Month: February 2009

Hi! I’m Charlie Wheelan and I am running to fill Rahm Emanuel’s vacant congressional seat in the Illinois’ 5th Congressional District. I am an expert in economics and a public policy lecturer at the University of Chicago. I’m also the author of Naked Economics, a lay-persons guide to economics!

Last month, my “Underwater” TV ad caught the nation’s eye.  Today, I’m launching my second TV ad, “Upside Down.”

Check out the new ad at

This time, instead of being underwater, I’m dangling from my feet, literally UPSIDE DOWN!  Why?  Because I wanted to show that I understand how many people’s efforts to pay their mortgage, afford health care and college tuition costs have gone “bottom-up”.

This is an equal opportunity recession.  I’ve met people with buildings named after them who’ve lost half their net worth.  I’ve met middle-class parents who thought they’d saved four years of college tuition and now only have two.  I’ve met people who’ve lost jobs, or are really worried about that possibility.

If it takes something a bit crazy like hanging upside down to make folks sit up and take notice, I’m willing to do it.

You can see me in the ad holding a copy of my book Naked Economics while strapped in inversion boots and suspended from a bar.  Halfway through the television spot, gravity wins out; I finally plummet, like the economy.

The ad, which was shot in front of a blue screen, took more than three hours to tape and I was hanging upside down almost the whole time.  I felt like my eyes were going to pop out. It was much worse than having to submerge myself underwater. Still, it was worth every minute to show people that I am the best person to help get out of the economic struggles we are facing today.

Don’t forget – the special primary election for the Illinois Fifth District Congressional seat is March 3.

One of the more interesting developments in the behind-the-scenes organization of the House this year is the introduction of a whole new caucus, the Populist Caucus. It’s the brainchild of IA-01’s Bruce Braley, who despite his sophomore status is well on his way to establishing himself as a major player in the House (he’s also the DCCC’s candidate services vice-chair).

The House Democrats certainly aren’t hurting for ideological caucuses (the Progressive Caucus, New Democrats, and Blue Dogs pretty clearly mark out the left, center, and right of the Democratic caucus). But the Populist Caucus — which has a current top priority of getting “Buy American” provisions included in the stimulus package, but plans to focus on health care and tax as well as trade issues — is interesting because it draws on members from across the ideological spectrum. In addition to Braley, the announced members are:

Reps. Michael Arcuri (D-NY); Pete DeFazio (D-OR); Betty Sutton (D-OH); Leonard Boswell (D-IA); Steve Cohen (D-TN); Joe Courtney (D-CT); Keith Ellison (D-MN); Bob Filner (D-CA); Phil Hare (D-IL); Mazie Hirono (D-HI); Hank Johnson (D-GA); Steve Kagan (D-WI); David Loebsack (D-IA); Eric Massa (D-NY); Linda Sanchez (D-CA); Jan Schakowsky (D-IL); Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH); Peter Welch (D-VT); and John Yarmuth (D-KY).

While there’s a fair amount of overlap with the Progressive Caucus (of the 20, 11 are also big-P Progressives), there are also some New Dems (Courtney, Braley himself), and some of the less objectionable Blue Dogs (Arcuri, Boswell). There isn’t even much of a correlation with the first bailout vote — of the 19 who voted, 7 were ‘ayes’ (Arcuri, Boswell, Cohen, Ellison, Hare, Loebsack, and Schakowsky) — although that may have to do with the panic surrounding the initial bailout and dismay over how it’s been administered. There are some names that you’d certainly expect to see in any Populist Caucus (DeFazio), but also some likely suspects missing (starting with Marcy Kaptur).

If there’s a common thread here, it may be what I observed among Democratic ‘no’ votes when looking for a pattern in the strange vote alignment in the first bailout vote in September: it’s representatives from rural or small-city districts that seem to be geographically and/or economically removed from Wall Street and other centers of power (although there are a few exceptions, like Jan Schakowsky’s affluent IL-09). Or, it may simply boil down to the districts with some of the angriest constituents:

“As someone who has been out holding town hall meetings and getting a faceful of that populist rage, I know that it is real, it is a force that needs to be dealt with, and it needs to be given a voice,” said Braley.

New York Governor David Patterson has set the special election in NY-20 for March 31. Those two months are a pretty generous timeframe, but from the Dems’ standpoint, it’s necessary, to give candidate Scott Murphy some time to introduce himself to the district. (The self-funding Murphy hasn’t held elective office before.)

That timeframe also gives Jim Tedisco the chance to get better familiarized with the kinds of technology the kids are using these days. (After all, the new post-2008 GOP strategy appears to be “We’re going to do the exact same thing as before. Except now we’re going to use Facebook and Twitter.”)

Brownsox at Daily Kos has an amusing piece on how the tech-savvy, linked-in Tedisco has a feature on his website that front-pages everything from the #NY20 Twitter feed… including all the press releases coming from the DCCC’s blog, such as “Will Tedisco Finally Reimburse Taxpayers Over $21,000 for His 20-Minute Car Ride?” (Throw in Pete Hoekstra‘s little problems with constantly Twittering away his locations on his recent trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, and you’ve gotta wonder if the GOP would be better off just sticking with the tools they’ve already mastered: direct mail and AM radio.)

Oregon will celebrate its 150th anniversary of achieving statehood on Valentine’s Day this Saturday.  In honor of my beloved state’s 150th birthday, I present this short piece highlighting some of the achievements of the state’s progressive movement.  As our state motto says, “She Flies With Her Own Wings.”

Cross-Posted from Loaded Orygun: http://www.loadedorygun.net/sh…

The National Journal wrote in 2006 that, “Oregon is an experimental commonwealth and laboratory of reform on the Pacific Rim, a maker of national trends.”  Oregon 2006 State Profile.  Whether is the initiative system, public beaches, the bottle bill, assisted suicide or the Oregon Health Plan, Oregon has always taken pride in leading its own way.  This diary briefly discusses some key moments in Oregon’s political history.

1859: Oregon becomes the 33rd state.  Oregon became a state by agreeing not to allow African Americans to own property in its original constitution.  This provision was repealed in 1926.

1897: In what would prove to be perhaps the most important session in the state’s legislative history, the state legislature refuses to meet over a dispute on whom would be one of the state’s US Senators.  In order to broker a compromise, William Simon U’Ren, a leader of one of the factions in the state legislature at the time, agrees to accept the opposition’s Senator in exchange for the legislature’s support of the Initiative and Referendum system.

1902: The Initiative and Referendum System goes into effect in Oregon.  In its early years it did the following: Banning free railroad passes, popular elections of U.S. Senators, establishing the first presidential primary in the United States, giving women the right to vote, eliminating poll taxes and establishing a 40 hour work week.

1913: Governor Oswald West declares that the state’s beaches are public property.  Today, this means that access points must be provided at regular points along the beach and that, in fact, the state’s beach is a public highway.

1924: Following the overturning of the “Compuolsory School Act” (a reform pushed by the KKK which required all students to go to public schools and not religious ones), the KKK largely leaves the state and moves to Idaho.

1949: Oregon establishes the fair labor practices commission, helping protect worker’s rights.

1971: Oregon establishes the nation’s first bottle bill, providing for a $.05 deposit on soft drinks (now extended to water bottles and all carbonated drinks).

1972: Oregon passes Senate Bill 100, establishing Oregon’s land use system.  The system is predicated on the basic principle of limiting sprawl and thus preserving farmland.  In brief, each city (or in the case of Portland and Eugene the full urban area) draws an “Urban Growth Boundary” outside their cities beyond which only limited development may occur.  This has been wildly successful by most estimations.

1973: Oregon passes Public Records and Public Meetings laws, establishing some of the most open government systems in the country.

1986: Portland’s light-rail system (MAX) begins service.

1987: The Oregon Health Plan begins to be implemented, providing a trial of free comprehensive health care under Medicaid.

1993: Oregon holds the first statewide vote by mail election in the country.  Mandatory vote by mail was approved by initiative in 1998.

1994: Oregon establishes Doctor Assisted Suicide by initiative, becoming the first state to do so (followed recently by Washington).

2007: Oregon passes domestic partnership and equal protection laws granting GLBT couples the rights to equal benefits to marriage and full protection under the state’s anti-discrimination laws.

That’s a good brief summary.  Discuss below.

http://rturner229.blogspot.com…

The Turner Report reports that Talent issued a statement saying:

I have decided to withdraw my name from consideration for the Senate in 2010, for several reasons. First, there are other qualified Republicans who are seriously investigating the race, and it is vital to prevent the kind of dissension that hurt my Party’s ticket so greatly in 2008. In addition, I have family and public obligations which this unexpected race would disrupt. Chief among the latter is my work as Vice Chairman of the Commission on WMD Proliferation and Terrorism, which is working to prevent a nuclear or biological attack on the United States.”

“I am still very interested in serving the people of Missouri in elective office, but the considerations I have recited in this statement are more important than my personal goals.”

“My political priority in 2010 will be electing a strong and qualified Republican to replace my friend Kit Bond in the United States Senate”

All for the unforgivable sin of supporting an economic recovery plan.  The right eating it’s own once again.  And they wonder why they are down to 41 Senators and counting.

http://politicalticker.blogs.c…

An influential conservative political action committee is pledging to support primary challengers to any Republican senator who supports President Obama’s stimulus package – the latest public show of dissatisfaction from the right over the massive measure before Congress.

“The American people don’t want this trillion dollar political payoff that will just line the pockets of non-governmental organizations who supported [President] Obama in the election,” said Scott Wheeler, the executive director of The National Republican Trust PAC, an organization that calls for less government spending and lower taxes.

“Republican senators are on notice,” Wheeler said. “If they support the stimulus package, we will make sure every voter in their state knows how they tried to further bankrupt voters in an already bad economy.”

In a Senate vote Tuesday, only three Republicans backed the $838 billion measure – Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, and Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter.

All three senators were involved in cutting spending proposals from the plan, and have said they may not vote for the final version bill if more spending projects are added to it.

A potentially interesting development:

Having wrapped up his career as an ambassador under President Bush, Fort Worth’s Tom Schieffer is back home and pondering a run for governor – as a Democrat.

“I’ve thought about it for a while,” Schieffer told the Star-Telegram. “I have not made a decision.”

Although Schieffer served in a Republican administration under Bush – with whom he worked as general manager of the Texas Rangers – he says there should be no confusion about his political affiliation. “I am a Democrat,” said Schieffer, who voted for Barack Obama in the primary and general elections.

The right Democrat just might find an opening left by the inevitable all-out slugfest grudge match between Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison that will soon be in full bloom. Is Schieffer (brother of CBS broadcaster Bob) that guy? Perhaps.

(h/t)

In the latest example of the dying GOP, at least out here in Oregon, Brainstorm NW, the leading magazine of the conservative movement in the state, is closing its doors.  Its February issue will be the last it ever publishes.

Major H/T to Steve Duin of the Oregonian for this story: Brainstorm is Toast

Cross-Posted from Loaded Orygun: http://www.loadedorygun.net/sh…

In its 12-year history, Brainstorm NW was the voice of the fiscally conservative but not socially conservative aspects of the OR GOP (which given that they published Lars Larson tells you how crazy the mainstream GOP is).  Describing themselves as the “magazine for Northwest decision makers”, it proved to be nothing of the sort.  At the present time it had 12,000 subscribers and enjoyed a regular print run of about 25,000.  While it is sad to see well-meaning people fail in such an endeavor and for a, relatively, centrist publication to die, it is a sign of the fact that the OR GOP has moved quite far to the right.

Their final editorial (copied from Steve Duin’s blog, linked above), says in part:

For the past 12 years, BrainstormNW has published in Oregon and been read by thousands of well-educated, active, thoughtful citizens. We, of course, are a niche magazine, not a newspaper. Did we have a message, a slant, like the Aurora of 1798? Yes. For 12 years we have sounded the alarm that Oregon’s business climate was rapidly cooling. We have made the case that our planet was just as likely to be cooling and that the global warming fanatics were just that, con artists seeking power and financial gain. For 12 years we warned that ignoring the rich resources of rural Oregon was foolhardy and would lead to poverty and social decay. For 12 years we have sounded the alert that 22 years of one-party rule by Democrats would eventually corrupt. That the concentrated power, numbers and inflated pensions and benefits of public unions would undermine and finally destroy Oregon’s economy.

And now we will be silent. Like the Aurora and Porcupine’s Gazette, our time has ended. This month’s issue, February 2009, will be our last. We were the voice of many Oregonians, but we have been stilled by the failing economy we predicted for this past decade. Ironic. Sad. In this instance it has been less than gratifying to be right. But given that a pro-business publication in Oregon is a bit more of a rare hothouse orchid than an old growth Doug fir, it is not surprising that we could not weather the economic and political firestorm. Still, for our writers, editors and readers, the loss of this 12-year endeavor is painful

.

I should correct one obvious factual error in this editorial.  The Dems did not control the state legislature fully from 1992-2006 and did not control either chamber for a good period of time, it still speaks to a certain brand of conservative myopia.  In further proof of this, one need look no further than their piece on the bailout published in October:

Shoveling a trillion taxpayer dollars into a hole of government spending is not the answer. If infrastructure projects and handouts are the focus of Obama’s stimulus package, the money is as good as gone. Real economic recovery will only come from small business stimulus. And no doubt it’s time for thinking outside the box that goes well beyond standard direct payments or traditional tax cuts – though these too may play a role.

Link: http://www.brainstormnw.com/co…

So goodbye Brainstorm NW, and may such conservative BS ideology go with you.

Check it. Quinnipiac (2/5-8, registered voters):

Richard Blumenthal (D): 58

Joe Lieberman (I-Inc.): 30

(MoE: ±2.5%)

No need to adjust your TV sets — these are general election numbers, not some fantasy scenario where Lieberman tries to win the Democratic primary nomination again. Indeed, he would be foolish to even try, especially if state AG Dick Blumenthal gets into the race. Here’s an eye-popping number for you: among Democrats, Blumenthal steamrolls Lieberman by a devastating 83-9 margin! Of course, Lieberman has four years to try to repair his douche-stained reputation, and who knows if Blumenthal will really pull the trigger. However, with numbers like these, Blumenthal has every reason to finally throw down; this race may be his last real opportunity to wage a Senate campaign.

Meanwhile, Connecticut’s other Senator, Chris Dodd, continues his downward spiral:

A total of 42 percent of voters say they “definitely” or “probably” will vote to reelect Sen. Dodd in 2010, while 51 percent say the “probably won’t” or “definitely won’t” vote for him.

By a 54 – 24 percent margin, Connecticut voters say they are not satisfied with Sen. Dodd’s explanation of allegations that he received preferential mortgage treatment and 56 percent of voters say they are less likely to vote for him because of this controversy.

And that’s not all: Dodd’s approval has entered net negative territory for the first time in recent Quinnipiac polling history, with 48% of voters disapproving of his job performance to 41% who still give Dodd their approval.

If John Cornyn is successful in luring Rob Simmons or even a cash-flush self-funder into this race, it’ll be a significant accomplishment for the NRSC. At the very least, attacking this pressure point will force Democrats to reallocate resources to a defensive position — and who knows, maybe lightning could strike.