Saturday punditry.
Bob Herbert:
The class war that no one wants to talk about continues unabated.
Even as millions of out-of-work and otherwise struggling Americans are tightening their belts for the holidays, the nation’s elite are lacing up their dancing shoes and partying like royalty as the millions and billions keep rolling in.
Glenn Thrush:
His party just suffered staggering losses, his no-drama West Wing is besieged and a few outlier Democrats are even demanding he surrender to fate, assume the fetal position and embrace a one-term presidency.
But when President Barack Obama meets with Speaker-to-be John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in the White House next week, he’ll walk in as the most popular politician in the room — which still counts for something.
Colbert King:
Exactly two years ago today, an Associated Press headline read: "World economy shaky despite massive bank rescues." The story was about the U.S. government's decision to rescue banking giant Citigroup.
Economic conditions at home and abroad were the worst since the Great Depression. The outlook was so dire that the U.S. Treasury secretary pressured high-profile giant American banks to sell shares to the federal government as part of a financial rescue package - a Washington action until then unimaginable.
Yet the vilification of President Obama as a socialist began before he had fully unpacked at the White House. It has been relentless ever since, even though the charge misrepresents the truth.
You mean "they're lying".
Ezra Klein:
Speaking of difficult votes, Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) has announced his intention to introduce six different bills repealing various consumer protections in the law. The package is called the Health Insurance Protects America -- Can't Repeal IT Act, which gets shortened to, yes, "HIPA-CRIT." Are Republicans really comfortable voting against the prohibition on discriminating against preexisting conditions, or the coverage for dependents up to age 26? As John Boehner has promised to allow open amendments in the House, and Democrats still control the Senate, you may see a lot of these targeted repeal bills emerging in the coming months, as Democrats realize that their Republican colleagues are split between a base that wants repeal no matter the cost and a public that doesn't.
That split is behind this survey from Public Policy Polling showing that Republican voters wants their congressmen to decline the health-care insurance they're offered as federal employees (Democrats, interestingly, disagree).
Eric Alterman:
Five years after he was indicted, former House Majority Leader and "Dancing with the Stars," hoofer, Tom "The Hammer" DeLay is finally facing slammer time. So far, so good, though we must admit, it is a bit hard to believe. DeLay was convicted of violating campaign finance laws that are so arcane, complex and laxly enforced that it is easier to get yourself booked on Oprah. Finally, thanks to the good people of the Austin jury pool, liberals have something for which to be thankful this Thanksgiving: schadenfreude.
Al Cross:
DeLay calls the prosecution "abuse of power," which remains for appellate courts to decide, but there should be no doubt that his scheme was an abuse of power. The shell game with the money was really nothing new, but the idea of changing control of a legislative chamber to redistrict a state between censuses was outrageous.
And your Black Friday watch:
Americans are shopping selfishly again.
On this year’s Black Friday, retailers and analysts said they saw a surge in traffic at stores and malls over last year, and also were noticing that shoppers snapped up discretionary items for themselves rather than gifts or necessities.