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- Looking at the improvement of human development in Muslim countries, Kevin Drum correctly observes that "as near as I can tell, the single most important thing that developing countries can do to ensure themselves a brighter future is to educate and empower women. I'm not sure there's even a close second." And since we talk about politics here, let's bring up the fact that in developed countries like the United States, shocking numbers of people can be elected to high office who want to treat women like second-class citizens.
- Wil Hylton's story on Eric Holder's failure to live up to the rule of law rhetoric of the Obama presidential campaign is a good, if depressing, read. Especially in light of the administration's recent decision to let Khalid Sheikh Mohammed rot in limbo forever instead of having the courage to try him in a court of law, it's a painful reminder that the one area where candidate Obama diverged from President Obama happened to be the most important aspect of his appeal.
- A Ryan Grim story late Friday reports that many sections of George Bush's new memoirs were sloppily cut and pasted from other sources, yielding a hybrid ghostwritten and historically nonsensical work. Steve Benen reacts, claiming that "it's probably fair to say that even George W. Bush's remaining defenders wouldn't characterize him as learned or cerebral." I think Benen underestimates the degree of conservative reverence for the 43rd president. The real story isn't that Bush's memoir is a hack job; it's that Bush's supporters are still totally in awe of the failed ex-president.
- Weekend Remainders: The 112th Congress will be more polarized, conservative (obviously, but now we have evidence); I wouldn't be surprised if this was what supporters of SB1070 were hoping for; the National Popular Vote Movement continues to destroy the basis of our constitutional republic; there are limits to gerrymandering; and The New York Times' first election map.
-- Mori Dinauer