previous issue July 21

It’s the Economic Stupidity, Stupid by Frank Rich The best thing to happen to John McCain was for the three network anchors to leave him in the dust this week while they chase Barack Obama on his global Lollapalooza tour. Were voters forced to actually focus on Mr. McCain’s response to our spiraling economic crisis at home, the prospect of his ascension to the Oval Office could set off a panic that would make the IndyMac Bank bust in Pasadena look as merry as the Rose Bowl. “In a time of war,” Mr. McCain said last week, “the commander in chief doesn’t get a learning curve.” Fair enough, but he imparted this wisdom in a speech that was almost a year behind Mr. Obama in recognizing Afghanistan as the central front in the war against Al Qaeda. Given that it took the deadliest Taliban suicide bombing in Kabul since 9/11 to get Mr. McCain’s attention, you have to wonder if even General Custer’s learning curve was faster than his. Mr. McCain still doesn’t understand that we can’t send troops to Afghanistan unless they’re shifted from Iraq. But simple math, to put it charitably, has never been his forte. When it comes to the central front of American anxiety — the economy — his learning curve has flat-lined. Court Confirms Bush Has Dictatorial Powers by Andy Worthington Wake up, America! On July 15, the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled by 5 votes to 4 in the case of Al-Marri v. Pucciarelli that the President can arrest US citizens and legal residents inside the United States and imprison them indefinitely, without charge or trial, based solely on his assertion that they are “enemy combatants.” Have a little think about it, and you’ll see that the Fourth Circuit judges have just endorsed dictatorial powers. The President can order the military to seize from his home and indefinitely detain anyone — including an American citizen — even though he has never affiliated with an enemy nation, fought alongside any nation’s armed forces, or borne arms against the United States anywhere in the world. Video: Take Down Those Yellow Ribbons And REALLY Support the Troops! by Scott Ritter

Today's Quote:

"I believe in only one thing: liberty; but I do not believe in liberty enough to want to force it upon anyone."

- HL Mencken

Editor's Notes & Rants:

Obama commits to escalating war in Afghanistan. I guess there weren't enough wedding parties being bombed.

2009 forecast: nuclear winter. Israeli Mossad propaganda outlet predicts Bush will attack Iran between November election, and end of term in January.

If Freddie and Fannie want a bail-out, they should go directly to the Chinese and ask for a loan. The US gov't should not go further in debt to the Chinese on their behalf.

Zimbabwe begins printing $100 Billion bank notes, worth about $1 US.

Pope appologizes for sexually molesting children.

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) says McCain is so boring, it's torture. “If you took all the people at Gitmo, put them in the cabin for a weekend and made them listen to John talk about the birds, they would all spill their guts.”