A couple of thoughts

I have a couple of thoughts that have been running around in my head I just wanted to jot down. Not going to spend much time building the case.

First, in a way is a follow up form an earlier post regarding turning the corner. Reports are that apparel sales are up 10% sounds like a good sign, still you never know until everything is all wrapped and final numbers are released sometime next early next year. The other thing is that Obama has had a good 6 weeks since the election. His tax compromise is proving to be very popular and possibly helping chance the dynamic of the current President - Congress relations. There has been a food safety bill passed, DADT ended, START is going to pass, and the possible passage of the 9/11 first responders health bill. All these are successes for the President and a number of Republican Senators are looking like Deadenders on these matters, looking at you McCain.


The second thought ties in to the above. A number of these successes have been a result of help from a handful of moderate Senators. I have thought for several months now that Joe Lieberman, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins could exercise real power over the Senate if they so choose. Now add into the mix Scott Brown, Lisa Murkowski, and Joe Manchin into the mix and you have 6 swing votes that could truly affect the work that gets done in the Senate.

Now keep in mind President Obama has played very nice with Snowe, Collins, and Brown. He voiced his opinion to keep Lieberman closer as opposed to throw him overboard. There was a long period where these actions were and are still extremely bewildering to many who have so stronly supported in the election. These actions haven't really seen any payoffs until these last few weeks. It was Collins and Lieberman that saved the DADT repeal. Brown has been instrumental in that vote as well as the START treaty passage. Murkowski seems to have sowed a bit of independence as a result of having to go the write in path to regain her Senate Seat. Manchin is a wildcard (I guess that is another word for chicken) we will have to watch to see if he continues to vote as a republican or provide the occasional Democratic vote in the Senate.l