Food for thought, post-2010 midterms and beyond

First of all, "It does not matter much if you make change, if you do not communicate change."

Poll: Americans Don't Know Taxes Fell (Bloomberg Businessweek)


An equally important lesson from James K. Galbraith: "The original sin of Obama's presidency was to assign economic policy to a closed circle of bank-friendly economists and Bush carryovers."

It Was the Banks


 "[G]reat change is most often set in motion by small, but significant events -- and this can happen in a very short amount of time."

Democrats Must Stop Listing, Start Tipping (Framing the Debate author Jeffrey Feldman)


"[O]bessive concern about the deficits is dominating political discussion in Congress and in the media—at the expense of the more urgent issue of pursuing economic recovery and rebuilding the middle class."

Recovery Not Austerity (The American Prospect/Demos)


UCal Berkeley linguistics professor Robin Lakoff on the 2010 "bloodbath" meme, absolutism in modern punditry, the 24/7 wraparound media and the silver lining of the midterms:

It's not as bad as all that


So legislate what most people who disapproved of the healthcare reform law ACTUALLY wanted it to accomplish:

A Lame Duck Revolution: Take Another Shot at the Public Option (Martin Ford)


Johann Hari's (London Independent columnist) headline has been accurate in far too many ways for far too long, but here he focuses on the taking of the House by Republicans, headed by new Speaker John "here are your checks from the tobacco companies" Boehner:

The Laws and Policies of the United States Are Now Openly for Sale


You ain't seen nuthin' yet from the activist judges who brought you the Supreme Court ruling on Citizens United.  Hang onto your class action hats (David Lazarus/Los Angeles Times business):

Consumers' right to file class actions is in danger


Oodles of criticism for Fed chairman Ben Bernanke's Quantitative Easing economic fix-it plan: "Give the guy a printing press, he's going to run it as fast as he can."

• "With all due respect, U.S. policy is clueless" (William Allen - "Fed's Quantitative Easing Draws International Criticism")
• This is an "All-In" play on the philosophy of trickle down. But it is rife with risk and injustice. (The 14th Banker - "Bernanke Blows Bubbles")
• "The thought that you can create a prosperous economy by inflating is an illusion" (Kelly Olsen, AP - "Volcker: Fed bond plan won't do much to boost economy")