Republicans are indeed being massive idiots with their opposition to this modest measure, which they’ve predicated entirely on not getting the requisite amount of unrelated amendments to the bill. Either that, or they’re deliberately trying to sink the economy. But the bill is so tangential to actual economic growth that its presence or absence won’t have an outsized effect, though I suppose it’s better than nothing.

Douthat is correct that the substance-free Beckstallnacht was all about identity politics – white, Christian conservatives throwing a temper tantrum demanding that we “turn back to God” because they feel like they’re “losing our country.” This explains George W. Bush’s and The Quitter’s appeal to the same group of fundies. They’re “one of them.” But…Howard Dean?

A funny thing happened last week with our Just Say Now advertising campaign. Well, a couple of “funny” things. Large online communities proved, en masse, that they were waaaay ahead of both corporate America and our political leadership when it comes to their readiness to discuss and marijuana prohibition.

Regulators have competing goals, or at least goals that distract from one another. They want to ensure price transparency for every trade, and exchanges or clearinghouses as the mechanism. But they also should want to increase the swap participants, so that the market doesn’t get concentrated, adding to risk.

This could end well, or with literally no meaningful changes at all. Banks are placing a lot of money to ensure the latter.

Freedom has been a national security asset — one that we are damaging out of fear.

The downward spiral in housing is not going to be arrested until we’re able to keep the people who want to stay in their houses in them. But thus far I see no sign of a policy solution that will do that.

What should we REALLY learn from the egg recall. Well, I’ll tell ya…

• Sign of the times.
• It’s witch-hunt season.
• Mosque attacked in Tennessee.
• Of course he regrets it — he lost all his advertisers.
• Atrios reads the tea leaves.
• Americans just don’t like a Quitter.

The Beckapalooza was showpiece of American Stupidity — as per tradition

Worst Cover Song ever…!