Comments on: How Max Baucus’s no vote on the climate bill sets up the final yes

By: Jeff McMahon - Scorched Earth – Copenhagen is on; Obama to a lead U.S. delegation - True/Slant

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:02:15 +0000

[...] the climate bill was dead, then the climate bill was not dead yet, then Copenhagen was dead, then Copenhagen was not dead yet, and now it’s all back on the [...]

By: dtafs

dtafs — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:00:16 +0000

Thanks, Jeff, for the insightfull post.

Personally, I often have to remind myself that no politican ever got to prominence by being sincere 100% of the time.

One of those weird things about our political landscape. In essence, we’re always voting between the lesser of multiple evils. Which, in and of itself is borderline ridiculous.

By: Claire Bushey

Claire Bushey — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:11 +0000

Huh. I’m feeling rather naive myself at the moment, because I wouldn’t have assumed Sen. Baucus’ actions were an odd sort of kabuki. But it makes complete sense. Thanks for the smart analysis.

By: bobshanbrom

bobshanbrom — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:45:54 +0000

Cynical and naive is no way to fight greedy and cunning.

By: Jeff McMahon

Jeff McMahon — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:29:36 +0000

Bob, you make an important point. Even when cynical the citizenry remains invested in a naive appreciation of surface politics (just look at the outraged progressives who are about to unite with Republicans to kill health-insurance reform). But no one in power got there by being sincere, and things are rarely what they seem.

By: Jeff McMahon

Jeff McMahon — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:24:51 +0000

Andy, I’d be surprised if the chairman of the Senate finance committee were not interested in control.

By: bobshanbrom

bobshanbrom — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:06:07 +0000

Thanks, Jeff, for the penetrating and well-informed analysis. Trueslant needs more of this sort of real reporting. By explaining so well how Congress works you offer healing to the cynicism that so paralyzes deep-feeling people. Big Money knows how the game works and they show up every single day. We need to know too and show up every single day.

By: andylevinson

andylevinson — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:52:40 +0000

Baucus seems to be some kind of control freak…what does this guy do for fun….kick dogs?

By: Tweets that mention Jeff McMahon - Scorched Earth – How Max Baucus’s no vote on the climate bill sets up the final yes - True/Slant -- Topsy.com

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:37:35 +0000

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