<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Tom B.'s Rambles &#187; national politics</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/tag/national-politics/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.brincefield.net/blog</link>
	<description>What is on my mind right now.</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:34 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1</generator>
<xhtml:meta xmlns:xhtml="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" name="robots" content="noindex" />
	<a href="http://www.brincefield.net/excess/macabregaseous.php" rel="nofollow"><span style="display:none;">support</span></a>	<item>
		<title>A Week of Politics</title>
		<link>http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/01/23/a-week-of-politics/</link>
		<comments>http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/01/23/a-week-of-politics/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:26:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tom B.</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[archive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blogs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[caroline kennedy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cnn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Democrat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[election]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[executive orders]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[inauguration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John McCain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kirsten gillibrand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minnesota]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[national politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NRCC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[President]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[steve clemons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ted Kennedy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.brincefield.net/blog/?p=329</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This post is part of my Ramblings on Politics&#187; So the week started with Bush as the President of the USA and not much happening except getting ready for the inauguration. Then Tuesday happens, and it feels like a tornado is going through the government. In over 30 years of watching national politics, I do [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!--Amazon_CLS_IM_START--><div class="hackadelic-series-info on-frontpage"><small>This post is part of my Ramblings on <a href="javascript:;" class="hackadelic-sliderButton"onclick="toggleSlider('#hackadelic-sliderPanel-2')" title="click to expand/collapse slider Politics">Politics&raquo;</a> <span class="hackadelic-sliderPanel concealed" id="hackadelic-sliderPanel-2"></span></small></div><p>So the week started with Bush as the President of the USA and not much happening except getting ready for the inauguration. Then Tuesday happens, and it feels like a tornado is going through the government. In over 30 years of watching national politics, I do not remember this kind of change happening so quickly, in so many areas.</p>
<p><span id="more-329"></span>CNN is making a big deal about covering <a title="CNN: 1st 100 Days Special Report" href="http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/44.president/first.100.days/">Obama&#8217;s first 100 days</a>. But is seems that in his first 100 hours, he has already accomplished more than the Bush administration did in the last year. Just the <a title="Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda" href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing_room/executive_orders/">first three days of Executive Orders</a> shows the enormous difference between the former and present administrations.</p>
<p>Not everybody is happy of course. The Republicans have decided that their losses in the elections are proof they need to <a title="Republicans Unveil Own Stimulus Plan" href="http://rawstory.com/news/afp/US_Republicans_unveil_own_stimulus__01232009.html">stand up and disagree with Obama</a> more. I am not sure pushing back hard is a good idea at this time. It will probably be popular with their base, but not so much with the more moderate section of the population that they need to woo back. It does show a certain amount of chutzpah, which I wish some of the Democrats could learn to have. On the other hand, it may just be an <a title="TPM: NRCC Website says economy is strong" href="http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2009/01/nrcc_the_fundamentals_of_our_economy_are_strong.php">inability to grasp reality</a>.</p>
<p>And one very important Democrat understands exactly where the country is right now. And <a title="WSJ: Obama to GOP I Won" href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/01/23/obama-to-gop-i-won/">the President let the GOP know it</a> during their meeting this morning.</p>
<p>But some progressives need to see about picking up some tin foil from their haberdasher. While the title of his article, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-clemons/obama-and-ted-kennedy-see_b_160326.html">Obama and Ted Kennedy See Plans Foiled as Caroline Withdraws?</a> does end with a question mark, Steve Clemons writes it like he knows exactly what Obama and Ted Kennedy were planning. And what they were planning was a Machiavellian scheme to set up Caroline Kennedy for a run at the Presidency in 2016. His reliance on anonymous insiders and an inability to get simple facts straight (<a title="NY Times Article on Gillibrand Appointment" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/24/nyregion/24senator.html?partner=permalink&amp;exprod=permalink">Senator Kirsten Gillibrand</a> will have to run in 2010, then again in 2012 if she wins), as well as his apparent mind reading abilities, tend to count against his credibility.</p>
<p>And it is looking like the trial in Minnesota will not be too long. Coleman does not appear to be doing well <a title="TPM: GOP Judge heckles Coleman lawyer" href="http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/01/coleman-lawyers-get-heckled-by-gop-judge.php">even convincing judges appointed</a> by Republicans that his legal arguments are correct. With luck, this might possibly be over by the end of next week. (Was that enough weasel words?)</p>
<p>I guess it all comes down to, right now it feels really good to be able to say President Barack Obama. I hope he continues as well as he has started.</p>
<div id="flaresmith" class="feedflare"><script src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~s/TomBsRambles?i=http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/01/23/a-week-of-politics/" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script></div><!-- <a href="http://www.brincefield.net/excess/macabregaseous.php" rel="nofollow">handbook</a> --><div id="hackadelic-sliderNote-2" class="concealed">Some of my other Ramblings are in these posts.<ol><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2008/10/18/political-ramblings/">Political Ramblings</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2008/11/12/a-sad-failure-of-principles/">A Sad Failure of Principles?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2008/12/18/let-him-decide/">Let him decide...</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2008/12/19/minnesota-senate-race-is-slowly-coming-to-a-conclusion/">Minnesota Senate Race is slowly coming to a conclusion</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/01/02/incoming-senators/">Incoming Senators</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/01/08/how-can-obama-stand-it/">How can Obama stand it?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/01/09/franken-stealing-the-election/">Franken Stealing the Election?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/01/20/the-obama-era-starts/">The Obama Era Starts</a></li><li>A Week of Politics</li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/01/26/the-change-we-need-from-obama/">The Change We Need from Obama</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/01/27/i-was-wrong-about-the-definition-of-bi-partisan/">I was wrong about the definition of bi-partisan</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/02/13/politics-strange/">Politics are strange.</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/02/17/jobs-gop/">Jobs and the GOP</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/02/25/jindal-didnt-go-over-so-well/">Jindal didn't go over so well</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/03/10/closing-arguments-on-the-way/">Closing arguments on the way</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/03/11/earmark-earmark-who-has-an-earmark/">Earmark, earmark, who has an earmark?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/03/13/some-bias-from-the-washington-post/">Some bias from the Washington Post</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/04/05/europe-on-obama/">Europe on Obama</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/08/04/healthcare-crisis/">Healthcare Crisis?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/08/31/open-letter-to-the-president/">Open Letter to the President</a></li></ol><span style="display: block; margin-top: 3px; font-size: 7px"><a href="http://hackadelic.com/solutions/wordpress/sliding-notes" title="Powered by Hackadelic Sliding Notes 1.6.4">Powered by Hackadelic Sliding Notes 1.6.4</a></span></div><!--Amazon_CLS_IM_END-->]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.brincefield.net/blog/2009/01/23/a-week-of-politics/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	<a href="http://www.brincefield.net/excess/macabregaseous.php" rel="nofollow"><div style="display:none;">blog</div></a></channel>
</rss>
