SAR #13278

The future, all too soon, comes to resemble the past. Demetrius.

Speculation: There has been considerable comment this week over the telephone call between President Obama and the President Rouhani. Some say this is a result of the effect of US sponsored sanctions on the Iranian economy. Maybe so, but what if it is the other way around? Is it not at least possible that the US, noting the fall in OPEC oil production even with the Saudis and UAR pumping as fast as they can, realizes that it will soon be necessary to gain access to Iranian oil for the world market? That it is not Iran playing nice with the US, but the US cozying up to Iran? No wonder Netanyahu is so upset – Israel doesn't have any oil to bargain with.

Asked and Equivocated: “Will the financial markets crash before or after October 17?” Yes.

Dumb And Dumber: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor predicts Democrats will cave. “I firmly believe their position is untenable.” While Boehner continues to insist that changes to the ACA are a prerequisite for progress on funding the government.

Retreat: Rogoff now says that it was a mistake to cut back on public sector investment, noting that “Such projects, if done at a reasonable cost, pay for themselves.” Now he tells us.

Leadership: GOP leaders have fundamentally misjudged the situation and Obama’s resolve. While the Tea Party radicals are responsible for starting us down the road to government shutdown and default, the continuing crisis rests solely on their blundering aggressive posturing. And now they have painted themselves into a corner and need Obama's help to get out. And President can't help them without destroying what little is left of his own credibility. The only viable solution would be for Boehner to throw the Tea Party representatives under the train, disavow their tactics and, in a burst of actual leadership, send a clean CR to the Senate. Absent that – which seems most unlikely – salvation will have to come in the form of Obama simply disregarding the debt ceiling as an unconstitutional political artifice. Then we turn to the Roberts Supreme Court and God help us all.

The Takers: In NYC last year, 71,271 students were homeless during some part of the year. About 40% of them lived in shelters, 15% lived on the streets and the rest doubled up with friends or extended family. 
 
Serve and Protect: The Capitol Police who were involved in Thursday's shooting incident were working without pay – thanks to the people they were protecting.

Democracy, More Or Less: An Italian Senate panel has recommended that former prime minister Berlusconi be stripped of his senate seat; the full Senate is expected to expel him by the end of the month. In Egypt, thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters marching in support of the banned group have been dispersed by the military with great force, including firing live rounds into the groups. Two Canadians were arrested for filming the military brutality.

Shame, Shame: Of the 21 poorest states rejecting expansion of their Medicaid programs under the ACA, 17 are governed by the Republicans – doing everything they can to hurt their poorer citizens.

Succinctly: The Catholic Church in Poland has rejected claims from victimes of pedophilic priests. The petitioners haven't got a prayer.

Porn O'Graph: Rich Man/Poor Man

The Parting Shot: