TUESDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Just a reminder, the Monthly's annual pledge drive is underway. We sincerely appreciate those of you who've already shown generous support, and hope other readers will take a moment to help out.

* So far, the reaction to the tax policy agreement among Senate Democrats is quite poor. I continue to think those who assume this will pass are making a mistake.

* Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) believes the defense authorization bill, including the provision repealing DADT, "will get to a vote" in the lame-duck session. Here's hoping he's right.

* Boosting hopes for ratification, at least a little, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) all but endorsed the pending arms control treaty, New START, during an interview this afternoon.

* Elizabeth Edwards died today at the age of 61.

* WikiLeaks founder in police custody: "Julian Assange, the founder of the beleaguered WikiLeaks anti-secrecy group, was denied bail by a London court on Tuesday after he was arrested on a Swedish extradition warrant for questioning in connection with alleged sex offenses."

* On a related note, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) thinks the New York Times should be subjected to a criminal investigation for publishing materials released through WikiLeaks.

* The now-complete bailout of Citigroup generated a $12 billion profit for American taxpayers.

* The Campaign for America's Future's Bill Scher, who doesn't always share the Obama administration's priorities on economy policy, ran a compelling defense for the tax deal.

* Andy Sabl considers the agreement as it related to the ethics of compromise.

* Jonathan Bernstein: "The truth is that there are a lot of people who just don't accept that the President of the United States can want something, fight for it, fight effectively and correctly, and still not get it. If it doesn't happen, it must have been -- in Obama's words -- a 'betrayal.' Those people are wrong."

* How should Americans spend public money to get good teachers? Turns out, it's a big question.

* Today is Dec. 7, known for being Pearl Harbor Day. Disgraced former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) encouraged his fans to honor the anniversary by buying his books. What a shameless hack.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 7, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 026972.php

WEDNESDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Just a reminder, the Monthly's annual pledge drive is underway. We sincerely appreciate those of you who've already shown generous support, and hope other readers will take a moment to help out.

* With Social Security recipients facing a second consecutive year without a cost-of-living increase, House Dems tried to pass $250 checks to these seniors. House Republicans killed the effort this afternoon.

* A week after a national election "marred by disorganization, voter intimidation and fraud," Haiti erupts in violence.

* Gates remains optimistic about Afghanistan: "Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Wednesday that progress in the war in Afghanistan has 'exceeded my expectations,' giving a strong endorsement of the U.S. approach days before the White House is scheduled to complete a major review of its strategy."

* A rare judicial impeachment: "The Senate on Wednesday found Judge G. Thomas Porteous Jr. of Federal District Court in Louisiana guilty on four articles of impeachment, the first time the Senate has removed a federal judge from the bench in more than two decades." This is only the eighth time a federal judge has been removed from the bench through impeachment in the history of the Senate.

* For crying out loud: "As Don Blankenship prepares to give up control of Massey Energy after the nation's worst mining disaster in four decades ... corporate filings are revealing the staggering cost of his departure -- a golden parachute that will provide Blankenship with $2.7 million upon retirement, a free house for life, millions more in deferred compensation, and a 'salary continuation retirement benefit' of $18,241-a-month that will continue for 10 years after his Dec. 31 departure."

* In 2011, expect the House to do a lot less work -- not because of partisan gridlock, but because lawmakers simply won't be in D.C. nearly as often. (thanks to R.P. for the tip)

* In a setback for the Tea Party crowd, House Republican leaders threw their support to Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) to serve as the next chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

* In an even bigger setback for the Tea Party crowd, those same GOP leaders are backing Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.) as the next chairman of the Appropriations Committee. Rogers is known for his love of earmarks.

* The food safety bill is in trouble on Capitol Hill, but Dems haven't given up on it.

* Congressional action on the DREAM Act is still scheduled for today, but it won't enjoy the backing of "moderates" like Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), who apparently is more worried about a 2012 primary than doing the right thing.

* Here's hoping this was hyperbole: "At an off-camera briefing this afternoon, National Economic Council director Larry Summers said that a failure to pass the tax cut compromise President Obama negotiated 'would significantly increase the risk' of a double-dip recession."

* It's great to consider this time "our generation's Sputnik moment." But to create that kind of foundation, "how about some Sputnik-level money?"

* And in her latest classic Fox News appearance, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) insisted today that tax cuts for the middle class cost money, but breaks for the rich do not. It's the kind of argument that only Bachmann could make with such enthusiasm.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 8, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 026990.php

THURSDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Just a reminder, the Monthly's annual pledge drive is underway. We sincerely appreciate those of you who've already shown generous support, and hope other readers will take a moment to help out.

* We're not there yet, but the declines are encouraging: "The number of workers filing first- time claims for unemployment insurance payments fell last week in the U.S., showing the labor market continues to improve. Applications for jobless benefits decreased to 421,000, in line with the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News, from a revised 438,000 the prior week, Labor Department figures showed today."

* Predictable: "Chinese censors apparently began blocking the news Web sites of CNN, the BBC and the Norwegian broadcaster NRK from appearing in China on Thursday, a day before the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is to be held in Oslo to honor Liu Xiaobo, the imprisoned dissident."

* The GOP's blockade against Senate action is not impermeable: "The Senate passed on Wednesday night a one-year, fully paid-for fix to Medicare rates that would avoid a scheduled 25 percent cut to physician payments on Jan. 1. " The bill passed by unanimous consent.

* Some additional worthwhile charts on the tax policy agreement between the White House and congressional Republicans.

* Antonio Martinez, who now goes by the name Muhammad Hussain, appears to be not very bright: "A 21-year-old Baltimore construction worker, who drew federal scrutiny after he boasted on Facebook about his devotion to violent jihad, was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly tried to blow up a U.S. military recruitment center with a dummy car bomb built by the FBI."

* Five states and the District of Columbia have legalized marriage equality. Maryland may become the sixth.

* The Senate's broken. The Brennan Center has some very worthwhile, non-partisan, non-ideological ideas on how to fix it, starting with filibuster reform.

* Ted Frier wonders if maybe the rich just don't need the rest of us anymore.

* Who's to blame for low college graduation rates? If you're pointing the finger solely at the students who don't get their diploma, you may be missing the point.

* Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (I) looks after his legacy: "Jim Morrison, the charismatic front man of the Doors who died nearly 40 years ago, was granted a posthumous pardon by Florida on Thursday."

* And Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) becomes the latest congressional Republican to insist that unemployment benefits, not tax cuts for the wealthy, need to be paid for. He'll fit right in with the field of 2012 GOP presidential candidates.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 9, 2010

http://www.washingtonmont...idual/2010_12/027011.php

FRIDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Just a reminder, the Monthly's annual pledge drive is underway. We sincerely appreciate those of you who've already shown generous support, and hope other readers will take a moment to help out.

* Liu Xiaobo's Nobel Peace Prize: "Imprisoned in China and with close family members forbidden to leave the country, the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, an empty chair representing his absence at the prize ceremony here." The last time a winner was forbidden from attending: 1935, when Hitler prevented concentration camp prisoner Count Carl von Ossietzky from making the trip.

* The Chinese people couldn't watch, either: "China blocked broadcasts of the ceremony on television and Internet sites. Just before 8 p.m. in Beijing, as the ceremony was beginning, CNN and BBC television channels went blank -- as they had intermittently throughout the day." Text messages containing the words "Liu Xiaobo" and "Nobel prize" were also blocked.

* President Obama said Liu Xiaobo "is far more deserving of this award than I was."

* In an extraordinary display, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I) of Vermont has held the Senate floor almost all day, delivering a very lengthy speech on economic inequalities. It's not a literal filibuster -- there's no bill before the chamber -- but it's the kind of showing we haven't seen from any senator in a very long time.

* Former President Bill Clinton met with Obama at the White House today, and endorsed the pending tax policy agreement. In an entertaining turn, the former president proceeded to hold "a remarkable, spur-of-the-moment news conference at a White House podium."

* In a pleasant surprise, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), not inclined to do the administration any favors, said today that the Senate is "very close" to having the support necessary to ratify the New START treaty. McCain added that he hopes it will come to the floor next week.

* The administration desperately needs to come up with a strong energy policy strategy in a hurry: "The Obama administration is retreating on long-delayed environmental regulations -- new rules governing smog and toxic emissions from industrial boilers -- as it adjusts to a changed political dynamic in Washington with a more muscular Republican opposition."

* In the meantime, the United Nations conference on climate change in Cancun is going nowhere fast.

* Command Sergeant Major Marvin Hill, a senior aide to Gen. David Petraeus, said U.S. servicemembers who can't adjust to the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" should consider leaving the military.

* The White House is open to an overhaul of the income tax code, but the hullabaloo over this news may be overstated.

* Hate crimes: "Two men have been charged with assault and robbery as a hate crime after attacking a Muslim religious leader on a New York City subway platform."

* New international rankings measure the capabilities of high school students around the globe. The U.S. isn't even close to the top.

* And Glenn Beck told his minions yesterday that "the revolution has begun." I'm not sure what that means, but it doesn't sound encouraging.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 10, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027031.php

MONDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Just a reminder, the Monthly's annual pledge drive is underway. We sincerely appreciate those of you who've already shown generous support, and hope other readers will take a moment to help out.

* Afghan insurgent killed six American troops at the entrance of a joint NATO-Afghan base over the weekend. Several suspects have been arrested.

* Afghan President Hamid Karzai reportedly considers the United States one of his "main enemies," and recently told U.S. officials, "If I had to choose sides today, I'd choose the Taliban."

* Richard C. Holbrooke, the Obama administration's top envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, remains in critical condition after lengthy surgery for a torn aorta.

* The latest intelligence out of Afghanistan conclude the war will be unwinnable "unless Pakistan roots out militants on its side of the border."

* International climate negotiations in Cancun turned out to be far more constructive than appeared likely.

* A suicide bomber in Stockholm killed himself and injured two others over the weekend. The attack would have been far more devastating, but the apparent terrorist botched the plot.

* President Obama signed the overhaul of child nutrition standards into law this morning.

* Arloc Sherman, an expert on poverty at the progressive Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, has concluded that benefits for middle- and lower-income working Americans in the tax deal would "keep more than 2 million Americans above the poverty line and reduce the severity of poverty for 19 million more."

* George Will reflects on Bush v Gore 10 years later. It doesn't go well.

* I should probably care about the "No Labels" initiative, but I'm having a hard time figuring out why.

* Right on cue, the incoming House Republican majority opposes stronger regulations of the for-profit college industry.

* In presidential history news, Dwight Eisenhower took his warnings about the "military-industrial complex" very seriously, and Richard Nixon was, in his private moments, an over-the-top bigot, lashing out at Jews, blacks, Italians, and the Irish, among others.

* I love "The Simpsons." When the show mocks Fox News, I really love "The Simpsons."

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 13, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027067.php

sooz- if you have 11 min, watch this

http://www.videobash.com/...dium=traffic%2Btrade&utm

That's a great video! Thanks!

TUESDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Retail sales rose for a fifth straight month in November, including the biggest jump in department store sales in two years.

* Regardless of hints of encouraging data, the Fed isn't changing course: "The Federal Reserve will continue to buy bonds and keep short-term interest rates near zero, the central bank said after a policy meeting Tuesday, reflecting the nation's weak economy."

* Senate action on New START ratification could begin as early as tonight, but more likely tomorrow. The leadership is confident it has 67 votes, it's not a done deal.

* The House will vote on the standalone "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" bill tomorrow.

* The State Department is clarifying Richard Holbrooke's final words, adding additional context.

* The individual mandate in Massachusetts' health care policy is working really well. Of course, Mitt Romney can't talk about his successful policy, because primary voters will hate him for it.

* The latest report from the Pew Research Center shows broad bipartisan support for the tax deal negotiated by the White House and congressional Republicans, heated debate on the Hill notwithstanding. Oddly enough, the strongest support comes from self-identified liberal Democrats.

* Try not to be surprised: "Rep.-elect Allen West (R-Fla.) may have proven himself a prime pupil for fellow Rep. Michele Bachmann's forthcoming constitutional classes, when he recently displayed selective reverence for the Tea Party's most sacred document by calling for American news outlets to be censored for running stories based on the recent WikiLeaks cable dump."

* They did what? "When the Federal Bureau of Investigation needed a press expert to talk to its media representatives in 1984, the bureau's top leadership turned to a conservative columnist who once wrote that 'the Negro race, as a race, is in fact an inferior race.'"

* I'm prepared to start hearing rumors about Jon Bon Jovi's burgeoning career in politics. Who's with me?

* If a University of Kentucky astronomer questions the basis for modern biology for religious reasons, can the school pass him over and hire someone else to be the university's observatory director, or is that religious discrimination?

* And not content to say nonsensical things in the United States, former half-term Gov. Sarah Palin (R) spent some time confusing people in Haiti yesterday.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 14, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027089.php

WEDNESDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* With impressive speed, the U.S. House this afternoon approved the standalone bill repealing the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. The final vote wasn't close: 250 to 175.

* If the Senate can bring the bill to the floor, clearing the 60-vote hurdle should be pretty easy: Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) endorsed repeal today.

* Iraq has until Dec. 25 to form a new government. Today, with Ayad Allawi's announcement, it appears that the obstacles have been removed for Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. Caveats, however, abound: "Mr. Allawi did so grudgingly and with conditions, warning that an agreement brokered by the United States to form a broad power-sharing coalition government under Mr. Maliki's leadership could still unravel."

* No end in sight: "As President Obama prepares to release a review of American strategy in Afghanistan that will claim progress in the nine-year-old war there, two new classified intelligence reports offer a more negative assessment and say there is a limited chance of success unless Pakistan hunts down insurgents operating from havens on its Afghan border."

* Blue Girl has more on the latest out of Afghanistan: "Reality comes knocking."

* Heartbreaking: "Santa Claus and his elves are seeing more heartbreaking letters this year as children cite their parents' economic troubles in their wish lists. U.S. Postal Service workers who handle letters addressed to Santa at the North Pole say more letters ask for basics -- coats, socks and shoes -- rather than Barbie dolls, video games and computers."

* Suing BP: "The Department of Justice has filed a civil lawsuit in New Orleans against the oil giant BP and eight other companies over the enormous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Although the complaint does not specify the damages that the administration is seeking, the fines and penalties under the laws that are cited in the complaint could reach into the tens of billions of dollars."

* POTUS chats with CEOs: "President Barack Obama and 20 business leaders worked through lunch Wednesday on ways to boost anemic U.S. job creation and improve their own testy relations amid rising anxiety over the slow economic recovery. The president said he wants ideas from business leaders on how to 'seize the promise of this moment.'"

* Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos thinks gay soldiers could lead to additional battlefield casualties. He's wrong.

* Here's hoping this is true: "Doctors in Berlin, working with an American patient with both HIV and leukemia, have declared in a peer-reviewed journal that they believe they have cured both illnesses. It would be the first time an HIV patient has been cured."

* Dana Milbank has a message for Tea Party voters: "You've been had."

* I'll at least give Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) credit for consistency. In a caucus filled with hypocrites, at least he's sticking to his principles when it comes to earmarks.

* Why the Supreme Court will make it harder for college students to buy cheaper textbooks.

* Alas, Fox News has apparently sided with godless heathens in the War on Christmas.

* And Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia really will appear at Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-Minn.) first "class" for House lawmakers. A spokesperson for the high court told Greg Sargent that Scalia "accepted an invitation to be a guest speaker," and will reportedly speak on the separation of powers.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 15, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027109.php

THURSDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* The first full-scale assessment since President Obama's shift in U.S. strategy in Afghanistan: "A review of President Obama's strategy for the war in Afghanistan concludes that American forces can begin withdrawing on schedule in July, despite finding uneven signs of progress in the year since the president announced the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops, according to a summary made public Thursday."

* At the White House today, the president defended the war's progress, telling reporters, "We're in a better position to give our forces in Afghanistan the support and the resources they need to complete their mission. We are making considerable gains toward our military objectives."

* Some evidence of progress: "The stepped-up operations in Kandahar Province have left many in the Taliban demoralized, reluctant to fight and struggling to recruit, a Taliban commander said in an interview this week."

* The House was set to pass the tax deal this afternoon. This morning, there was an unexpected setback: "A liberal uprising over House procedures on Thursday was delaying a final vote on a far-reaching tax compromise brokered by the White House and Republican leaders."

* Brian Beutler has more on this: "House progressives are still prepared for President Obama's tax cut compromise to pass unamended. But they temporarily derailed that train this afternoon to be heard publicly on just how bad they think the package is."

* A pleasant surprise: "First-time claims for state unemployment benefits fell unexpectedly in the latest week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The number of initial claims in the week ending Dec. 11 fell 3,000 to 420,000."

* This followed other encouraging reports on factory production and consumer spending.

* Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James Cartwright said today the Senate needs to ratify New START: "[W]e need it very badly."

* Solar energy zones: "The Obama administration issued proposed guidelines Thursday for solar development on public lands in the West, a move that could speed renewable energy projects that have been mired in environmental controversy."

* U.S. missile defense still doesn't work.

* Virginia's Republican gubernatorial administration believes "health reform is worth doing" and urged swift implementation of the Affordable Care Act, state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's (R) hysterical crusade notwithstanding.

* I'm glad some television commercials will stop being so much louder than others.

* Speaking of television, I am thoroughly annoyed by the cancellation of "Stargate: Universe."

* If the omnibus passes -- a big "if" -- it will be good news for the Pell Grant program.

* And apparently, right-wing, anti-gay activists want to reclaim rainbow flags for themselves. It's a reminder that right-wing, anti-gay activists are some really strange folks.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 16, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027127.php

"We're in a better position to give our forces in Afghanistan the support and the resources they need to complete their mission. We are making considerable gains toward our military objectives."

I've never been clear on exactly what the "mission" is. We certainly can't get anything from our government other than vague blather about supporting our troops.

The Mission is... well... the mission. Don't you know?

Mmmmm... preventing Caspian oil from reaching Europe or, if that fails, at least controlling it?

FRIDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* As expected, President Obama signed the tax deal into law today.

* Oh my: "The CIA has pulled its top spy out of Pakistan after terrorists threatened to kill him, current and former U.S. officials said, an unusual move for the U.S. and a complication on the front lines of the fight against al-Qaida."

* Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) suggested today, for the first time publicly, that the Senate may actually wrap up its work for the year before Christmas. It's funny what the death of the omnibus can do to the calendar.

* Of course, with the death of the omnibus, funding the next stage of ACA implementation becomes a lot more difficult.

* Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) had hedged, just a little, on whether she's a firm "yes" vote on a clean DADT repeal bill, but today she removed all doubt -- she'll side with the majority. By most counts, repeal supporters now total 61.

* The Food Safety Modernization Act was part of the omnibus. Republicans now have a new chance to kill the bill that passed the chamber with broad bipartisan support.

* For weeks, there have been 38 judicial nominations waiting for up-or-down votes. As of last night, there are 34 -- the small Republican minority decided to let four of them get confirmation votes, and they were approved. Three of the four have waiting for a vote since May, the other since June.

* In addition to DADT repeal, the Senate will also move on the DREAM Act over the weekend. Attorney General Eric Holder offered a strong endorsement of the proposal earlier today.

* Fred Kaplan reviews the latest assessment of the war in Afghanistan. He's not encouraged.

* Why nukes aren't the only scary aspect of North Korean society.

* Best wishes to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) for a speedy recovery. The prognosis on his prostate cancer looks encouraging, thanks to doctors catching it early.

* The most entertaining part of my day was reading Jon Chait's response to Nick Gillespie.

* Looking back at the BP oil spill disaster, it's worth remembering that Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) had no idea what he was talking about.

* I'm glad this effort failed: "Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), blaming Republicans, admitted defeat Friday in his long-shot bid to advance legislation this year that would delay looming Environmental Protection Agency climate change rules. Rockefeller -- who says the rules will harm his coal-heavy state -- had vowed Thursday to try and force a vote on the measure, but now admits it's on ice for the year."

* When Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) whines about a $165,000 earmark for maple-syrup research in Vermont, remember, there's a lot to this that the senator doesn't understand.

* "The Ph.D. Challenge" actually sounds pretty clever.

* And in the upcoming Thor movie, the role of mythical Nordic deity Heimdall will be played by an African-American actor. That has racists awfully upset. (thanks to readers D.N. and J.D.)

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 17, 2010

http://www.washingtonmont...idual/2010_12/027146.php

MONDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* South Korea fired artillery in a 90-minute drill this morning with fighter jets flying overhead. North Korea had threatened to retaliate, but later decided against it. Good move.

* Russian officials want Senate Republicans to know that negotiations on nuclear arms are already over -- they're not headed back to the table to make the GOP feel better.

* On a related note, this afternoon, Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) officially endorsed New START. Some Senate Republicans are beginning to whisper that ratification appears likely.

* Reliable sources report that Sen. Ron Wyden's (D-Ore.) cancer surgery today went very well and the prognosis is encouraging. No word yet on when he might be able to return to work, but rumor has it he could be available to vote on Wednesday.

* Monitoring America: "Nine years after the terrorist attacks of 2001, the United States is assembling a vast domestic intelligence apparatus to collect information about Americans, using the FBI, local police, state homeland security offices and military criminal investigators."

* In case there were any doubts, research shows the Roberts-led Supreme Court is extremely friendly to business interests and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

* I'm generally impressed with the work "60 Minutes" does, but last night's segment on state budgets was just a one-sided mess. Pat Garofalo has more on this.

* The Obama administration released long-awaited science guidelines late last week, intended to "insulate government scientific research from political meddling and to base policy decisions on solid data."

* President Obama will reportedly sign the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal measure into law on Wednesday.

* On a related note, Greg Sargent has a great item on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-Nev.) key role in getting DADT repeal through Congress.

* I've seen the report on the White House putting Social Security cuts on the table for 2011, but I haven't seen confirmation elsewhere, and I can only hope officials recognize this as a terrible mistake.

* Fox News goes after the University of Maryland, but the school isn't sure why the Republican network would bother.

* College students plagiarizing from Conservapedia shouldn't be near institutions of higher learning.

* And Equality Matters, a new project launched by Media Matters, gets to work. Led by former Clinton administration staffer Richard Socarides and journalist Kerry Eleveld, Equality Matters intends to "push back against homophobic messages in the media and the political arena." In other words, it'll be plenty busy.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 20, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027180.php

TUESDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* In the wake of the omnibus' failure, the Senate voted today to approve a continuing resolution "to fund the government through March 4." It passed 79 to 16, and heads to the House for approval before midnight.

* On a related note, there was some key funding left out of the continuing resolution that matters quite a bit, most notably on health care and financial regulations.

* A breakthrough in Baghdad: "With a show of hands, a flurry of angry shouts and many unanswered questions, Iraq's Parliament approved a new government on Tuesday, ending nine months of infighting that more than once threatened to throw the nation into a constitutional crisis."

* Net neutrality: "The Federal Communications Commission voted Tuesday to approve its first ever Internet access regulation, which ensures unimpeded access to any legal Web content for home Internet users. The FCC's three Democratic members made up a majority of votes in favor of the so-called net neutrality regulation, which was introduced more than a year ago by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski."

* Attorney General Eric Holder, warning of ongoing terrorist threats, noted on ABC this morning that Americans have to be "aware of the fact that the threat is real, the threat is different, the threat is constant."

* With the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on its way out, ROTC programs at some Ivy League schools are on their way back in.

* President Obama assured representatives of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus today that he remains committed to both the DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform.

* Given the larger economic circumstances, I'm a little surprised crime rates keep falling.

* The turmoil surrounding the House Ethics Committee is pretty amazing.

* Andy Sabl has a fascinating new item on why Obama can't be an activist, an organizer, a legislator, and a president all at once.

* Actor Jon Voight appeared on Fox News last night to condemn New START. Media Matters noted that the segment was "so asinine, stupid, and intellectually dishonest that your jaw drops as you wonder how these people wound up on television." Yep, it was that bad.

* Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) apologized today for skipping two key votes over the weekend to attend a family Christmas party. He vowed that it wouldn't happen again.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 21, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027200.php

WEDNESDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Most of the chamber's Republicans had already left for their home districts, but the House passed the Zadroga 9/11 health bill. Around the same time, the Senate approved some more judicial nominees, and agreed to adjourn for the year.

* The defense authorization bill cleared both chambers this afternoon and is on its way to the president's desk. The House also approved the Senate's version of the food-safety bill, and that will await President Obama's signature, too.

* Third quarter GDP growth was just a little better than previously estimated.

* Gitmo: "President Obama's advisers have been drafting an executive order that would set up a system for periodically reviewing the cases of Guantanamo prisoners whom courts have approved for detention without trial, officials said."

* Adam Serwer scrutinizes the Gitmo plan, and concludes it's not at all encouraging -- though it's still preferable to Bush's policy.

* The Obama administration's next step in looking out for health care consumers: "In a move to protect consumers, the Obama administration said Tuesday that it would require health insurance companies to disclose and justify any rate increases of 10 percent or more next year." (It's the subject of the latest episode of the White House White Board -- and yes, I really do love the White House White Board.)

* More of this, please: "The Obama administration is expected to roll out a major greenhouse gas policy for power plants and refineries as soon as Wednesday, signaling it won't back off its push to fight climate change in the face of mounting opposition on Capitol Hill."

* It would have been entirely understandable for Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), still recovering from surgery for prostate cancer, to not come to work today. He showed up anyway. Good for him.

* When banks break into families' homes and steal their belongings, that's not O.K.

* This doesn't exactly inspire confidence in Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

* One more addition to the list of lame-duck successes: the Shark Conservation Act.

* Fresh off his DADT victory, the president reemphasizes his support for passing ENDA and repealing DOMA.

* A strong column from Dana Milbank on the GOP contingent that makes up "the Petulant Party."

* Kaplan has a very bad week.

* Rick Perlstein considers what Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour's (R) "amnesia" tells us.

* On a related note, Fox tried desperately to cover for Barbour, but failed in humiliating fashion.

* In still more Fox-related news, describing Elie Wiesel as a "Holocaust Winner" is probably the most spectacular chyron fail of all time.

* And finally, a reminder to conservative media types: taking on Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) is generally a very bad idea. He's much smarter than you, and he doesn't mind making you look foolish.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 22, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027219.php

THURSDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* We're getting closer to where we need to be: "The number of people seeking benefits edged down by 3,000 to a seasonally adjusted 420,000, the Labor Department said Thursday."

* There's other encouraging economic news, too: "Economic reports suggest employers are laying off fewer workers, businesses are ordering more computers and appliances, and consumers are spending with more confidence. Combined, the data confirm the economy is improving, and further job gains are expected in 2011."

* Terrorists strike in Rome: "Parcel bombs exploded at two embassies in Rome in a coordinated attack Thursday that raised new fears in Europe, which has been on high alert for a possible terrorist attack by Islamist radicals ahead of the holidays. But Italy's interior minister said that an initial investigation indicated the bombs might have been the work of anarchists, and an Italian anarchist group claimed responsibility for at least one of the attacks."

* The terrorist threat closer to home: "Just days before Christmas, the White House asked Americans to be vigilant this holiday season, warning of a possible -- though unspecified -- terror threat from Al Qaeda. The caution echoed a weeks' worth of warnings from law enforcement authorities."

* The saber rattling on the Korean peninsula is intensifying: "One month after a deadly exchange of artillery fire, the two Koreas ramped up their rhetoric Thursday, with South Korea's president pledging unsparing retaliation if attacked again and a top North Korean official threatening a "sacred" nuclear war if provoked."

* More of this, please: "The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that it would regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and oil refineries next year, targeting the nation's two biggest sources of carbon dioxide."

* I do find it rather odd to see prominent Republicans and Bush administration officials supporting an Iranian terrorist group.

* For the for-profit college industry, the bad news just keeps on coming.

* Here's a radical thought: maybe fewer executive branch positions should require Senate confirmation. At this point, the process is farcical.

* Pondering Clinton-era hack Lanny Davis' latest deals, Isaac Chotiner asks a good question: "How low can one man sink?"

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:30 PM December 23, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027234.php

FRIDAY'S EXTRA-EARLY MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Expecting a staff shake-up: "President Obama is planning the first major reorganization of his administration, preparing to shuffle several positions in the West Wing as he tries to fortify his political team for the realities of divided government and his own re-election." In particular, there will be more White House lawyers to deal with nuisance requests from the new GOP House majority.

* Terror threat in Mumbai: "India's financial capital was on high alert Friday after authorities said four terrorists had entered the country and were plotting attacks here during the holidays."

* Despite the struggling economy, a lot of folks shop quite a bit this time of year: "For stores, this 11th-hour dash caps the best holiday season since 2007, and possibly the best ever."

* U.S. businesses are prohibited from doing business with Iran. There are, however, exceptions -- thousands of them.

* Just two days after action in the U.S. Senate, Russia's parliament offered preliminary support for New START with a 350-58 vote in the 450-seat State Duma.

* Remember, Congress may not want to combat global warming, so the EPA must: "Stymied in Congress, the Obama administration is moving unilaterally to clamp down on power plant and oil refinery greenhouse emissions, announcing plans for developing new standards over the next year."

* The AP runs political analysis pieces I disagree with from time to time, but this week's piece on the White House is just a train-wreck.

* North Korea's official news agency called, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the incoming chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee "human scum" in response to her request that North Korea be added to the list of state sponsors of terror.

* Grover Norquist doesn't mind the notion of states going bankrupt. Imagine that.

* For the millions of Americans who drop out of college, when do they tend to quit? Right about now.

* Alex Pereene does a nice job summarizing the "Year in Pseudo-scandals." My personal favorite: when the far-right got hysterical about the logo for the National Security Summit. For wingnuts, it was a pro-Islam code. For the rest of us, it was based on the Bohr model of the atom. Only one of those two interpretations makes sense.

* And finally, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) told MSNBC yesterday he expects the first six months of 2011 to be a productive period on Capitol Hill. Specifically, he said, "My prediction: The next sixth months will be more like the lame-duck, where there was a lot of productivity, than like the previous two years, when there was a lot of dart-throwing." I have no idea where his confidence comes from, and I'm fairly certain he's completely wrong, but here's hoping Schumer's prediction comes true.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 12:30 PM December 24, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027244.php

MONDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Over the weekend, a suicide bomber struck a food distribution center in Pakistan's restive tribal belt, killing at least 42 people and injuring dozens: "The attack occurred in the main city in the Bajaur area as hundreds of members of the Salarzai tribe, which had been displaced by fighting between militants and the Pakistani army, lined up to collect World Food Program rations at a government center, a local official said."

* Confidential maps put together by U.N. officials "show a clear deterioration in security in parts of Afghanistan over the course of this year."

* With the New START ratification process nearly complete, President Obama will turn his attention to the next phase: negotiating with Russia to establish, for the first time, legal limits on "smaller, battlefield nuclear weapons viewed as most vulnerable to theft or diversion."

* The very idea of U.S. troops coming home from fighting a foreign war, only to end up homeless, is a national embarrassment.

* Republicans may not like the EPA acting to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, but it doesn't mean the EPA is acting "unilaterally."

* Jon Stewart continues to receive well-deserved praise for shining a light on the Zadroga 9/11 health bill. Today, the New York Times ponders whether the efforts of "The Daily Show" host make him "the modern-day equivalent of Edward R. Murrow."

* On a related note, John Culhane scrutinized the 9/11 health bill in more detail, and concluded it could be better, but it's "fair enough."

* For-profit colleges are stacking up on lobbyists for the 112th Congress, including a legion of former members of Congress, led by former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.).

* Good advice from E.J. Dionne Jr: "The Civil War is about to loom very large in the popular memory. We would do well to be candid about its causes and not allow the distortions of contemporary politics or long-standing myths to cloud our understanding of why the nation fell apart."

* President Bush's Director of National Intelligence, Vice Admiral Mike McConnell (ret.), told CNN yesterday that President Obama has been "as aggressive, if not more aggressive" in pursuing terror threats.

* Here's hoping he succeeds: "Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie vowed to end the 'birther' controversy surrounding President Obama's nationality once and for all."

* Was "refudiate" just an innocent typo? No, not really -- the former half-term governor had used the word before, on the air, suggesting she thought it was an actual word.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:00 PM December 27, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027269.php

TUESDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Problems in the housing sector aren't going away: "Home prices fell in the nation's major metropolitan areas from September to October, with six regions hitting new lows, and they're not expected to rebound anytime soon."

* Back-to-back suicide bombings in western Iraq yesterday killed 19 and wounded 45. The second attacker waited for emergency workers to arrive at the scene of the first to maximize the carnage during the rescue efforts.

* Speaking of Iraq, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki "ruled out the presence of any U.S. troops in Iraq after the end of 2011, saying his new government and the country's security forces were capable of confronting any remaining threats to Iraq's security, sovereignty and unity."

* Preliminary reports point to strong economic activity in the lead up to Christmas. MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse, which tracks retail spending, found results that exceeded even the more optimistic forecasts.

* Big corporations have plenty of money, but they're using their cash to buy other companies, not to expand their own workforces: "They have been hesitant to use these massive piles of funds to hire as they wait to see whether the economic recovery picks up more speed. Instead, this year they've been making safer bets: buying back stocks to help boost their share prices and spending money on modestly sized mergers."

* David Shuster was a mainstay at MSNBC for many years. He's now done with the network.

* Grade inflation appears to be an actual phenomenon in American higher ed. Cracking down on it, however, is a little tricky.

* And the latest hysterical right-wing freak-out is a doozy: "The good news is that the right-wing isn't talking about President Obama being a secret Muslim right now. The bad news is that they're now concerned that he's going to use his honorary status as a Crow Tribe Indian to return the United States to Native Americans."

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:00 PM December 28, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027290.php

WEDNESDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* U.S. Army Col. Viet Luong conceded today that "it has become practically impossible to stop insurgents from slipping across Afghanistan's vast border with Pakistan." If that's true, doesn't that make military success in Afghanistan almost impossible?

* Mosul police commander Lt. Col. Shamil al-Jabouri was a relentless terrorist foe, and was an al Qaeda target for assassination five times, all of them unsuccessful. Today, three suicide bombers wearing police uniforms over vests laden with explosives managed to kill him.

* No, conservatives, snow storms do not cast doubts on the veracity of climate change data.

* On a related note, I tend to think the blizzard in the Northeast is getting far too much attention, but it's probably worth noting that the storm likely delayed $1 billion worth of retail shopping.

* It seems likely that WikiLeaks revelations has severely undermined democratic reforms in Zimbabwe.

* Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Tex.), reflecting on the BP oil spill disaster: "As we saw that thing bubbling out, blossoming out -- all that energy, every minute of every hour of every day of every week -- that was tremendous to me. That we could deliver that kind of energy out there -- even on an explosion." Did I mention that Hall will be the new chairman of the House science committee?

* Remember Judith Miller? Her ignominious career trajectory has managed to take her from the New York Times to Fox News to a fringe, extremist website called Newsmax. Wow.

* The problem with higher-ed in the U.S. isn't more students going to college; it's students and their families having to pay for most of that education themselves, plus interest.

* Congrats to Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D) of Maryland, who's poised to become the longest serving female senator in American history.

* How many times has Politico run a story purporting to show hostilities between the Obama White House and the business community? Would you believe 28 times?

* And Michael Vick's dog-related crimes were awful and he clearly deserved to be punished. But Tucker Carlson thinks the quarterback deserved the death penalty and that strikes me as insane.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:00 PM December 29, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027308.php

THURSDAY'S MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* Some of the best economic news in a long while: "The number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell sharply last week, with applications hitting the lowest level in two and a half years. The Labor Department said applications dropped by 34,000, to 388,000, the lowest number since the week of July 12, 2008." In general, applications below 425,000 signal modest job growth.

* Two million American veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan return home and struggle to find work: "Some experts say the grim employment landscape confronting veterans challenges the veracity of one of the central recruiting promises of the nation's all-volunteer force: that serving in the military will make them more marketable in civilian life. "

* One never knows what Joe Miller will think of next, but the Senate race in Alaska appears to be officially over: "The state of Alaska has certified Sen. Lisa Murkowski as the winner of the state's Senate race, allowing Murkowski to be sworn in with the rest of the Senate next week, according to the Associated Press."

* Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) is getting some good news as he walks out the door -- the Senate ethics committee has dismissed a complaint against him.

* MSNBC's Keith Olbermann wants to make it clear that, in his words, "Fox News is 100% bullshit." That seems like a reasonable assessment.

* Lanny Davis was subjected to some rather fierce criticism for taking on President Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast as a client. Yesterday, Davis reversed course.

* Great piece from Ben Smith on Richard Ben Cramer, who apparently isn't fully aware of the fact that his "What it Takes" is "now widely considered the greatest modern presidential campaign book." (I read it -- yes, the whole thing -- in grad school, and still consider it an exceptional piece of work.)

* I'm starting to think Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) has a problem with black people. Try not to be surprised.

* Daniel Luzer: "College is still 'worth it' in the long run (the amount of money one pays to attend college will be returned in terms of additional income over a lifetime) but the increasing cost of college means that the payoff now seems to take a damn long time."

* R.I.P., Geraldine Hoff Doyle, best known as the inspiration for "Rosie the Riveter." She died Sunday at the age of 86.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 5:00 PM December 30, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027323.php

FRIDAY'S EXTRA-EARLY MINI-REPORT.... Today's edition of quick hits:

* The EPA is damned if it does; we're all damned if it doesn't: "With the federal government set to regulate climate-altering gases from factories and power plants for the first time, the Obama administration and the new Congress are headed for a clash that carries substantial risks for both sides."

* Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano arrived in Afghanistan this morning, and will spend New Year's Eve with U.S. troops. It's part of a week-long trip for the cabinet secretary, which will also include stops in Israel and Qatar.

* The process of trying to reform Senate rules is extremely complicated, and Brian Beutler has a helpful walkthrough of what the "constitutional option" is all about.

* Remember the ongoing court fights over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"? Given recent developments, there's no longer any point to pursuing them.

* On a related note, Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) raised a few eyebrows when he ended up voting with the majority on DADT repeal. Now he's facing a fair amount of right-wing heat back home for having done the right thing.

* Outgoing Rep. Bob Inglis (R-S.C.) said yesterday that a "credible conservative" movement should do more than focus on "hatred" of President Obama. That's true, which is probably why conservatives aren't especially credible.

* Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) said the ideological differences between the parties on immigration policy are so great, they're "almost irreconcilable" and make compromise unrealistic. Regrettably, I suspect he's right.

* DNC Chair Tim Kaine is obviously not objective, but his take on President Obama's first two years is pretty compelling.

* When Vice President Biden called health care reform a "big f**king deal," that doesn't quality as a "gaffe."

* Is college a good investment? Of course. But while it's a smart investment for young people, it's a wise investment for states, too.

* Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) was a Democrat when she was younger. Then she read Gore Vidal's "Burr" and became a Republican. Apparently, she found Vidal "snotty" towards the founding fathers.

* Picking up where Jon Swift left off, Batocchio has a collection of Blog Posts of the Year, as chosen by the bloggers themselves. (Disclosure: one of the entries came from me.)

* I like to mock listicles as much as the next guy, but I actually kind of liked Politico's Top 10 "worst decisions of 2010." There are some real doozies in there, worthy of the recognition.

* And with that, Happy New Year to you. See you in 2011, which is to say, tomorrow.

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.

—Steve Benen 12:15 PM December 31, 2010

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archiv ... 027331.php