Glass-Steagel. I hope he can get a reasonable, not-badly-earmarked, bill to re-enact this banking regulation out of Congress.

It seems that our Feck, oops I mean Fearless Leader plans to do something better than just blaming Wall Street Fat Cats. He may even be smart enough to help clean up some of the cat poop….Here Paul Volker speaks for the need to repartition investment and commercial banking.

“The heart of my argument,” Mr. Volcker said, “is who we are going to save and who we are not going to save. And I don’t want to save what is not at the heart of commercial banking.”

It’s good to see the President listen to one of his better advisors. I wish Mr. Volker luck.

Add my voice to the chorus: we got used to the way that job losses would rise ‘unexpectedly.’ a while back. It’s that entire ‘the economy is bad, and the administration isn’t even doing what it can do to fix it’ thing. After a while you kind of take the hint.

In the latest Rasmussen Reports polling Congressman Roy Blunt has taken a 6 pt lead over Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan.  This is all before voters have any real idea what Carnahan stands for.

Right now, it appears that Russ Feingold is a virtual lock for re-election. But that will change dramatically if Tommy Thompson gets into the race:

Former Wisconsin Gov. and Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson is still considering a challenge to Sen. Russ Feingold (D).

In a brief interview Wednesday about the possibility of a Senate run this year, Thompson, a Republican, would only say: “I’m not saying no.”

The former governor mused last fall about a potential gubernatorial or Senate run, but if he does mount a campaign this year, it’s now almost certain to be a run against Feingold…

That Thompson is seriously weighing a bid against Feingold illustrates how promising Republicans believe this November could be for the party. Following Scott Brown’s shocking win Tuesday in the Massachusetts special Senate election and victories in the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial contests last November, GOP officials believe it will become easier to woo potential candidates.

Scott Brown’s win has already changed the legislative agenda and the recruitment picture. The aftershocks will be felt for years.

Philip Klein:

It turns out “ping pong” means that House and Senate Dems both say the ball is in the other’s court.

More here and here, although it should be noted that Rep. Frank is apparently backpedaling from this morning’s assurances that he would be respecting the fact that elections have consequences, no doubt to spite me…

Crossposted to Moe Lane.

The banner currently up at the Drudge Report says (under a picture of Senator-elect Scott Brown (R-MA)):

Now…Will He Run For President?

Please. What country would be so naive as to choose as its leader an inexperienced lawyer/former state senator, whose only claim to leadership at the national level was a partial term in the U.S. Senate?

Oh, yeah. Never mind…

He’s referring to the President’s current problem as “Obama Doesn’t Have Much Experience With Political Rejection.” I typically refer to said problem as “Obama’s never been smacked in the face with a lead pipe*.”

Hey, it gets people’s attention.

Anyway, Jim and I both agree on the central point: we’ve got a President who has never really had to face the consequences of failing before. I’m really hoping that the President learns quickly. Or that he learns quickly how to learn quickly…

Crossposted to Moe Lane.

*Metaphorically, for the slow of brain. Or the outrage fetishists.

This is Mort “Effing” Zuckerman and unbelievably, I agree and have nothing further to add. Enjoy the pigs flying past your window as you read.

Obama punted on the economy and reversed the fortunes of the Democrats in 365 days.

He’s misjudged the character of the country in his whole approach. There’s the saying, “It’s the economy, stupid.” He didn’t get it. He was determined somehow or other to adopt a whole new agenda. He didn’t address the main issue.

This health-care plan is going to be a fiscal disaster for the country. Most of the country wanted to deal with costs, not expansion of coverage. This is going to raise costs dramatically.

In the campaign, he said he would change politics as usual. He did change them. It’s now worse than it was. I’ve now seen the kind of buying off of politicians that I’ve never seen before. It’s politically corrupt and it’s starting at the top. It’s revolting.

I respectfully disagree with his choice in Presidential candidates 15 months ago or so. That being said, he tells us a whole lot in a very few words in an interview with CNBC. Here are some money quotes.

He’s befuddled by the bank tax. “I don’t really understand the thinking behind the bank tax.”

Why not go after the members of Congress who let Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac fester?

On hiring: I’m not going to hire people just to stand around. “We’re worrying about hiring people because of what’s going in our order book… we’re not getting orders yet.”

Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em and take it for what it’s worth.

BushliedMchalliburton cheneyhitler georgechimpy skullandbones nobloodforoil ack-ack-ack spankme spankme spankme! Arrrrgggggggggggghhhhhhh!