill this monstrosity coming out of the Senate… They’re still trying to stick us with the mandate, right? Another government bailout of a broken industry.”

Senate Democrats are scheduled to meet with Obama this afternoon and the message, according to Politico, is reportedly, “It’s now or never to pass health reform.”

Biden Predicts Lieberman Will Back Health Care Bill

Vice President Joe Biden said that he’s “confident” that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) will vote for health care reform, The Hill reports.

Explained Biden: “There’s an awful lot of gamesmanship going on right now. This is the norm rather than the exception.”

Thompson Could Beat Gillibrand in Primary

A new Quinnipiac poll in New York finds that if New York City Comptroller William Thompson (D) challenged Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in a primary, he would beat her 41% to 28%.

Said pollster Maurice Carroll: “If New York City Comptroller Bill Thompson can raise some money and get in the race, he has a double-digit lead over rookie U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. But Giuliani, who is pondering a Senate race, tops both of them.”

Edwards Visit to Campaign Donor Raises Questions

With John Edwards under investigation by a federal grand jury, “two former prosecutors say a trip he made to the home of a wealthy supporter — and possible witness — could raise legal questions,” according to the Charlotte Observer.

On Friday, WRAL-TV showed Edwards “walking off a plane belonging to Rachel ‘Bunny’ Mellon, a wealthy heiress who supported the former Democrat’s presidential candidate’s campaign. Flight records showed the plane flew… to the private airstrip at Mellon’s northern Virginia home.”

A grand jury is investigating whether Edwards used campaign money to cover up an affair with mistress Rielle Hunter. A former aide claims Mellon paid some of Hunter’s bills and the Edwards trip raises questions of possible witness tampering.

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Business Journal looks into a National Enquirer report that Edwards purchased a home for his former mistress in North Carolina.

Quote of the Day

“My wife said to me, ‘Why do you always end up being the point person here?’”

– Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), “flashing a broad grin” in an interview with the New York Times, on being the deciding vote on health care reform.

Paterson Climbs Back Up

A new Quinnipiac poll in New York mirrors the finding in yesterday’s Siena poll thatfound Gov. David Paterson (D) slowly improving his standing with voters. Paterson’s approval rate is now 40%, up from 30% in October.

However, Andrew Cuomo (D) still leads Paterson, 60% to 23%, in a possible Democratic primary race for governor.

Senate Democrats Cave to Lieberman Demands

Senate Democrats “emerged from a special caucus meeting Monday night determined to pass a health-care bill by Christmas — but without the Medicare buy-in plan that liberals had sought as an alternative to a government insurance option,” the Washington Post reports.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg notes Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman on the Senate health committee, said he would be willing to drop a “public option” government insurance program to win passage of a health-care overhaul.

Said Harkin: “This bill, without public option, without Medicare buy-in, is a giant step forward toward transforming American health care. That’s reality, there is enough good stuff in that bill that we should move ahead with it.”

Missing Bush White House Emails Found

The AP reports computer technicians “have found 22 million missing White House e-mails from the administration of President George W. Bush, according to two groups that are settling lawsuits they filed over the failure by the Bush White House to install an electronic record keeping system.”

Democrats Regain Edge in Congressional Ballot

The latest Gallup generic congressional ballot finds Democrats have regained the slim edge they enjoyed earlier this year over Republicans for the 2010 House elections, 48% to 45%.

In the November poll, Republicans were ahead by four points. The major cause of the movement between the two polls is the changing preferences of independents.

A PPP poll released earlier today found Democrats barely holding their lead.

What a Difference Three Months Makes

Greg Sargent found a Connecticut Post video of a September interview with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) in which he endorsed a more robust Medicare buy-in proposal than the one in the Senate bill he’s now threatened to filibuster.

Read more…

Leave Your Blackberry

A White House video notes President Obama’s restriction on using a Blackberry during meetings with the president. Instead, they must be left in a basket by the door.

Interesting to note: A CNN frame capture from the video shows that U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice carries three of them.

Read more…

Harkin Wants to End Filibuster

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) is considering reintroducing legislation to do away with the filibuster, according to the Hawk Eye.

Said Harkin: “I think, if anything, this health care debate is showing the dangers of unlimited filibuster.”

When Harkin first introduced the legislation in 1995, it was cosponsored by Sen. Joe Lieberman — who is now threatening to filibuster health care reform.

RNC Doubles Down on Obstruction

The Republican National Committee “will launch a round of national radio ads touting the party’s efforts to stand in the way of health care reform,” reports The Hotline.

The 6-figure ad buy, hitting the airwaves Wednesday, features RNC Chairman Michael Steele “arguing the GOP is blocking new entitlement programs that will hike costs.”

Last week, Steele released a memo urging Republicans to “spend every bit of capital and energy you have to stop this health care reform.”

I didn’t write this, but i found it, and found it interesting, and figured you would also. enjoy………..

The name is Bond... Lord Bond

Becoming Bond

So many are speaking of what they want or can bring to make the James Bond character better. Or how they can make him ‘black/color appropriate’. In my opinion they all are going about it the wrong way.

James Bond isn’t a color. James Bond is a representation of a ‘real man’. He dresses properly. He speaks properly. He acts properly. He knows how and when to do and be. There is no facade, no mask. Its simply Bond, James Bond.

There is no flash. There is no glitzy glam. There is no ‘I am good and better’ attitude. Its all simply known. A wealthy man doesn’t walk around shouting ‘I am rich! I am rich!’. Everyone just knows when he walks into a room or gets into his car or opens his mouth to order his dinner at the restaurant.

James Bond isn’t about a ’swagger’, or a certain ‘flavor’. All that slang and lack of culture are so far from what Ian Flemming wanted James Bond to be.

As a man, LORD TOPH possesses all the qualities needed, proper speech, dress, and actions in his daily life. LORD TOPH isn’t a black rapper or black actor trying to bring ‘hip hop’ and ‘pro black’ to the entertainment industry. There is plenty of that invading everyone’s lives as it is.

LORD TOPH is a classic man, with values and talent out of this world. These other first black James Bond candidates have nothing of interest or consequence to bring forward. They have nothing but their ‘bling’ and slang. Its time for them to be moved aside for the real men, the real man, LORD TOPH.

Most of us in the recruiting field realize that our jobs have become quite monotonous. Doing the same thing for several years can take a serious toll on one’s ability to think, perform and excel. Nevertheless, there is one silver lining to this gamut and that is the candidates that you and I come across each day. I have realized time and again that coming across interesting candidates is what keeps me going day after day. Here is an example: I came across a candidate just recently who was a recruiter – a top notch recruiter for the US Army for about 20 years. He did very well being a recruiter and was named one of the best Army Recruiter in the country. After retiring from the military, he turned his career and life around 180 degrees in ways that I was both amazed and impressed. He started his new professional life in IT, something entirely different that what he was doing for the past 20 years. Today, he works for the largest software company in the world and is well sought after for projects in his field. I think it takes a lot of courage and commitment to turn around your life this way. To me his is an ultimate example of commitment and will power. There are others that I have come across, who have done remarkable work in their fields like writing algorithms for the missile defense system, writing books and playing an important role during the cold war etc. But one common denominator with all these candidates is that they all love to share their experiences and knowledge with others who are interested in knowing more about them. They are storytellers in a way, coming from a wide variety of backgrounds; bringing with them a very unique set of skills and stories from their past. While talking to these candidates, you sometimes drift away from the recruiting process to your own benefit – in establishing a better working relationship with these candidates and at the same time learning about things that you wouldn’t have otherwise. And I think that’s what keep us going as as recruiters in this recruiting life!

If you are an employer checking a candidate’s “right to work” can be an administrative nightmare and in some cases, evoke fears of discrimination.

The law on the prevention of illegal migrant working is set out in the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. It states it is a criminal offence to employ a person aged 16 or over who is subject to immigration control and has no permission to work in the UK or who works for a company in breach of their conditions to stay here.

The act requires all employers in the UK to undertake basic document checks and to retain copies of original documents for every person they intend to employ. Failure to comply could lead to a fine of up to £10,000. For those employers knowingly employing a migrant who is not permitted to work, a resulting conviction could lead to up to two years imprisonment.

For migrant workers with limited leave to be in the UK, the document checks must be repeated at least once every 12 months until they produce a document that shows they can remain permanently in the UK. 

If a potential employee is from one of the EU accession states, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia or Slovenia, they are classified as A8 workers and it is up to the employer to check that they are registered with the Worker Registration Scheme. If they have not registered they must do so with the UK Border Agency no later than one month after beginning employment. It is recommended that the employer keep a copy of the application form until they receive notification from the UK Border Agency that the worker is registered.

Potential employees from Romania and Bulgaria, are called A2 workers and different rules apply. They will not require a visa but may need “Accession Worker Authorisation” from the Home Office and the employer may also need to apply for a work permit. These must be authorised, seen and copied by the employer before the employee starts work in order to establish a defense against prosecution. It is advised to get a copy of the exemption certificate, if they do not need authorisation.

All copies of original documents must be stored for the duration of the staff member’s employment plus another 2 years.  To ensure compliance it is important your recruiters have clear policies in place, that these checks are backed up, perhaps by HR, and that documents are attained before the commencement of employment and if required, annual checks are completed.

If you have many employees this could be a compliance nightmare!

To make life easier Winning Impression’s partner, Youcomply, offer a software solution which would ensure that your company was process compliant, effectively insuring you against litigation. In fact, it can be used in any situation where complying with a process is essential.

For more on Youcomply click here…

Bonus Quote of the Day

“There has to be a certain decorum and civility. And that was just smashed. I thought, ‘How low have we gotten here?’”

– Former President George H.W. Bush, in an interview with Parade, noting he was “deeply offended” by Rep. Joe Wilson’s (R-SC) outburst during President Obama’s September speech to Congress.

Too Close for Comfort?

With another Democrat announcing his retirement today, the updated Cook Political Report race ratings show Democrats have just 218 seats in the “Likely Democrat” and “Solid Democrat” columns — exactly the number they need to retain control of the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, The Hotline notes Democratic leaders “will meet tonight to discuss the troubling trend of retiring members.”

Armey Likes Pawlenty, Barbour

Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) told CBS News that while there is “no consensus” on who is leading the Republican Party right now, he sees Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) as “becoming emergent.”

Said Armey: “I think there are people vying and becoming emergent as who can be the most effective voice. My own view is that Pawlenty is the person standing on the safest ground. He has no major disappointments behind him. He has the chance to create a fresh new public understanding of who he is and what he stands for. Right now you have to put him there… Haley Barbour is a person with an extremely solid track record of performance who can stand on that ground comfortably.”

Congressional Democrats as Unpopular as Republicans

The latest Public Policy Polling survey finds Democrats barely holding on to a lead in the generic congressional ballot test, 44% to 42%.

Key findings: 59% of voters now disapprove of Congressional Democrats compared to just 28% who think they’re doing a good job. The Republicans are still slightly more unpopular, with 61% disapproving and 24% approving.

Another Vulnerable House Democrat Retires

The Nashville Post reports that Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN) has announced that he will retire from Congress at the end of this term.

The Hotline: “Gordon leaves open a seat Dems could have trouble defending. Sen. John McCain won the district in ‘08 by a 62%-37% margin, and national GOPers instantly characterized it as a lean-GOP seat that is likely to eventually fall into their hands”

Update: The Cook Political Report moves TN-6 from Lean Democrat to Likely Republican.

Giannoulias, Kirk Lead in Illinois

A new Chicago Tribune poll in Illinois finds Alexi Giannoulias (D) leading the Democratic field for U.S. Senate with 31%, followed by Cheryle Jackson (D) at 17% and David Hoffman at 9% with 35% still undecided.

On the GOP side, Rep. Mark Kirk has 41% support but there are still 46% undecided.

The primary elections are on February 2.

Paterson Inches Up

For the second month in a row, New York Gov. David Paterson (D) has seen a modest bump in his approval ratings, a new Siena poll finds, with 36% of voters having a favorable view of him as compared to just 27% in the spring.

However, in a Democratic primary match up with Andrew Cuomo (D), Paterson still loses by 44 points.

Campbell Weighs Switch to Senate Race

What do you do when you’re the odd man out in California’s battle of the multi-millionaires running for governor? You consider a more winnable fight.

The Fix reports that Tom Campbell (R) is “weighing a possible switch from the governor’s race to a Senate bid, according to sources familiar with his thinking. Campbell consultant James Fifsis confirmed to the Fix that several Republican officials have approached the former congressman about making the switch but that no final decision had been made. Campbell has long been the odd man out in the governor’s race — outshined by Whitman and Poizner. If Campbell makes the move, it will mark his third race for Senate in the last two decades.”

Lieberman Tortures Liberals

Ezra Klein says Sen. Joe Lieberman’s most recent ultimatum on the health care reform bill is all about avenging his loss in the 2006 Democratic primary.

“To put this in context, Lieberman was invited to participate in the process that led to the Medicare buy-in. His opposition would have killed it before liberals invested in the idea. Instead, he skipped the meetings and is forcing liberals to give up yet another compromise. Each time he does that, he increases the chances of the bill’s failure that much more. And if there’s a policy rationale here, it’s not apparent to me, or to others who’ve interviewed him. At this point, Lieberman seems primarily motivated by torturing liberals. That is to say, he seems willing to cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in order to settle an old electoral score.”

Romney Hopes for 10,000 at Book Signing

Mitt Romney apparently is looking for Palin-like numbers when promoting his forthcoming book, No Apology: The Case for America’s Greatness.

Mitt Romney Central says one of Romney’s first book signings will take place on March 13, 2010 at the University of Utah and “expects 10,000 attendees, all of which will receive a signed copy of the new book.”

Ask Ashley

“Sure, she’s made some mistakes. But now Ashley Dupre, the former escort who brought down Gov. Eliot Spitzer, is sharing what she’s learned in her new sex, love and relationship column — exclusively in the New York Post.”

McCain Gets Angrier

The New York Times runs a fascinating piece on Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) on how “has cut back his dealings with many of the people who were at his side while he was running for president” and is escalating his attacks on the White House.

“If Mr. McCain has had a history of being a happy warrior, that is not the phrase used by many of his friends to describe his demeanor these days. There are few glimpses of the winks, wry smiles and one-liners that were once an integral part of his character. More typically, his remarks are tinged with sarcasm or anger, delivered with a wave of the arm or both hands chopping through the air…”

Said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC): “His presidential aspirations are over — he knows he’s never going to be president. Most people in that position have a hard time re-engaging, but he’s really engaged. I’ve never seen him like this before. He’s really going down there, he’s really making it tough for them.”

Quote of the Day

“I did not run for office to be helping out a bunch of fat cat bankers on Wall Street.”

– President Obama, in an interview on 60 Minutes.

The Wall Street Journal notes Obama is scheduled to meet with bankers this morning “to exchange ideas on ways to increase lending; to review the financial-industry regulatory bill moving through Congress; and to discuss bankers’ compensation.”

Read more…

Supreme Court Leaves Everyone Waiting

The Supreme Court “has put off until next year a ruling that could remake the political landscape for the 2010 midterm elections, and that’s making things tricky for those eagerly awaiting the decision, including political professionals, regulators, advocacy groups and even the White House,” reports Politico.

The case under review “challenges decades of law limiting corporate and union spending on elections. It could fundamentally reshape how money gets raised and spent, and spur a renewed effort to limit the flow of money into politics.”

Obama Gives Himself a B-Plus

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, President Obama was asked to grade himself for the year.

Said Obama: “A good solid B-plus. I think we have inherited the biggest set of challenges of any president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We stabilized the economy… We are on our way out of Iraq. I think we’ve got the best possible plan for Afghanistan. We have reset our image around the world.”

Why only B-plus?

“B-plus because of the things that are undone. Health care is not yet signed. If I get health care passed we tip into A minus.”

Read more…

Lieberman Will Still Filibuster Bill

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) formally notified Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) that he would filibuster the health care reform bill if it includes a Medicare “buy-in” provision, Roll Call reports.

“Lieberman’s position came as a surprise to Reid, considering the self-described Independent Democrat was among the first people Reid spoke to about the Medicare provision when it was discussed by a Democratic group of centrists and liberals attempting to craft a compromise that could secure the votes of all 60 Members of the Democratic Conference. At the time, Lieberman ‘voiced support’ for the plan, according to a Senate Democratic leadership aide.”

Sole GOP Candidate Drops Out in Rhode Island

The only Republican candidate running in the 2010 Rhode Island governor’s race has dropped out, the Providence Journal reports.

Riordan Smith (R) had filed for the race less than two months ago, but cited his lack of competitiveness as the reason why he was ending his candidacy. This leaves Republican-turned-Independent Lincoln Chafee in the race, along with General Treasurer Frank Caprio and Attorney General Patrick Lynch, both Democrats.

Republicans are hoping that former Cranston mayor Steve Laffey (R) will throw his hat in the ring, although no decision has been made yet. The candidates are running to replace term-limited Gov. Don Carcieri (R).

Blagojevich Wants FBI Interview with Obama

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s lawyers “want the FBI to give up details of interviews conducted last year of President Obama, his chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, White House adviser Valerie Jarrett and others as part of the investigation into the former governor,” the Chicago Sun Times reports.

“Then-President-elect Obama, Emanuel and Jarrett sat down with the FBI about a year ago — just after Blagojevich was arrested on charges of trying to sell Obama’s recently vacated Senate seat to the highest bidder.”

Waiting on the CBO Score

Roll Call notes growing threats from some Senate Democrats to oppose the health care bill if the forthcoming CBO scoring shows the bill does not reduce health costs or is not deficit neutral.

Huffington Post: “There is, currently, a nightmare scenario afflicting Democrats on Capitol Hill with regards to health care reform. And it goes like this: Sometime early next week, leadership gets word from the Congressional Budget Office on their latest outline of reform. The legislative language on which they’ve settled — the one with the clearest promise yet of getting the votes needed to cut off a Republican filibuster — has actually scored quite poorly, saving less money over time and covering fewer people than earlier versions of the bill.”

After much anticipation Winning Impression’s new website is finished!

It reflects a shift in focus and now also encompasses hiring companies, aiming to teach them how to create their own Social Recruitment strategy to dramatically reduce their cost to hire.

With so many different types of Social Media to choose from it can be difficult to know which are best suited to a specific industry and though there is lots of information available it’s often generic. Winning Impression can guide Businesses in the way to approach Social Recruitment ensuring the best near-time return on investment and maximum cost savings.

The WI Blog will now include news and advice on Social Recruitment for both hiring businesses and Job Seekers alike.
I hope you will enjoy reading future posts.

to avoid an outbreak of moderate views and ideas

or: in case of a ‘moderate ideas’ outbreak, take Purivax every day until you again hate gays, immigrants, and rekindle your love for guns. (side effects may include rash, dizziness, prolonged spells of irrational fear, misinformation on all political topics, a predisposition to simply scream instead of reasoning with opposition, anal leakage, and even supporting G W Bush for re-election. If side effects continue, contact your nearest republican representative for a job, immediately.) Purivax, wouldn’t this country be great if we had a moat?

For many years leading up until now the very driving force of hope and joy has been sucked out of my life force by one story after another of truly despicable and shocking actions by those vested with the responsibility of representing the proletariate they were elected to fight for. Week after week and year after year, the will of the people has been largely ignored, as well as the masses of the world, as America, specifically the GOP, ran rough shod over every human right and possibility of progress this country has had on a myriad of topics. When Obama was elected, or was campaigning even, this country began to polarize in a way that I had not seen in my lifetime. As he became president and started enacting his decisions on policy and action, the outraged tides were stemmed no longer, and the tidal wave of irrational fear and neo-racism came rushing in from all sides. I felt that there might have been a real chance for bi-partisanship in this country despite this, but I have been so wrong. Though Obama may claim to want it, I haven’t seen it, and if the GOP’s new purity test is any indication, the conservative right has now galvanized to shun even moderates who represented the possibility for across-the-aisle progress in this country.

If you haven’t been obsessed with politics as I am, then you may not have caught wind of the new ‘purity test’. It is a list of ten policies and platforms that every republican running for office in 2010 must adhere to so as to receive support from the GOP in their election. The ten items include opposing Obama-care, bills like the stimulus package, anti-amnesty immigration laws, protecting the defense of marriage act, and supporting the right to bear arms, among others. Every candidate must meet at least eight out of ten of these items to qualify as a conservative republican and be eligible for support in fundraising and endorsements from the far-right GOP. The test was designed to weed out moderate republicans in the coming elections; with no support from their party, moderate candidates would die leaving an opening for the GOP supported, far-right candidates to run for office in the house and senate.

I want you to think about this for a minute, I mean really think about the message the GOP is sending to the public and it’s party. The GOP is saying that if you aren’t with us eighty percent then you are not with us at all. It is no secret that I feel the GOP has entrenched itself for legislative war up until now; this proposal now stipulates that no traitor shall be given quarter, and no nay sayer shall be in rank and file of their army. The GOP has essentially stated that they are now requiring every candidate to either give not an inch, no bi-partisan consent, and to hold true to ideologies of the conservative core of the party, or they can join the drum march in to a communist Soddom and Gammorah ushered in under the guise of ‘responsible governing’. The party is now cutting out anyone that isn’t completely with them, requiring them to play ball or they will be excommunicated from the party to fend for themselves on their outlandish ideas of a moderate nature.

When I thought about this I found a few things quite funny as well as terrifying. When I first heard about the ‘purity test’ consisting of ten items I immediately thought that it could not have been a coincidence that the conservative, religious-right came up with ten rules to campaign by, or be shunned in to damnation…c’mon, ten commandments maybe? The party decided that they needed a list of ten mortal ‘sins’ to judge men by as an election came around. Someone decided that ten, exactly ten, items needed to be highlighted that required adherence, so as to get in to heaven..I mean, the RNC. I find it so funny that the religious arm of the conservative party, an all too powerful group of decision makers with puppeteering hands, had to pick just ten. If you look at the rules I see that there are two that sound very much alike, as if they had nine, but needed to fill to conjure images of Moses handing down platforms and policy reform to live by…I’m guessing they think Moses would have run for the Senate.

When I heard the term ‘purity test’ I then became cold and fearful, my laughter dying out. A purity test? Could it be that a bunch of lawmaking, rich, white men decided that they needed a system by which to measure the purity of those in their party, and to a greater extent, the length to which they would go to achieve it? The last time a bunch of white men sat around in a room talking about purity, a million people vanished and Poland had it’s worst tourist season ever; just saying. Hey, if the TEA Party can call Obama “Hitler” then I think this is a fair situation to turn the ‘light of the third reich’ on its head. I find it a very scary proposition for the possible progress in those brave people willing to open their minds to moderate views, that could represent a populous well, when their party has got a knife to their GOP umbilical cord. The sweat needs to be pouring on the brow of those willing to hear legitimate concerns from the left right now. There they are pouring over their voting record and policy moves to make sure they qualify, or where they can fudge the results to fit in the new cement boots of a helplessly desperate party center.

What does this all represent? How has the party become so hostile and unyielding in their policies so as to take it to the extreme of a political contract? I cannot understand how the members of the republican party can stand idly by as those willing to explore moderate compromises are burned at the electoral-stakes as witches. I think it shows a complete lack of respect for the times we live in and the possibilities that are out there. The Grand Old Party is showing its age as it is not willing to embrace a growing population of those Americans, even republicans, that are pro-choice, pro-gay marriage, pro-gun legislation, and pro-health care reform. I know that Obama, and nobody so far, has it right on every issue, the times today have complicated these issues, but I think it is damaging to us as a nation to have one of the two parties unwilling to budge or support anyone that is open to hearing new ideas and constructive criticism to the point that you must sign your ability, as a representative, to re-evaluate your stance as you mature and new information or concerns come to light. Nothing can be gained if we are not willing, first, to truly be open to change.

I am outraged at the audacity of the GOP to literally hold a career ending gun to the heads of those wanting to make change and do good for the public, though in a misguided way, and to stunt their ability to be sentient beings. You are handicapping some of the greatest young minds your party has to offer and you make no apologies for it. If it were me, and I was a republican (shudder), I would be the first to stand up and say “hey, isn’t our conservative party lines and exclusive party policies what lost us every source of power we had in 2008?” Just saying. This party was supposed to be rebranded, remember that? Where a bunch of republicans sat around in what looked like a Pizza Hut and talked about the party ‘rebranding’ and then they placed a black guy as their party representative, Michael Steele. I remember that, do you, GOP? Was this the rebranding, because this feels more like branding…literally branding your party members like cattle on the farm as your intellectual and literal property. Save a horse, ride a Republican.

There is a more nefarious idea I explored as the republican’ts put this out, do you want to elect anyone who signed it? As a republican I would fear two things. First I would fear that my representative was so conservative that they would qualify, and secondly, that my representative trying to get elected would fudge their record or lie to get the GOP support by signing it. Either way the country and the constituents lose. If they are so conservative that they qualify, then progress on the myriad of rights, amnesty, and reform policies would never be explored, even as information and concern changes with time. Your representative would have to ignore moral and constituent’s imperatives to re-evaluate just so as to adhere to these strict guidelines. In this situation the will of the people and this country would not be done. Secondly, if they lie or scheme their way in to the good graces of the party, do you want a slime-ball like that representing you? Would you want someone willing to disavow their own guiding principles in favor of GOP support and funding? They are essentially selling out for money even before they get in to office, there is no way that person has the moral aptitude to represent you and stand up for what is right when they feel it is time, no matter the cost. Either one of the candidates represents the worst possible option when faced with the fallout of not getting with the conservative program.

There may be an upside to this though, as the liberal that I am. The ten commandments as they stand (let’s just call them what they are) would not allow for Sarah Palin, based on her record and platforms, to qualify for support from the party and therefore could not get a nomination to office from the Republican party. This is great news as that maverick can not play the Washington game with her ‘shoot from the hip’ kind of ‘tell it how it is’ mentality. Little Miss Land of the Midnight Sun would have to jump on the GOP bandwagon or get trampled to get to the white house. How great is it that she could not get the support to make a run, unless she recanted, went back on her word, morals, rogue persona, and let the party ‘handle’ her to get to the white house. She would have no footing, if this list stands long enough, from which to run for office. She could not run as a republican representative without the nomination, so she would have to run as an independent…Hardy-fucking-har-har. Hell, they would send Nader back out there just to beat her, and how great would it be for Palin to suck republican votes away as an independent leading to an Obama landslide in 2012!?

The new party line of “qualify or fuck you, Commy” is going to weaken the party in the end. This kind of mandate will further fracture the party, alienating a moderate republican base and hurting the party in 2010. The question of “are you GOP pure?” will come up and will be a platform for candidates to campaign on. This test of GOP balls is a shining example of some of the fundamental issues Obama faces trying to make headway with these fastidious conservatives. They have their heads in the sand on the direction of this country and where it will inevitably lead as causes rise, oppressed groups get larger, and the issues for middle-america become more dire. They will be hurting themselves by saying that they accept no treaty and no compromise. Digging in their heels like this seems to be an appeal to the TEA Party movement and an all out ass-presentation to those involved supporting the 9/12 project. Don’t think that the GOP doesn’t have a specific demographic in mind when trying to retake seats of the senate in many conservative states that flipped on them.

The GOP is attempting to shun those that could be a key asset to showing the party’s aforementioned “rebranding” in the future, opting instead for a party manifesto to weed out the unsavory characters eroding what this country stands for…hmmm, seems there was this guy Karl who had a manifesto once (turn around is fair play after all). I cannot pretend to not see what the religious-right base is trying to do. I have to say that if you are trying to reach out to new voters and appeal to lapsed republicans after a decade of screwing up, the last thing you wanna do is push someone that you are trying to pull in from the ledge of a 15 story building. The action you should be taking is inclusion, open dialogue, and free exchange of ideas which could lead to those on the fence choosing your dead republican grass over our brown liberal grass. This oathe-like list has done little but to disheartened those of us that wanted bi-partisan progress, and scare the shit out of those in your party that don’t fornicate in a pentagram covered in the blood of a thousand enviro-activists while rhythmically chanting the names of all republican presidents. You can’t blame them for doing some house cleaning though, because when you are trying to stage a national coup for power you can’t have any pussy moderates standing in your way examining the ‘consequences’ of your ‘actions’. Heil, Reagan!

Public Supports Cap and Trade

An Ipsos Public Affairs survey finds that 52% of respondents support a cap and trade plan, similar to that working through Congress, with 41% opposing the measure.

The poll also finds that messaging is make or break for the initiative: Support drops to 43%, with 55% opposed, when cap and trade raises monthly electrical bills by $25, but support jumps to 60%, with 36% opposed, when that same spike in prices accompanies the creation of “a significant number of ‘green’ jobs.”

Giannoulias Leads in Illinois

A new Rasmussen Reports survey finds Alexi Giannoulias (D) has now crept past Rep. Mark Kirk (R) in Illinois’ 2010 U.S. Senate race, 42% to 39%.

However, Kirk remains ahead of the other two potential candidates, leading Cheryle Jackson (D), 42% to 39%, and tops David Hoffman (D), 42% to 38%.

Dodd a No Show for Own Fundraiser

Vice President Joe Biden is coming to Connecticut to raise money for Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT), but Dodd himself won’t be there, the Hartford Courantreports.

Said a Doidd spokesman: “Unfortunately, because of the possibility of votes on the Senate floor today, Senator Dodd will be unable to join Vice President Biden in Connecticut. The Senator’s wife, Jackie Clegg Dodd, will fill-in for Senator Dodd.”

Jenny Sanford Files for Divorce

South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford issued a statement this morning saying that she is filing for divorce from Gov. Mark Sanford (R), who admitted over the summer that he had had an extramarital affair with a woman from Argentina.

So much for those hopes of reconciling.

Read more…

A Goodman Dynasty in Nevada?

By announcing she was stepping down from a school board, Carolyn Goodman, wife of Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, prompted speculation that she is considering running for her husband’s job, reports the Las Vegas Sun.

“The announcement is being seen by some as an indication that Oscar Goodman does intend to run for governor next year or that Carolyn Goodman intends to run for mayor in 2011 — or both.”

Did Obama Sell Out to Wall Street?

Matt Taibbi: “What’s taken place in the year since Obama won the presidency has turned out to be one of the most dramatic political about-faces in our history. Elected in the midst of a crushing economic crisis brought on by a decade of orgiastic deregulation and unchecked greed, Obama had a clear mandate to rein in Wall Street and remake the entire structure of the American economy. What he did instead was ship even his most marginally progressive campaign advisers off to various bureaucratic Siberias, while packing the key economic positions in his White House with the very people who caused the crisis in the first place. This new team of bubble-fattened ex-bankers and laissez-faire intellectuals then proceeded to sell us all out, instituting a massive, trickle-up bailout and systematically gutting regulatory reform from the inside.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

“These people are not connected to reality.”

– Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN), quoted by the Minnesota Independent, on the Obama administration.

Baucus Gave Girlfriend Raise

Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), “chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee, gave a nearly $14,000 pay raise to a female staffer in 2008, at the time he was becoming romantically involved with her, and later that year took her on a taxpayer-funded trip to Southeast Asia and the Middle East, though foreign policy was not her specialty,” Politico reports.

Late last Friday, Baucus acknowledged his relationship with Melodee Hanes, whom he nominated for the job of U.S. attorney in Montana.

Will Palin Run in 2012?

She insists she’s not yet thinking about running for president, but USA Today reports Sarah Palin “also is doing nothing to discourage the idea. Her book tour has been a ‘confirming and affirming’ experience, she said, adding that she’s tapped the same vein of discontent in the country’s body politic as the conservative ‘Tea Party’ movement, which she called ‘beautiful.’”

Said Palin: “The great thing about what’s going on right now across the country is there isn’t the apathy that perhaps we had seen even a year ago. All these people who are getting riled up. It’s a healthy riled up, too. This is good for democracy. It’s people getting sick and tired of feeling disenfranchised and disenchanted with their government, and they want their voice heard.”

Quote of the Day

“If you think an expanded Medicare is the answer, you’re smoking medical marijuana.”

– Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, arguing that the Senate compromise will create “a national health care system that’s controlled by a handful of very large corporations accountable neither to American voters nor to the market.”

Portman Leads in Ohio Senate Race

A new Rasmussen poll in Ohio finds former Rep. Rob Portman (R) leading both Jennifer Brunner (D), 40% to 33%, and Lee Fisher (D), 38% to 36%, in next year’s U.S. Senate race.

Not Just Obama

While much has been said about President Obama’s falling poll numbers, Tom Jensen notes that he is not alone.

Although Obama’s approval/disapproval spread between April and December has fallen ten points, Mitt Romney dropped nine points, and Mike Huckabee has fallen eight points. Sarah Palin has only lost two points, but she has had consistently worse ratings than the others to start with.

“These numbers suggest that at least part of Obama’s decline in popularity can be attributed to a general dissatisfaction of voters with politicians right now regardless of their party.”

Is Dodd Unelectable?

The Cook Political Report changes its rating on next year’s U.S. Senate race in Connecticut from Toss Up to Lean Republican noting Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) “is just too badly damaged to have a decent shot at getting re-elected, almost regardless of who wins the Republican nomination. Democrats have given Dodd time to attempt to repair his problems, but nothing appears to have helped enough to salvage his position.”

What the Insiders Think

Hotline On Call previews the latest Congressional and political insiders poll on such issues as the member they’d like most to shut up, the brightest thinkers and the best strategists in their parties.

Sanford Hopes to Reconcile

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) told The State that “he did not watch a national television broadcast of an interview with his estranged wife Jenny Sanford, who sat down with ABC News’ Barbara Walters to recount the couple’s marital difficulties and her reaction to news that Sanford had traveled to Argentina to see his lover when the world thought he was hiking the Appalachian Trail.”

In the interview, Jenny Sanford “cast doubt on the couple staying together. But Gov. Sanford said he still hoped to save his marriage, understanding his actions had caused his wife great pain.”

The saddest part of the interview after the jump.

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“No, No, No” Not Helping Republicans

David Frum thinks the Republican’s “no, no, no” policy is a losing strategy.

“The furious rejectionist frenzy of the past 12 months is exacting a terrible price upon Republicans. We’re getting worse and less conservative results out of Washington than we could have negotiated, if we had negotiated… Even if we gain seats in 2010, the actions of this congressional session will not be reversed. Shrink Medicare after it has expanded? Hey, we said we’d never do that.”

“I hear a lot of talk about the importance of ‘principle.’ But what’s the principle that obliges us to be stupid?”

Republicans Close Gap in Congressional Poll

A new CNN/Opinion Research survey finds 40% of Americans say the U.S. would be better off if Democrats ran Congress while 39% feel things would be better if Republicans took charge on Capitol Hill.

Support for Democrats is down from a 10-point advantage in August and a 25-point margin in January.

Lessons from Clinton

Matt Cooper reviews The Clinton Tapes by Taylor Branch and concludes that Bill Clinton was a more principled politician than he’s given credit for being.

In addition, the book is “is more than just a portrait of a president in real time. It is a stark reminder of other facets of Washington life that haven’t changed since the Clinton era, particularly the capacities of a right-wing message machine and a unified GOP bloc in Congress. It may be less potent than it was in the days of Whitewater, but it certainly still exists. The book also reminds us of the sheer limits faced by Democratic presidents who must clean up after Republican messes and try to corral their own atomized party. The insights here are as useful for understanding the Obama years as they are the Clinton years, and one hopes David Axelrod or others around the President find the time to thumb through a copy.”

New Jersey Gay Marriage Vote Canceled

Today’s scheduled vote on a bill that would legalize same sex marriage in the Garden State was canceled late yesterday evening as the bill’s sponsors feared a likely defeat, the New York Times reports.

Obama Leads Potential 2012 Match Ups

A new Public Policy Polling survey tests potential 2012 presidential match ups and finds Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, and Tim Pawlenty “all have their best performances relative to Obama in this month’s poll and Mitt Romney matches his strongest standing yet.”

• Obama 46%, Huckabee 45%
• Obama 47%, Romney 42%
• Obama 50%, Palin 44%
• Obama 48%, Pawlenty 35%

“The importance of these numbers 35 months before Obama has to stand for reelection is obviously limited but it does seem pretty clear that his electoral position is weaker than it was a year ago at this time.”

RNC Embraces Obstructionism

In a new strategy memo, RNC chair Michael Steele said that Republicans should do everything they can to stop the health care reform bill because that’s what Americans want.

Writes Steele: “I urge everyone to spend every bit of capital and energy you have to stop this health care reform. The Democrats have accused us of trying to delay, stall, slow down, and stop this bill. They are right. We do want to delay, stall, slow down, and ultimately stop them from experimenting on our nation’s health care. And guess what, so do a majority of Americans.”

Confusion Over Health Care “Deal”

“Democratic Senators involved in crafting what Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) described as a ‘broad agreement‘ on health care policy appear to be at odds over both the policy proscriptions and the notion that they had even reached such a deal,”Roll Call reports.

“Though Reid announced late Tuesday that negotiations among a group of 10 liberal and moderate Democratic Senators had largely resolved the intraparty standoff over the public insurance option, participants in the group said their ‘agreement’ had been mischaracterized and that they agreed only to send the proposal to the Congressional Budget Office for a cost estimate, saying more information was necessary before making any firm decisions.”

Meanwhile, Sen. John Thune (R-SD) told the Huffington Post that the 40 members of the GOP caucus “would unanimously oppose health care reform despite changes made by Democratic leadership to make the product more palatable to conservatives.”

Reed Wins Recount

Kasim Reed is the new mayor of Atlanta, reports the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

“More than a week after a tight runoff, and a month after he finished second in the general election, Reed squeaked by Mary Norwood by a scant 714 votes in a Wednesday recount.”

Quote of the Day

“The problem in the Republican Party is that the leadership has gone to the left.”

– Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), quoted by CBN News.

Read more…

Obama Accepts Nobel Peace Prize

President Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize just days after calling for a military escalation in Afghanistan and boldly made the case for why war can be necessary but also how people must strive for a better world.

Said Obama: “We do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected. We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place… So let us reach for the world that ought to be — that spark of the divine that still stirs within each of our souls.”

First Read: “Even the most ardent critic of the president’s foreign policy will have a hard time picking apart today’s speech.”

The complete speech is after the jump.

Read more…

Stephanopoulos Moves On

George Stephanopoulos has a new job, but his friend James Carville doesn’t want his former Clinton campaign colleague to leave This Week, which has cachet within the Beltway, in order to host Good Morning America, which is enormously profitable, reports Politico.

Said Carville: “I teased him, ‘You might be getting Jay Leno’d here.’ You’re doing fine and then someone comes up with this brilliant idea.”

Spitzer May Run for Comptroller

Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D), “who stepped down from the governor’s office amid scandal, is now strongly considering a run for state comptroller,” sources tell the New York Post.

“Spitzer has in recent weeks had discussions with some Democratic donors and insiders about the position currently held by Tom DiNapoli.”

“It’s unclear whether a Spitzer candidacy would rely on a Democratic donor base, or if the former governor — whose family is wealthy — is thinking of pouring his own dough into a campaign. It is also unclear if he would challenge DiNapoli in a primary, or if he’s considering running as an independent.”

Liberal Unrest A Myth

A new Public Policy Polling survey concludes that “liberal unhappiness with Barack Obama is still largely anecdotal and not very widespread” after finding that 95% of liberal Democrats approve of the president and 3% disapprove.

Liberals also support Obama on health care reform, 88% to 7%, even though the president did not push for single payer or a strong public option.

Specter Maintains Lead Over Sestak

A new Rasmussen Reports survey of likely Pennsylvania Democratic primary voters finds Sen. Arlen Specter (D) beating Rep. Joe Sestak (D), 48% to 35%.

Another Democrat Calls it Quits

Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) announced his retirement tonight, The Hotline reports, “becoming the third Democrat in a vulnerable seat to announce his departure in the last few weeks.”

The district, with a Cook PVI of EVEN, “is a very fertile open seat for GOPers to attack.”

Edwards Aide Tells All

Coming in February: The Politician: An Insider’s Account of John Edwards’s Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down by Andrew Young.

From the publisher: “Young had been the senator’s closest aide and most trusted friend.  He believed that John Edwards could be a great president, and was assured throughout the cover-up that his boss and friend would ultimately step forward to both tell the truth and protect his aide’s career. Neither promise was kept.  Not only a moving personal account of Andrew Young’s political education, The Politician offers a look at the trajectory which made John Edwards the ideal Democratic candidate for president, and the hubris which brought him down, leaving his career, his marriage and his dreams in ashes.”

Misery Index and the Midterms

Republican polling firm Public Opinion Strategies looks at the impact of the “misery index” — unemployment plus inflation — on next year’s midterm elections.

“The rules are simple: of the last 15 elections, 13 were ‘Change’ elections in which the party that held the White House lost seats in Congress. In those “Change” elections, the average Misery Index in October going into Election Day was 10.1 and the average loss was 26 seats in the House; including, some real drubbings of more than 45 seats. The Index is at 10.02 now.”

Sanford Avoids Impeachment

A majority of a seven-member South Carolina House Judiciary subcommittee said they will not vote to impeach Gov. Mark Sanford (R), reports The State. The final vote was 6 to 1 against impeachment.

Though the measure still heads to the full committee, the odds are now heavily in favor of Sanford.

Bonus Quote of the Day

“I wish someone would give me one shred of neutral evidence that financial innovation has led to economic growth — one shred of evidence.”

– Former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Paul Volcker, quoted in the Times of London.

Political Spending Hits $1 Billion This Year

In an interview with Media Life, Evan Tracey of TNS Media Intelligence says spending on political advertising will hit $1 billion this year, with two thirds of that going to issue ads.

The forecast for 2010: “Next year spending will spike with the continuation of the healthcare issue and heavier spending by Obama’s political opponents, who will be looking to take advantage of his sagging approval ratings to sweep Republicans into office. Still, the recession may result in fewer campaign donations and smaller coffers than politicians have seen in years past.”

Jetton Tried to Ban “Deviate Sexual Intercourse”

Rod Jetton (R), the Missouri power broker who is accused of assault in a S&M encounter gone bad, apparently fought to ban “deviate sexual intercourse” in his state — at least when it involved same sex couples, TPM reports.

Now, the Kansas City Star reports Jetton “will be leaving politics to deal with false allegations and spend time with his family,” according to a statement issued by his lawyer.