Today, we’re releasing an interactive organizational chart that you can find here. A still shot of the chart is above; it shows how communication flowed from the Justice Department to the key players in the program we’re calling Operation Ratf&$k. According to an email from Matthew Steckman of Palantir to Berico and HP Gary, BofA’s General Council (Edward O’Keefe) had been called by the Justice Department and told to hire the law firm of Hunton & Williams to act as a firewall between BofA and the dirty dealing of the contractors. This conveniently allowed BofA to be shielded from all of the Operation Ratf%$k activities of the three firms through attorney-client privilege.

Bios of the key players in Operation Ratf&$k

Interactive relationship map of key players in Operation Ratf&$k

People who want to cut Social Security benefits to lower future budget deficits are “reasonable” and “serious.” Moreover, economists have reached a “consensus” that this should be done. People who oppose balancing the budget on the back of Social Security recipients are “denialists” whose views are “maddening,” “crackpot,” “strident.”

The Egyptian uprising has not yet ended, and with the military banning labor strikes and workers energized by the spark of revolution not heeding this call and demonstrating for better pay and conditions, we clearly have a long way to go before that country’s affairs are settled. The role of labor in the uprising is unique and fascinating, and deserves more scrutiny. For now, however, let’s spin around the globe.

It appears that the CIA has labeled its disappearances simply a matter of flawed bureaucracy rather than a clear example of the problems that result when you eliminate due process.

Since Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker announced that he would not only seek legislation this week to end collective bargaining for most public employees without hearings or debate, but also send in the National Guard to either quell unrest or fill in during a walkout, the labor movement has organized.

Volunteers have been cleaning up Cairo’s Tahrir Square all weekend as the country’s Supreme Council of the Armed Services focused on the next steps in the reform process. Protesters remain worried about backsliding since so many issues remain in the air and unresolved. The military has been trying to move protesters out of the square, saying they are trying to restore normalcy.

• Bailouts for the banksters, austerity for us.
• Gee, it’s lucky there’s a Democrat in the White House.
• Boehner’s begging to get Teabagged.
• Krugman: Eat the future.
• Haley Barbour, Mexican lobbyist for shamnesty.

Process servers know where to find Andrew Breitbart.

Little Feat – Dixie Chicken, and, Ry Cooder – Jesus On The Mainline

Kentuckians must be so proud of their governor allowing forty million dollars in tax breaks for this enterprise’s religious propaganda theme park. It really stands for 21st century family values, after all.