From the "Things to do" file.

Via John Cole...

...Feingold’s office number is (202) 224-5323. Please call his staff and ask them to map out the strategy for a better financial regulations bill in 2011 with 6 fewer Democratic Senators and up to 40 fewer Democratic members of the House.

From the "Since you asked…" file.

Over at Balloon Juice, mistermix inquires...

...could it be that the reason Russ Feingold is in trouble is that he’s an unpalatable mix of trimmer and righteous prig?

Since you asked, yes, it could.

Thank you, Senator Cantwell…

…for taking a principled stand to make the financial reg bill better, and for recognizing the time to do what can be done.

WASHINGTON—Sen. Maria Cantwell (D., Wash.) said in an interview Thursday she would vote for the financial-overhaul bill when lawmakers return from the July 4th recess, bringing the White House to the verge of the 60 Senate votes it needs to ensure passage.

It's not often enough that a Senatorial quotation actually sounds like a grown-up talking...

"While we can't do everything, what we can do is make sure we have a law on the books to take the $600 trillion derivatives market and shine a very bright light on it."

So, thanks again, Maria, for your hard work, your wise vote and for, once again, making me proud of my representation in the other Washington.

It's not that Maria's wrong...

...because I agree that a better Senate might have passed a stronger bill, and I wish her luck with improvements in conference, but still, "the most sweeping regulatory overhaul since the aftermath of the Great Depression" is something better than awful and more than a great many observers thought possible. Encouraging, if not fully satisfying.

Most Valuable Senator...

Maria Cantwell
So says The Nation's John Nichols, who writes...

The American Prospect's Robert Kuttner calls Cantwell "the best informed and most relentless crusader" for reform of the financial system. Former Commodity Futures Trading Commission official Michael Greenberger says she is "going for the jugular" in her fight to end abuses that could cause a new financial crisis. They're both right.

Nichol's pick is right, too. I couldn't be more pleased to see Maria get this kind of well-earned recognition, and I couldn't agree more, either.

Congratulations, Senator!

Congrats, too, to Nichols' choice for Most Valuable Representative, Peter DeFazio from the lower upper left.