The President could of course say that he wouldn’t sign such a package. And he plans, according to these reports, not to negotiate with Republicans but to make the case to the public that they’re blocking progress. Given that the only things that have passed in this Presidency have been the result of intense negotiation, that means these are more political ploys than actual proposals. And again, it would have been nice to see public works ideas when they had a chance to pass.

The United States’ Department of Justice is now investigating the rating agency Standard & Poor’s according to the NYT

As the head of the executive branch, the president has broad discretion in the enforcement of immigration laws. He can place a moratorium on the deportation of DREAM Act students, he can end SCOMM, and he can drastically reduce the thousands of family separations that are the inevitable result of his current approach. His unwillingness to do these things, which have been repeatedly called for by Presente.org and numerous other groups, has nothing to do with Congress and everything to do with burnishing his enforcement credentials for the 2012 election.

Greetings, firebaggers, here’s what I’ve got for you! Oops, sorry for the slip, I just took a job with the New Mexico Organizing for America team.

The race to the bottom in the GOP is picking up speed.

Roy Rogers — Look Over Yonders Wall.

So a member of the leadership in Washington is saying that Republicans should refrain from brinksmanship when it comes to the upcoming continuing resolution and the budget fight. That’s not that interesting, what is interesting is who said that, Majority Leader Eric Cantor!

Believe it or not but the oft confused Republican from Virginia sent around a memo laying out the reasons why the House Republicans should not engage in the same kind of economic and policy hostage taking they have been successful with for most of a year.

When considering the effects of unemployment, and the desultory, really uncaring response of the current Democratic administration, as well as Republicans in Congress, to the human devastation of joblessness, it is important to consider the terrible emotional and psychological effects of such unemployment. Such effects are well-documented, but rarely mentioned in articles or blog postings.

American Family Association, Perry’s partner in the recent Jesuspalooza fundamentalist rally in Houston, The Response, crusaded for years against Movie Gallery, urging boycotts beginning in 2000 and rejoicing in the chain’s closure.

A short documentary film, “Incident in New Baghdad,” has been earning critical praise and awards as it goes from film festival to film festival. The short tells the story of Iraq war veteran Ethan McCord, a soldier who was at the scene of the “Collateral Murder” incident uncovered by WikiLeaks over a year ago. McCord rescued children, who were injured in the 2007 Apache helicopter attack that killed two Reuters journalists along with a “good samaritan” who tried to rescue the journalists that had been fired upon.