Good question…

…from Chris in Paris.

Why do both parties keep thinking that the middle class should continue to pay the price for thirty years of bad policy plus this recession?

I'm stumped, unless it's got something to do with rich people being in charge of most everything.

The middle lost the Class War.

From the Department of Redundancy Department.

Jeffrey Rosen notes that Utah's Senator-elect Mike Lee's has a view of the Constituion that is based in "legal conservatism and constitutional scholarship but at the same time is genuinely eccentric and extreme."

At the risk of stating the obvious, "legal conservatism and constitutional scholarship" are eccentric and extreme.

Un-American, too. Inherently.

Having sworn to defend it with force of arms...

...and at the risk of my life, I'm inclined to take the Constitution pretty seriously. It's taking a lot of abuse these days from folks who lay claim to the oxymoronic title "Constitutional conservative." I'm not sure what they're trying to conserve, but it's certainly not the Constitution.

Jonathan Bernstein, with a nod to Andrew Sullivan's construction "Faux awe before the Constitution" points out that...

...if you're only a believer in your own, clearly false, version of American history, a version designed in order to make contemporary political points, then you don't really respect the Constitution. If you only believe in One True interpretation, you don't really respect the Constitution. And one should add: if you support half a dozen or more Constitutional amendments, odds are you don't really respect the Constitution.

At first glance I'd add that if you believe that the United States is a Christian nation, you don't really respect the Constitution. In fact, if you believe that, you probably haven't ever read the Constitution.

What are we missing?

C:\music\random\ten

Blossom Dearie - Doop-Doo-De-Doop (A Doodlin' Song)
Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five - Struttin' With Some Barbeque
Rita Coolidge - Fever
Kate Wolf - These Days
Scott Miller & The Commonwealth - Red Ball Express
Harry McClintock - Big Rock Candy Mountain
Donovan - Catch The Wind
Billy Eckstine - I Apologize
Ray Wylie Hubbard - Without Love
Guy Clark - Bag Of Bones

Good for us!

Via the P.I....

The secretary of state's office says turnout for the November election was 71.24 percent - "the second highest midterm election turnout in state history. The state record for midterm election turnout is 71.85 percent, set in 1970."

I still miss my polling place, but turnout numbers like this will likely reduce my grumbling about all mail voting. A few points lower this year might have cost Democrats a number of legislative seats and at least one congressional seat. The State Supreme Court would be a less progressive body, as well.

Kudos, too, to the Democratic coordinated campaign for finding the key to GOTV in an all mail environment. I'm sure there will be refinements to come, but the campaigns, the Party, labor and other Democratic allies came together in an impressive effort and produced an impressive result.

Thanks…

…to all y'all for joining me in this adventure, as always, but today I'm especially thankful that my mom will be joining the Brilliant and Beautiful Bride of Upper Left and I for Thanksgiving Day. It's been over a decade, as Mom's moved about from Sequim to Spokane. She came home to Seattle this year so we get to enjoy her company this year. Mom's 85 now, so these opportunities are special.

There's a fairly substantial list of other things to be thankful for, too, of course. Life's not going as good as I might wish for, but it's no where near as bad as it might be, either. Mostly, though, it's you, and another turkey dinner prepared by the BBBUL (AKA The Queen Of Thanksgiving) and Mom.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!

AUSTIN — Eight years after former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay helped engineer a Republican takeover of the Texas House and state congressional delegation, a Travis County jury Wednesday convicted him of felony money laundering in the 2002 elections.

Oh frabjous day!

An earmark?

Seems to have an air of earmarkiness...

Senate Republicans' ban on earmarks -- money included in a bill by a lawmaker to benefit a home-state project or interest -- was short-lived.

Only three days after GOP senators and senators-elect renounced earmarks, Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl, the No. 2 Senate Republican, got himself a whopping $200 million to settle an Arizona Indian tribe's water rights claim against the government.

Nay, say the Senator's peeps. It's just a "specific spending provision ."

Told ya' they'd redefine the problem away.

Not that it's particularly new…

…but it's certainly true enough, where "right now" means the last 30 years. Chris Hayes...

"Republicans right now are behaving like adolescent nihilists, willing to drive the family's Country Squire station wagon off the cliff in some negotiation with their parents. Not people interested in the well-being of this country."

Steve Benen is similarly accurate if a bit too measured in observing that...

"We're talking about a major political party, which will control much of Congress next year, possibly undermining the strength of the country -- on purpose, in public, without apology or shame -- for no other reason than to give themselves a campaign advantage in 2012."

In this case, while Republican subversion is certainly what we're talking about, it's been underway for decades and its aims extend far beyond the 2012 elections.

Good to have the topic on the table, though, and the discussion that's been sparked around it. There's ultimately no substitute for action, but vigilance is at least a substantial down payment on liberty.

I'll never forget the sight...

...of grown men and women weeping openly on a public sidewalk as they watched the news through the window of a TV store on Lincoln Street in Port Angeles.

I'll never forget why they wept, either.

Rosenberg's Iron Law…

…of Conservatism:

Whatever conservatives accuse liberals of doing, it's always something they're guilty of themselves.

Downright Newtonian in its utility.

Quote of the day.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, on whether she would submit to a TSA hand job…

"Not if I could avoid it. No. I mean who would?"

The Secretary, of course, can avoid it, and keep flying.

We should all be so lucky.

Really, we should.

Once again...

...a random ten.

Dr. John - I Walk On Golden Splinters
Tarheel Slim - Number Nine Train
Sarah Jarosz - Come On Up To The House
Jack Elliott & Derrol Adams - Ain't It A Shame
Willie Nelson & Asleep At The Wheel - Write Your Own Song
Allen Toussaint - Yes We Can Can
Tony Rice - Church Street Blues
Jefferson Airplane - Third Week In The Chelsea
The Delta Boys - When The Saints Go Marching In
Charlie Poole & The North Carolina Ramblers - Goodbye Booze

From the "Me too" file.

Artistdogboy is curious...

I wonder what the more than 100.000 auto industry workers, who's jobs were saved or created by the bailout, feel about the Republican fears of Socialism and destruction of the "free market" now.

Me too.

I wonder how many of 'em voted for a Republican who would have sacrificed their jobs to the "free market," too.

(Almost typed "fee market." That's probably more accurate, actually)

Yes, it has.

Dave Weigel...

It's been a long year, and a stupid year...

Happily, there's not much of it left.

Sadly, there's scant sign of smarter on the horizon.

They mean well, I'm sure…

…but I'm not at all sure they have any control to cede...

AFP - The NATO allies open a two-day summit Friday to back a 2014 target for ceding control over the bogged-down Afghan war to Kabul.

Chart of the day.

Hat tip to David Sirota.

From the "Me neither" file.

Senator Dianne Feinstein...

"I don't see the logic in delaying tax cuts for middle class Americans as part of an effort to make sure that the rich get richer."

Me neither.

Speaking of Leaders...

...the upper left's got a leader of our own. I'm a day late in congratulating Senator Patty Murray on her re-election to the office of Senate Democratic Conference Secretary, the fourth highest Democratic leadership position.

Congratulations, Senator!

Sounds like a mandate to me.

Nancy wins. 150-43.

A Leader, indeed, for good times and bad.

I suppose it would be perversely entertaining to see Heath Schuler as Leader For A Day. I figure that's about how long it would take for the Republican noise machine to paint him as a rabid gay Marxist who, in his heart of hearts, really wants to take away your guns.

Demonizing our leadership with lies is what they do, no matter who we choose. It's about all they have.

If Brian Baird had run for re-election and somehow hung on, the vote would have been 150-44. As much as I want our majority back, I already don't miss Baird. He's bailing out of his district and moving in up the road from me with a pot full of campaign cash and an eye on a possible open seat coming up.

Sorry, Brian. Congressional seats hereabouts are for members of the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party. Come here if you like, but don't go there.

From the "Me neither" file.

Joe Sudbay...

I really, really don't want to hear Obama talk about his craving for bipartisanship anymore.

Me neither.

Seems to be a powerful craving, though. He'll probably give up smokes first.

Stay tuned…

...I think we'll be hearing a lot of this...

[W]hen it comes to her own district, she's in favor of a little earmark "redefinition." Because what is an earmark, after all?
"Advocating for transportation projects for one's district in my mind does not equate to an earmark," Bachmann told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune yesterday.

"I don't believe that building roads and bridges and interchanges should be considered an earmark," Bachmann continued.

The problem is that the word 'earmark' has been so thoroughly debased by the likes of Bachmann, of course, that earmarking is just a tool for financing projects that may be entirely worthy. Like any tool, it can be misused in a number of ways, but that's not the fault of the tool.

Lots of Congresscritters love them some ribbon cutting ceremonies and lots of constituents have a bigger appetite for pork than they're apt to casually confess. If the redefinition campaign isn't successful, I expect a re-christening.

How 'bout 'targeted appropriations'?

Remember, you saw it here first.

Hat tip to Steve Benen.

What was that...

...about living in 'interesting times'? Goldy does a little crystal gazing...

So in 2012 alone we could see competitive races for open seats for Governor, Attorney General, State Auditor, WA-01, WA-07, WA-08 and WA-10, not to mention a half dozen or so legislative seats opening up due to incumbents looking to advance. And this in turn will likely open up some council and/or executive seats for 2013. Throw US Sen. Maria Cantwell and President Barack Obama into the 2012 mix, and it’s gonna be a heck of a few years.

Whee!

And, perhaps, the most pleasing...

Steve Kornacki...

...the most plausible scenario for Joe Lieberman in 2012, the more you look at things, may just be that he walks away. For good.

Sure, there'd be a measure of satisfaction in actually voting him out, but we're probably all better off if he faces the facts and leaves the stage.

Worth repeating…

…until we remember. brooklynbadboy offers the preamble to the 1932 Democratic National Platform for your consideration...

In this time of unprecedented economic and social distress the Democratic Party declares its conviction that the chief causes of this condition were the disastrous policies pursued by our government since the World War, of economic isolation, fostering the merger of competitive businesses into monopolies and encouraging the indefensible expansion and contraction of credit for private profit at the expense of the public.

Those who were responsible for these policies have abandoned the ideals on which the war was won and thrown away the fruits of victory, thus rejecting the greatest opportunity in history to bring peace, prosperity, and happiness to our people and to the world.

They have ruined our foreign trade; destroyed the values of our commodities and products, crippled our banking system, robbed millions of our people of their life savings, and thrown millions more out of work, produced wide-spread poverty and brought the government to a state of financial distress unprecedented in time of peace.

The only hope for improving present conditions, restoring employment, affording permanent relief to the people, and bringing the nation back to the proud position of domestic happiness and of financial, industrial, agricultural and commercial leadership in the world lies in a drastic change in economic governmental policies...

The more things change...

As usual...

...a random ten for your after-hours entertainment.

Booker T. & The MGs - Time Is Tight
Hayes Caril - Bad Liver And A Broken Heart
Dan Seals - Bop
Pete & Mike Seeger - Well May The World Go
Lulu - She Will Break Your Heart
Jack Elliot & Derrol Adams - East Virginia Blues
Harry Belafonte - Man Smart (Woman Smarter)
Linda Ronstadt - Love Is A Rose
Chris Ardoin & Double Clutchin' - Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher
New Riders Of The Purple Sage - Glendale Train

Whenever I hear Pete Seeger sing Well May The World Go, I think it just might.

The lay of the land…

...according to driftglass.

The reality, of course, is that while the Left has become a vital, frustrating and rambunctious movement which easily contains the pragmatic remains of Liberalism, the exiled remnants of Rockefeller Republicanism and almost everything in between, the Right is a rotting, brain-dead hulk whose body is kept shambling and shrieking along with massive jolts of racism, Christopathy and recycled Bircher Paranoia administered by the same old perverts who have been pulling their strings for generations.

Yep, pretty much sums it up.

Count me among the pragmatic remains, I suppose.

It would be unseemly…

…for me to describe it quantitatively, but it's the Brilliant and Beautiful Bride of Upper Left's birthday. Suffice to say she's not as old as I am, hence her other sobriquet, "my Child Bride."

Plans include some quality grandma time with the dynamic duo and a night cap at the perfect tavern when I go off shift tonight.

Thankfully, I have an excellent credit line at the perfect tav, because any other celebration depends on whether that PayPal button gets punched today.

Yeah, I suppose that's a hint. This, on the other hand, is an outright request. The BBBUL's favorite part of the blog has always been the comments (she's been listening to my off-line rants for decades). Take a moment to say hi and wish her a happy day.
Thanks.

Happy birthday, Sweetie!

Y'all are very welcome…

…for my service, but my Veteran's Day salute is going to the guy with time in grade...

Ninety-three years ago, Frank Buckles took the oath of enlistment and joined the U.S. Army. He was under age 16, but dreamed of service and adventure and realized that dream during his duty in Europe during World War One. Today, at 109 years of age, Mr. Buckles is recognized as the last living U.S. Veteran of World War One…

Thanks, Frank.

Hat tip to Chris Scheer at the VA's new blog, VANtage Point.

From the "Me too" file…

…curiously enough. Hard to imagine, but Oklahoma Republican James Inhofe, a conservative's conservative in the Senate by any measure, and I share the same concern about his caucus...

So my concern is this…these guys will come in and the first vote they will cast is to trash the Constitution and reject their oath of office.

Me too. Of course, I see that as Republican business as usual. It's one of the reasons I keep saying that…

In turbulent times…

…it's nice to know that some things never change...

“The former American president is not telling the truth,” (former German Chancellor Gerhard) Shroeder said Tuesday according to the German newspaper Der Spiegel.

George W. Bush is a liar. You can count on it. It's perversely reassuring.

Hat tip to Oliver.

From his keyboard…

…to (insert diety here)'s monitor. Jed Lewison…

In the election, the tea partiers got what they asked for. But they won't end up getting what they want.

Elections, as they say, have consequences.

Sometimes unintended consequences.

From the "Things that make me go hmmm…" file.

PLUMSTEAD, Pa. - November 10, 2010 (WPVI) -- Call it "Cookiegate". Sarah Palin is baking up a little controversy in Pennsylvania. She was the guest speaker last night at a fundraiser at Plumstead Christian School in Plumstead Township.

Baking up, cooking up, ginning up, however you want to put it, what Palin was doing in PA was just creating a "controversy" for its own sake. Apparently aghast at the possibility that the Pennsylvania Department of Education might suggest that fewer sweet treats is probably a good idea for kids, Palin staged a protest by bringing sugar cookies to a private school that would remain perfectly to feed its students all the sugar pops and fruit punch they can handle, if such were their wont.

It's really a nothing of a story, except...

School officials hope her appearance in the end will bring in several hundred dollars. Palin's appearance fee, thought to be $75,000, was reportedly covered by private donors.

She took $75K so the school could raise "several hundred"? No wonder she brought cookies. That's bake sale money. Sounds like she's about as big a draw as Mary Sue's fudge brownies.

What makes me go hmm, though, is that fee. If it came from someone who actually wanted to help the school raise a few hundred bucks, well, they clearly could have written a check for a few hundred, or a few thousand, dollars and have accomplished their purpose. It seems more likely that they simply wanted to put some money in Palin's pocket, and the school offered a convenient conduit. But who? And why? Hmmm…

Then, of course, there's the whole question of what kind of person would take that kind of money in exchange for that kind of return. Wouldn't you think someone as publically pious and personally wealthy as Palin would be helping out little Christian schools gratis whenever the opportunity presented? If it was a special trip, some expense money might be justified, but $75,000? Not for some corporate retreat or think tank banquet, but for a nickel and dime fundraiser?

Something about that makes me go hmmm, too.

Good question…

...and a bunch of good answers...

What the heck has Obama done so far?

From the "I hate to say I told so, but…" file.

No I don't. I'm happy to say it - more votes counted means more good news as Justice-elect Wiggins takes the lead that seals the deal...

Charlie Wiggins 906,262
Richard Sanders 902,771

The only question remaining is how high is up...

Stuff I learned on the internet.

The top five authors of political books during the last decade have been prominent Democrats (Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Al Franken and Hilary Clinton, respectively).

I didn't know that until I read this.

From the "Credit where it's due" file.

The whole hypocrisy thing notwithstanding, when he's right, even Rand Paul's right...

In a bigger shift from his campaign pledge to end earmarks, he tells me that they are a bad “symbol” of easy spending but that he will fight for Kentucky’s share of earmarks and federal pork, as long as it’s doled out transparently at the committee level and not parachuted in in the dead of night. “I will advocate for Kentucky’s interests,” he says.

Of course, earmarks are a "bad symbol" in large measure because of the demagoguery of Teapublicans like Paul. It's also true, though, that the earmarking process would benefit from some kind of sunshine reforms. For instance, when Patty Murray uses the earmarking process to steer millions of dollars to critical projects in local communities that might otherwise be overlooked, she's proud of it, and she should be.

Of course, Republicans tend to be more familiar with using the earmark process to bypass hearings and secure those "dead of night" sweetheart deals for their corporate investors, so perhaps their dim pubic reaction to their shady private practices is understandable. I suppose there's some comfort, in fact, in the knowledge that they retain enough humanity to feel enough shame and guilt to lie about who they are and what they do.

There's some comfort, too, knowing how crazy the people who supported the "no more earmarks" Paul when he was lying to get elected are gonna be now that Rand Paul's right.

From the "We have met the enemy…" file.

Van Jones…

"The reason the country is in the shape that it's in is not just because bad people created a hate machine; it's that good people shut down the hope machine."

Hat tip to Howie.

A historical note.

On November 8, 1910, Washington became the fifth state in the union, and the first in the twentieth century, to adopt women's suffrage.

Good for us!

Good news…

…from the Daily Olympian:

Sen. Brown re-elected as Senate majority leader

Senate Democrats reported today that they re-elected Sen. Lisa Brown as majority leader. The longtime Spokane lawmaker will hold the position for a fourth two-year term.

Senator Brown is the strongest progressive voice in our Olympia leadership. Her Democratic majority, an apparent 27 out of 49 seats, will, of course, include my own personal State Senator, Maralyn Chase.

I'm counting on Senators Brown and Chase to make it clear to Governor Gregoire that the people who put them in their positions, as well as the people who put the Governor in hers, didn't do so for an "all cuts, no revenue" budget solution for the State Of Washington.

Times are tough. Tough times call for courage. Knowing that Senator Chase will be fighting for me and that Senator Brown will be leading the fight, I'm confident the courage won't be lacking in the State Senate.

Too close to call?

Nope. Even though Charlie Wiggins still trails Richard Sanders by 3830 votes, he's close enough call it a win.

58% of the nearly quarter million votes still estimated to be outstanding are in the eight counties where Wiggins now holds a lead. He could underperform his results to date significantly and still come out ahead. He could, but that's unlikely. His performance has steadily improved in every return since election night.

It's not, of course, surprising that Wiggins would do well among late-deciding voters. The withdrawal of the Seattle Times' endorsement after an eleventh hour racial controversy over some Sanders' remarks mattered, I'm sure, but Goldy's right. The stage for that controversy was set by The Stranger's in-depth reporting on the campaign and Sanders' background.

None of which, of course, is to suggest that Wiggins' now inevitable victory is anything but well deserved. Our state will be a better place to live with a better Supreme Court, and Charlie Wiggins will make the Supreme Court better.

Congratulations to the Justice-elect.

Whither Wiggins?

I dunno. A Slog commenter and Goldy ("kinda-sorta")have called it for the challenger, but Charlie Wiggins' campaign to oust State Supreme Court Justice Richard Sanders is still too close for confidence in my book. He's been pulling ever closer as the ballots continue to come in, and there are still untold thousands (any number you've seen is an educated guess at best) of votes in the Wiggins-friendly confines of King County, so there's a case to be made. I'm off to the salt mines in a bit and by the time I return there should be another, maybe definitive, count available.

Meanwhile. nothing left to do but cross finger and count votes.

Quote of the day.

Words of grace and wisdom from Virginia Congressman Tom Perriello, who'll, unfortunately for the nation, will be looking for work in January...

"Judgment Day is more important than election day. It's more important to do what's right than what's easy."

Perriello did what was right so often he made it look easy.

Hat tip to Meteor Blades.

This is a very witty headline...

...that makes a thoughtful yet amusing connection between the election results and this week's random ten. OK?

Penny Arcade - Two Of Us
Jim & Jesse - Border Ride
Sinéad O'Connor - Molly Malone
LaVern Baker - Wild, Wild Women
Jefferson Airplane - Third Week In The Chelsea
Allison Moorer - Back Street Affair
Erskine Hawkins - Honkin' The Boogie
William Bell - I've Been Loving You Too Long
The Left Banke - And Suddenly
John Prine - Diamonds In The Rough

Nancy's in...

No one in D.C. has worked harder of more effectively for the Democratic agenda. She's done a lot for us, and we should all do a little something for her.

Kos makes it easy. Sign the petition.

The Problem...

...according to Stephen Suh...

The problem is not that the GOP doesn't want to compromise. The problem is that the GOP doesn't want to govern.

Yep, that's a problem. I'm not sure it's the problem, 'cause there's a bunch of 'em, but it's central.

It's one of the reasons I keep saying...



Now if I can get a few more folks to listen...that's a problem, too.

You know it's over…

…if Dino says it's over. The Seattle Times reports...

Democrat Patty Murray has won a fourth term to the U.S. Senate. Her Republican challenger, Dino Rossi, conceded the race Thursday evening after new vote totals showed Murray widening her lead.

Don't worry about Dino, though. There's still big money to be made in the foreclosure speculation racket business.

Elsewhere, Goldy calls WA-02 for Larsen. From his keyboard to your favorite diety's monitor...

When you can't win where you sleep…

…or where you work, maybe you can't win at all. Doesn't matter which girlfriend he's camped out with, winger in libertarian's clothing Justice Richard Sanders is in Charlie Wiggins country (the yellow counties).


Wiggins is still trailing by about 18,000 votes statewide, but with untold thousands of King County votes yet to be counted, it's too close to call.

By the way, anybody know who Sanders pissed off in Garfield County?

The Return of the Returns…

…a tale of suspense in several parts.

Actually the suspense is, for the most part, beginning to subside. Not much has changed with the latest tally. At the top of the ticket, Patty Murray has pushed above the 51% mark, and no one's pointing to a path to success for once and future real estate speculator Dino Rossi. Actually, the suspense in that one's been over for pretty much everyone for a day or two.

On the other hand, also pushing higher into the lofty perches of the low 50s is Rep. Rick Larsen, who is rebounding in late returns after trailing election night. Rick's now ahead by 1458 votes, nearly tripling the scant advantage he held after yesterday's returns. Still a bit close for confidence, though, so the suspense goes on.

We win!

Statewide Congressional vote, according to the current numbers at the Secretary of State's site...

Democrats 818,288

Republicans 767,363

It's only expected to get better for our side. Clearly, most of us would rather be represented by a Democrat, and if Rick Larsen can hang on, most of us, once again, will be.

Fewer of us, I'm afraid, with the 3rd gone, but most of us, still.

By the way, if any enterprising soul has done this for the national Senate vote, I'd love to see it. I figure our wins in California and New York alone will swamp most of their victors.

Welcome Balloon Juice readers!

I'd love it if you'd leave a note, and a link if you have a blog I should be looking at.

Stuff I learned from the election…

East of the Cascade Curtain, they loves 'em some socialized liquor…

Initiative Measure 1105 Concerning liquor (beer, wine and spirits)... Even the yellow counties in western Washington were mostly close calls, but in eastern Washington's Republican precincts, they seem to prefer their hootch East German style.

Overall it's going down 48-52. The other privatization bill, I-1105, is going down everywhere by even more.

Click the headline for the interactive map and more at the Secretary of State's election site.

Inch by inch…

…ballot by ballot, we're starting to get a pretty clear picture of the election outcome in the upper left. Patty Murray has extended her lead, holding nearly 51% and expected to increase that lead a couple points as King County ballots continue to be counted. My own personal Congressman will continue to be my own personal Congressman, with over 80% against his "prefers independent" opponent.

I'm not happy to see Denny Heck go down in the third. I'm not sure whether he would have ended up being Jay Inslee or Adam Smith once in office, but my bet is on the Inslee side of the progressive divide. Either would have been an improvement over the relatively renegade Democrat Brian Baird. Republican Jaime Herrera is, of course, the worst alternative of all. Third District Democrats need to get to work on preventing Herrera get entrenched in '12.

Inlsee, Smith and Norm Dicks will be returning to D.C. with Jim McDermott, but there's still a question mark in the 2nd District, where Democrat Rick Larsen has taken a 507 vote lead after trailing in election night returns. This one could take a while.

Locally, Democrats swept the legislative seats in the 32nd District, averaging about 60% of the vote. I've always said that if everybody does what they're supposed to do, this is a 60% D district, so apparently everbody did. Congratulations, then, to everybody, and in particular to Senator Maralyn Chase and Representatives Cindy Ryu and Ruth Kagi.

Not every legislative district produced such a definitive result, but despite some too-close-to-call races and our snails pace ballot counts, it looks like Democrats will continue to hold both legislative bodies. Given the challenges bound to be produced by some of the ballot measure outcomes, that's a mixed blessing. They seem fated to spend the next session apportioning misery. Still, though I'm glad there will be Democrats in charge of the painful process.

More on those ballot measures later...

Just desserts?

Via Doug J...

Of the 39 Democrats who voted against health care reform, only 12 are left.

Sadly, we lost even more who voted for it. It was still the right thing to do, and the right time to do it. Whether or not it was the ideal way to do it, those who fell in favor fell, to the degree their vote was instrumental to the outcome, with a worthy accomplishment to their credit.

Good question…

…from Ron Chusid ...

So, have the Republicans fixed all our problems yet?

From the "Me too" file.

brooklynbadboy...

Reid's frontal assault on GOP racism isn't textbook DLC "be like a Republican" stuff or even textbook Obama "let's all get along" stuff. It is old school, hardball, walkin-around money, ward boss "whose side are you on?" kill-the-enemy Democratic politics. I love it. God help me, I love it.

God (any god) help me too, because, well, me too.

First, the good news.

Puppies win.

H/T John Cole.

Polls are closing...

...hour by hour and results are starting to take shape. I'm packing the guitars for my weekly hootenanny, so by the time I get back that shape's will have taken a bit more form and I'll doubtless have something to say. Meanwhile, if you're more interested in what's actually happening hereabouts than what people want you to think about what's happening hereabouts, King County Elections and the Secretary of State will have the numbers.

Elsewhere…

..what "victory" looks like.

BAGHDAD - More than a dozen bombs struck Baghdad Tuesday evening, killing almost 40 people and wounding 70 in coordinated blasts two days after Al Qaida-linked gunmen stormed a church in one of the deadliest attacks in a year.

Won't it be great when we "win" in Afghanistan, too?

You did too, right?

Then go get your virtual sticker!

Map of the day.

From the Swing State Project...


Yep, it'll click a bit bigger.

No matter where you are, there's still plenty of time. If you haven't, go vote. If you're in the upper left, fill the damn thing out and mail it in. Now.

Uncle Sam...

...the Dark Wraith and I all agree...