DISQUS

I nominate Steve Kagan to take charge of Health Care reform in the House. He's obviously very principled and committed to the issue:

"One of the first things U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen (D

Wow, Petraeus is just full of "information." Thanks for clearing everything up, General!

See this is exactly your problem, Spencer. You're way too logical when it comes to policy matters. You need to base less of your writing on facts and more on just "gut instinct" or "self-interest." I think if you use those skills more, you'll come to a better understanding of exactly how policy has been decided over the past 8 years or so.

I agree - what's needed here is some good ole fashioned civil disobedience to ensure Democratic accountability. Who's got the cojones?

James Sensenbrenner wins today's dumb douchebag award. A round of sarcastic applause please everyone... Not only did he stupidly opine that "oil and gas must play the dominant supply role for the foreseeable future," he pettily denied Bart Stupak a chance to ask the oil czars some real questions at the end of the session. (see Spencer's previous post - GOP Silences Stupak) Way to represent the people Jimmy!

The arrogance and disregard for law are indeed amazing here. Someone please put this administration in its place...anyone? war crimes tribunal? impeachment charges? Bueller?

I agree. There needs to be a standard for confidentiality rather than transparency - our ELECTED representatives should automatically make such reports public unless doing so would clearly result in harm. "officials...did not see any type of overwhelming need to put this in the public domain" - how about my need to know?

Sounds like a job for the Green Team! (eventually NSFW)

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/fa1420df1f

The Skeletor administration is attempting to subvert one of the most basic legislative checks in our government. The Senate must ratify treaties between the U.S. and other states because of this exact situation: a lame duck, unpopular president attempting to commit his nation to an indefinite military occupation in the last months of his regime. If BushCo is able to make such an agreement with whatever Iraqi is in charge at the time without Senate approval, I think it will be safe to say American democracy is in serious peril.

Awesome post. Americans, and the world at large, would benefit from a lot more clarity and transparency regarding private security contractors like these.

Yes, yes he is.

Nice article. When you can comprehend the amount of pure death and hardship endured by early immigrant groups like the Irish or the Chinese, the racism faced by newer groups like Latinos and Arab-Americans doesn't seem quite as daunting. Maybe, just maybe, mainstream America managed (is managing?) to reject mindless bigotry?

Apparently not: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/l...

Thanks! Thank you so much for drawing some attention to this issue! The Cardholder's Bill of Rights, if not a comprehensive reform, represents at least a great first step toward protecting consumers from arbitrary rate hikes and the like. Hopefully, some bright intern at a MSM outlet will take this story to his/her boss and it'll get mentioned on the teevee! For continuing coverage of this issue as legislative debate proceeds, check in w/ the Messenger's sister site - www.WashingtonIndependent.com. Keep up the good work!

Thanks! Thank you so much for drawing some attention to this issue! The Cardholder's Bill of Rights, if not a comprehensive reform, represents at least a great first step toward protecting consumers from arbitrary rate hikes and the like. Hopefully, some bright intern at a MSM outlet will take this story to his/her boss and it'll get mentioned on the teevee! For continuing coverage of this issue as legislative debate proceeds, check in w/ the Messenger's sister site - www.WashingtonIndependent.com. Keep up the good work!

Thanks! Thank you so much for drawing some attention to this issue! The Cardholder's Bill of Rights, if not a comprehensive reform, represents at least a great first step toward protecting consumers from arbitrary rate hikes and the like. Hopefully, some bright intern at a MSM outlet will take this story to his/her boss and it'll get mentioned on the teevee! For continuing coverage of this issue as legislative debate proceeds, check in w/ the Messenger's sister site - www.WashingtonIndependent.com. Keep up the good work!

This is one of those reports from Iraq that make me want to laugh and cry at the same time. It's laughable how far the military will go to deliver "good news" from the front but simultaneously heartbreaking that they actually have to go this far. There really haven't been better developments out there than Abdul Sataar's chicken farm?

Wow, nice update Laura. Haven't seen it on any other sites yet