There is a meme that the Republican Party has a top-down, authoritarian structure where potential candidates patiently wait their turn for nominations. On the other hand, the Democratic Party hosts a divided, disorganized coalition. Yet this year, it’s the GOP that is seeing a roiling, rebellious bottom-up movement with little deference to leadership.

Rep. Ron Paul Paul urged the passage of both the Sanders and the Vitter amendments, and Senators will get a chance to vote on them this morning. The vote is expected at 11:30am ET, with side-by-side votes of both amendments. This could hold some peril for both amendments if Republicans spurn the Sanders compromise and Democrats spurn the Grayson-Paul language.

What does the four-million-and-counting gallon leak tell us about the safety of domestic oil production? Why were safety procedures left in the hands of the companies doing the drilling and not the regulators? Why did the Deepwater Horizon not include the emergency shut-off valve that could have averted this disaster? Exactly what is contained in the dispersant stew you’re dropping into the Gulf? What are the chances of, in trying to stop the leak, blowing off the wellhead and causing an even greater gusher?

Those of us who oppose the right-wing encroachment on a woman’s right to choose are told quadrennially that we simply must vote for the Democratic choice for President. This is the only way to ensure that the Supreme Court doesn’t continue to chip away at women’s reproductive rights. So why is Barack Obama choosing someone like Elena Kagan?

A brief look at what’s happening in the news on Tuesday, May 11th, 2010.

I’d say Rekers is another example of being hoisted on one’s own petard — but it seems that was kind of the goal. Commence the pulling of fingers.

Featuring new videos from The Bastard Fairies and Tame Impala.

It’s official: Senator Jeff “Beauregard” Sessions can’t play poker for shit.

Wall Street has a sweetheart tax credit allowing it to double its money in seven years through charter school investments.

In a ruling that anticipates how the government will ignore torture as it tries alleged detainees in civilian court, Judge Lewis Kaplan rejected Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani’s efforts to get his indictment for contributing to the 1998 embassy bombings dismissed because he was tortured while in US custody.