Four years ago at FDL, Dickfest was immensely popular, inspiring art, a t-shirt line, and even imitators. Since that time, we haven’t felt that there has been a moment quite so poignantly appropriate to display the poetic prowess of our readers til now: We need a great name for our marijuana campaign. Submit your entries here — and remember, 5 words or less.

In a surprise press conference this afternoon, White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs announced the creation of a new regulatory agency, the Business Protection Agency, that will provide much-needed oversight of the federal government’s many abusive and out-of-control regulatory agencies.

Well, that was very quick turn around. In 24 hours, Democrats went from not asking for budget reconciliation instructions to planing to include them. This is potentially very good news for progressives. Reconciliation at least gives Democrats the option of possibly achieving some progressive legislative victories this year.

The Mine Safety & Health Act is not to blame for the 29 deaths at Massey Coal. The real problems are much deeper.

FDL Contributor Bill Black scorched everyone with his testimony on the failure of Lehman Brothers when he testified before the House Financial Services Committee today.

One of the most curious documents turned over in last week’s FOIA dump is the last one, titled “The CIA Interrogation of Abu Zubaydah” (PDF 110-122). While these are just wildarsed guesses, I suspect it may either have been a summary developed for the CIA Inspector General’s office for use in its review of the torture program or a summary to prepare Stan Moskowitz, then head of CIA’s Office of Congressional Affairs, to brief the Gang of Four in early February 2003.

In the Western part of the US, legalizing cannabis is supported by a solid majority, 55%, and opposed by only 41%. This is important because citizens of California will be voting on a state ballot initiative to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana in November. Groups in Washigton state and Oregon are also working to gather the necessary signatures to get similar marijuana legalization initiatives put on the ballot in those states, as well.

Mark Kirk, the Republican running in Illinois’ Senate race, became the first federal candidate to return donations from Goldman Sachs, in the wake of the SEC’s civil fraud lawsuit.

in Arkansas, Sen. Blanche Lincoln takes fire from Bill Halter for her ties to GS.

If today’s drug laws were in force during the 1970s, Barack Obama might not be President.

In his autobiography, Obama admitted to experimenting with marijuana during his high school years in the ’70s. He then went on to college and law school with the help of student loans.

We’re kicking off our campaign with a “name our Pot Campaign” contest tonight during Late Nite, which starts at 11pm ET. We haven’t done anything like it since the Dick Cheney Poetry Contest of 2006. It’s a return to the “FDL Late Nite” of old, hosted by yours truly. So, please join us.

Anyone remember the endless Village/wingnut concern-trolling about how Ned Lamont running against Joe Lieberman was going to destroy the Democratic Party?