Treasury Secretary Geithner launched his big initiative to regulate derivatives this week. He doesn’t bother to explain why it will work. He doesn’t bother to explain why derivatives are worth the risk. He just does what the financial elites want.

A lot of people are nervous about Panetta’s statement in response to Pelosi’s accusation that CIA lied. It makes a lot more sense when you consider it against the background of the torture tape destruction.

She turned us into a newt.

Image courtesy of davesag

This is kind of alarming – I actually agree with “GOP insiders”:

Since leaving office, former Vice President Dick Cheney has been perhaps the most prominent conservative critic of the Obama administration. But his refusal to leave the public stage has many Republicans wincing. In the latest National Journal poll of GOP insiders, 57 percent said that Cheney has “hurt” the party since leaving office:

Fox gets into the irresponsible reporting act now, presenting clear evidence of legal wrong-doing as yet another gotcha of Nancy Pelosi.

America the Beautiful. A lot of talk this morning about torture, but are the right questions being asked? Oh, and Nancy Pelosi is the new Lynndie England.

Mighty Mouse – Outer Space Visitor.

Unlike the mice in this cartoon, new faces (as well as familiar ones) are always welcome at FireDogLake.  This is Late Late Night FDL, where off topic is the topic – stop by the comments section and say hey.

What’s on your mind tonight? 

Chuck Norris kickboxes straw man, loses.

Last week, FOX pulled out all the teabags for their newest victim, a notorious water district in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Meet their victim of the month, Westside Water District: half the size of Connecticut, laden with farmers who get triple Federal subsidies (crop, water, electricity), and in hock to us all for $480 million.

With Obama’s selection of Republican Governor Jon Huntsman of the notoriously liberal state of Utah comes the ritualistic wingnut Two Minutes of Hate.