The situation in Misurata is bleak: hospital officials confirm 17 dead yesterday. As that continues, regardless of the UN effort you will hear the cries from residents of the need for more airstrikes or even ground troops. After all, the logic is exactly the same: the UN needed to prevent a massacre in Benghazi. Why not Misurata, the third-largest city in Libya, as well?

The New York Times has what I assume to be a bizarre form of beat sweetener on Goldman Sachs today. It spends most of 1,300 words speculating on who might replace CEO Lloyd Blankfein if he were to step down, exploring three possible candidates in depth. But the Times ignores one of the big reasons Blankfein might be eyeing the door.

There’s never been a more powerful lobbying team than the one assembled on this vote. And not only are the members of Congress who need to be reached amenable to their persuasions, they are in many cases wholly owned properties of entities like the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber spent $30 million on House Republican candidates last year. If they can’t bring enough of them along to vote, nobody can.

• What’s happening in Libya?
• In Japan, nine months to go.
• Krugman is still shrill.
• Here we go again.
• What Would Jesus Carry?

Tough week for folks that earned it.

Huey Lewis & The News – The Power of Love

Mark Warner’s Gang of Six is simply another attempt to gut Social Security, for the same reason Willie Sutton robbed banks: it’s where the money is.

James Pethoukoukis begins his Love Song to Sarah Palin, Ice Goddess Warrior Princess of The North with an unfortunate opening sentence: “Sarah Palin rides to the sound of the guns.”

…and then proceeds to go Bulwer-Lytton on a Red Bull & Cialis binge about that quittin’ gal that he just can’t quit.

As the news from Bahrain continues to get worse, the opposition once more takes nonviolent action to move the world to intervene. Inspired by Zeinab Alkhawaja (@angryarabiya) hundreds of Bahrainis and their supporters worldwide will begin a four day hunger strike beginning Monday.

As we see more and more information about the Republican plans for for “austerity” and the budget cuts, we see more and more that all they are offering is the same one-trick pony that they have proposed to solve economic problems since the days of St Ronnie of Raygunz.

Now why would I put the term “austerity” in quotes? Because every time the Republicans make a proposal to cut spending, they also demand a tax cut.