Tom on Morning Joe: Senate "Elites" Don't Get the Recession

Tom Perriello went on Morning Joe last week to discuss the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act, which passed the House last Wednesday.

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Perriello's blunt statement about the Senate's elitism is especially prescient after the last few days, when two Republican senators made known their disdain for the unemployed. First, Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) repeatedly blocked efforts to extend unemployment benefits, even going so far as to tell one Democrat "tough shit" and complain about having missed the Kentucky-South Carolina basketball game while making his objections. So not only is he completely contemptuous of the needs of his constituents, he's arrogantly so. Stay classy, Jim--and great family values.

Then, we got the wizened words of Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), who basically accused unemployment beneficiaries of being lazy and not looking for work:

Unemployment insurance "doesn't create new jobs. In fact, if anything, continuing to pay people unemployment compensation is a disincentive for them to seek new work," Kyl said during debate over whether unemployment insurance and other benefits that expired amid GOP objections Sunday should be extended.

"I'm sure most of them would like work and probably have tried to seek it, but you can't argue that it's a job enhancer. If anything, as I said, it's a disincentive. And the same thing with the COBRA extension and the other extensions here," said Kyl.

Wow, what an unbelievably condescending thing to say. As someone who spent six months struggling to find work, I'll be glad to tell Sen. Kyl all about incentives and disincentives. Simply being unemployed is plenty of incentive to find work. When you have to borrow money from family to pay your health insurance, constantly have to defer student loans and can never afford anything, you don't have much incentive to stay unemployed. Trouble is, it's damn near impossible to find a decent job with stable income. Maybe if these pompous, pathetic excuses for lawmakers could pull their myopic heads out of the sand and live in the real world for five minutes, they'd understand that. I guess that's too much to expect from the House of Lords.

What's especially puzzling is that the CBO has absolutely pulverized Kyl's argument, as Sen. Max Baucus, hardly a progressive darling, pointed out:

He added that Kyl's economic argument was flawed, as well. Unemployment benefits do create jobs because the recipients cycle the money through the economy. He cited a Congressional Budget Office analysis that said the Gross Domestic Product grew $1.90 for every dollar the federal government paid out.

The more I hear from the Senate, the less faith I have in its relevance as an institution. The words and actions of Sens. Kyl and Bunning have only multiplied this effect. I find myself more and more grateful every day that at least our congressman gets it--even if he seems to be the only one in Washington who does sometimes.

Perriello to Insurance Companies: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

Among the things that slipped through the cracks last week while I was too busy to blog about anything was a huge legislative victory by Congressman Perriello. Tom co-sponsored a bill to end antitrust exemptions for insurance companies; that bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the House. Since 1945, health insurance companies have enjoyed an exemption from antitrust regulations, allowing them to collude and fix prices while reaping billions of dollars in profits. The only other industry that enjoys similar antitrust exemptions is Major League Baseball.

Well, if Tom's bill gets through the Senate, then the insurance companies may finally have to play by the same rules as the rest of America's companies. Tom addressed the health insurers in his floor speech:



"Be afraid. Be very afraid." I do believe our congressman is a badass.

Hurt Denies Climate Change, Blames Rate Hikes on Regulations that Don't Exist Yet

There's an interesting development floating around the interwebs today, and it originates from a Tea Party/GOP debate held in Lynchburg this past Saturday night.

In an apparent attempt to counter the Hurt's-not-crazy-enough meme coming from the Tea Party folks, state Sen. Robert Hurt (R-Chatham) denied the science behind climate change, dismissing the biggest environmental threat of our time as “scientists who have given us something that is not true. It is faulty information and it has real consequences in the 5th District, in the loss of jobs and in power bills from Appalachian Power Co.” TheGreenMiles has a great post about it.

What's especially interesting about Hurt's new-found climate fundamentalism is this little gem from the Danville Register-Bee, wherein Sen. Hurt blames the recent Appalachian Power Company rate hikes on a bill that hasn't even become law yet:

Sen. Robert Hurt, R-Chatham, said state and federal environmental regulations have played a role in rising energy rates. The federal “cap-and-trade” passed by the House of Representatives last year is an example of the “devastating policies” that affect people’s lives, forcing companies to raise rates to revamp their facilities to follow environmental rules.

Even the most die-hard deregulator would have a hard time making the case that people have lost their jobs and seen their utility bills skyrocket because of a regulation that doesn't even exist yet. The Senate hasn't even voted on the ACES bill yet, and if it passes in the same form that the House passed last year, it will actually create jobs in the district Mr. Hurt wants to represent.

If I were advising Sen. Hurt's campaign, I'd tell him to quit pandering to the wingnuts and start focusing on things that will bring jobs back to Southside. Being anti-science may impress the Beckophiles, but it won't win over the independents and it certainly won't reflect very well on the Fifth District GOP.

Music Monday: "Amber" by 311

After a brief hiatus, Music Monday returns this week with 311's "Amber." Enjoy:



Yes, I realize it's a summer-y tune, and the beach scenes may in fact be depressing when you look outside and see the bare trees and, in some parts of the Commonwealth, piles of sooty, brown snow. I realize that. But it's now March, the month when winter starts to end in our part of the country. Moreover, this is just a cool song.

You may remember 311 from their mid-1990s hits "Down" and "Beautiful Disaster." I honestly thought they had vanished like all the other bands that were around when I was in middle school, but imagine my surprise when this song turned up on Pandora one day. "Amber" appeared first on 2001's From Chaos and again on the 2004 311's Greatest Hits album.

Tom's Stimulus Projects: Searchable by Google Map

Quick note: I'm still around and have no plans to shut down the blog. The lack of posts lately is entirely due to my overwhelming schedule and the overall craziness of February. Things should calm down by early March.

I wanted to pass along something really cool that Congressman Perriello's office put together last week. Behold a searchable Google map of all the Recovery Act/Stimulus projects in the entire Fifth District:


View 5th District Recovery Act Projects in a larger map

This does two things: first, it debunks the thoroughly preposterous narrative that the Stimulus didn't benefit the Fifth District; and second, it provides some transparency on what those projects are. Say what you will about the Recovery Act--the Right loves to thrash it, but there's virtually no doubt that it kept the economy from going completely off a cliff. Without it, unemployment would have been much higher and our public services--especially education--would be in shambles. To borrow a Tea Party slogan, that truly would have been "stealing from our grandchildren."

Big props to Tom for securing the funds for these projects, and big props to Jessica for taking the time to put together this map.

Music Monday: "Penny on the Train Track" by Ben Kweller

Here's Ben Kweller, playing "Penny on the Train Track" live on David Letterman:



This song came from the 2006 album appropriately titled Ben Kweller. As you might imagine, the rest of the album also evidences a strong Tom Petty influence, and I highly recommend it. The production is a departure from his earlier albums--it's more wall-of-sound than his previous efforts--and it comes across very well. His songwriting and lyrical creativity reached a new level on this record, and if I'm not mistaken, Ben Kweller played all the instruments on this one himself.

Va Dems Secure Broadband Grants for Southside, SW

As if to put an exclamation point on the previous article, the news broke today that Congressmen Perriello and Boucher as well as Senators Warner and Webb have come through for us with two stimulus grants. The funding will go toward expanding broadband infrastructure throughout Southside and the Southwest. From the release:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner and Representatives Tom Perriello and Rick Boucher today announced two grants totaling more than $21.5 million to expand broadband Internet infrastructure in Virginia. The grants, awarded through the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), will support the deployment of broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas, enhance and expand public computer centers, and encourage sustainable adoption of broadband service. These investments will help bridge the technological divide, boost economic growth and create jobs.

The grants are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, supported by Senators Webb and Warner and Representatives Perriello and Boucher.

The two grants announced today will add 575 miles of new high-speed Internet infrastructure in Southern Virginia. The grants were announced during a press conference call with White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner, and Representative Tom Perriello.

Webb and Perriello have especially good quotes:

"These projects are valuable in terms of attracting new businesses, allowing medical professionals to give better care, and giving tens of thousands of local residents access to the internet," said Senator Webb. "Southside and Southwest Virginia have been hit hard by the economic downturn. It is our duty to provide this part of the Commonwealth with a fair shot at the future. I have consistently fought for the expansion of high speed internet in Virginia's rural areas and I am pleased the American Recovery and Recovery Act prioritized this funding."

...

"This is a huge boost for Southside Virginia, benefiting our kids' educational success in the short term and building our region's long-term competitive advantage for the 21st Century," said Representative Perriello. "I'm thrilled these stimulus funds will expand Internet access for consumers in our small towns and rural communities, giving our workforce the competitive edge they deserve."

Rep. Boucher also pointed out that all major infrastructural improvements in our nation's history have required a boost from the federal government--subtly demolishing the "wasteful spending" argument that will inevitably be leveled by the right. No, Tea Partiers, not all government spending is bad, and I for one am glad our elected officials want our communities to be included in the 21st century economy.

"If any Democrat can win in 2010, it's Perriello."

The Danville Register & Bee wrote an absolutely glowing editorial about our congressman today. After all the vein-popping hyperbole coming out of the Tea Party/far right in this district, it's encouraging to see this sort of thing:

In his first year in Congress, Perriello has worked on behalf of veterans, green energy jobs and, like Goode, he has helped to steer federal dollars to Fifth District projects. He has voted against President Barack Obama on some issues and supported gun rights and worked against federal funding for abortion. But he has also voted for the federal stimulus, cap and trade and a health care bill.

His opponents are stumbling over one another to get rid of him. They may succeed. We shifted our longtime support from Goode to Perriello two years ago because it became clear that Goode, for whatever reason, no longer believed he could be effective in Washington. Perriello had no such qualms about “working a double shift” for the Fifth District. He has done that — and more — over the past year.

Perhaps most telling is what the first man to enter the race against him had to say:

“Tom Perriello is a man of principle,” said Bradley Rees, a Bedford County FairTax advocate, blogger, radio host and possible independent congressional candidate. “He will come out and state his principles on any given agenda item and you can expect him to vote that way … I admire his principles. I admire his stance on what he believes. I just happen to not believe the same thing.”

That’s some of the fairest criticism of Perriello we’ve heard over the past year. Ironically, Perriello is as frustrated with Washington as some of his most strident opponents.

“I have several major disappointments,” Perriello said of the past year. “I think the Democratic Party screwed up a lot in Washington, but it was very clear the Republicans were directed not to work with us in any way. I understand it’s a nasty place; it’s a political place. I’ve got thick skin. But when your country’s on the verge of depression, that’s not the time to say ‘Let’s tee up in 2010.’ It’s time to come together.”

The hypocrisy and vitriolic anger of these times doesn’t change the fact that Washington was spending too much money before Perriello’s party won control of Congress, and problems like health care and energy independence were ignored for years.

None of that will matter to those who have already made up their minds, so Perriello’s political future will rely on turning out his political supporters — not an easy task in a midterm election.

But this is a man who has already surpassed expectations. If any Democrat can win in 2010, it’s Perriello.

The Register-Bee picked up on something much of the media either can't see or refuses to see--whether you agree with him or not, Tom Perriello is working his butt off for his constituents. He has the courage to state what he believes and stand by it, even if he takes flak for it. And as the article notes, he goes out of his way to listen to people who disagree with him. People respect that, and it resonates well across the district.

All through the 2008 campaign, people told me there's no way Tom could win; he was toast before he even started. The same people are now calling him "one-term-Tom." We'll see. The right underestimates Tom at their own peril.

Robert Hurt Votes Against Jobs Bill; Also Opposes Mom, Apple Pie

In what can only be described as a thoroughly baffling move, Sen. Robert Hurt has voted against a bipartisan bill that would have extended unemployment benefits for laid-off workers. The bill, S.B. 239, was specifically directed at workers enrolled in retraining programs, and qualified those workers for up to 26 weeks of additional benefits. In today's vote, all 22 Senate Dems voted in favor of the bill, and yes, to their great credit, half the Senate GOP voted yes. It was actually introduced by Republican Sen. John Watkins of Midlothian. Special thanks to Martinsville's own Roscoe Reynolds, who was a co-sponsor.

Sen. Hurt, however, was one of nine Republicans in the State Senate to vote against the bill. More importantly, he was the only senator from the Southside to take that stand. For some reason, Hurt turned down a bill that should have been a political no-brainer. There are just some things you NEVER vote against under any circumstances, and unemployed workers certainly fall into that category. Moreover, the bill is funded by stimulus money, so Hurt can't even pull out the "we-don't-have-the-money" defense. I'd be very interested to see his statement when this inevitably becomes a media storm. For Robert Hurt to represent Southside and vote against helping unemployed workers is not just a terrible strategy, it's also woefully out of touch.

I'm not even angry about this. Just very, very puzzled. The only explanation I can think of is that Sen. Hurt is doing damage control with the Tea Party/extreme anti-spending wing of his party--maybe he thinks voting against anything connected to the stimulus will undo some of the damage he's taking for his vote on Mark Warner's budget. The problem? It won't work. He has just demolished his "sane moderate" image and, if this becomes a big story, he has alienated countless voters in what should be his strongest region. I wonder how much of this has to do with campaign consultant Chris LaCivita?

Now the bill will go to the House of Delegates. Will Morgan Griffith and his merry band reprise their notorious anti-stimulus/anti-middle class vote from last year? Only time will tell.

Music Monday: "The Real Me" by The Who

I think the Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake "Wardrobe Malfunction" was the best thing to happen to the Super Bowl in years. Ever since then, it seems the NFL has had no choice but to put real musicians on for their halftime show--Paul McCartney, Tom Petty, The Who, etc. I guess when you can't cover up an abject lack of talent with sex and fireworks, it narrows the field. Anyway, I thought The Who did a stellar job last night, playing classics from their heyday. I don't know who he is, but their drummer fit in quite well; it can't be an easy task to fill John Bonham's shoes.

There was, however, one song I thought they should've played. Here's "The Real Me," from the chronically-underrated Quadrophenia album.



Don't get me wrong, Tommy is a classic. It was the first rock opera and has rightfully earned its place in music history. But as a fully realized, conceptually straightforward and coherent narrative, Quadrophenia is a far better album. Tommy has a tendency to ramble toward the end, and I personally still don't get how a deaf, dumb and blind kid could be redeemed by a pinball game. On the other hand, Quadrophenia hits you with "The Real Me" right away and builds into a few more rockers before the close of side 1. The album is energetic and more well-developed than its predecessors, and the whole thing just flows really well.

On top of that, the storyline is excellent--it presents an image of an adolescent British kid trying to fit into the youth culture of the day (is he a Mod or a Rocker?) and find his way in society. It is specific to 1960s/70s England, but the themes are pretty universal.

And as for the music itself...well, I mean it's The Who, man!