This must be Great Photo Day at Maddowblog...worth thousands of words.

Rachel, I recommend a couple of No-Doz about 45 minutes prior to air. Reid is good for us, but OMG does he make me sleepy. Makes him perfect for the Senate, though. ;)

My question for Mr Reid would be the soft support for unions. Ms Wasserman ducked the issue when asked on the Maddow Show.

This union issue seems to be the one the national Democrats are ducking much as the GOP Presidential candidates are trying to duck the RyanCare Bill.

If the democratic base fights back against attacks on Medicare it is common sense to use this to win elections as happened last night. If the Democratic base fights back against union busting attacks at the state level why has the National level Democratic leadership not utilized this as well?

Elizabeth Warren for Senate? It sounds to me like the DNC is trying to lure her away from her role in financial regulation. Those in power on Wall Street really hate her, but the public loves her. Just sounds like a ploy to neutralize her, without appearing to be doing so.

Almost completely OT, but can I just say, as someone who also works on a train when I have to commute for my job, that having good, high-speed rail lines connecting major cities is a great way to encourage work efficiency. The second I get on the train, I open up my laptop and I get to work.

Unlike driving, you don't have to "pay attention" to what's going on and you can devote all your efforts and attention to whatever document is in front of you. With a 3G card, you can keep on top of email. Unlike a plane, there is no period at the beginning and end of the trip where you can't use your computer. There are also wider seats / more room on trains than there are on planes, which makes it easier to work, and if you're lucky and get the business class or a coveted spot on the cafe car, you can get even a bit more room to spread your work out.

We should really look at train travel as more of an economic/productivity issue.

Seeing photos of people at work on trains makes me happy. I know I sound like Joe Biden broke into my house to post this on the Maddowblog under my name, but anyone who rides a train and looks around to see people hard at work knows what I'm talking about.

While Harry Reid is pushing for a vote on the Paul Ryan budget, ie. Medicare, Senator Durbin (from my state of Illinois), VP Biden, and the President seem to be caving on the issue of Medicare.

Are these folks living in a vacuum?

It's a good political move to force this particular vote. But Harry Reid has been extremely disappointing as the leader of the Democrats in the Senate.

I wonder what he has to say about the "deal" Biden is working on concerning the debt ceiling.

In their third round of talks, the group examined the Medicare and Medicaid government health plans for retirees and the poor,

While it seems astounding that the Democrats would even consider putting Medicare on the table after yesterday's election that's exactly what they are doing. Last year, a lot of Republicans were able to garner support from seniors be scaring them with the line that Democrats cut Medicare. Incredibly, the Democrats are poised to hand that same electoral positioning to Republicans again.

I would really like to hear Harry Reid say, plainly, that he will not vote for any "deal' which will involve some measure of cost-shifting to seniors for Medicare. Yes or no. Let's hear it Harry.

It's a bit off topic, but Rachel Maddow should really question Mr. Reid as to why he insists on continuing the Patriot Act. If I recall correctly, there are only 14 senators who have opposed the extension of 4 more years.

Oh boy, registering for this blog is kind of a hassle. Anyways, I'll try again. Miss Maddow please bring up the Patriot Act, Mr. Reid along with many other senators are in support of extending the Patriot Act for another 4 years. Please ask Mr. Reid why he supports the extension, at the very least, we the people need to know why this has to happened.

Frankly, I think Reid already blew his window of opportunity. The time to make the Senate take a vote was prior to this election. Now a reason amount of republicans will vote 'no'. Always a day late and a dollar short.

Sen Reid and Nancy Pelosi have the most difficult jobs in the Dem party because of the diverse interests and opinions in the party. They can only move forward legislation that has the support of a majority to pass a bill. Labor legislation will have to wait until after the 2012 elections. There are conservative Dems that cannot vote for certain legislation without risking their re-election. Immigration legislation is another bill that Republicans are holding hostage. The bills can be proposed to demonstrate that Dems want to move on the issues, but from a practical standpoint, these bills cannot move forward without help from Republicans.

The deficit is going to continue to be the big issue so Dems are looking to pull the rug out from under the Republicans. There will be some budget cuts and changes in Medicare to bring costs under control, but they will not structurally alter the program. The tax hikes are going to be a huge battle because the Republicans are trying to force the Dems to cut the social welfare programs. Dems are not going to do the Republicans dirty work. We will see a budget with cuts and tax hikes proposed by the Dems. If the Republicans fail to agree on the budget, the Dems will still have the Ryan budget to hold up. That budget is dead and if the Republicans want to make cuts they are going to have to propose an alternative budget. It is impossible for them to propose a budget without tax hikes. The Dems are not going to let the Republicans demand just cuts without specifying what they want cut. But the Republicans do not want to fall into that trap because of the Medicare issue. Dems will come out looking reasonable when they make cuts in programs including defense, changes in Medicare and tax increases. Republicans will have no alternative budget with specifics other than the Ryan budget. I think we will see an agreement along the lines of tax hikes and cuts, but it will take public opinion to force the Republicans into tax hikes. The public already supports the tax hikes on the rich and the end of the oil subsidies so Republicans have very little wiggle room on the budget issue. There is going to be a lot of kicking and screaming about the tax hikes, especially from the wealthy. Lobbyists representing business will be all over Congress like a plague of locusts trying to preserve the tax cuts and subsidies.

"thoroughly caffeinated," you say? :o

I'm impressed by the photo chronicling your hard workingness, Rachel. HOWEVER... that is a LOT of a paper. Have you heard of this thing called a netbook? Just sayin'.

Rachael I watch you all the time and fully admire your most intellectual perspective. I am cuban american from Florida and Believe that the working class of this country are in real danger of loosing our american well being. There is no room for compassion of the vulnerable! Please expose the disaster that Rrick Scott is implementing in Florida!

Please help us expose this horror of politician!!!!!

Nice shirt, RM. (Now, there can't be a pic of Rachel without a cheesy comment on appearance.)

Secondly, G. Valdes, I believe your concern is a nationwide one and the GOP's top agenda--war on the middle working class.

Like the shirt, where's the glasses?? ^_^