Good morning, everyone. Cloudy here with a bit of very light fog. We are supposed to get somewhere in the mid 60s to low 70s and sunshine. If so I will put all of the transplanted seedlings outside for some sun. I also have a pile of seed packets to be either started or restarted.

So, we have a budget agreement--or so they say. I won't consider it done till it is finally voted on and signed. This mess reminds me of a quip from the Soviet era. Soviet workers supposedly said 'The pretend to pay us and we pretend to work.' I would change it only slightly. We pay our legislators to work for us and they pretend to work for us.'

At the beginning of the last century, President Theodore Roosevelt called the Presidency a 'bully pulpit.' And he used it effectively to get measures like a Pure Food and Drug Act and a Meat Inspection Act, and other progressive measures. His cousin, President Franklin D. Roosevelt vigorously used the platform the Presidency provided to vigorously attack the effects of the Great Depression. President Obama, it seems, thinks of his office as as much more passive and behind the scenes. This NPR story gives a good description. I am not so sure this is leadership.

I love this commentary found on Crooks and Liars.

Robert Reich has an excellent assessment of the whole mess in our government: government by bullies. And no bullies are more vicious than those who think they have god on their side.

Then there is this commentary from Job Jones at andthisourlife. His take on the miraculous discovery of 14k votes for the Repthuglican candidate for Supreme Court Justice is also right on target.