New York with Coolest Summer in Over 100 Years

Its warm today, when the clouds aren't out. Outside of that it has been a cool rainy summer so this story is no surprise:

Usually resilient New Yorkers are left sleep deprived, electrically overloaded, sweat soaked and short-tempered. The high temperatures and even higher humidity typically contribute to blackouts, deaths from heat exhaustion, and dangerously low water pressure from open fire hydrants.

But this summer has been conspicuously different. Not one 99-degree day in Central Park. Not a single day that the temperature even approached 90. For just the second time in 140 years of record keeping, the temperature will have failed to reach 90 in either June or July.

The daily average this month has been at or below normal every day but two. The temperature broke 80 on 16 days in New York — one more day than in Fairbanks, Alaska. Depending on Friday’s high, this will be the second or third coolest June and July recorded in New York. If August follows the same pattern — and the latest forecast through midmonth predicts that it will — this could be the coolest summer on record.The result: relief, lower electric bills, spared lives and undisturbed slumber.

But this being New York, New Yorkers have also recalibrated their threshold for heat complaints. This summer, 85 is the new 95.“There’s no doubt there’s a tendency to acclimatize to a weather pattern,” said Fred Gadomski, a Pennsylvania State University meteorologist. “This summer, we’ve had so many relatively cool days that even if it gets a little warm people are reacting to it as if it’s a very hot day.”

Better get that cap and tax passed before people realize the warming jig is up. By the way I have heard stories that places like Michigan went from Spring to Fall and bypassed Summer altogether.

Spain and Obama's America

Zapetero, to his eternal shame pulled out of Iraq after the Madrid attacks has done little to create a pro-growth atmosphere. The country has foreshadowed the affects of Obamnomics for some time now and its clear the Prime Minister has hit the classical definition of Insanity, doing things over and over even though they won't work:

Mr. Zapatero, 48, is a young Socialist visionary with an old entrenched economy. In an hourlong interview at the Moncloa Palace here on Wednesday, Mr. Zapatero explained how Spain could confront its economic crisis. His strategy is to invest in Spain’s future — education, research, biotechnology and renewable energy — without moving an inch to infringe on worker’s rights, and while extending government unemployment benefits.

In a country poised between innovation and stagnation, experts say, this could be a bold strategy — or pure naïveté. They contend Mr. Zapatero is long on visions for the future but lacks a plan for creating jobs in the medium term, or for financing his generous social policies.

Certainly, for many, the numbers do not add up. Spain’s budget deficit is expected to rise to 9.5 percent of gross domestic product in 2010, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development predicts, although Mr. Zapatero has promised to bring it back within the 3 percent limit set by the European Union by 2012.

Skeptics say that Mr. Zapatero, for all his imagination, has run up against his own unwillingness to implement the painful structural changes that business leaders and the country’s central bank say are inevitable if Spain is to fight unemployment and bring its economy into the 21st Century.

“My government’s ambition is to make this an innovative, creative, entrepreneurial country while upholding the social welfare state,” Mr. Zapatero said, sitting beneath a painting by Joan Miró, his blue eyes shining with conviction, his hands gesturing to drive home a point.

“Some people will say that a social welfare state and a competitive economy are incompatible, that innovation is incompatible with workers’ rights. They want to deregulate workers rights, deregulate social rights. That is exactly the same tune as people who say we have to deregulate the financial markets, and I do not dance to that tune.”

Instead, Mr. Zapatero said, “it’s a question of making companies more competitive and more innovative.” He said Spain should diversify its economy away from residential construction and instead focus on sectors in which it excels and which are showing growth, including renewable energy, biotechnology, civil engineering and high-speed rail.

This could be a talking point straight from Obama. And with Spain heading for 20% unemployment and the ETA getting aggressive again it looks like the Iberian peninsula is far from a rebound.

Cash for Clunkers and Government Budgets

But I am sure the budget for health care will be just right! Anyway its not the worst idea but I do question the stimulative affect. How many car buyers merely post-poned or hastened the purchase of a car merely to take advantage of the program? I also wonder how scams have been carried out as people dump clunkers which as a means to scam the taxpayer. No one at the white house or in government seems to understand whether this program is still in operation or not:

Confusion reined Thursday night over the fate of “cash for clunkers” program, the surprisingly popular rebate program that has provided a shot in the arm to the struggling auto industry.

In an unexpected move, the government halted the program, saying it proved so popular with the public that it ran out of money in just four days of official operation. The White House later told us and others on background that the program had not been suspended, but hastened to add that all deals in the hopper before midnight Thursday would be honored — making it sound as if it had been suspended.

Either way, the Michigan Congressional delegation was reportedly on a sweep for more money to keep the program alive. One problem: the House is set to adjourn Friday for a month, so it’s not clear when Congress might reinstate the program.

Car dealers whom we had been interviewing over the last few days told us that a lot of consumers who came into their showrooms did not fully understand the program — though apparently enough understood it to take advantage of it quickly.

They also said they were worried about whether the government would reimburse them for the discounts they gave under the program. The plan gave discounts to drivers trading in their old vehicles of between $3,500 and $4,500 toward the purchase of new cars and trucks.

“I’m waiting for the government to reimburse me for over $80,000,” Barry Magnus, general manager of DCH Paramus Honda, in Paramus, N.J., told us. He has completed deals on about two dozen cars, advancing his customers the rebates of between $3,500 and $4,500 each while he waits for the government to repay him.

By the way it was budgeted to last till Labor day. As of now they are scrambeling to save it.

The Senate Doctors Show

Here is some some interesting viewing from the Senator John Barraso and Tom Coburn :




For previous episodes check here.

No Health Deal in Senate

So far no compromise in the senate although the house has a very preliminary bill, that may be ready for a vote in the fall.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With polls showing public support for President Barack Obama's healthcare reform waning, Senate negotiators hit another snag on Thursday when a key Finance Committee Republican said the panel would not be ready to vote until September.

Republican Michael Enzi, one of six senators on the panel trying to strike a bipartisan deal, told reporters the measure to lower healthcare costs and expand coverage to the uninsured would not be ready for a vote before a month-long August recess begins next week.

"The bill is not ready for prime time," Enzi told reporters. "I don't know any way it can be completed today, or next week or before the August break."In the House of Representatives, the Energy and Commerce Committee -- the last of three House panels to vote on healthcare reform -- began debate after striking a deal with conservative Democrats.

The panel spent much of Thursday wading through dozens of amendments to the measure. Final approval could come Friday.

By the way Pelosi has gone insane.

LaPierre Will Testify Against Mayor Langford

Lobbyist Al LaPierre accepts plea deal with federal government.

Along with Mary Buckelew that means two witnesses will testify against Mayor Langford in the muni-bond scandal:

Lobbyist Al LaPierre today has agreed to plead guilty and testify in the federal criminal case against Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford. In a deal struck this morning, LaPierre will plead guilty to conspiracy and one count of filing a false tax return, said his lawyer Tommy Spina.The deal requires LaPierre to testify in the Aug. 31 case against Langford and Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount. "He felt this was the right thing to do. He know he has to pay a consequence. He accepts that and will hold his head up," Spina said.

LaPierre has agreed to forfeit $371,932 and pay all taxes due from 2003 to 2006. LaPierre is expected to formally enter the plea Thursday before U.S. District Judge Scott Coogler.

Langford, Montgomery investment banker Bill Blount and lobbyist Al LaPierre are charged in a 101-count indictment accusing them of mail fraud, bribery, money laundering and conspiracy in relation to complicated county bond swaps during Langford's tenure as Jefferson County Commission president.

Lapiere was what we would call a bagman, not that these actions are isolated to Alabama Democrats:

Another aspect of pay for play, and one more likely to land a politician in jail is CDR's tactic of finding friends, fundraisers and associates of elected Democrats, and hiring them as "Consultants". In New Mexico it was Richardson friend Mike Stratton who was hired by CDR. On a side note the Director of Si Se Puede Fred Duval was hired by UBS ,a Swiss bank, as a consultant. UBS was also one of several banks that ended up receiving a cut of the GRIP pie. The collusion of CDR, elected Democrat, and consultants that occurred in New Mexico is similar to other CDR linked scandals. In Philadelphia it was Ron White (now deceased) who received money and super bowl tickets from the company and was hired as a consultant. He was also an associate and fundraiser for Philly Mayor Sharpe. In Pennsylvania as a whole it was Alan Kessler who was the chief lobbyist for CDR and a top fundraiser for Ed Rendell. The most egregious example would be Mayor Larry Langford of Birmingham Alabama, who is accused in a 101 count indictment of using his friend William Blount and lobbyist Albert LaPierre to funnel money, jewelry, cloths, and watches into his hands in exchange for government favors while he was President of the Jefferson County Commission. Jefferson County, which includes Birmingham is on the precipice of the greatest municipal bankruptcy in history. There are also questions of CDR's actions in Atlanta and several of municipalities and CDR is currently being sued by over 20 school districts and cities in addition to the criminal investigations.

With Richardson and his cronies sweating out the Summer over grip gate and the FBI still active in Pennsylvania we may be seeing the muni-bond scandal heat up again. As for Langford his taste for expensive suits and rolex watches has caught up to him.

Ohio Sours on Obama

The President and his followers promised utopia, now that reality has hit the polls sink:

TOLEDO, Ohio (Reuters) - Hope and jobs are in short supply in Ohio eight months after President Barack Obama won the recession-battered state in the 2008 election with promises of a better future.

"People were looking for a savior to get us out of this mess and that's why they voted for Obama," said Jeff Fravor, 55, a retired train conductor on his way to breakfast on the outskirts of Toledo."I've nothing against Obama personally, but he's new to the job and 'hope' won't fix this mess."

Candidate Obama delivered his message over and over again in Ohio, a politically diverse battleground state that often decides presidential elections. Obama went back to the state last week with an approval rating below 50 percent.

A Quinnipiac University opinion poll released on July 7 showed the Democratic president's popularity in America's seventh most populous state had fallen to 49 percent from 62 per cent in May. Even worse for Obama, 48 percent said they disapproved of his handling of the U.S. economy, with 46 percent approving.

Hope isn't a policy, 46% of this knew this in November

Polling Shows Further Collapse in Support for Obamacare

Simply confirming what we already know:

Americans are concerned that overhauling the health care system would reduce the quality of their care, increase their out-of-pocket health costs and tax bills and limit their options in choosing doctors, treatment and tests, the poll found. The percentage who describe health care costs as a serious threat to the American economy — a central argument being made by Mr. Obama — has dropped over the past month.

Mr. Obama continues to benefit from strong support for the basic goal of revamping the health care system, and he is seen as far more likely than Congressional Republicans to have the best ideas to accomplish that. But reflecting a problem that has afflicted attempts to bring major changes to health care for decades, Americans expressed considerable unease about what the result would mean for them on an individual basis. “We need to fix health care, but if the government creates the system, I’m afraid the quality of care will go down and costs will go up: We will pay more taxes,” Mary Bevering, a Democrat from Fort Madison, Iowa, said in a follow-up interview.

She added: “It’s going to come down to regulation. What also worries me is whether we will be told what physician we can have.”

The poll was taken at a moment of extreme fluidity, both in terms of the complicated negotiations going on in the House and the Senate as legislators and the administration sort out the substance and politics of competing proposals, as well as efforts by both sides to define the stakes of the health care debate for the public.

With Congress now almost certain to adjourn for the rest of the summer without floor votes on any specific plan, the next month or two is likely to see a vigorous advertising and grass roots effort to shift public opinion, and the poll offers hope to both sides.

The changes in the public’s attitude over the past month, even if not huge, suggest the reason why Mr. Obama sought so hard to get Congress to vote on some versions of an overhaul before heading home.

Opponents of a health care overhaul have spent $9 million so far on television advertisements that raise concerns about the proposed changes, according to Evan Tracey, the chief operating officer of Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks political advertising.

The advertisements, which include radio and television, are financed by the Republican National Committee and targeted at constituents of wavering Senate and House members. The officials said the ad campaign would accelerate now legislators are returning home for the summer.

The ads present the overhaul as a risky experiment, or a government takeover of health care that would prevent people from choosing their own doctors.

Lets get something straight, it was the grassroots, the bloggers, and talk radio who led the way on opposition, not some top down assault. If anything I wish Industry was more in opposition and less inclined to sit at the table in hopes of getting a deal from the President. By the way the poll gives the President an approval rating of 58%. Of interest is that 56% considered Iraq going well compared to 37% who though badly compared to 33% who thought Afghanistan is doing well and 57% who thought badly. Since this is CBS/Times as expected we have enormous oversampling of Democrats with 34% identifying with the Democrats, 39% as Independents, and a minuscule 20% identifying with the GOP.

Dems Put on Happy Face Before Recess

Its being spun as a major win, of course that is true if you ignore the collapse in support for the bill as well as the bitter fighting that occurred over it, and this is only in the House! Wait till the Senate puts forth its final version. Anyway this about providing a talking point for Obama and the Democrats, it does nothing about the key issue of whether the president will opt for a bi-partisan bill or simply push the radical agenda:

Moving the legislation through the House Energy and Commerce Committee is a crucial last step before a full debate on the House floor, since the legislation has already been approved by the Education and Labor Committee and the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. The Blue Dogs wield a lot of clout on the energy and commerce panel, controlling seven seats, which could be vital in advancing the legislation against nearly unanimous Republican opposition.

The announcement that the Energy and Commerce Committee was resuming work Wednesday afternoon, focusing on relatively non-controversial aspects of the package, came just after a meeting at the Capitol that brought together Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other House leaders; Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader; six of the seven Blue Dogs on the panel, and Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff.

Later Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Hoyer issued an optimistic statement saying that “Congress is closer than ever before in history to passing comprehensive health insurance reform, and noting that the committee would report out a bill this week.“Over August, the three House committees will work to reconcile their versions and produce strong legislation,” they said.

“We want to particularly recognize the valued leadership of the Blue Dog Coalition to lower costs, to make the legislation work better for their constituents, and to assist small businesses,” the said adding that “in order to allow more time to carefully review the additional proposed legislative language, we will bring the bill to the House floor in September.”

On learning of the progress, Mr. Obama issued a statement saying that he was grateful to the committee members that so many members, including some Blue Dogs on the panel. “Those efforts are extraordinarily constructive in strengthening this legislation and bringing down its cost,” he said.

On the other side of the Capitol, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Max Baucus, Democrat of Montana, who is leading efforts to develop a compromise health care bill, announced Wednesday that negotiators had pared the price tag to under $900 billion over 10 years and that lawmakers had agreed on ways to cover the cost.

In other news the President has hinted he would sacrifice the public plan in favor of the co-operatives. Although not definitive this is the closest the President has come to clarifying what type of compromise he might accept. As for the Senate, Kent Conrad is clearly stating its the way to go.

Terror Attack in Spain

Terror Attack on the Civil Guards

Sound like an ETA attack, but the fact that it was not called in a troubling sign:

BURGOS, Spain (AP) -- A powerful car bomb exploded early Wednesday outside a barracks housing police officers and their families in this northern Spanish city, slightly injuring 46 people and causing major damage in the area. The attack was blamed on Basque separatist group ETA.

Most of the injuries from the blast were from flying glass, and 38 of the wounded were treated in hospitals, regional ministry representative Miguel Alejo said. Many of the injured were Civil Guard police officers and family members.

The bomb detonated around 4:00 a.m. (0200 GMT, 10 p.m. EDT Tuesday) and left a crater that had filled with water from broken underground pipes, Alejo said.

''The car used to cause the explosion has been displaced some 70 meters (230 feet) so that gives you an idea of the power of the blast,'' he said.

Police and emergency services did not receive any warning that a bomb had been planted, but the explosion had the hallmarks of an ETA attack, Alejo said. It was not immediately clear how many people were in the building at the time.

The last attack was a bomb on July 1oth and the last fatality was in June with killing of an officer by car bomb. For a time line of ETA, its founding and activities check here. There were suspicions of an attack coming, it just wasn't caught in time.

US Air Force Ready to Fill in for Iraqi Version

Of all the branches of the Iraqi military the air force is clearly the least developed. Obviously the demands of the terror war launched against Iraq called for increased boots on the ground, but now that the war has taken a very different turn its time to start thinking about the future:

The commander, Gen. Ray Odierno, in comments to reporters traveling here with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, did not directly say that American planes and pilots might effectively have to serve as an Iraqi air force until the Iraqis were ready to defend their country’s airspace on their own. But he said that a United States Air Force team was expected soon in Iraq to assess what the United States could, and should, do.

Iraqis have already asked the United States for new F-16 fighter jets, but General Odierno said it would be impossible to build and deliver them by the end of 2011, even if the Iraqis were able to afford them.

Asked if the Iraqis would be in a position to fly their own defensive air patrols at the end of 2011, when a United States agreement with Iraq calls for all American troops to be out of the country, General Odierno replied, “Right now, no.”

Although the United States has long known that the Iraqis will have no air defenses once the Americans leave, General Odierno’s comments, made at his chandeliered headquarters at one of Saddam Hussein’s former palaces, were among the most public and blunt assessments of the problem. The trip by Mr. Gates was meant to celebrate the June 30 withdrawal of most American combat forces from Iraqi cities and towns and to highlight the progress that the Americans say the Iraqi security forces have madeon their own.

The Air Force team that is coming to Iraq will try to come up with “creative solutions” to the problem, General Odierno said. One answer may be for the United States to lend the Iraqis old F-16s, although “we don’t know if it’s legal; we have to check with Congress,” the general said.

In the meantime, he said, there were plenty of questions: “Will they be able to depend on radar? Is that enough? Will they ask for support? Can they get aircraft from some other country?”

For now, the Iraqi Air Force has helicopters and C-130 transport planes, but no fighter jets, and therefore no way to intercept another jet that invades the country’s airspace. Another major problem, which General Odierno did not address, is the lack of qualified pilots and a large-scale training program.

For the record the Iraqi Navy is somewhat more developed because of the security needed to protect the Southern Oil platforms that deliver crude onto tankers. As for the future, expect the United States to maintain a full presence for the significant future

No Health Deal in the House

Next week the Congress goes home for the summer. The negotiations have hit a dead end for now and the near destruction the Democrat caucus in the house has taken some of the steam out of the push to get a deal done before recess. As of last night no deal is in the works:

All parties to the talks stuck to the same mantra as they emerged from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office: "We're making progress.""We're continuing to talk," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyrer told reporters, adding "I think everybody wants to get a little bit of shut-eye."

The conservative Blue Dogs argue that the health care bill will cost too much without fixing the ailing health care system.Pelosi, whose voice appeared hoarse, left her office, saying "We're still working, still talking, making good progress."

Rep. Mike Ross, D-Arkansas, one of the leading Blue Dogs negotiating with House leaders and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-California, told reporters there is no deal.

"All I can tell you is we continue to talk. I'd like to think that we're making progress. We expect the talks will continue tomorrow," he said.Ross declined to answer any questions about which specific issues were on the table or how leaders were responding to their suggested changes.

Meanwhile, on the Senate side, six members of the Finance Committee -- three Democrats and three Republicans -- continued grueling negotiations on a compromise plan that would be the first bipartisan proposal so far.

In the fall the great health care battle will be joined and the President will no longer be able to dodge the issue. At stake, a bi-partisan piece of legislation or the radical shift dear to the lefts heart. Interestingly enough Reid has signaled he would compromise on what type of legislation might see the Senate floor:

Asked Tuesday about the plan, Reid said he had to be pragmatic about a bill's chances for success."I have a responsibility to get a bill on the Senate floor that will get 60 votes, so we can proceed to it," Reid said. "That's my No. 1 responsibility, and there are times when I have to set aside my personal preferences for the good of the Senate and, I think, the country."

Dave Contarino, Bill Richardson and assorted Staff Sweat out the Summer

This summer events were supposed to come to a head as the Federal Grand Jury was in New Mexico investigated CDR financial products and in Alabama the trial of Mayor Langford gets ready to start in Alabama. As of now the New Mexico case is still in the air:

To answer the most popular and potentially menacing question in New Mexico politics for the umpteenth time: We don't know if and when there will be indictments in the federal investigation into the state's GRIP transportation program. But we can tell you that speculation again went off the charts this weekend when the US Attorney's office did not come with any indictments. That's because the Legal Beagles say an apparent three month extension of the federal grand jury investigation expired last week. Federal white-collar crimes have a statute of limitations of five years, but potential defendants can waive that statute to gain time to develop arguments that their activities were not illegal.


It was GRIP bonds sold over five years ago with the aid of California financial firm CDR that brought the statue into play. Insiders said an extension was agreed to by potential defendants (Our complete May 4 coverage is here). Now that that extension has apparenlty expired a whole new round of questions has been sparked by this story that is having a major impact on the shape of the 2010 election, as well as the perception of New Mexico around the nation.


And those questions are: Have indictments been issued, but remain sealed? Has yet another extension of the grand jury probe--this one for perhaps a month or so--been engineered? Or is it all over? Has the probe that started a year ago last August sputtered to an end and temporary US Attorney Greg Fouratt come up empty-handed?


Top Big Bill aides Dave Contarino and David Harris are the most frequently mentioned potential indictment targets, but even an indictment of the Governor has been the subject of speculation. A state official recently confirmed that the CDR case was on the desk of US Attorney General Eric Holder awaiting his assessment. That would seem to indicate that the grand jury probe into the CDR matter is complete, and no further grand jury extension was given. But who knows?


To do their jobs, Mr. Fouratt and AG Holder want (and need) to be oblivious to the political implications. No one wants to discourage the weeding out of wrongdoing. But if the decision on where to go from here is indeed on the desk of Mr. Holder, isn't it time to act on CDR? Remember, this case is just the beginning. Even after CDR is acted on, there are other federal investigations into possible campaign pay-to-play schemes to complete.

Of course there are numerous issues still floating around as well as the recent subpoena of records from the Allegheny airport in Pennsylvania.

Democrats in Michigan Opting for Economic Suicide

A superb post via the Economist, almost unbelievable, but then again these are democrats:

MICHIGAN has become the sick man of the United States, with unemployment 50% higher than the national average, and dying industries that are begging the federal government for aid. The state's Democrats, who have controlled more and more of state government since the 2002 elections, have presided over some of the worst of it. They're now considering plans to place initiatives on the ballot in November 2010 with the aim of rescuing... well, it's not clear what they think they're rescuing. The plans, from the Detroit Free Press:

• Hiking the minimum wage to $10 an hour for all workers.

• Imposing a blanket moratorium on home foreclosures for 12 months.

• Cutting utility bills by 20% across the board.

• Requiring all employers to provide health care to employees and their dependents.

• Hiking by $100 a week—and extending for six months—unemployment benefits, while expanding eligibility.

Because California's ballot measures were so successful in turning things around. The genius pushing these ideas is Michigan Democratic party chairmen Mark Brewer:

All are intended to give voters the chance to circumvent uncooperative politicians in Lansing, Brewer said, and demonstrate that Democrats are "on the side of the people."

One of those politicians, Gov. Jennifer Granholm, issued a statement Wednesday that was generally supportive of the idea.Granholm is "committed to job creation and protecting people during these challenging times -- and is pleased that the Democratic Party is considering proposals that do the same," the statement said.

Business leaders, however, said Brewer's ideas won't help job creation prospects. Piling new costs on employers while telling others, such as utilities and mortgage bankers, how much they can charge would be "the death knell for Michigan," said Michigan Chamber of Commerce Vice President Robert Labrant.

Utter Madness.

China Lectures America on Fiscal Management

Welcome to Obama's America:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and China broached two touchy topics -- currencies and climate change -- in talks on Tuesday that appeared to be more about establishing positions than hammering out firm commitments.

In the first round of what will be an annual "Strategic and Economic Dialogue," the two major economic powers signed a memorandum promising greater cooperation in tackling climate change, energy and the environment, although the document was not publicly released and few specifics emerged.

The countries also "touched upon" the exchange rate between China's yuan and the U.S. dollar, but there were no detailed discussions, People's Bank of China chief Zhou Xiaochuan told reporters through an interpreter.

The United States has largely steered clear of a public appeal for China to allow its currency to rise faster, but Beijing did take a sharper tone, warning against letting the dollar slide too far.

"As a major reserve currency-issuing country in the world, the United States should properly balance and properly handle the impact of the dollar supply on the domestic economy and the world economy as a whole," Vice Premier Wang Qishan said.

To think countries are talking about replacing the dollar.

Gates in Iraq

With Iraqi security becoming self-sustaining its no wonder he is able to hail developments on the ground:

TALLIL AIR BASE, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates hailed security improvements in Iraq on Tuesday in a visit that will touch on possible arms sales as the two nations look toward the withdrawal of all U.S. forces.

Gates also will try to help bridge a deep divide between Iraq's ethnic Kurds and majority Arabs that many fear may undermine security gains, a senior U.S. Defense official said.

In his 10th visit to Iraq as U.S. Defense chief, Gates told U.S. troops at the Tallil air base, speaking in blistering 115 degree Fahrenheit (46 Celsius) heat, he was impressed by changes on the ground in Iraq.

He said Iraq's security situation was "amazingly different" to that of his first visit to Iraq in the job in December 2006, at the height of the sectarian bloodshed that has killed tens of thousands of Iraqis since the 2003 invasion.Gates is to hold talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Defense Minister Abdel Qader Jassim.

Good work!

A Brief Look at Atlas Shrugged

Rand seen a spike in popularity since the various Government takeovers we have seen this year. The strength of her arguments are many, personally the un-sustainability of the government controlled economic and the corresponding economic collapse and ruin are what I have found most compelling. This is no small part from Reading Atlas Shrugged at the same time as reading David Remnick's Lenin's Tomb. That book was a post-mortem of the Soviet Union and Remnick's reporting of the internal decay that typified the last years provided an actual account that matched Rand's arguments, an argument written some 40 years before the collapse. Of course others might argue its the positive view of people living and loving and a society based on prosperity and honesty, rather then influence peddling and deceit. Perhaps its the amorality of the left in today's America that makes her work still relevant? Read the book, take what you will from it, and let the general optimism that underlies her work provide you with sustenance:

The Significance of Ayn Rand's Novel Atlas Shrugged
From The Ayn Rand Institute


"I refuse to apologize for my ability -- I refuse to apologize for my success -- I refuse to apologize for my money."

The U.S. economy is in shambles, with every nightly newscast bringing word of new government interventions. Americans are alarmed and desperate for answers: How did we get here? How will we recover? That might sound like a description of today's world, but in fact it's also a sketch of the world Ayn Rand created in her classic novel Atlas Shrugged.

The tea parties testify to the outrage that many Americans feel toward Washington's explosive growth in the past few decades -- especially under Presidents Bush and Obama. Atlas Shrugged not only gives voice to this outrage, it provides both a profound explanation of the cause of today's crisis -- and a positive, radical solution to it.

Why is it that every problem seems to call for increased government intervention at the expense of freedom? Why is it that businessmen inevitably take the blame for any crisis? Why are the most competent, most successful Americans smeared as greedy and selfish? To these questions and many others, Atlas Shrugged gives answers unlike anything you've ever heard.

"Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to be the tool by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of men. Blood, whips and guns -- or dollars. Take your choice -- there is no other -- and your time is running out."

* * *

"If we who were the movers, the providers, the benefactors of mankind, were willing to let the brand of evil be stamped upon us, and silently to bear punishment for our virtues -- what sort of ‘good' did we expect to triumph in the world?"

* * *

'Yes, this is an age of moral crisis. You are bearing punishment for your evil. But it is not man who is now on trial and it is not human nature that will now take the blame. It is your moral code that's through, this time. Your moral code has reached its climax, the blind alley at the end of its course. And if you wish to go on living, what you now need is not to return to morality . . . but to discover it."

Learn the meaning of these quotes -- and the revolutionary ideas behind them -- by picking up Atlas Shrugged. Discover why Ayn Rand held that nothing less than a total separation between state and economics can save this country. Discover Ayn Rand's defense of the individual's moral right to pursue his own happiness -- the indispensable precondition of his political right to pursue his own happiness. Discover a gripping novel that challenges today's intellectual mainstream and provides an alternative to the anti-freedom ideas that are undermining American liberty.

Discover Atlas Shrugged.


For the record I found We the Living the most enjoyable of her Novels.

The Bi-Partisan Group Pushing Health Reform in the Senate

Bi-Partisan

As discussed before, the centrists have the ability to pass a bi-partisan bill that the president can sign, but at the risk of driving the left bananas. As for the grand bargain, it sheds most of the ideas that the right would find obnoxious and scales back a significant amount of the costs and corresponding tax increases:

Already, the group of six has tossed aside the idea of a government-run insurance plan that would compete with private insurers, which the president supports but Republicans said was a deal-breaker.Instead, they are proposing a network of private, nonprofit cooperatives.

They have also dismissed the House Democratic plan to pay for the bill’s roughly $1 trillion, 10-year cost partly with an income surtax on high earners.The three Republicans have insisted that any new taxes come from within the health care arena. As one option, Democrats have proposed taxing high-end insurance plans with values exceeding $25,000.

The Senate group also seems prepared to drop a requirement, included in other versions of the legislation, that employers offer coverage to their workers. “We don’t mandate employer coverage,” Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Republican of Maine and one of the six, said Monday. Employers that do not offer coverage may instead have to pay the cost of any government subsidies for which their workers qualify. In the House, centrist Democrats have temporarily stalled the health care bill, many lawmakers want to see what Mr. Baucus’s group produces before voting on tax increases in the House bill.

Mr. Obama, in his news conference last week, praised the three Republicans in the Senate group — Michael B. Enzi of Wyoming, Charles E. Grassley of Iowa and Ms. Snowe. Mr. Grassley, the senior Republican on the Finance Committee, and Mr. Baucus share a history of deal-making, and group members said they share a sense of trust despite the partisan acrimony that pervades the Capitol.

What are Cooperatives?

The idea of creating health-care cooperatives was proposed by Senator Kent Conrad, a North Dakota Democrat. It would allow non-profits to negotiate directly with health-care providers for low-cost rates. The plans they offer would be sold, like private plans, through Internet-based exchanges where consumers could buy insurance at lower-cost, group rates. Conrad said the cooperatives could be chartered by either the federal government or the states, and that they could receive federal seed money.

‘Private Sector Option’

Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, the top Republican on the finance committee, hasn’t committed to the idea, though in a recorded interview today with reporters from his home state he called it a “private-sector option” that could boost competition. He said keeping government involvement minimal is key to attracting Republican support.

Its becoming clear this group will hash out a compromise that many in the GOP will latch onto and this version of the bill would likely garner more support then the more liberal version pushed by Pelosi\Rangel\Dodd and company. Will the President sign it, or will he try and Buffalo his own party to accept the plans he prefers, we will find out in the fall.

Iraqi Security Becoming Self-Sustaining

Capt. Hayder Adnan Ali, Iraqi police liaison to coalition forces explains marksmanship with Sgt. Hayder Sahib Silan at the Iraqi police provincial headquarters in Wasit, Iraq.

More good news from the forgotten war, its not like there are 130,000 troops there or anything:

FOB DELTA, Iraq (July 24, 2009) – National police in Iraq’s Wasit province now are capable of sustaining their own training needs after coalition forces leave here, military officials said, thanks to the efforts of a Massachusetts National Guard police company.

The 772nd Military Police Company, attached to the 41st Fires Brigade, worked with Iraqi police advisor teams to establish a mobile police training team. The team will serve at the police’s provincial headquarters and Iraqi police stations in the province along the Iranian border, as well as train other police trainers to train their own.

“It’s most important to me to let the world know that with the support of coalition forces, the 41st Fires Brigade, 772nd [Military Police] Company and the Iraqi police training teams, the creation of this mobile training team not only readies the progress for the future, but we are ready to stand by and stop any kind of enemy,” said Capt. Hayder Adnan Ali, the Iraqi police liaison to coalition forces. “When you get good training and good policemen, you can fight the enemy and protect your community.”

The focus at the provincial headquarters was firearms training, and instructors there said they know the importance of quality training.“I like to teach my training ideas and training goals to the students because I know that when I stand and fight against terrorism and any enemy against our country or while protecting all our communities, buildings and people’s lives, these recruits will be standing beside me, and I will know that they have been trained right,” said Sgt. Hayder Sahib Silan, Iraqi police instructor in Wasit.

“This is the first province in Iraq to have this mobile training team,” Silan said. “The other provinces rely on their academies and the coalition-led police training teams. But here in Wasit, we have the first independent, fully trained Iraqi mobile training team responsible for professional development and training of the Iraqi police.”

The fact that Iraqis in the area hit a critical mass to strengthening their own forces is great news. It means the fledgling democracy is becoming more then that, its becoming a nation that will set the course for the entire Middle East.

Bi-Partisan Group of Senators Ditching Public Plan and Employer Mandates

Clearly this is about the Baucus plan and if the Bi-partisan bill goes forward the President is going to be caught between a politically popular compromise that will drive his base nuts, or rejecting a plan that in favor of a radical overhaul desperately wanted by the left:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Officials say that a bipartisan group in the Senate is edging closer to a health care compromise that omits a government insurance option that President Barack Obama favors. Nor is it expected to require businesses to offer coverage to their employees.

Like health care bills drafted by Democrats, the proposal under discussion by a group of lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee would bar insurance companies from denying coverage to any applicant. It also would prevent firms from charging higher premiums on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions.

But it jettisons other core Democratic provisions in an attempt to gain a bipartisan flavor. The officials who described the talks spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to speak publicly.

The dropping of the business mandate as well as the public plan leaves mandated insurance with subsidies for lower income workers, health care co-operatives and exchanges, and the presidents request for billions to increase the use of electronic records. Most importantly such a bill would not require the massive tax increases put forth by Rangel and company.

The 2,432 Reason to Dislike the Media and Pundits in General

This morning while listening to Imus in the morning I heard Jeff Greenfield equate critics of the president over his prejudiced comments in regards to the Gates affair with the Cult of the Birth Certificate. This is pathetic, the President lacked the facts but made a judgment anyway, it was clearly a mistake to do so and his actions the past couple days show his recognition of that fact. Now I wasn't THERE so I will not make judgments on who is wrong or right, although as the tapes of the 911 call come out and the we should get a fuller picture of what occurred. What Greenfield was doing was attempting to equate critics of the president with people who are feeding off a paranoid conspiracy that feeds into their worse fears. There is nothing uncommon in this. Look at the Truthers, the JFK conspiracy types, heck the fear of the Freemasons as sinister beasts was one of the one of the most passionate beliefs in early 19th century America. But Greenfield went for the cheap shot as a means to undercut the Presidents critics by lumping all his opponents into the same tent. Of course its not just about Obama, its about the intellectual vanity of elites and liberals in general. They are above such things, unless of course its Sarah Palin, then every scurrilous rumor and malicious gossip is treated as a legitimate critique. Some have decided to fill in the blanks, erroneously of course. For the record 2,431 was the latest claptrap about Palin found in the op-ed section of the Times and reasons 2,367 to2,430 were various Michael Jackson stories.

As I said, the truth will come out:

Top Democrats Differ on Health Care

Pelosi whose primary contribution to the debate was to launch a broad side against the CBO for putting forward numbers she didn't like came out yesterday predicting a win. She didn't give a hard date on when the health care vote would be, just that she had the votes. False bravado based on the Democratic majorities is hardly the way run the House and the argument that something has to pass is a bit of a red herring. Reform in her mind is massive taxes and a new entitlement, the other issues such as mandates and exchanges are modest shifts and hardly what she and her base are aiming for:

July 26 (Bloomberg) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she will pass legislation to overhaul the U.S. health-care system through her chamber even as members of her own Democratic Party expressed skepticism after days of discord and delays.

“When I take this bill to the floor, it will win,” Pelosi said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” program that aired today. “This will happen.”

President Barack Obama is fighting to save his top domestic priority after disagreements over cost and methods of funding bogged down legislation in Congress. The Senate last week postponed a vote until September, while House leaders are trying to mollify members seeking more savings in the system.

When this vote will be is an interesting question as time is getting surprisingly short:

House Schedule

August 3 - September 4	Summer District Work Period
September 7	Labor Day
September 18	Rosh Hashanah Begins
September 27	Yom Kippur Begins
October 12	Columbus Day
October 30	Target Adjournment

Unless Congress extends their recess date this the last week she could get a bill passed, an unlikely event considering the state of Democrat caucus in the house. Additionally they have two months of being in Washington to draw up a plan that could make it through the House and survive the Senate, that is a very tall order considering the obstacles facing the Democrats. Kent Conrad, an ally of Baucus in this debate acknowledges the problems yesterday:

Not Enough Votes

“We’ll be ready when we’re ready,” Conrad said on ABC’s “This Week.” Conrad said Democrats need Republican support. “There are not the votes for Democrats to do this just on our side of the aisle,” he said.

So far, two of the three House committees and one of the two Senate panels with jurisdiction over health care have completed their work. When the last two committees finish debate, the House and Senate need to pass their separate versions, then find a compromise for final passage in both chambers that can go to Obama’s desk.

With the current plans being rejected both Pelosi and Conrad floated different ideas on paying for the legislation. Conrad pushed taxing employee health benefits, an idea Harry Reid nixed and Charles Rangel said is dead in the water, while Pelosi true to her liberal self wished to squeeze more out of pharmaceutical companies and hospitals. Of course these groups had made deals with the Obama admin and its questionable how much more they can be squeezed until they leave the table and opt for total opposition.

Threats on Bonuses Drive Jobs and Money Out of Europe

There is a lesson for the Democrats and the left in general, attacking bonuses as a political tactic is the equivalent of shooting the nations finances in the foot:

July 27 (Bloomberg) -- David Butler, who advises hedge funds on tax issues, says he helped 23 firms leave London in the past 18 months, most of them for Switzerland.

“Managers do not feel there is a good relationship with politicians,” said Butler, founder of Kinetic Partners LLP in London. “When it is announced that taxes will go up, without any consultations, people understand there may be more on the way and they think the lifestyle they can have somewhere else is better than in London.”

Butler is one indicator London’s recovery from the worst financial calamity since the 1920s may take longer than New York’s. While both cities have claimed bragging rights as the capital of global capital, London’s financial district was hit harder than Wall Street.

The U.K. capital shed almost twice as many finance jobs as New York as a percentage of the total. Its workforce shrank by 29,371 in 2008, or 8.3 percent, according to the London-based Centre for Economic and Business Research. New York lost 20,200 financial-services jobs, or 4.3 percent, data from the New York State Labor Department show.

The value of daily trades on the London Stock Exchange fell 41 percent in the first half of this year from the same period in 2007. At the New York Stock Exchange, the drop was 29 percent.

The Obama Presidency and the Coming Health Care Battle

The health care battle began in earnest several months ago, of course politicians like Baucus have been preparing for even longer and Liberals had ideas what they wanted but lacked any true framework. The biggest factor leading to the delays and breakdown in the Democratic party has been Obama's hands off approach to what type of Legislation that Congress puts forward. His failure to get involved has been the greatest mistake of his presidency so far. From the beginning with the stimulus tragedy to cap and trade we have seen the president put his credibility on the line to sell legislation that barely has his foot print on it. Classic example would be his support for Waxmen's cap and trade only to be followed by his pronouncement that he opposes the protectionist measure within the bill. Of course his support for the stimulus bill which no one including him bothered to read blew up in the democrats collective faces over the AIG bonus disaster. There is a reason the Presidents polling has been in free fall lately, he simply is not credible and no amount of swooning from media and elites is going to change that. Its this failure to clarify what type of health reform bill he wants that has led to the near collapse of House Democratic Caucus and charges of racism against the "blue dogs" .

Two Visions
There are two types of bills floating around the Congress, they are the Baucus plan who as Chair of the Senate Finance committee has an extraordinary amount of influence on what type of bill will come forward, and then their is the Dodd-Kennedy bill in the Senate as well as the Rangel-Waxmen version in the House. Both are similar in nature, contain a Public plan and would likely break the Government's finances. The key dilemma facing the President is whether to team up with Baucus and pass a bi-partisan bill that costs less or stick with the liberal base and pass legislation the country neither wants nor can afford. The sense of frustration Democrats are having with Obama on the issue is almost palpable and his disaster of a press conference the other day did not help the matter.

The Fall
As of now it appears there will be no vote on either the house or Senate bills this Summer meaning the key battles will be fought this Autumn. Of course Pelosi may pull a fast one and try and get something, anything, passed just to point to, but this is becoming increasingly unlikely. Time is not going to change the CBO's take on these cost of these bills and its unlikely the President can pull a rabbit out of his hat to dramatically change the polling or support. Of course an economic up tick might give him some more credibility for a fall battle, but that remains to be seen. Expect pressure and favors to be exerted as a first step to get Democrats and others on Board with the Liberal plan. If that fails its possible the liberal base and the netroots may turn their full fury on Democrats who will not toe the line. This internecine conflict at the end of the first year of the Obama Presidency in the last thing the Democrats want, but the chances of it occurring have been growing by the day. Of course Obama could avoid these battles by compromising on some his issues, such as the public plan or taxes, but no matter his choice, he is going to anger someone. With middle class taxes now being floated and the Presidents vow to "not raise taxes" in a recession something of a joke we can expect even more opposition from the country. Whether this dissuades Obama and the Democrats is an open question, they have the votes and their base is yearning for the nationalization of health care. Such a course would accomplish the presidents goal, but at the cost of the Democratic party being saddled with legislation that is going to cost more then predicted, lead to doctor shortages and increased expenses, and place onerous burdens on various constituencies. A good question is what type of arguments will the left and Obama make now that their original arguments have proven utterly bogus.

The Argument
Reading the Times this morning the excuse for increased taxes is that unless "reform" is passed premiums will skyrocket, the deficit will swell, and the most questionable argument of all will be trotted out as a trump card,. That its a moral imperative to take care of the 47 million uninsured. Of course in the real world many of these people either failed to sign up programs they already qualify for or are the so called invincible who refuse to pay money for insurance they don't feel they need. I doubt these arguments will fly in the face of the greatest hurdle the left and Obama face in regards to health care, that is most people are happy with their insurance and their doctors.

The Compromise
Its easy to see mandated health insurance with a small tax penalty for those who fail to comply followed by a subsidy to aid lower income families who may not qualify for existing programs but lack the financial wherewithal to purchase insurance. Its also reasonable to expect the establishment of health care co-operatives and exchanges so people have more flexibility in purchasing insurance and a way to reduce the actual costs of coverage. Both of these ideas could be passed right now and generate a significant amount of GOP support. I suspect the President might even get more Liberals voting against such a package then Republicans, as the left goes crazed over the missed chance to create a program that will be the gateway to their prized single payer system. But such a deal will come late in the game. Expect another push for the maximalist position on health care with corresponding tax increases as well as cost cutting measures which squeeze doctors and hospitals even further. On the off chance that no deal is possible, (a slim but growing possibility) expect some type of legislation expanding s-chip or greater access to Medicaid, which is currently in the works anyway, much to the ire of the countries governors.

Final Thought
The president and the left are insisting on comprehensive reform because their window of opportunity is closing. As the nations keel evens out and the apparent free fall many people felt in September as Lehman collapsed disappears, the country is becoming increasingly intransigent to the radical plans of Obama and the left, hence the brilliance of the GOP "Experiment" line of attack. With Republicans poised to pick up Governorships in Virginia and especially New Jersey this fall and with the corresponding morale boost for them going into the midterms, the Democrats will be desperate to prevent a massive battle on health care prior to the 2010 midterms.

Biden Takes Tough Line on Russia

The problem of course is that we don't know if its the official policy or of he is just mouthing off like with his "green light" to Israel for attacking Iran. Its not like Russia shouldn't back off from its bullying:

MOSCOW — Just weeks after a summit meeting intended to show a thawing in relations between the United States and Russia, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. made blistering references to Russia’s failing economy, loss of face and a leadership that is “clinging to something in the past,” in an interview published on Saturday.

Speaking on the heels of his trip to Georgia and Ukraine, Mr. Biden said flatly that the Obama administration would make no deals and accept no compromises with the Kremlin in exchange for better relations.Russia itself, he said, should find it in its own interest to repair relations.

The Kremlin immediately responded to the comments, made in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, with a demand for a clarification of the administration’s intentions toward Russia, saying essentially that it was receiving a mixed message so soon after President Obama had visited Moscow for the summit meeting.

Calling the criticism “perplexing” in light of the diplomatic overtures initiated by the United States and described as “pressing the reset button,” the chief foreign policy adviser to President Dmitri A. Medvedev told the Interfax news agency, “The question is: who is shaping the U.S. foreign policy, the president or respectable members of his team?”

The adviser, Sergei Prikhodko, said the atmosphere between the countries had improved since Mr. Obama’s visit early this month.“If some members of Obama’s team and government do not like this atmosphere, why don’t they say so?” Interfax reported him as saying. “If they disagree with the course of their president, we just need to know this.”

Since its Biden we can assume few people will take it seriously.

Paging Dr. Forbin

Its a serious issue, although I would be more concerned about the dependence on the internte and computers then an actual robot "take over":

Impressed and alarmed by advances in artificial intelligence, a group of computer scientists is debating whether there should be limits on research that might lead to loss of human control over computer-based systems that carry a growing share of society’s workload, from waging war to chatting with customers on the phone.

Their concern is that further advances could create profound social disruptions and even have dangerous consequences.As examples, the scientists pointed to a number of technologies as diverse as experimental medical systems that interact with patients to simulate empathy, and computer worms and viruses that defy extermination and could thus be said to have reached a “cockroach” stage of machine intelligence.

While the computer scientists agreed that we are a long way from Hal, the computer that took over the spaceship in “2001: A Space Odyssey,” they said there was legitimate concern that technological progress would transform the work force by destroying a widening range of jobs, as well as force humans to learn to live with machines that increasingly copy human behaviors.

The researchers — leading computer scientists, artificial intelligence researchers and roboticists who met at the Asilomar Conference Grounds on Monterey Bay in California — generally discounted the possibility of highly centralized superintelligences and the idea that intelligence might spring spontaneously from the Internet. But they agreed that robots that can kill autonomously are either already here or will be soon.

Obama Admin Eying Private Guards for Afghanistan

If it helps go for it. Its not like the Obama admin hasn't used private contractors in Iraq.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- U.S. military authorities in Afghanistan may hire a private contractor to provide around-the-clock security at dozens of bases and protect vehicle convoys moving throughout the country.

The possibility of awarding a security contract comes as the Obama administration is sending thousands of more troops into Afghanistan to quell rising violence fueled by a resurgent Taliban. As the number of American forces grow over the next several months, so too does the demand to guard their outposts.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he wants to cut back on the use of contractors that now provide a wide range services to American troops in war zones, including transportation, communications, food service, construction, and maintenance. As recently as February, however, Gates called the use of private security contractors in certain parts of Afghanistan ''vital'' to supporting U.S. bases. A contract for the work also creates job opportunities for Afghans, he said.

Much of the Blackwater hatred was typical of the hate and ignorance of the left. Personally I believe enough leftists learned from the Vietnam War that constant spitting on he military backfired politicaly, hence they transfered all of that hatred to "mercanary" groups as means to vent.

Iraqi and US Transition Moving Along

An Iraqi soldier practices patrolling near Diwaniya. After initial 'hiccups,' according to one American commander, Iraqi authorities are handling the transition of power smoothly.

Its good news and I can imagine the issues as 150,000 troops pulled back and hundreds of thousands stepped up. With that said these guys have years working together often in the most brutal of circumstances so I am not surprised its working out:

WASHINGTON (July 21, 2009) – Several weeks after American forces in Baghdad handed over security leadership to their Iraqi counterparts, friction is giving way to a smoother transition of power, a top U.S. commander in the Iraqi capital said.

Maj. Gen. Daniel Bolger, commander of Multi-National Division - Baghdad, Tuesday described “hiccups and friction” that followed the American withdrawal from Iraqi cities in accordance with the June 30 deadline.“Despite those initial frustrations, it seems to be going well,” he told reporters at the Pentagon, adding: “I think each day that goes by we get a little bit better at working together.”

A bilateral deal between Washington and Baghdad governing the status of U.S. forces in Iraq called for American troops to withdrawal from Iraqi cities and villages ahead of this month as Iraqi forces assumed authority in these areas. But the legislation also allows for Americans to provide assistance in some situations to Iraqi forces in cities.

While most U.S. facilities have moved outside cities -- drawing down from hundreds of large and small bases around Baghdad at the height of the troop surge in 2007 to a number in the low tens — a residual American force of 1,500 - 3,000 remain in cities, Bolger said.Some have described instances where the implementation of the so-called Status of Forces Agreement has led to confusion on the ground.

“There have certainly been some scenes where an American or an Iraqi commander have to come out of their vehicles and walk up and figure out what’s going on,” Bolger said, adding that physical confrontations between American and Iraqi counterparts has not occurred.“What we’ve got is folks on the ground trying to make sense of it as they carry out their tasks,” he added.

During a briefing at the Pentagon yesterday, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he received an optimistic assessment from Army Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the top American commander in Iraq.He said that the level of cooperation and collaboration with the Iraqi security forces is going much better than is being portrayed publicly and in the media,” Gates said. He added, “It is perhaps a measure of our success in Iraq that politics have come to the country.”

Good work!

Democrats Whisper of Dumping Corzine

Paint it Red! The state of New Jersey along with New Jersey are the most significant elections this fall and GOP victories in both would be a nice shot in the arm. As for Corizine, he is your typical rich democrats who bought his seat years ago in s 60 million dollar campaign that he barely won, and has been used by the Democrats in Jersey as a means to stay afloat.

Mr. Corzine, whom allies described as discouraged and frustrated, saw a member of his cabinet tainted by the investigation and mayors he has befriended being led away in handcuffs.

The governor responded quickly to the scandal by abruptly switching his choice for lieutenant governor this weekend, opting at the last minute for a reform-minded lawmaker, State Senator Loretta Weinberg, as a running mate over a flashier contender with longstanding ties to a politician previously convicted of graft.

Top Democratic lawmakers were even discussing in private the possibility of replacing Mr. Corzine on the ballot this November, and candidates for other offices were talking about breaking publicly with him to maintain their own election viability. Mr. Corzine has trailed his Republican opponent, Christopher J. Christie, in double digits in some recent polls.

The fact that Democrats are thinking of dumping him as they dumped Toricelli shows how desperate the political machine is in that state. As for his opponent Christie, he already has 10-15 point lead in the state:

Yet the latest corruption scandal sharply altered the terrain in the governor’s race by putting the focus, at least for now, back on the issue that catapulted Mr. Christie, a former United States attorney, to prominence.

“The debate on Election Day has to be about something other than ethics,” said State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak of Union County, one of the state’s most influential Democrats. “If it’s about ethics, Corzine loses. Not because Jon Corzine’s weak on ethics, but because it’s Chris Christie’s strength, and now it’s national news.”

Mr. Corzine has run ads for weeks questioning Mr. Christie’s ethics concerning a series of lucrative no-bid contracts he awarded to friends and political allies while he ran the prosecutor’s office. But some Democrats said Friday that Mr. Corzine would now have to find a new line of attack.

After all, his own commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, Joseph V. Doria Jr., had his home and office searched by the F.B.I. On Thursday, Mr. Corzine said he had asked for and received Mr. Doria’s resignation.

Another important ally, Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy of Jersey City, the state’s second-largest city, acknowledged on Friday that he was the unnamed public official mentioned in several criminal complaints to whom a federal informant gave campaign donations through intermediaries in exchange for anticipated help on real estate projects. He denied any wrongdoing.

The only thing going for the Governor is the habit of the state to vote Democrat and the political machine which will go all out to win the election. Of course with Obama's numbers depressed and half the Democrats in jail even these factors will be weakened.