First, an NYT story on how Dems have linked their political fortunes in the midterms to the minimum wage issue in several key states (PA, OH, AZ, etc.).

The issue, as we're finally getting around to phrasing it, is many Dems say they will vote to block any raise in Congressional pay until the minimum wgae is increased (Congress has denied an ( Read more... )

ECONOMY -- BUSH CELEBRATES THE FOURTH LARGEST DEFICIT IN HISTORY: Yesterday, the Office of Management Budget projected a $296 billion federal deficit for fiscal year 2006. President Bush held a press conference arguing that this announcement is a vindication of his economic policies: "The projected budget deficit over -- of over $420 billion is now ( Read more... )

Hoekstra: "The administration didn't tell Congress about an intelligence program until a whistleblower turned me onto it and I demanded a briefing." Punch line: He's not talking about NSA wiretapping or the T-Dept's bank job.

So what the fuck is he talking about? And how worried should civil libertarians be today?

Meanwhile, Dubya is ( Read more... )

Dionne on the Mexican election: It couldn't happen here.

Kinsley in WaPo on why the debate over embryonic stem cell research is a false dilemma, and even the people opposed to embryonic stem cell research don't really believe the premises of their argument.

Couple things in there I hadn't thought of before (but probably should've).

James Rubin in today's NYT:Back in Washington last week, partisan warfare had erupted over a Democratic proposal to establish a timeline for withdrawing American forces from Iraq. Even though the top commander in Iraq, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., was working on just such a plan, Republicans battered the Democrats as quitters, unwilling to hang tough ( Read more... )

Dear Texas,

Look, I know we haven't been getting along lately. You don't like my music, and I detest your habit of, well, executing people while simultaneously tolerating hate crimes.

But yesterday, when that mean ol' federal judge said you were stuck with Tom DeLay on the ballot in the November election, even though he's resigned in double-plus ( Read more... )

Anniversary of the London bombings.

Amazed at how little coverage this is getting in the US MSM? Nope.

I forgot how good "Hartsfield's Landing" was.

( Read more... )