Weekend thoughts

1. The protest movement in Iran seems to have lost its momentum, probably the result of both the violent crackdown by the government and the lack of an organization with a strong leader to keep the movement going. Musavi didn't start out to lead a reform movement; it was sort of forced on him, and he's tried to rise to the occation. But it's not the same as if he had a party organization behind him. Hints that various compromises were being worked out behind the scenes, with Rafsanjani wielding some negotiating power, have gone quiet. Wait and see.

2. What will the Repubicans say now about Obama's response? He did gradually increase his rhetoric condemning the government's repressive tactics -- and the movement faltered. Will it be his fault because he didn't threaten them enough, soon enough? Some way, it will all be his fault. I should remember there was a time when I honestly felt that everything that went wrong was george bush's fault. The difference was that, with bush, it really was all his fault.

3. On the other hand, I should listen to Jay Bookman, who said a true thing in the AJC yesterday: "In politics, an explanation that fits the facts is less powerful than an explanation that fits an emotional need." Sounds like he's been listening to Drew Westen.

4. The House passed the environment bill with cap and trade; it'll have a tougher time in the senate. Health care reform is at a pivotal spot. I'm most afraid that Obama and public plan advocates won't hang tough enough. Without that, I don't see reform as being enough to be effective. As Paul Krugman says: "Reform isn't worth having if you can only get it on terms so compromised that it's doomed to fail."

5. Obama did have a good line in his press conference about the objections to a public plan:

"If private insurers say that the marketplace provides the best quality health care, if they tell us that they're offering a good deal, then why is it that the government, which they say can't run anything, suddenly is going to drive them out of business? That's not logical."

6. Rest in peace, Michael Jackson. I wasn't of the generation nor musical taste to appreciate his talent, so my interest was mostly in the oddities of his life. Nevertheless, that is less relevant now than the devoted following of his fans and the deep bonds of love he had with countless celebrities, from Elizabeth Taylor and Spike Lee to Deepak Chopra, who wrote a heart-felt piece about their long-standing friendship.

Ralph