A terrible week for liberals and progressives no matter how we slice it.

[skip fox]

I give a lot of credit to those who find possibilities for hope after the Massachusetts senate race and yesterday's Supreme Court decision. I wish I could feel that way.

I'm very gloomy. I'm not sure we can dig our way back out of this week any time soon (4-6 years).

I'd love to hear from people who feel otherwise. Or who have remedies etc.

[Bonhomme Richard]

1. A terrible week for any thinking American. n/t

[skip fox]

2. Yes . . . and to continue the thought::

for almost all Americans (whether they know it or not) except those who might profit from the loss of the citizen's voice in our country. Come to think of it, these too will be impoverished in human terms.

[Rapanui1]

3. This might be just the beginning

With a beyond weak and self flatulence indulgent democratic leadership I see no hope for the progressives. I am still embarrased as to how we have tolerated the triad of embarrasment. Dodd, Pelosi and Reid. If we are to get the democratic party back these three need to go immediately

[girl gone mad]

4. I feel more optimistic than I have in a while.

They've moved tall Paul out of the janitor's closet and finally gave Elizabeth Warren the time of day. It's a start.

[leveymg]

5. Both are blessings, in disguise. We dodged a bullet w/the Senate HCR Bill. Fixable. The SCOTUS

ruling, meanwhile, demands that the American people rethink how we regulate multinationals. I would like to see a Bill ready for Obama's signature to restrict domestic political activities by multinationals, which includes virtually ALL the big Fortune 500 companies.

We could end up with a decent HCR Bill if they cut the Senate and House Bills back to component parts and do Reconciliation votes on all the good stuff - Medicare for All, lifting the Anti-Trust exemption, Drug Re-importation, etc. What we absolutely must not allow is the move toward privatization of Medicare, taxation of health benefits, and creation of a huge pool of privatized debt which the Wall Street insiders want to manipulate, blow up, and liquidate as another Ponzi Scheme. This is what the old Senate Bill was all about, and it's largely based on a "sustainable health care" plan written by Rahm Emanuel's brother, Zeke, to profit from the privatization of Medicare and Social Security.

If you don't believe me, read Zeke Emanuel's own description, in which he asks the reader if his own plan "sounds too good to be true" (hint, hint): See, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zeke-emanuel/sustainable-health-care-r_b_114788.html I had a slap-my-forehead moment when I read it and thought about the extraordinarily implausible chain of decisions (because they are so obviously unpopular) that drove the Senate -- with White House backing -- to craft the current Senate HCR Bill: first, they dropped the public option, cut out Durbin's signature drug-reimportation plan (knowing that he would resign), imposed the "Cadillac tax", and rejected Medicare for All.

[skip fox]

6. some (not myopic!) optimism. Thanks. Not significantly convinced,

of course, but things seem a bit better. And based on ideas, not attitudes! Thanks.

[leveymg]

7. How do you need convincing?

Please re-read my revised comment.

[skip fox]

10. It's not all about logic. When one is hit, one reels.

And what is apparent (double whammy) tends to trump (maybe only emotionally) what is logically possible.

[lunatica]

8. I did NOT see this week coming with a Democratic majority

My head is spinning from the double whammy slaps upside the head.

Ouch.

I feel like the trap door just slammed shut. This week isn't an accident.

[rhett o rick]

9. What Democratic majority? Just because they have D behind their names

doesnt make them a Democrat from the stand point you are talking about. The goal isnt to get a majority of people proclaiming to be Democrats, but to get honest, principled Democrats. Progressive Democrats not republican voting blue dogs.

[rhett o rick]

11. I dont see a solution as long as Congress is dominated by members of the wealthy elitists.

They do not represent us, they represent their own wealthy class.

[Orsino]

12. And those darned Leftists are to blame.

:sarcasm: