Roughly ten percent of our economy is tied to the auto industry in one way or another. We need to do something, the question is what we do.

A few thoughts:

Mandatory (and gradually increasing) fuel economy and emissions standards, without specifying the means of reaching them, will force innovation and research. Not CAFE, per vehicle. And no fines, rather, no new vehicle that exceeds the standards can legally be sold.

Incentives for the automakers to become active participants in building public transit vehicles - both buses and light rail.

Require all hybrids to be plug-in compatible, effective next model year.

All combustion-based engines must be flex-fuel.

A surcharge on all monthly parking contracts into downtown areas, proceeds to be dedicated as subsidies for public transit.

A commitment to high speed intercity rail as well as light commuter rail. (GM should do nicely with this - think Electro-Motive.)

Significant public incentives to the removal of older vehicles in favor of newer, more fuel- and emission-efficient models.

And for the automakers, stop the insane fractional make/model differentiation. GM sells the same cars under how many nameplates?

Lastly, perhaps the single thing that will help make American automakers cost-competitive in the world marketplace - single-payer national health care coverage. The rest of the modern world can do it, and would not willingly move away from it, why can't we? I'd rather see the demise of the health insurance industry than the auto industry - at least the carmakers make cars, where the insurance industry exists primarily to generate investment capital for the benefit of its owners while passing losses along to customers.

Suppress voters whenever possible. Try to intimidate election officials whenever necessary. Try to discredit a process prescribed by the very laws of the state where the election takes place if it serves a purpose. Spin it somehow to delegitimize the outcome if it doesn't go their way.

Nothing Norman's partisans are doing is in any way surprising. Maybe they'll even arrange their own "Brooks Brothers Riot" before it's over. Wouldn't that make Norman someone to be proud of for all Minnesotans?

Go home, Norman. Go somewhere. You don't belong in the Senate.

When, after the tragedy of Paul Wellstone's plane crash, Dean Barkley (yes, that Dean Barkley) was appointed an interim Senator by then-Gov. Ventura, Norman urged him to step aside so he could pick up a bit of extra Senate seniority.

Now he wants Franken to step aside despite the state's mandatory recount provision.

Norman is all about Norman, and the people (and laws) of Minnesota be damned.

And calling him an empty suit, as many have, insults clothing everywhere.

I know of one City Council election in St. Paul that came down to one ballot as City Council voted on each disputed ballot establishing voter intent by tiny dots and smudges...

Bill Wilson over Roy Garza. I was on the local cable telecast crew sending it out live to the few citizens of St. Paul that actually watched. Probably the most tension ever in a televised City Council meeting in St. Paul.

...make me hope for a Giuliani-Gingrich ticket in 2012.

As both a lifelong Democrat and a comedy fan, I'm hoping for it on two fronts, in fact.

Look, I despise Bush as much as any of you (and Cheney even more!)

It's not going to happen. Full stop.

A suggestion: Instead of continuing to shout for impeachment, can any of you see putting some actual effort into changing things for the better? All the hot air that's being expended in calls for impeachment could heat the Sears Tower all winter.

Yes, what Bush did was wrong. Yes, there were failures of both vision and action by the Democrats in Congress.

SFW?

This stuff happens all the time.

You're worried about scolding your kid for spilling milk while the house is on fire. Get your damn priorities straight.

Maybe putting out the fire ought to be the priority before prosecuting the arsonist. Or if not, what color is the sky in your world?

Accountability is fine. After some more important things happen first. Things like people being able to live in the homes they are struggling to pay for on the marginal jobs they have left after offshoring, like bringing troops home in an orderly process with appropriate levels of force protection, like not letting the economy slide into a global depression - because although we live in a society rather than an economy (a classic mistake many people persist in making) the society won't be worth a bucket of warm spit if the economy that underpins it is falling apart, and like securing a decentralized, renewable, clean, sane energy infrastructure - which will, in itself, put many people to work in the sorts of high-value-added jobs needed to get things working again so the rest of society doesn't fall into a funk.

Than, we can talk about accountability.

Do you remotely understand?

And don't call me "dude". Ever.