Yep, it looks like I'm now in the 8th. Although, as strong women go, Jackie Speier from the 12th wasn't half bad either: [link]
Speier's first husband, Dr. Steve Sierra, died in a car accident in 1994 at the age of 53. At the time, she was two months pregnant with their second child, a daughter named Stephanie. They also had a son, Jackson Kent, to whom Speier gave birth in 1988 while she was serving as a member of the California State Assembly, the first woman in that legislature to do so. Speier then supported her children as a widowed single mother before marrying Barry Dennis, an investment consultant, in 2001.
Speier served as a congressional staffer for Congressman Leo Ryan. Speier was part of the November 1978 fact-finding mission to investigate allegations of human rights abuses by the Reverend Jim Jones and his Peoples Temple followers, almost all of whom were American citizens who had moved to Jonestown with Jones in 1977 and 1978... Several Peoples Temple members ambushed the investigative team and others boarding the plane to leave Jonestown on November 18. Five people died, including Congressman Ryan. While attempting to shield herself from rifle and shotgun fire behind small airplane wheels with the other members of the team, Speier was shot five times and waited 22 hours before help arrived.
Heh.
But since Teddy Roosevelt first tried to get universal healthcare nearly a century ago, no Congress had come as close as this one to finishing the job, and Democrats slowly woke up and realized that yes, they still controlled the House and Senate by wide majorities, and Obama was still in the White House. "We would not go to incrementalism, we would not go to some 'Kiddiecare' bill," Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., told reporters early Monday morning. "Whoever was thinking about that, they just forgot to call the speaker. And in fact, when they did, it was not pretty."
Yeah, I bet it wasn't pretty.
"How do you like those 220 votes?" Pelosi asked reporters as she swept through the Capitol on her way to a loud ovation from the staff waiting in her office.
How do you like my darkness now?
Pelosi's done a marvellous job here. I find the contrast with Harry Reid to be pretty stark. I've little doubt the Senate is harder to wrangle, especially given the hair-trigger filibustering that goes on these days, but even so.
You'll like this, billytea, Nate Silver predicted Pelosi would have between 216-218 votes as far back as 3/14.
I follow his site assiduously, it's always a good read. (His political position is pretty similar to mine too.) I will note, though, that it wasn't exactly a prediction; like a good statistician, he put the odds somewhere between 50-64%, and indeed noted that he was if anything less optimistic than the odds then offered on Intrade.
My primary news source is The Economist. I have to say, though, I've found their recent coverage of US politics to be on the woeful side. For mine, fivethirtyeight.com is at the moment the source that I find offers the most thoughtful and defensible analysis.
ugh, insomnia. I think I should just embrace it and use the next hour and a half or so to get some grading done.
On the National Mall Saturday were many, many angry people shouting, "Kill the bill!" Did not like.
My neighbor, Rahm's Deputy, was not home until very late last night.
Some work-related ~ma for about 10 a.m. Eastern would be welcome today, as I have to meet with big-wigs and don't want to make a fool of myself.
Hey-- does anyone want to talk about phlegm? I didn't think so, but I need medical advice so I will whitefont. I would ask at work, but all the nurses here are squeamish about phelgm!
So, I have been sick since Wednesday. I am a bit better, as I am no longer coughing the whole day and night, but I still feel like crap. My doctor has told me that I should not see him until I have
yellow or green phelgm.
I have twice, over the course of 4 days
coughed up a HUGE wad of phelgm. Once it was yellow, and this am it was green.
Does that count?
Absolutely, Sophia. Poor thing. Make an appointment!
