SAR #12177

 

Our financial and political leaders fantasies will destroy us all.

Warning, Plot Spoiler: Chancellor Merkel has made it clear that Germans are not going to pick up any part of Spain's tab. Or Italy's. So why are they holding another 'summit' this week? She's already torpedoed any chance for “euro bonds, euro bills and European deposit insurance with joint liability and much more” as “economically wrong and counterproductive.”

Suspicions Confirmed: “Voter identification efforts are meant to suppress Democratic votes in this year’s election.” So says Mike Turzai, Republican leader of the Pennsylvania House.

Dispatches From The Front: Turkey claims Syria has shot at a second of its aircraft, an “act that won't go unpunished.” It has invoked Article 5 (an attack against one NATO member shall be considered an attack against all members.) of the NATO charter.

Points of View: After the Supreme Court tossed out three out of four provisions of Arizona’s anti-immigrant law, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer said that the ruling had “vindicated” the racist and unconstitutional law.

Independent Judiciary: Legal scholars think the individual mandate in the health care act is valid, and that it will be overturned by a party-line vote.

Tangled Web: A Republican member of Michigan's Board of State Canvassers has resigned, leaving the Board without a quorum and thus unable to act on such things as certifying referendums for placement on this fall's ballot – including one repealing the Emergency Manager Law and another putting collective bargaining protections into Michigan's constitution. The Republican governor is in no hurry to replace the absent members.

Get 'em, Tiger: "What's the justification for complex banking at all? Why shouldn't banks be run on the utility basis?” Yves Smith of Naked Capitalism.

Contract Law: Homeland Security, after carefully ignoring the opinions of senior military, Coast Guard and DEA officers, is shoving drones into the fight against drug smuggling in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Too bad we don't have any surveillance coverage of the closed door considerations.

Suffrage: Michigan Republicans are backing a bill that would prevent the wild-eyed liberals of the League of Women Voters from conducting voter-registration drives until its canvassers undergo state-approved training. The bill does not provide for such training.

Angels On The Head Of A Pin: The administration, in refusing to release any documents in response to an ACLU/NY Times FOI request concerning the targeted killing of individuals, including Americans, by drones, said that public administration comments on the subject “were carefully phrased to avoid” discussing or acknowledging such operations. This includes, somehow, Obama's announcement of the murder-by-drone of Anwar Al Awlaki, a US citizen.

Size Matters: Exxon now admits that it released 28,700 pounds of benzene from its Baton Rouge plant, not 10 pounds as originally claimed.

Roving Eyes: Much to the dismay of creationist theorists, scientists have found a “halfway” specimen. In this case it is a fossil fish that stands, or rather lays, halfway between a standard model fish with one eye on either side of its head and the flat-fish model that has both eyes on one side, like halibut and sole. On eye has migrated towards the top of the head, but had not yet crossed over.

Setting An Example: Vern Buchanan (R-FL), chief fundraiser for the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee, is under federal investigation for his “business practices, his campaign finances and his alleged attempt to try to stop a witness from talking.”

Porn O'Graph: Let's not get too excited.

The Parting Shot:

 

The light at the end of the tunnel.