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Fisher Pulls Away in Ohio Primary Race
A new Quinnipiac poll finds Lee Fisher (D) has opened up a big lead over Jennifer Brunner (D) in the Democratic U.S. Senate race in Ohio, 41% to 24%.

Said Peter Brown: “Although anything can happen in politics, at this point the race appears to be his to lose. The obvious reason for Fisher opening up the race is that in the last weeks he has overwhelmed Ms. Brunner in television and radio advertising. Money may not buy happiness, but it sure can win elections. Of course, a third of likely voters say they remain undecided, but Ms. Brunner would have to win the vast, vast majority of them.”

Most Anti-incumbent Electorate Since 1994
The new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds less than a third of all voters say they are inclined to support their representatives in November.

“Dissatisfaction is widespread, crossing party lines, ideologies and virtually all groups of voters. Less than a quarter of independents and just three in 10 Republicans say they’re leaning toward backing an incumbent this fall. Even among Democrats, who control the House, the Senate and the White House, opinion is evenly divided on the question.”

However, those polled “also say they trust Obama over Republicans in Congress to deal with the economy, health care and, by a large margin, financial regulatory reform. And the president continues to get positive marks on his overall job performance, with, for the first time since the fall, a majority of independents approving.”

How the White House Wins by Losing
Senior White House officials tell the Washington Post that they are pleasantly “surprised” that Senate Republicans are still blocking consideration of bank reform legislation.

“Ahead of the first vote on Monday evening, the assumption inside the White House was that Republicans would back down and allow the debate to begin, said one top Obama adviser, who asked for anonymity to discuss White House strategy. The fact that they didn’t plays ‘right into their narrative.’”

“He called it a ‘proof point’ for the American people as they try to assess which party wants to stick it to Wall Street and which party is trying to protect the banks and institutions from new and onerous regulations if the legislation passes.”

Crist Likely to Launch Independent Bid
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is expected to announce Thursday “that he will run as an independent candidate for Florida’s open U.S. Senate seat,” the Miami Herald reports.

Multiple Republican sources tell the Washington Post that Crist “conducted a poll on Monday and Tuesday to test his viability as an independent and got numbers back that encouraged him that there was a path to victory running without any major party affiliation.”

The Food Nightmare Beneath Our Feet: We’re Running Out of Soil
Each year the world loses an estimated 83 billion tons of soil. What does this mean for food production and what can we do about?

Each year the world loses an estimated 83 billion tons of soil. What does this mean for food production and what can we do about?

Bank Local: Indie Businesses Embrace Move Your Money
Small businesses and slices of the larger public have begun taking steps to move their money away from big banks.

Small businesses and slices of the larger public have begun taking steps to move their money away from big banks.

Arizona worsens issue of immigration for playing enforcer of federal matters

By Eduardo Barraza, Barriozona Magazine, Race-Talk contributor Phoenix, Arizona. April 27, 2010 -  Some people from Arizona, or those who have lived here for quite a while, may be appalled but not surprised about the dramatic turn the volatile issue of immigration has taken in this state during the last […]

Bill Moyers, Giant of Television, Retires
He’s been lauded as the Murrow of his generation. With his April 30 retirement from PBS, TV journalism will lose a unique and relentless explorer of American politics and culture.

He's been lauded as the Murrow of his generation. With his April 30 retirement from PBS, TV journalism will lose a unique and relentless explorer of American politics and culture.

The Legal Meme Of Our Era
I’m going to repair to the “amen corner” on the quality of Jeff Shesol’s new book. He captures the political climate of the late 1930s brilliantly and by revising conventional wisdom about “the court-packing scheme” (a lazy shorthand that…


Supreme Court - United States - Jeff Shesol - Barack Obama - President

Presented By:

Is Sen. Ben Nelson Looking For A New ?Cornhusker Kickback? In Wall Street Reform?
Yesterday afternoon, as expected, Senate Republicans voted en masse to block debate on Sen. Chris Dodd’s (D-CT) bill to regulate Wall Street. Surprisingly, however, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) also voted no. Nelson had been “quiet” about the bill in recent weeks, but his “decision to vote no will give Republicans ammunition to charge […]

Yesterday afternoon, as expected, Senate Republicans voted en masse to block debate on Sen. Chris Dodd’s (D-CT) bill to regulate Wall Street. Surprisingly, however, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) also voted no. Nelson had been “quiet” about the bill in recent weeks, but his “decision to vote no will give Republicans ammunition to charge that opposition to the bill as it now stands is bipartisan.”

So why did Nelson help block the measure while 65 percent of Americans support Wall Street reform? Speculation immediately turned to Nelson’s relationship with one of his most important constituents, billionaire investor Warren Buffet and his Nebraska-based company Berkshire Hathaway. Just hours before the vote, Senate Democrats killed a provision “sought by Berkshire and pushed by” Nelson that would have potentially saved the investment firm $8 billion, the Wall Street Journal reports:

Senate Democrats agreed Monday to kill a provision from their derivatives bill pushed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., a change one analyst predicted could force the Nebraska company to set aside up to $8 billion.

The Senate Agriculture Committee inserted language into its derivatives bill last week at the request of Sen. Ben Nelson (D., Neb.) that would have exempted any existing derivatives contracts from new collateral requirements—the money set aside to cover potential losses.

Berkshire has $63 billion in derivatives contracts, and Mr. Buffett has boasted he holds very little collateral against these products. […]

The provision would have helped all companies with existing contracts. Capitol Hill aides said, however, that Berkshire pushed forcefully for the change because of its large book of derivatives.

The White House and Treasury Department had strongly opposed the change sought by Berkshire, “on the grounds that it would weaken the government’s ability to regulate the enormous market for derivatives.”

Berkshire officials “have long supported” Nelson, giving him more money over his political career than those of any other company. A Nelson spokesperson admitted before the vote that Berkshire had lobbied Nelson, but said the senator had always believed the new rules should not apply retroactively. After the vote, Nelson said his opposition was due to concern about how the bill would affect small businesses, such as dentists and auto dealers, saying, “I want to make sure this deals with Wall Street and not Main Street.” An aide said “Berkshire Hathaway was not was a factor.”

But Dodd said the removal of the Buffett carve-out was likely responsible for Nelon’s opposition:

Asked about Nelson’s vote, Dodd said he couldn’t accommodate the Nebraskan’s push to exempt some companies from having to back up their derivative investments with additional collateral. […]

Dodd, who was seen conversing with Nelson and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) before the vote, said the conversation revolved around the derivatives exemption.

“Dentists and auto dealers didn’t come up,” he said when asked.

A Senate aide agreed, “definitively” saying that Nelson switched his voted after Democrats dropped the Buffett carve-out. “He was on board until today and the only thing that changed was the removal of that provision,” the aide said.

“Has Nelson forgotten how the Cornhusker Kickback saga played out? That it became a huge embarrassment for him personally, for his party, and for his state?” Matt Yglesias asks. “It’s groundhog day here,” Dodd said laughing.

Wall Street giants are ?giving most of their campaign donations? to the GOP.
Throughout the past year, Republicans in Congress and top Wall Street banks have been working together in a symbiotic relationship in which the GOP works to water-down financial regulatory reform in exchange for campaign cash. The Wall Street Journal reports that the pact seems to be paying off, at least for the GOP: For the […]

Throughout the past year, Republicans in Congress and top Wall Street banks have been working together in a symbiotic relationship in which the GOP works to water-down financial regulatory reform in exchange for campaign cash. The Wall Street Journal reports that the pact seems to be paying off, at least for the GOP:

For the first time since 2004, the biggest Wall Street firms are now giving most of their campaign donations to Republicans.

A Wall Street Journal analysis of 12 large financial services companies, including J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Goldman Sachs Group Inc. shows that they have collectively made $1.4 million in political donations, with 52% going to Republicans so far this year. That’s a reversal from last year, according to the most recent round of fund-raising reports covering January, February and March. […]

The change of allegiance comes as Congress closes in on legislation that would overhaul financial services regulations. Democrats back an aggressive bill that has been so far blocked in the Senate by Republicans.

Since 1989, Goldman has never given more to the GOP than it has to Democrats, but this year, the company has given 52 percent of its PAC money to Republicans. Moreover, Wall Street firms “have also begun writing large checks to the Republican Party, while stiffing the Democratic Party,” the Journal writes, noting that “Goldman, KPMG, and FMR Corp. (the owner of Fidelity Investments) each gave $15,000 to the Republican Party in March.”

Ukraine’s extension of Russian base’s lease may challenge U.S. goals in region
MOSCOW — Ukraine’s decision to host a Russian naval base for 25 more years in exchange for cheaper gas, a deal ratified Tuesday despite egg-throwing and a brawl over it in the Ukrainian parliament, does little to alter the immediate military balance in the Black Sea but presents other challenges…

Republican senators again block vote on financial regulation
Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked for the second straight day efforts to begin debate on a sweeping overhaul of financial regulations, saying the bill represents an overreach of government power that could harm small businesses.

Reid amends his pledge for fast action on immigration
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid backed off Tuesday from his pledge to fast-track an overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws, after fellow Democrats voiced skepticism and a key Republican supporter abandoned the effort.

House approves measure blocking congressional pay raise
The House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday would block lawmakers from getting their scheduled $1,600 raise for next year, a symbolic measure designed to show Congress understands the angst of voters suffering from the recession.

Yes, Obama’s Coalition Is Weak
Sean Trende, RealClearPolitics

Shared Sacrifices Will Solve the Debt Crisis
Steny Hoyer, WSJ
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Immigration Push May Help Dems in the West

Sprechen sie Douche?
A trilogy of real pieces of work.

So much idiocy, so few good orifice-related adjectives:

In a news conference in Charleston, company officials also pointed a finger back at the federal regulators who had repeatedly cited them for safety violations before an explosion killed 29 miners on April 5.

Hey, only 47 of the most serious type of violation orders in the last five months…it’s not like there was any wrongdoing on the company’s part. Those 52 people who have died on Massey property the last decade, just the cost of bigger bonuses for management doing business.

Meanwhile, John McCain profile in courage:

…the [Arizona immigration] law is so hard to defend that Sen. John McCain, facing a hard-right primary challenge from a supporter of the measure, spoke a few words of praise but nevertheless could not bring himself to cheer the new police powers.

Close enough for Richard Cohen.

And finally, the Mickey Kaus for Senate “jugg-er-naught” continues to build up impressive endorsements and organize a workable Dungeons & Dragons campaign team:

Thanks to Victor Davis Hanson for the endorsement.

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