Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

And not a moment too soon, either.  Yesterday's taped message from Bin Laden, and today's from Zawahiri, certainly give credence to the effectiveness of the current surveillance.  Here's McClellan again:

"This is a critical tool that helps us save lives and prevent attacks," he said. "It is limited and targeted to al-Qaida communications, with the focus being on detection and prevention."

But, then again, it's probably more important to hit the road today and pull out all the well-placed, paid cronies to sell your product to the American people:

The Bush administration presented its most detailed defense of warrantless eavesdropping on Thursday in a 42-page Justice Department legal dossier sent to congressional leaders.  Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said the analysis was needed to counter critics of the program and show the public that "there's another side to this debate."

The administration argues that Bush has the authority to order the warrantless wiretapping under the Constitution and the post-Sept. 11 congressional resolution granting him broad power to fight terrorism.

Regarding the slowly dying "debate" about Jack Abramoff's "equal money" opportunities, however, we have some more facts:  

Between 2001 and 2004, Abramoff gave more than $127,000 to Republican candidates and committees and nothing to Democrats, federal records show. At the same time, his Indian clients were the only ones among the top 10 tribal donors in the U.S. to donate more money to Republicans than Democrats.

Bush's comment about Abramoff in a Dec. 14 Fox News interview was aimed at countering Democratic accusations that Republicans have brought a "culture of corruption" to Washington. Even so, the numbers show that "Abramoff's big connections were with the Republicans," said Larry Noble, the former top lawyer for the Federal Election Commission, who directs the Washington-based Center for Responsive Politics.  "It is somewhat unusual in that most lobbyists try to work with both Republicans and Democrats, but we're already seeing that Jack Abramoff doesn't seem to be a usual lobbyist," Noble said.

Actually, all you really have to do on this issue is just keep reminding everyone that this is NOT business as usual in Washington. Abramoff, you'll remember, is the guy who said:

"It is not our job to seek peaceful coexistence with the Left. Our job is to remove them from power permanently."

To their credit, some Republicans actually do GET IT, and are on record saying it:

"We've seen the enemy, and he is us," said Tom Rath, a Republican National Committee member from New Hampshire describing the sentiments of some GOP voters. "We have to get back to the basics. Let's talk about small government and reduced spending, and don't let the Democrats take those issues."

   
Meanwhile, National party chairman Ken Mehlman is busy again today, telling RNC members that corrupt politicians in either party should be rooted out and punished. "The public trust is more important than party."

Um, Ken, maybe you could start with your other featured speaker today: Karl Rove.

Speaking of Rove, before he mounted the dais today, he spoke with ABC's Ann Compton, who reported that Rove indicated he will remain in the West Wing for the remainder of the Bush presidency, but then he will steer clear of presidential campaigns.

And in case you've lost track of those other good ole boys in Texas, Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling are busy little beavers preparing for their bamboozlepalooza in front of a jury.  Skilling lawyer Daniel Petrocelli and Lay lawyer Mike Ramsey are now whining about 4 charges being dropped by the government against their clients.  After all, they want to know WHAT ELSE the government plans NOT TO PROVE.  This latest complaint stems from another bit of framing:

"it appears from the indictment that -- along with removing all the charges against Rick Causey, the former top accountant who pleaded guilty -- the prosecutors trimmed accusations about deals called Coyote Springs and Mariner but they have not filed corresponding particulars saying those deals will not be a part of the trial."

You know, it takes some effort to twist information into words like that.

However, for more accurate information from more reliable sources, don't miss this:
Middle-Class Meltdown, a must-read by Jerry Landay:

We learn that in 2005, more than two million Americans filed for bankruptcy -- one in every 53 American households -- many having fallen prey to excessive medical costs, and/or maxed out on their credit cards. It's the highest number of bankruptcies on record. It coincided with Congressional passage of legislation misleadingly labeled The Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Law. Some protection. Simon Legree would love it. The law toughens the ground rules for declaring bankruptcy, as well as hoisting the bar to get out of it. Now, many Americans may never escape the clutches of indebtedness. We may yet re-establish the Dickensian poorhouse, where debtors can spend cold days breaking rocks while their mates and offspring shiver inside.

The game of Darwinian economics -- "I'm okay, Jack, let the unfit and unlucky perish" -- and the enshrinement of market-miracle theology is really the systematic looting, Abramoff-and-Enron-style, of the pockets and purses of the middle class. It is preventing government from doing what it does best -- operating at a scale that is beyond the capability of lone individuals. It is the soiling of their American nest. Peter Gosselin quotes Louisiana Congressman Richard Baker, who puts his finger on the fatal fallacy of market theology: "It does no good to stand up, just one person or family, because there's nothing left where they once lived -- no schools or grocery stores, doctors or banks, police stations or fire trucks. We've got to go into the business of restoring whole communities."

For fun and distraction, there's "If you Give a Congressman a Cookie."  And finally, in case you missed the incident at the WaPo, when Ombudsman Deborah Howell mysteriously removed the comments section from her website because of criticism, not to worry.

Here's a link for posterity, with props to DU.

Have a good, truthy weekend.