DCCC

A few days ago, a major DCCC contributor, Blake Byrne, realized he's been had.

Oh, yes... we get so many of them. And this year, all the Republicans have started sending them too. Most I just delete before opening. But sometimes I get tricked into opening one... and that pisses me off. You too? Recently I got one from a Democratic candidate I like and the subject line said "personal." He usually calls me when it's personal but I opened it anyway.

As venal as Rahm-- but with fewer functioning brain cells-- DCCC wreckers, Israel and Van HollenThere is virtually no serious coverage of the colossal failure of the DCCC under Chris Van Hollen and Steve Israel, two incompetent Pelosi allies who have presided over the loss of dozens of Democratic House seats in 2010, 2012 and 2014-- and for countless missed opportunities.

Throne-Holst & Vernon, not actual Democrats, "DCCC Democrats"For progressives and Democrats on the eastern end of Long Island there will be no good solution to awful conservative representation in 2016.

I suppose it's conceivable that if the hacks in the GOP Establishment drive Trump out of the presidential race-- something they are very much trying to do-- he could revert to being a Democrat and even endorse Hillary Clinton. He certainly hasn't been as harsh towards her as he's been towards Jeb and some of the other Republicans.

In 2003, the Republican-dominated House passed a GOP version of healthcare, Bush's Medicare Part D. Today it is, by far, the worst part of the Medicare system and it allows for these systemic ripping off of the elderly by Big Pharma. The final vote in the House was 216-215; it passed by one lousy vote.

This week the DCCC is having a series of meetings to introduce their favored candidates to incumbents, lobbyists and other DCCC supporters. Tonight they're throwing a big dinner at an event space for lobbyists and both political parties, the Oracle Townhouse on D Street.

Steve Israel, de facto head of the DCCC (and the most outspoken member of their recruitment committee) and with a new title Pelosi invented for him, Chair, Policy and Communications, is making noise again. His war against progressives is multi-faceted and never-ending.

You think the Republican Party is a mad-house now? Just wait until Tailgunner Ted Is Their Nominee! I have to admit, I rarely read David Brooks columns and I usually get them second hand.

There are few substantive issues that I would find much agreement on with mainstream conservatives like Charlie Dent (R-PA), Chris Gibson (R-NY), Bob Dold (R-IL), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Richard Hanna (R-NY), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) or Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ). My heart goes out to them, though.