US Politics and Tax Cuts: Sanders' Remarkable 8 1/2-Hour "BernieBuster" Challenges Republicans...and Obama

Despite some hostile immediate reactions from progressives, including a non-binding resolution by the House Democratic Caucus that they would not even consider voting on the deal unless it was amended, Obama appeared to have won the argument within his party by Sunday.

But a remarkable piece of political theatre that took place on the floor of the Senate on Friday has energised opposition within some circles to the compromise. At 10:24 a.m., Bernie Sanders, the 69-year old Independent senator form Vermont, began a speech criticising the compromise as a “bad deal” for Americans. Eight and a half hours later, without eating or even sitting, Sanders concluded what became instantly known as the #filibernie on Twitter, where the speech trended Number 1 worldwide on Friday afternoon. While he was speaking the filibernie.com and berniesandersisstilltalking.com websites sprung up, and at the former the whole speech is still available on video with the comment: "Because somewhere on the internet this deserves to be looping forever...."

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US Elections: The Power of Money and Democrat Losses in Congress (and the White House?)

Democrats are becoming resigned to losing heavily in November. And, as politicians are apt to do, they are looking for someone other than themselves to blame. The argument, put out by Obama himself, runs that the electorate would fully support progressive policies if only the message was not insidiously sabotaged by the dirty campaign money of wealthy individuals and big business. 

The Citizens United ruling of the Supreme Court, and the resulting spending during this election, has only reinforced this liberal worldview. So although the Democrats may have given up on this election, expect the real fireworks to begin next year as they try to fend off the assault of a Sarah Palin or Mike Huckerbee, bankrolled by conservative 501 groups, on the reelection bid of President Obama. The current president may like to present himself as the representative of a new transparent politics, but if he doesn’t get down and dirty next year, come January 2013 he will find himself on the outside looking in.

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