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- In light of the latest conservative freakout over diplomatic protocol and following the rule of law, here's a handy fill-in-the-blanks statement you can use for the next one: "I am shocked and appalled that this president would take the unprecedented step of _____ before ______ on his overseas trip to _____. This fits into a familiar pattern of the Obama administration, most recently seen at home in his decision to ______, which emboldens our enemies and further pushes America into a _____ state that would have been unrecognizable just ______ months ago."
- I've said it before and I'll say it again: no one ever won elected office running on "first principles," but this is the concept behind the latest Newt Gingrich-Michael Steele joint venture to take back Congress. I'm sure voters will be hotly discussing Burke and Disraeli and the media will be be debating the importance of virtue and prudence while high-profile conservative-moderate civil wars engulf the GOP in Florida and California, and tea party protesters ponder the value of burning members of Congress in effigy. Welcome to 2010.
- Matt Yglesias makes a good point on the importance of high per-capita income toward being a great power in the world, but it's more than PPP. After all, Luxembourg is in the top three of the lists he links to, but certainly we don't consider it to be a great power and that's because of population. It's the fact that the United States has a relatively wealthy population AND 300 million people AND the ability to effectively mobilize its people and resources that makes it the preeminent power in the world. China only has two of those three characteristics, and could end up losing the third if the CCP loses its grip on power.
- Weekend Remainders: It appears that Bart Stupak is that rare combination of incompetent legislator and moral monster that is the pride of the Democratic caucus; Republicans are shocked that there's a backlash against their vote against legislation that would protect rape victims; the former mayor of New York lost his mind on 9/11, and it never came back; the White House calls out the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; in addition to providing abortions until recently, the RNC health plan also provides end-of-life (A.K.A. "death panels") counseling; and what is it with aging Washington columnists pining for George W. Bush's "leadership" style?
--Mori Dinauer
