The Commentariat -- December 26
My column in today's New York Times eXaminer is on Ross Douthat's column, which he titled "The Cratchit Tax Credit." I call it the "Ebenezer Scrooge Tax Break," and I explain why. God bless us, every one.
Ed Pilkington, et al., of the Guardian write an overview of the Bradley Manning pre-trial proceedings. If you missed the as-it-happened stories (which were few and far between), this is a good place to catch up.
Paul Krugman follows up on the new EPA regs on mercury. "... the payoff to the new rules is huge: up to $90 billion a year in benefits compared with around $10 billion a year of costs in the form of slightly higher electricity prices.... And it’s a deal Republicans very much want to kill. With everything else that has been going on in U.S. politics recently, the G.O.P.’s radical anti-environmental turn hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves."
Joe Stephens & Carol Leonnig of the Washington Post: "Meant to create jobs and cut reliance on foreign oil, Obama’s green-technology program was infused with politics at every level, The Washington Post found in an analysis of thousands of memos, company records and internal e-mails. Political considerations were raised repeatedly by company investors, Energy Department bureaucrats and White House officials. The records, some previously unreported, show that when warned that financial disaster might lie ahead, the administration remained steadfast in its support for Solyndra."
Eric Schmitt of the New York Times: "With the United States facing the reality that its broad security partnership with Pakistan is over, American officials are seeking to salvage a more limited counterterrorism alliance.... The United States will be forced to restrict drone strikes, limit the number of its spies and soldiers on the ground and spend more to transport supplies through Pakistan to allied troops in Afghanistan, American and Pakistani officials said. United States aid to Pakistan will also be reduced sharply, they said."
Maureen Dowd offers a theory on Charles Dickens' obsession with Christmas.
E. J. Dionne: Mitt "Romney is saying things about the president that are flatly, grossly and shamefully untrue. But Romney’s sleight of hand is revealing: Republicans are increasingly inclined to argue that any redistribution (and Social Security, Medicare, student loans, veterans benefits and food stamps are all redistributive) is but a step down the road to some radically egalitarian dystopia. Obama will thus be the conservative in 2012, in the truest sense of that word. He is the candidate defending the modestly redistributive and regulatory government the country has relied on since the New Deal...."
Right Wing World *
Justin Gillis of the New York Times: "Scientists say they could, in theory, do a much better job of answering the question 'Did have anything to do with it?' after extreme weather events like the drought in Texas and the floods in New England. But for many reasons, efforts to put out prompt reports on the causes of extreme weather are essentially languishing.... This year, when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tried to push through a reorganization that would have provided better climate forecasts to businesses, citizens and local governments, Republicans in the House ... blocked it. The idea had originated in the Bush administration, was strongly endorsed by an outside review panel and would have cost no extra money. But the House Republicans, many of whom reject the overwhelming scientific consensus about the causes of global warming, labeled the plan an attempt by the Obama administration to start a 'propaganda' arm on climate." ...
... Steve Benen comments.
Hate Groups for Ron Paul. Jim Rutenberg & Serge Kovaleski of the New York Times: "The white supremacists, survivalists and anti-Zionists who have rallied behind [Ron Paul's] candidacy have not exactly been warmly welcomed.... But he did not disavow their support. 'If they want to endorse me, they’re endorsing what I do or say — it has nothing to do with endorsing what they say,' said Mr. Paul, who is now running strong in Iowa for the Republican nomination." ...
... Ron Paul, Scam Artiste. Prof. Mark Kleiman in the Washington Monthly: "So the latest bit of filth Ron Paul signed but says he didn’t write was a pitch for an 'insider' investment newsletter warning of a 'coming race war' and 'the federal-homosexual cover-up on AIDS.' ... After claiming that his terms in Congress left him with a network of 'sources...,' Paul (or his ghostwriter) promised his intended victims: '… I give you the facts and analysis – and specific recommendations – you need to protect yourself, and dramatically increase your wealth, in the spastic economy of the 1990s....' The 'investment letter' racket represents a substantial source of income for wingnut pundits and websites." ...
... NEW. David Neiwert of Crooks & Liars: "The handwringing over whether Paul is a racist or not really is beside the point. Labels really become inconsequential when the real issue is how their politics would play out on the ground if they achieved power. And in the end, there is a reason racists support Ron Paul's agenda: It would be a dream come true, a return to the days when the freedom to oppress others was protected by the American legal system."
How Sleazy Is Romney? Washington Post Editorial Board! Mitt "Romney — breaking with the practice of previous Republican presidential candidates, including George W. Bush and John McCain — has refused to release the identities of his bundlers, the well-connected fundraisers who help the campaign haul in stacks of checks adding up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.... Now Mr. Romney has doubled down on this lack of transparency, telling NBC that he does not intend to release his tax returns even if he becomes the Republican presidential nominee.... Mr. Romney hides behind legal requirements." In fact, he won't even say whether or not he would release his tax returns should he win the presidency.
"Virginia's Ballot Debacle." Steve Benen: Newt "Gingrich ... assured supporters on Thursday that his name would be on the ballot. Complicating matters, the Gingrich campaign responded to the news by saying it would 'pursue an aggressive write-in campaign,' not realizing that this is forbidden under Virginia election law. Oops. Making matters slightly worse, Gingrich’s campaign director posted an item to Facebook that said, 'Newt and I agreed that the analogy is December 1941...' Yes, after having been denied a ballot slot, Gingrich’s thoughts turned to Pearl Harbor. There’s a good reason I describe the disgraced former House Speaker as a lousy historian. But this story is about more than just Gingrich’s failure.... Virginia has ridiculous ballot-access laws, which will exclude five of the seven Republican presidential candidates from even appearing on the state’s ballot."
* Where even the weather is secret.
News Ledes
AP: "The Obama administration is considering whether to allow Yemen's outgoing president [Ali Abdullah Saleh] into the United States for medical treatment, as fresh violence and political tensions flare in the strategically important Middle East nation." ...
... New York Times Update: "The Obama administration has decided in principle to allow the embattled president of Yemen, , to enter the United States for medical treatment, subject to certain assurances, two administration officials said Monday. But those conditions — including a proposed itinerary — have not yet been submitted to the American Embassy in Yemen, these officials said, and no visa has yet been issued to Mr. Saleh."
Los Angeles Times: "The Obama family celebrated a low-key Christmas, trading presents, attending church and singing Christmas carols before the first couple left their rented vacation home to meet troops and their families at a nearby Marine Corps base."
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