Two more fun pet images - from Americablog and MyDD
New Construction Freeze in East Jerusalem Reported (Linda Gradstein) from AOL News
"A Jerusalem city councilman has told AOL News that there has been a de facto freeze in new Jewish construction in East Jerusalem, despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence that he will not stop building in all parts of Jerusalem."
In keeping with this item, we have the following:
Pushing Bibi (Michael Tomasky) from the Guardian [of the UK]
"This is just a feeling, but something in the air tells me there could be a mini-breakthrough on the Middle East in the relatively near future, emphasis on mini."
And more:
Beating the Mideast's Black Hole (Roger Cohen) from the New York Times
"Feeling optimistic already? I confess I am — or rather, the complete despair about the “peace process” with which I arrived in Israel has eased. O.K., that’s not exactly optimism, but in the Middle East small mercies count."
Obama's Governing Discipline (Fred Hiatt) from the Washington Post
"Abroad, the strategy, with its hope of turning autocracies such as China and Russia into long-term partners, remains at best unproven. At home, it seems to be paying off, with major health reform approved and financial reform in sight. For those at the back of the line -- such as the District last week -- the opportunity costs are sharply felt. But even at such times, it's hard not to admire Obama's focus."
Now, let me say up front that, in the main, I find Fred Hiatt, the editor of the Post's editorial page, to be a DOPE! It has been RARE that a positive, thoughtful word has left his pen when it comes to the Obama administration. In keeping with this, even this article is shortsighted in focusing on only two things he thinks Obama has done right (although he expands the list late in the piece). So -- gaze upon this rare gem.
Whatever Happened to John McCain? (Op-Ed) from the Guardian [of the UK]
"While Barack Obama's presidency continues to soar, his opponent from the 2008 US election is selling his political soul."
Interesting commentary on the different trajectories Obama and McCain have taken since 2008. Also, I have to say that I never bought the media meme about McCain that he was somehow substantively different than most of his GOP colleagues. This piece simply establishes clearly who he is now ... and who he always was in my view.
How an American "Import" is Shaking Up UK Politics (Editorial) from The Hindu [of India in English]
"Britain's first television debates in the run-up to the general election have transformed the traditional two-horse race into an electrifying three-way contest."
For those who can't get enough of the UK elections, check out this "Election seat calculator" from the BBC.
Forecasters Upbeat About Economy, Hiring from CNBC
"Economists are more optimistic about prospects for growth this year as industries increasingly report better profits and add new jobs, though they still expect the recovery to remain slow, a new survey shows."
Yes, the word "hiring" is in that headline!
Reid to Force Repeated Votes to End Filibuster of Wall Street Reform from The Hill
"Sen. Harry Reid will force Republicans to vote repeatedly against Wall Street reform to put pressure GOP centrists. A senior Democratic aide said Reid would schedule votes to end a Republican filibuster of the reform bill on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. “We need to keep the pressure up to get a deal,” said the Democratic aide."
Well -- this sounds quite interesting! Hope it works out that he passes the bill AND makes the GOP vote against it 4-5 times.
The Republicans Help Financial Reform, Inadvertently (Simon Johnson) from The Baseline Scenario
"If the Democratic leadership becomes fed up with Republican stalling – or otherwise sees an opportunity to paint the Republicans as completely obstructionist, they could actually strengthen the bill."
Priest-Sex-Tape Horror from the Daily Beast
"Brazilian street vendors are hawking a video of an elderly priest molesting an altar boy. Dom Phillips reports from Brazil on the pope’s brewing crisis in South America."
Oh.My.God. What now? Was this filmed in secret (as the image suggests) -- or was it for the priest's secret stash of child porno flicks? This could really kick off the Latin American part of this whole scandal. Incredible. AND, when asked if he abused an alter boy, what is the priest's response?: “I can’t tell you this. I can only tell my confessor any sin of mine. I don’t need to admit or deny.” This so showcases in the broadest terms the above-the-law quality of the Church's responses to date.
Pope Threatens to Cancel UK Trip from the Telegraph [of the UK]
"The Pope could cancel his planned visit to Britain because of a “hugely offensive” Foreign Office memo mocking his stance on abortion and birth control, sources in the Vatican said."
The Pope has since said he will do his trip -- but ... why would he suggest cancelling it in the first place!? Getting a little testy? Despite the rather humorless rationalization suggested by the Telegraph, it makes no sense to me.
Hillary Clinton: She Stoops to Conquer from the Independent [of London]
"Hillary Clinton may have lost her bid for the US presidency - but even her critics admit she has shone as Secretary of State. Rupert Cornwell on the real comeback kid."
Another up-beat profile of Hillary.
Rating Pelosi Against History's Greatest Speakers (Matthew Green) from Roll Call
"Is Pelosi, in fact, among the most successful Speakers in history? Does her tenure at least merit her nomination, if not election, to the select group of truly great Speakers, including Henry Clay, Thomas Reed, Rayburn and O’Neill? By comparing the careers of these Speakers with Pelosi’s thus far, one finds three parallels that suggest such a nomination is merited."
A Broader View of Judicial Diversity (Scott Simon) from NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday
"Placing an avowed atheist, an active evangelical, an open gay or a former public defender might be a bolder step to express America than the usual categories by which we have come to keep score of diversity. America has become so gloriously varied, the old categories may feel a little narrow now. And, they'll only change."
The Right Court Fight (E.J. Dionne) from the Washington Post
"The test of success for liberals should not simply be winning the confirmation battle. This fight must be the beginning of a long-term effort to expose how radically conservatives have altered our understanding of what the Supreme Court does and how it does it."
Our Fill-in-the-Blank Constitution (G. Stone) from the New York Times
"As the list of rulings above shows, they tend to exercise the power of judicial review to invalidate laws that disadvantage corporations, business interests, the wealthy and other powerful interests in society. They employ judicial review to protect the powerful rather than the powerless."
DNC, OFA Lay Out Four-part Plan for 2010 Midterm Elections from Firedoglake
"On Saturday, I was at a meeting in Washington DC. where both Mitch Stewart, the Director of Organizing for America, and Democratic National Committee chair Gov. Tim Kaine laid out the strategy for the midterm elections."
Hysterical Nativism: Arizona's Immigration Law from the Editorial Board of the Economist [of London]
"A conservative border state is at risk of becoming a police state."
Arizona's Plain Old Politics (Op-Ed) from Truthdig
"Political opportunism has made a bad law a reality, as in so many of the critical political decisions that we have seen go awry in this country. “Everybody was afraid to vote no on immigration,” declared Republican state Sen. Bill Konopnicki in the most honest quotation I have heard from a politician in the past decade."
Growing Split in Arizona Over Immigration from the New York Times
"Immigration has always polarized residents of Arizona, a major gateway for illegal immigrants. But the new law signed by Gov. Jan Brewer on Friday has widened the chasm in a way few here can remember"
For Conservatives, Freedom's Just Another Word (Matt Yglesias) from the Democratic Strategist
"I ... think it's a mistake to too-closely identify the right's freedom-rhetoric with the formal philosophical conception of libertarian-style negative liberty. It is, rather, a slogan that's invoked as a gesture of ideological identity and solidarity that's largely devoid of semantic content—it plays a role similar to the one "yes, we can" ... plays for Obama's supporters.."
The New Secessionists (Chris Hedges) from Truthdig
"Acts of rebellion which promote moral and political change must be nonviolent. And one of the most potent nonviolent alternatives in the country, which defies the corporate state and calls for an end to imperial wars, is the secessionist movement bubbling up in some two dozen states including Vermont, Texas, Alaska and Hawaii. "
BOOK NUGGET!!
Our Debt to Prohibition from New York Magazine
"Next month, author Daniel Okrent will publish Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, a sweeping history of America’s ill-fated experiment with temperance. One of the book’s most surprising suggestions: that Prohibitionand the speakeasy invented modern New York nightlife."
The article comes with a hilarious map of prohibition-era New York City HERE!
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