Broadway Carl 2.0

President Obama Speaks on Reopening the Government    "So let's work together to make government work better, instead of treating it like an enemy or purposely making it work worse. That’s not what the founders of this nation envisioned when they gave us the gift of self-government. You don’t like a particular policy or a particular president, then argue for your position. Go out there and win an election. Push to change it. But don’t break it. Don’t break what our predecessors spent over two centuries building. That's not being faithful to what this country is about."

There are two editorials in The Washington Post today. The liberal leaning Fareed Zakaria wrote " Obama on the path to success in Syria " while conservative leaning Michael Gerson titled his piece, " Obama's missteps in Syria lead to retreat ." And so it goes. The Grand Canyon-like chasm that divides along party lines would be laughable if it weren't so pathetically sad. And before I go any further, no, both sides don't do it.  As Steve Benen notes : "I suppose this is about the point at which some will suggest Democrats are equally guilty of playing politics with foreign policy and national security, but recent evidence points in the exact opposite direction.  For much of the Bush/Cheney era, Democrats were, often to the chagrin of their base, willing to be constructive partners with Republicans -- large numbers of Democratic lawmakers voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq in large numbers; they backed the PATRIOT Act; and they...

Boy, that Paul Rudd. I tell ya, he kinda grows on you and really is a funny guy. I thought This Is 40 was a very good movie and as usual Rudd's quirkiness highlighted a couple of scenes that are going to be memorable for years to come. You know what isn't so funny and is also memorable? The dysfunctional Republican led House not standing for anything except being against all things Obama. On Friday, the last day before their summer recess with a pending government shutdown looming on the horizon without a continuing resolution to continue to fund the government or raise the debt ceiling, Weeper of the House John Boehner led the House into yet another vote to defund The Affordable Care Act for the 40th time. Yes, that's right. They've voted to repeal Obamacare forty times in the last three years, all so they can go home to their base and say they voted against trying to make health care accessible and affordable for almost everyone. They voted to roll back the acces...

A Better Bargain for the Middle Class   "... over the past couple of years in particular, Washington has taken its eye off the ball. An endless parade of distractions, political posturing and phony scandals shift focus from what needs to be done. And as Washington prepares to enter another budget debate, the stakes could not be higher. The choices we make now will determine whether or not every American has a fighting chance in the 21st century.   ... I know there are members of both parties who understand what’s at stake, and I’m open to ideas from across the political spectrum, as long as they meet the test of strengthening the prospects of hard-working families. But repealing Obamacare, gutting critical investments in our future, threatening to default on the bills this country has already racked up, or shutting down the government just because I’m for keeping it open – none of those thing add up to an economic plan. None of that will take this country where i...