That's what we've got to ask the lunatics who are constantly pressing the panic/paranoia button.

Toni Preckwinkle thanks supporters and promises they'll be hearing from her soon in her run for President of the Cook County Board.

It's the easiest thing in the world to come up with a plan when you're completely indifferent to the final results. That's always been the GOPers' advantage when it comes to HCR: basically they can recommend anything they want since universal health care is not part of their agenda, it's part of ours.

So when one of the GOPers in Baltimore whined (in so many words) 'you're ignoring us -- we have a plan too!', it was great to hear Obama respond:

"It's not enough if you say, ... The GOP plan will lower health care premiums for American families and small businesses, addressing America's number-one priority for health reform. I mean, that's an idea that we all embrace. But specifically it's got to work. I mean, there's got to be a mechanism in these plans that I can go to an independent health care expert and say, is this something that will actually work, or is it boilerplate?

I had a great time watching the SOTU with old friends from the Niles Township Democratic Meetup. Leah called us all together and it was great seeing people, some of whom I hadn't seen for way too long. We all left re-inspired and energized by Obama's words.

P.S. Hey Michelle: Greg Sargent...

Another day, another example of David Brooks' infatuation with something he calls 'populism'.

Odd that we only hear of this now that people are protesting against Democrats in power.

Throughout the long period of Republican Ascendancy, the people protesting then were never populist (though the demographics might have been similar) -- no, those protesters were nothing but a bunch of radical USA-hating elitists.

Love the narrative; the original populists are turning in their graves.

From Campaign for Better Health Care:

DOWNTOWN CHICAGO @ NOON
Federal Plaza - 230 S. Dearborn, Chicago 60602

EVANSTON @ NOON
Fountain Square
Corner of Davis St., Sherman Ave. & Orrington Ave.

President Obama and some Democrats in Congress recently indicated that they might consider scaling back plans for health care reform. Tomorrow, January 26, we will send a clear message that America demands that comprehensive health care reform be passed. So, let's quit shaking our heads in disbelief, grab our signs, and start fanning the fire. See you this Tomorrow at noon!

I'm still trying to figure out why one election in Massachusetts ought to be a game-changer for anything, let alone vitally important national issues. There's just no proportionality.

What makes me optimistic is the confidence that simply out of a sense of self-preservation, if nothing else, we're going to see something moving -- for real and not rhetorically -- on HCR, banks & the economy. It just can't end like this.

Pass. The. Damn. Bill.

[h/t S. Benen]

I understand that the decision to open the corporate financial floodgates for political campaigns is the direct legacy of GOPer appointments to the Court since the days of Ronald Reagan.

The weird thing is, is this the best time -- when the nation is doing a belly flop on the economy and corporations aren't, shall we say, particularly popular -- is this the best time to hand them such a present?

Can you say, backlash?

From TPM:

Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY), who has said he favors breaking the bill into chunks and passing them individually, emerged from a meeting with House leadership confident they'd have a deal by the end of the week. [emphasis added]