Thanksgiving News

++As if they want to take the PR offense against the critics of the Iran deal,Iranian authorities have invited the UN inspectors to visit the Arak plant where plutonium is supposed to be produced in the future. Both France and Israel had insisted that this plant be "de-commissioned". But it's not operative yet.

++My qualms about Iran's nuclear program is summed up in today's story that an earthquake hit near the Bashear nuclear plant. Since the beginning of the nuclear program,Iranian engineers warned of a Fukushima-tyoe accident that would destroy all marine life in the Gulf and result in thousands of deaths in the emirates. They warned about the plant being situated on an earthquake fault. 

++Hamid Karzai now is under pressure to ratify the security agreement with the United States since he already signed it. Afghans are complaining their idiosyncratic leader is blowing a chance at ensuring the country's security.

++The Washington Post warns Democrats that the political mood in the country is close to 2010, which swept the tea-party into office. 

++Roy Teixeira at Think Progress urges Democrats to focus on the economy almost exclusively for 2010. Obama's pollsters show that the economy remains the number 1 issue despite glitches in Obamacare,the NSA revelations and foreign policy. Teixeira says that moves for more stimulus,raising the minimum wage and other measures aimed at lowering unemployment would put the sail back in the winds of Democrats. He urges Democrats not to panic at the reversal in polls since the shutdown and not to be too concerned about the slow,halting roll-out of Obamacare.

++Think Progress also published a summary of a new Harvard political science paper which shows that the fate of Republicans may lie in their primaries. The paper shows that the farther right or extreme the primary challenge, the more likely the centrist candidate will win. This year almost all primary challenges are among Republicans. The counter to this is that voter suppression and gerrymandering still favor the GOP in the House.

++A year away is an eternity in politics. If the Democrats were close, according to Charles Cook, of taking back the House during the shutdown,why the glum now. It is the incessant pounding the media and not just Fox News on Obamacare and the President. But polls are fickle things. If you dig down in a policy poll, you still see majorities favoring raising the minimum wage,immigration reform,certain gun restrictions,gay rights, and a peaceful solution to Iran. But it requires Democrats not to freak out prematurely. The money situation is not as good for the GOP as it was in 2010. 

++Speaking of money, the Obama administration has announced new regulations for 501-C-4 organizations that would prohibit the CrossRoads America, Karl Rove's organization, and tea party organizations from contributing so much money in the elections. As full disclosure, I run a 501-C-4 and frankly as they are presently constituted they are confusing and subject to serious abuse. Personally, I am closing mine because it draws the same attention as a strictly political one. They are social welfare organizations and they were never meant for political campaign purposes. The IRS have never followed the original mandate for 501-C-4s and so we have the spectacle of the Issa hearings blaming the administration for having to deal with the flood of applications in 2010 for the tea party--as well as progressive groups. The new requirements would make more practical sense. But I can assure you President Obama will be criticized for it.