Even as department wonks, Congressional aides and other government employees passed their Columbus Day in a haze of sweatpants, long lunches and Law and Order SVU marathons, HuffPost Hill suited up and faithfully recorded the day's news (if Carly Fiorina's tequila shots can be labeled as such). The Journal is reporting that hitting on interns at Tortilla Coast isn't the only way Hill staffers can capitalize on their influence. Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword clearly didn't meet Joe Manchin, who is capping reams of paper in the ass. And Mitch Daniels is worried that America is riding a budget H-bomb, with Dr. Strangelove-like recklessness, into oblivion. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Monday, October 11th, 2010:
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WELCOMES YOUR STUPID, MARXIST SKEPTICISM - In its ongoing support for the invisible hand of the market, the conservative industry group actually EXPECTED negative public reaction to it asking for handouts from foreign entities. Fair enough? Sam Stein: "As it has come under withering attack from Democrats for failing to disclose its donors, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has responded by accusing its accusers of launching a partisan witch-hunt. It's been effective pushback, echoed largely by conservatives who see the debate as further evidence of a White House hostile to the business community. But if the Chamber is surprised at the treatment it's received, it shouldn't be. When the business-lobby was arguing the very idea that donor disclosure wasn't necessary, it made the point that balance already existed: those who failed to name donors faced an intrinsic if not justified punishment in the form of public skepticism. In the Amicus brief it filed in the case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission -- which allowed corporate expenditures in political campaigns -- the Chamber appears to have predicted the backlash it is now facing." http://huff.to/cWeqqg
Wall Street has responded to the Democrats' financial reform initiatives with a marked decrease in campaign dollars . Roll Call: "In 2008, slightly more than half of Bank of America's contributions to federal candidates went to Democrats. This cycle, only 42 percent of its PAC money has gone to Democrats. JPMorgan Chase's PAC has doled out 44 percent of its contributions to Democrats this cycle compared with 47 percent in 2008. And Wells Fargo has given about 39 percent of its PAC money to Democrats this season compared with 47 percent in the previous season. One of the most dramatic reversals has occurred at Goldman Sachs...In the 2008 cycle, the firm sent almost 64 percent of its PAC money to Democratic candidates. But this time that share has plummeted to 43 percent. The firm also has given $40,000 to Republican leadership PACs compared with $25,000 to Democratic leadership PACs, according to the CQ MoneyLine analysis." http://bit.ly/9AMj2S
DOZENS OF HILL STAFFERS CASHING IN ON BOSSES' WORK - Looks like their badges ain't the only thing that's green (http://bit.ly/TUrXc). WSJ: "Chris Miller nearly doubled his $3,500 stock investment in a renewable-energy firm in 2008. It was a perfectly legal bet, but he's no ordinary investor. Mr. Miller is the top energy-policy adviser to Nevada Democrat and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who helped pass legislation that wound up benefiting the firm...[Harry Reid Spokesman Jim Manley said]: 'Mr. Miller showed poor judgment and Senator Reid has made it very clear to Chris and all his staff that their actions must not only follow the law, but must meet the higher standards the public has a right to expect from elected officials and their staffs.' Mr. Miller isn't the only Congressional staffer making such stock bets. At least 72 aides on both sides of the aisle traded shares of companies that their bosses help oversee, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of more than 3,000 disclosure forms covering trading activity by Capitol Hill staffers for 2008 and 2009." http://bit.ly/9zUSTk
DAILY DELANEY DOWNER - From Arthur Delaney: "California has once again delayed the roll-out of its Pre-Existing Insurance Plan, the Republican-inspired ObamaCare initiative that was supposed to start helping the uninsurable back in June. 'The expected start of PCIP coverage has been delayed,' says a message on the website of California's Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board. 'MRMIB continues to work very aggressively to open the program as soon as possible. It is anticipated that PCIP coverage will begin as early as next week. Individuals will be informed of their actual beginning dates of coverage. 'They cashed my check in August,' said three-time cancer survivor and former Obama volunteer Mary Duffy, whose quest for health insurance HuffPost has chronicled since last year. Duffy said she forked over $802 for coverage. 'I don't know why that $2 pisses me off so much,' she said. The MRMIB's previous update two weeks ago said the program would be ready by Oct. 7 'assuming all final arrangements are concluded.' What's that line about assuming things again?" http://www.mrmib.ca.gov/
DOUBLE DOWNER - New analysis of economic difficulties facing D.C. residents by Wider Opportunities for Women: "Economic security remains elusive for Washington, DC residents with a wide range of incomes. Nearly 20% of the District's population lives below the federal poverty line ($18,310 for a family of 3 in 2010), and more than one-in-three DC residents is low-income, living below 200% of the federal poverty line. The DC metro area is home to the most educated populace in the nation, but one-third of DC residents lack education beyond a high school degree and must compete in a regional labor market that increasingly requires post-secondary education or training for 'good jobs.'" MORE: "Together, increasing costs, a lack of good jobs, insufficient education and training and inability to save keep communities unstable -- and public assistance programs designed to prevent poverty, rather than foster economic security, sometimes fail to sustain those in need while they pursue stability." http://www.wowonline.org/ourprograms/dc/dc_fess/
BOEHNER: GOP MAJORITY WOULD PROPOSE SPENDING CUTS 'WEEKLY' - Proposing a budget cutting initiative that sounds as if it were taken from a gimmicky Drew Barrymore movie geared towards the fiscal-austerity set, the minority leader told a Florida audience this weekend that a Republican-controlled Congress would propose cuts in federal spending at least once a week. The Hill: "Should they take control of the House in the midterm elections, House Republicans would propose a spending cut every week, their leader said Monday. According to the Palm Beach Post, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told an audience at a fundraiser for South Florida GOP congressional candidate Allen West that if they win a majority, 'you'll see us every single week move bills that will cut spending.'" http://bit.ly/aF5a9y
TODAY'S TERKEL TAKEDOWN - Amanda Terkel on Indiana Governor Mitch Daniel's concerns that America's budget priorities will lead to an inverse-Cambrian explosion of species extinction. "In the interview with BBC Newsnight's Paul Mason, Daniels calls the stimulus a failure, saying it was 'ill-designed.' 'It's trickle-down government,' he said. 'The vast majority of these funds were poured into a growing government edifice. We've had this reverse outcome, in which the private sector has continued to shrink, and the government sector has gotten bigger, and that's not a very good formula for long-run success.'...Some prominent economists, such as Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, disagree with the governor's analysis. 'First, the markets strongly disagree with him since the people with billions of dollars on the line are willing to lend it to us for 10 years at just 2.6 percent interest,' said Baker. 'Furthermore, it is difficult to understand his economic logic in saying that we are near bankruptcy. Relative to its economy, Japan has borrowed about 3 times as much as the United States. Yet, it can still borrow long-term in financial markets at interest rates of under 2.0 percent. It seems like Daniels is scared by big numbers. The U.S. debt is a big number, but so is the size of the U.S. economy. Until he can learn to relate the two, Daniels would probably be better off staying away from economics." http://huff.to/ccUKev
Sam Stein on how one lucky citizen will be able to ask, via a crystal-clear connection: "Mr. P---ent ---- think --- ongoing -------- rking class famil ---- impatient wit ---- licies:" "Continuing his efforts to chart new territory with respect to the innovation of politics and technology, President Obama is set to take what appears to his first question via Skype. At a town hall event at George Washington University set for Tuesday night, Obama will be answering queries via all forms of media, a Democratic source tells the Huffington Post. Among them will be Twitter, email and in-person questions from the audience." http://huff.to/9pV5Jp
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NOBEL PRIZE WINNER'S NOMINATION HELD UP BY SENATE REPUBLICANS - The party for whom Liberty University is a feeder school apparently thinks recipients of the world's highest honor aren't qualified for government work. Jonathan Cohn in The New Republic: "Peter Diamond, a 70-year-old economist at MIT, just won the Nobel Prize in Economics. Yes, that's the same Peter Diamond whom President Obama appointed to the Federal Reserve in April and whose confirmation Republicans have blocked. It's not clear which Republican or Republican senators are stopping his nomination at this point, as he's the victim of one of those infamous anonymous holds. But two leading suspects are Jim Bunning and Richard Shelby, both of whom voted against Diamond's nomination in committee and the latter of whom has raised questions about Diamond's qualification. Shelby has acknowledged that Diamond is a "skilled economist" but has said he wonders whether Diamond has sufficient expertise in monetary policy--even though three sitting Fed governors, including two appointed by Republicans, aren't even economists." http://bit.ly/bVLKna
Obama statement: "I have nominated Peter to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve to help bring his extraordinary expertise to our economic recovery. I hope he will be confirmed by the Senate as quickly as possible."
JOE MANCHIN LOCKED AND LOADED FOR FREEDOM - In his new campaign ad, West Virginia Governor, Senate candidate and aspiring Wrangler model Joe Manchin discusses his opposition to progressive legislation. To emphasize this point, the video opens on Manchin walking through a wooded area with a rifle as very frantic background music, normally reserved for the part of the western where the cowboys chase down a moving train on their horses, plays. "As your Senator I'll protect our Second Amendment rights. That's why the NRA endorsed me. I'll take on Washington and this administration to get the federal government off of our backs and out of our pockets," Manchin says as he is filmed -- with an almost pornographic-level attention to detail -- loading his rifle. He continues: "I'll cut federal spending and I'll repeal the bad parts of Obamacare." Finally, as video of Manchin LITERALLY SHOOTING A MOCK-UP COPY OF A "CAP AND TRADE" BILL is played, he says, "I sued EPA and I'll take dead aim at the cap-and-trade bill because it's bad for West Virginia." We eagerly await a Christine O'Donnell campaign ad featuring the Delaware Senate candidate unloading a sawed-off shotgun on a witch's cauldron. http://bit.ly/b1bHyF
Rand Paul responded to Bill Clinton's statement that he advocates "radical ideas" with a comeback so devoid of creativity that it can best be described as the political equivalent of "your mom." Herald Leader: "Told of Clinton's comments by reporters at a campaign stop in Shelbyville on Monday afternoon, Paul responded by saying Clinton was 'less than honorable.' 'I'm not sure I would trust a guy who had had sexual relations with an intern,' Paul said of Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky. 'I mean, do you think he's an honorable person? They complain they want all these workplace rules. Do you think there ought to be a law against having, using the prerogatives of your position and your power, of your job, to have relations with an intern? I think that's disgusting. It gets to the point where we discount what he says. He showed himself less than honorable in office." http://bit.ly/cDgWZa
@HarryReid: NEW WEB VIDEO: Sharron Angle Thinks Nevada Voters Are Stupid http://ow.ly/2RSpM #nvsen
Kendrick Meek, whose Florida Senate campaign is so anemic that he's had to swat away rumors that he will endorse Charlie Crist, is getting some help from President Obama in the form of a radio spot. "Kendrick's been a powerful voice for Floridians," the president says in the ad, "standing up to special interests, to hold Wall Street accountable, fighting the insurance industry to make sure health care isn't denied to our children because of a preexisting condition, working to eliminate subsidies to banks so young people can afford a college education, and Kendrick strongly opposes extending tax breaks for the wealthy and has worked tirelessly to expand the middle class and support small businesses." The Sentinel: http://bit.ly/975h6t
IS RICK PERRY'S BOOK A 2012 SHOT ACROSS THE BOW? - Chris Heinze points out that the post-election release date (November 15th) of Rick Perry's forthcoming book "Fed Up: Our Fight to Save America from Washington" might be an attempt to clear the electorate's palette from his 2010 gubernatorial campaign in preparation for a 2012 White House bid. "Our fight is clear. We must step up and retake the reins of our government from a Washington establishment that has abused our trust," the description reads. "We must empower states to fight for our beliefs, elect only leaders who are on our team, set out to remind our fellow Americans why liberty is guaranteed in the Constitution, and take concrete steps to take back our country. The American people have never sat idle when liberty's trumpet sounds the call to battle-and today that battle is for the soul of America." Sounds like just the sort of Lone Star, gub'ment-best-go-back-from-where-it-came rhetoric that Mitt "Taxachusetts" Romney would need to round out a 2012 ticket... http://bit.ly/9BdX4F
NAZI REENACTMENT CANDIDATE EXPLAINS HIS NAZI REENACTING - You remember all those times people joked that "if you even have to explain you're not a witch, you're in trouble" this campaign season? Remember how you joked to yourself how it can't get any worse than to be in a spot where you have to deny that you're in a coven? Well, Ohio House candidate Rich Iott may have proven you wrong. "A Republican congressional candidate from Ohio, countering criticism from a House GOP leader, said he did nothing wrong by wearing a Nazi uniform while participating in World War II re-enactments. Rich Iott told The Associated Press in an interview Monday that he took part in the historical re-enactments to educate the public, and does not agree the Nazis' views or their actions against Jews. Asked whether it was wrong to wear a Nazi uniform, Iott said: 'I don't see anything wrong about educating the public about events that happened. And that's the whole purpose of historical re-enacting.'" http://huff.to/95Zip8
We reported last week that marijuana ballot measures could propel the youth vote for Barack Obama in 2012. It now appears that the wacky tobacky might give Barbara Boxer and Jerry Brown an electoral lift this go-around. A Cheetos-munching, metaphysics-pondering, cataract-reducing, "Hey, you know what I haven't had in a while? A Whatchamacallit bar"-declaring lift. "Seizing on new independent polling data, proponents of Proposition 19 -- the Golden State ballot measure that would make possessing and growing marijuana legal -- argue the measure is going to drive younger-voter turnout in such a way that it will benefit the Democrats statewide, from gubernatorial retread Jerry Brown to Sen. Barbara Boxer... While the state Democratic Party is neutral on the ballot measure and its standard-bearer and two U.S. senators are all opposed, Chairman John Burton gave a one-word answer to the San Francisco Chronicle back in April when asked at the party's convention what will bring out young, first-time Barack Obama voters again: 'pot.'" Politico: http://politi.co/c4tVyI, via Ben Smith: http://politi.co/c7PZ09
Today in "......why???": "Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina appeared Friday night at the Hispanic 100 Lifetime Achievement Award dinner and accepted a toast of tequila shots... 'Muchos gracias. Muchos gracias. You know I must say this evening has spoiled me forever, I mean from now on, I want to follow Paul Rodriguez [the emcee], I want to follow an incredible mariachi band... and I don't know, I think every speech should begin with a shot of tequila,' Fiorina said, before doing her best attempt to show that she could roll her r's." http://huff.to/9UYYBz
BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - 28 cats in Halloween costumes. http://bzfd.it/9peNBN
HAPPY ** COLUMBUS DAY - Because HuffPost Hill wishes to express its solidarity with indigenous peoples everywhere... and because our bosses made us come in, we hope you're enjoying this Columbus Day-edition of HuffPost Hill in whatever PJ-bottom/undershirt combo you decided to sport today.
But seriously, the holiday is a total (sad) joke. Tell it like it is, Burning Spear: http://bit.ly/As8Ja
HOW CAN WE REALIZE RECOVERY AUTUMN IF THIS IS HAPPENING??? - ABC News on the Democrats' ASSAULT on American job-creation: "The Republican attack ad that sought out the "hicky blue collar look" for actors to play real West Virginians has placed a spotlight on a common practice the campaign advertising world - or, at least, what had been common practice before this story emerged. One of the actors in that ad, Damian Muziani, told us on ABC's "Top Line" today that the attention on his role in the ad has been good for his own business. But he expressed fear that politicians will shy away from using professional actors in future campaign commercials. "I can't speak for all actors, but I seem to be the focal point for this hot button topic of theatrical politics. So on behalf of all actors, 'Don't tase me, bro,'" Muziani told us." http://bit.ly/aQ2lsW
Washington just got a little bit less interesting: "Carla Cohen, co-owner of the iconic Washington independent bookstore Politics and Prose, died Monday morning." http://wapo.st/aZTcUx
JEREMY THE INTERN'S WEATHER REPORT - Tonight: The beautiful streak continues. Mid-60s and mostly clear. Enjoy it! Tomorrow: It won't be as warm as it was today, but I don't think that will matter. Thanks, JB!
HPH Trivia Answer!: Many of you came out and said the answer to the question was Zeta. Many of you also fell for it hook, line and sinker. Sorry, it was a tricky one. In 2005, the number of named tropical cyclones exceeded the names available. So, the NOAA went to their backup plan, the Greek alphabet. While the last tropical system named was Zeta, it was not the last hurricane. Zeta topped out at 65 mph, just shy of the 75 mph threshold for hurricane status. Thus, the answer is Zeta's predecessor, Hurricane Epsilon. Congrats to MIT alum (no surprise there) and reader Robert Krawitz for coming up with that answer. You devious son-of-a-gun, JB!
COMFORT FOOD
- The largest Lego ship ever constructed. http://gizmo.do/azaNcG
- A three-year time lapse video of a French building's deconstruction and its replacement's construction. http://bit.ly/ahalqh
- Man gives a speech to thousands of turkeys. They're into it. http://bit.ly/9BTfuI
- Wherein two models bump into each other on the catwalk and proceed to fight. http://bit.ly/9mojy1
- Cat plays with a barbell. Hilarity ensues. http://bit.ly/9SVKIq
- Don't worry about these hand puppets' wild behavior. It's just a hand puppet phase. http://bit.ly/cjtGzs
- "Mickey Mouse Discovers the Government Cartoon Conspiracy Against Glenn Beck." http://bit.ly/94bNie
- Best. Makeout. Music. Ever. http://bit.ly/9Dcst
- The "getting hit by a ram" experience you've been waiting for. http://bit.ly/aTNUTm
- The Daily Mail tracked down that cigar guy from the Tiger Woods photo. http://bit.ly/dmNLSU
TWITTERAMA
Props to @tealist for her help with Twitterama
@daveweigel: NRSC press releases on IL-Sen making it hard to search for e-mails from my mob banker.
@kentremendous: When it is inevitably revealed that Carl Paladino is gay, I hope his boyfriend forgives him for his recent behavior.
@ArletteSaenz: On Canadian Thanksgiving, I am happy for @Justinbieber
THE TUBE
TONIGHT: Ted Kaufman and Krystal Ball were on The Dylan Ratigan Show. Paul Hodes paid a visit to Hardball. Ed Shultz speaks with HuffPost's own Roy Sekoff. Ed Rendell is on Countdown. Ron Paul and, oh boy, Alvin Greene are both on The Last Word.
ON TAP
TOMORROW
9:00 am - 7:30 pm: FedScoop's FedTalks 2010 features a litany of leading technologists including and our very own Arianna Huffington. The day-long gathering "focuses on how technology can support and improve our government's key goals and initiatives" [Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F Street NW].
8:00 pm: The Washington Psychotronic Film Society screens 1971's The Incredible 2 Headed Transplant ("This head wants to love, this head wants to kill") [The Passenger, 1021 7th Street NW].
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