Lawmakers worked into the night and came up with an oddly unsatisfying compromise on the two most contentious issues left in financial reform, with the final package voted upon at 5:30 this morning (ET). But hey, that was on C-SPAN, so eight people did probably get to see it. Transparency!

Acting Office of Legal Counsel head David Barron is returning to spend more time with his law students at Harvard, to be replaced by Jonathan Cedarbaum. Unlike several of the legal jobs that have turned over under this Administration, this one doesn’t appear to be tied to a fight over counter-terrorism policy.

Meanwhile, another House Republican compares Obama to Hitler — also on the House floor.

You see it’s not you that gets Hope, it’s the Democrats in Congress.

Toots and the Maytals — Monkey Man, at Reggae Rising 2009.

Your peeps have been dropping me hints and talking about you; dammit, we have to talk.

If you ever wonder why American health-care costs are so dramatically higher than in the rest of the world, it’s partly a result of the corrupting influence of money in our politics and the dangerous conflicts of interest that plague the health-care system.

The latest NBC/WSJ poll asked how voters felt about candidates who ‘Favor continuing oil drilling off the U.S. coast.’ Notice that they did not ask about candidates who favor increased drilling, they asked about candidates who favor continuing drilling. The results are astounding: 48% of voters are either very uncomfortable or have reservations about Congressional candidates who ‘favor continuing’ offshore drilling. Just 41% are comfortable or enthusiastic about candidates taking that position

In the wake of General McChrystal’s firing, supporters of his counterinsurgency strategy have shifted to the blame game. Their target? US Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry. But is Eikenberry really at fault, or has he been right all along?

Peter Peterson, billionaire Social Security hater, is opening a tiny door for actual Americans to explain to the rich why this time we aren’t going along with their plans to screw Social Security. I hope FDL readers will check out this site and make an appearance. You won’t be alone: MoveOn wants its members to show up too.

I have written several posts explaining my views, and by clicking here you can see all of FDLs posts on this subject. I have a draft paper which you can find here , which includes selected legislative history. That reading with your own stories will arm you to the teeth for a great speech. They won’t know what hit them.