Our goal is 1000 new members.

If you’re not a member already, you can join today right here. Or, you can call me at (202) 506-3907 and do it over the phone. As you can see, Ryan and I are standing by to talk with you right now!

Well, this is what happens when you denounce Paul Ryan’s plan to destroy Medicare as “radical right-wing social engineering” — even if you’re the Republican “ideas” man.

The lone dissent was from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who realized this ruling just gave police carte blanche to routinely ignore the Fourth Amendment in drug cases. Police can use almost any noise they hear to claim they have “good reason” to believe evidence is being destroyed, and if the history of how police have bent and broken the rules to fight the war on drugs is any guide, they will.

In a blockbuster deal announced just under the trade deadline, America will deal its war in Afghanistan for a war in Pakistan.

The mission was launched on a less than optimal night. And it was launched when it was because the Administration worried about impending leaks.

Paul Ryan will not take his Randian vision to the US Senate, staying in his leadership position as Chair of the House Budget Committee rather than run for the seat vacated by Sen. Herb Kohl. Ryan’s association with the deeply unpopular Medicare privatization plan would have been a very difficult hurdle for him in a statewide race and may even haunt him in his district, although he may get bailed out by the redistricting process. That is, as long as Republicans finish redistricting before Democrats take over the state Senate post-recalls, which isn’t all that likely. So it’s possible for Ryan to have a real House race on his hands next year, too.

As for the Senate seat, it looks like Tommy Thompson will take a run at it.

I wrote yesterday that nothing seemed to be changing in the foreclosure crisis. Regulators were still trying to enforce the law with inadequate information (perhaps deliberately), and the banks were still abusing their customers. But late yesterday we got word of federal audits from HUD showing violations by the top five banks of the False Claims Act.

It’s becoming an obsession for me, this disinterest in fixing gaping holes in our network security even as the Administration claims Bradley Manning’s alleged leak could be a capital offense. If this stuff is so damned secret, plug the fucking holes!

• Will this kabuki never end?
• Surely some tax cuts are the answer.
• America, the police state.
• So, where are the perp walks?
• Hasta la vista, baby.

How about a little courage over here?