Why VAWA Has Helped Women

Sen. Mark Udall released this helpful graph on how the Violence Against Women Act curtailed domestic violence.

The poll results shows solid support for repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Which makes it insanely stupid for Democrat Carl Levin to be negotiating with John McCain to strip the DADT repeal language from the defense appropriations bill. You know Levin has miscalculated when Joe Lieberman is on the right side of the issue.

“The Senate has passed a defense bill for 48 consecutive years. We should not fail to meet that responsibility now, especially while our nation is at war,” Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said in a joint statement on Tuesday. “We must also act to put an end to the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy that not only discriminates against but also dishonors the service of gay and lesbian service members.”

I agree with Matt Yglesias that Republicans filibustering the defense appropriations bill would be a politically losing proposition.

The White House seems to be getting the message. It is amazing how the Obama administration wants to cater to the base after a bruising midterm election. This is why I continue to say progressives shouldn't be Democratic apologists. The only way to get good legislation passed is to put pressure on Democratic leaders. Remember, the White House killed a DADT repeal amendment when it had super-majorities in 2009.

Obama Wins Colorado

Another victory for Barack Obama in Colorado. Democrat Mark Udall is Colorado's new U.S. Senator.

Progressives will dance in the streets, if Betsy Markey defeats Marilyn Musgrave.

Betsy Markey has a substantial early lead over incumbent Marilyn Musgrave as she attempts to become the first Democrat in two generations to represent Northern Colorado in Congress.

The Democratic challenger built up a huge advantage in early and absentee returns in Larimer and Boulder counties.

Those are counties Musgrave lost in her 2006 re-election bid, but the incumbent is performing even more poorly in early returns today than she did two years ago. The 4th Congressional District's other population center, Weld County, historically has supported Musgrave but hasn't yet reported any results.

This is turning out to be a fun night.