Discussing the outbreak of concern about the supposed dearth of "innovation," Kevin Drum writes:

Give some thought to just what innovation and productivity gains are for. Initially, of course, they help provide a better basic standard of living. But what happens after that? Once you have a certain level of food, shelter, sanitation, and so forth, you start adding nonessentials. Basically, luxuries, whether you call them that or not. Entertainment. Vacations. Restaurant meals. Fancier clothes, faster cars, and bigger houses. That's what the first half of the 20th century brought to the developed economies of the world.

So what is happening now? Drum notes:

Senate Dems' strange decision to change an arcane rule (one of many) that makes the Senate utterly dysfunctional is not being met with cheers by the "reform the Senate" crowd. Ezra Klein wrote:

Here’s what happened: Mitch McConnell wanted to bring up the president’s jobs bill, which Harry Reid is still modifying in an effort to win more Democratic votes. He wanted to do so for a simple reason: Sans modifications, the bill would fail and the Democrats would be embarrassed. McConnell tried a legal but arcane maneuver to suspend the rules after cloture and force a vote. [. . .] Reid objected [and] forced a majority vote on the parliamentarian’s ruling. The vote succeeded, and the rules were changed to outlaw McConnell’s maneuver.

This is known in the Senate as the nuclear option. It is a way to change the rules with a simple majority. [. . .] It was, in truth, an odd issue over which to go nuclear. [. . .] Democrats changed a rule because the Republicans were annoying them.

Senate Dems did not go nuclear to pass a stimulus or jobs bill when they controlled the Congress. Senate Dems did not go nuclear to pass the public option. They did it to stop the GOP from annoying them with a pointless political grandstand vote that no one will remember in a week. Just dumb.

Speaking for me only

Rick Perry is going down in flames. Michelle Bachmann's 15 minutes appear to be over. Herman Cain protested the n-word. No one knows what Newt is doing. Ron Paul, well, Ron Paul. Big Man Christie knows he can't win. What's left for Anybody But Romney? Ed Kilgore suggests it may be Palin time:

[I]s there any doubt a certain universally known, beloved-of-the-base politician will hear her name on the restless wind and give fresh consideration to the prospect of "going rogue" and running for president? Yes, this could be Sarah Palin's moment to confound her critics, to send the GOP establishment types she hates even more than liberals into frantic hysteria, and most of all, to gain the attention she craves.

I agree. It's time for Sarah Barracuda. And I betcha Mitt Romney would make a donation. He is running out the clock now, knowing he beats the current field easily. Palin would soak up all the oxygen, but not the votes the Mittster needs.

Via Chris Bowers, great line from Elizabeth Warren in last night's Massachusetts Dem Senate primary debate:

Forbes magazine named Scott Brown Wall Street's favorite senator. I was thinking that's probably not an award I'm going to get.

Running against Wall Street and the filthy rich is good politics. Yep, the "class warfare" thing.

Romney attacks Occupy Wall Street as "class warfare":

Republican presidential frontrunner Mitt Romney on Tuesday compared the current anti-Wall Street protests to “class warfare.” “I think it’s dangerous, this class warfare,” Romney said to an audience of about 50 people in response to a question about the protests over such issues as high unemployment, home foreclosures and the 2008 corporate bailouts.

Given Romney's own income stream, he seems to be standing up for his own wealth as well:

Citizens for Tax Justice, a progressive-leaning group, estimated Romney’s 2010 tax rate at 14%, based on public records of his income.

Running against Wall Street and the filthy rich is a political winner in case anyone is wondering. Yep, the "class warfare" thing.

Via Jed Lewison, actually they do:

Barack Obama has jumped to a 15-point lead over the Republicans in Congress in trust to handle job creation, a sign the beleaguered president’s $450 billion jobs package has hit its mark in public opinion. Fifty-two percent support the plan – and most say it just might work.

For background, see this and this.

After criticizing Rick Perry for being "insensitive" regarding the name of a ranch apparently owned by Perry, Herman Cain, the African American former Godfather's Pizza honcho came to understand that the only acceptable claims of racial insensitivity from African Americans can be made against Democrats:

I think that Herman Cain hurts himself by joining in on these attacks. His big appeal is that he’s not just another black race-card-playing politician. Climbing on board with the Post’s hit piece suggests that actually, he is.

Cain has learned his lesson:

Via Occupy Wall Street protest skeptic and mocker John Cole, this:

The “Occupy Wall Street” protests, now entering their third week, are poised to get a whole lot bigger than its core of 200 to 300 people, potentially even exceeding the protesters original goals of 20,000 demonstrators, thanks to recent pledges of support from some of New York City’s largest labor unions and community groups.

I have not followed Occupy Wall Street much, but I know it has been successful, at least on the micro-level -- my 17 year old daughter has joined the protests. Given that her father pontificates about politics all the time, you might think something I said might have spurred her to political action. Alas, parents don't know anything.

So thanks Occupy Wall Street for engaging my 17 year old daughter in issues that are as important to her as to everyone else. It is her future at stake.

Speaking for me only

Via thers, Elizabeth Warren:

Text on the flip.

This WaPo story on the treatment of women in the Obama White House, based on reporting in Ron Susskind's new book, is neither surprising nor unusual. From the WaPo story:

Friction about the roles of women in the Obama White House grew so intense during the first two years of the president’s tenure that he was forced to take steps to reassure senior women on his staff that he valued their presence and their input. At a dinner in November 2009, several senior female aides complained directly to the president that men enjoyed greater access to him and often muscled them out of key policy discussions.

For women across the world, this is no doubt a familiar story. Men (especially men like me, to be clear) aggressively try to dominate discussions, oftentimes to the detriment of women. We need to be more sensitive about this issue in all contexts. I'm glad that Valerie Jarrett brought the problem to the President's attention, and hopefully the situation improved. But honestly, this is not a White House story, but a story about one of the many obstacles women face in all settings.

Speaking for me only

I don't really care whether Sarah Palin used cocaine, had a pre-marital affair with Todd's business partner or a one night stand with an athlete she was interviewing for her college radio show, or is feuding with Bristol over her relationship with her DWTS costar, now roommate and reality show co-participant, Kyle Massey or Bristol's latest tattoo.

But I do think it's funny that Sarah Palin looked just like the caricature of the secretary from Staten Island portrayed by Melanie Griffith in the movie Working Girl -- an image Griffith spent the whole film working to shed. (Melanie succeeded at the end of the film.)

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Submitted for your consideration:

[Sen.] Tom Carper [D-DE] mouthing off from the comfortable environs of blue Delaware is a failure of Team Commie to be regarded as [a] serious political force. People who talk of primarying Obama need to pick smaller targets--and thus elicit bigger results.

Carper is up for reelection in 2012.

NOTE: I am not endorsing Coates' idea, just putting it out there for discussion.

Speaking for me only