Ruth Marcus -- writer for the WaPo and certified, card carrying member of the liberal mainstream media -- argued a few days ago that there are limits to soaking the rich. Yeah, I know you don't believe me, but, you just can't make this stuff up.
In the Daily Beast, Lloyd Grove reported on an address by Niall Fergusson to a lefty confabulation in Aspen. The mind blowing paragraphs of Grove's report are these:
- Ferguson called for what he called "radical" measures. "I can't emphasize strongly enough the need for radical fiscal reform to restore the incentives for work and remove the incentives for idleness." He praised "really radical reform of the sort that, for example, Paul Ryan [the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee] has outlined in his wonderful 'Roadmap' for radical, root-and-branch reform not only of the tax system but of the entitlement system" and "unleash entrepreneurial innovation." Otherwise, Ferguson warned: "Do you want to be a kind of implicit part of the European Union? I'd advise you against it."
- This was greeted by hearty applause from a crowd that included Barbra Streisand and her husband James Brolin. "Depressing, but fantastic," Streisand told me afterward, rendering her verdict on the session. "So exciting. Wonderful!"
- Brolin's assessment: "Mind-blowing."
Then there's Peggy Noonan's weekly missive to appear in Saturday's WSJ on a home doorstep near you, perhaps. She has nailed the cause and appeal of the Tea Party phenomenon perfectly, though the words never appear. She describes " The Town Hall Revolt" as a rebellion against the Democrats by suddenly reunited Republican constituencies joined by deeply offended Independents. In his preferred policies, to paraphrase Richard Nixon's famous remark, Obama has given his enemies a weapon to use against him. She closes with this
- The Republicans still need to show that they are worthy of the electoral bounty that is likely to come their way. Are they ready to govern, or only to win? Part of being worthy is showing yourself capable of having serious and truly open debate. What, in the post-9/11 world, should be our overarching foreign policy? What is it we're trying to accomplish? How should we try to get it done? What is the way out of our economic disaster? What must we do, how must we do it?
- It's hard for those who do politics as a profession not to get lost in the day-to-day, but if they don't start thinking big and encouraging debate, they're going to blow it, too. And they'll find out at a town hall meeting in 2013. Or earlier.
Three days ago I wrote you of the amazing poll results from Senate and Gubernatorial races across the land. In those three days more stunning results have come in. California looks like a lot of fun -- and how long has it been since we could say that? Meg Whitman is within 1% of Jerry Brown in the Governor race, and Barbara Boxer is up only 3% on Carly Fiorina for what I'm sure she thinks of as her Senate seat. In Illinois, the Republican Kirk is within 1% of the Democrats' family-bank-scandal- tainted Giannoulias. And in South Dakota race for the At Large House seat that was not even among the NPR Sizzling Seventy, Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin trails her challenger by 5%.
Meanwhile it looks like WV Gov Manchin (D) will authorize a special election to replace Robert Byrd. The only poll on the subject shows him with a pretty comfortable lead. Here's hoping there's a surprise awaiting him.
On these polls, let me say that I believe that without some miracle for the Democrats and disaster for the country -- a terrorist attack for example -- to raise Obama's popularity, it will continue to sink. As it does, more and more Dem incumbents will become at risk. In that case, I can see all of those close races for Senate and Governor going against the Dems. The House could then see a swing of 70 to 100 seats, putting the Republicans back in control with as strong a majority as the Dems have now. We are presently looking at the possibility of the greatest wave election in our lifetime.
Finally, there's this little recriminatory beauty from Dan Balz, the WaPo's quite rational political reporter. It seems that even he is skeptical that Democrats' luck with the Independents will change between now and the first Tuesday in November. How sad for them.
