D.C. Radiated,Wrecking Crew Leaves Town

++After Harry Reid pulled the nuclear option,the Amazon Post and the Beltway pundits tsked-tsked about its impact. The Post immediately wrote that the 240 remaining Obama nominees would face more Republican procedural delays. Democrats responded that the 3 nominees for the D.C. Circuit Court would preserve Obama's legacy on financial regulations and the environment. Also, you might have Janet Yallin take her position as the Chairwoman of the FED.

++What the Beltway pundits missed in the ruckus was that we seem to be heading to another government shutdown. The budget conference committee was supposed to nearing the completion of its negotiations but haven't gotten there. Tan Man Boehner is saying that he wants to hold at sequestration level funding but his committee chairmen, (there are no women) say they can not work with the sequestration numbers. Rumors have the GOP caving on their draconian cuts to Food Stamps but I don't believe it.

++Meanwhile the corporate media has taken a dim view of President Obama these days. Both the Post and the Times are ringing their hands over the nature of any deal with Iran and continue their diatribes on Obamacare. Toronto's mayor Rob Ford is more popular than Obama but that should not be good news for the GOP because they are less popular than either.

++Darryl Issa and his GOP staff are on the road to Texas,Georgia and Florida to take testimony on how horrible Obamacare is. Naturally, all three states are not expanding Medicaid or constructing state exchanges so it's obviously pretty bad.

++Kathleen Sebelius is going to Texas, Florida and Ohio to try a "Direct Enroll" on Obamacare. Meanwhile,you won't read it that enrollment is surging on the state exchanges that work and also on the maligned federal website. By the time we head into March,the program will be close to completion and maybe the news will turn better.

++So the tale of the tape is in on filibusters. There have been 168 filibusters of a President's nominees in our history. 82 of them have occurred in the Obama presidency. Approximately half have occurred in the last 5 years, compared to the rest of our entire political history combined.

++The President's Saturday address turned back to the economy. Job numbers improved in 38 states this past week, which economists argue show the economy post The Great Repression shows it has healed. The Post counters with job losses recorded in Maryland and Virginia showing weak job growth and unemployment at 5.6% (which looks to me close to full employment).

++The Economist pictures Obama sinking beneath the waves headlining that he doesn't walk above water. Plutocrat George Will says Obama is sinking and people question his competence and integrity. For a counterposition, you might want to consult today's post on Dailykos by "Hamtree", which lists all of Obama's accomplishments. Give yourself time to scroll down the whole list. But I guess he hasn't done anything lately.

++The most fun this past week was Politico's piece on Bobby Baker's reminisces of the Senate when booze,cigars and women fueled the legislative process.