Full disclosure: My firm built Peter DeFazio's campaign website. I speak only for myself.

It's disappointing to hear his tirade against one of the most effective ways we could have addressed the climate crisis - internalizing the cost of carbon pollution through cap and trade. Obama should be applauded for his efforts on the issue.

Recent data show the regional cap and trade program is working in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states:

Average annual CO2 emissions for the three-year period were 126 million short tons, a 23 percent reduction when compared to the preceding three-year period, 2006-2008.

CO2 emissions were collectively reduced to 33 percent below the annual pollution cap of 188 million short tons.

Hopefully Oregon - and America - can one day follow suit.

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One thing you can say about Peter DeFazio, he always about himself. And most vociferous about trashing Nancy Pelosi and President Obama.

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Not only does DeFazio bash fellow Democrats gratuitously before the public, he votes against Democratic policies gratuitously before the public. He voted with Republicans against the stimulus bill because it didn't have some of his education priorities in it. He is a weasel of the first order. He is an exhibitionist who not only disagrees with, but makes great displays of public contempt for the Democratic President and the Dem. House Congressional Leader.

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I am struck by how so many people thought of Obama as a strict progressive, when it was pretty clear during the 2008 campaign that he was a centrist more than progressive. While I am disappointed in some of his policies, I am not surprised overall.

In addition I just do not buy the whole position that Obama should not have fought for healthcare because it weakened his economic policy positions. For one, I am super glad he fought for healthcare and second I do not buy that he could have gotten more economic help through Congress if he had not tried healthcare.

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Whether you agree with all of his positions or not, I have always admired Defazio's candor. He's an equal opportunity basher who kowtow's to partisan allegiance less often than most. Smarter than most of his peers with the balls to call it as he sees it. I can see where that might seem threatening to pussified progressives suffering from partisan Stockholm syndrome. To me its quite refreshing.

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Well, #1 it wasn't all negative. Far from it. If that's what you heard, you weren't listening. He went fast, to be sure.

And #2, he's not wrong in some of his criticisms. And #3, I love that Peter DeFazio is fearless.

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I think DeFazio's comments were well-measured. Obama has been a disappointment. Better than Romney, for sure, but then, so would most of my neighbors.

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DeFazio voted against Eric Holder in the criminal contempt charge! How far is he going to keep going against fellow Democrats in the name of being a "fearless independent"? Especially in an election year, criticisms against fellow Democrats only help elect Republicans. Either criticize in private or defer your public criticisms to an apporpriate time. Why do we have to keep up living to our reputation of shooting ourselves in the foot and/or having the circular firing squad?