Time For an FDR Moment Congress should take note: We need government again. by Rosa Brooks We established its basic contours in 1789, half forgot about it until the Civil War and Reconstruction, practically abolished it during the Gilded Age, remembered it again during the Depression and then, during the reign of Reagan the Great Communicator, forgot about it once more. The government, I mean. It comes in handy in times of crisis, but somehow we just keep misplacing it. Our infrastructure is decaying, our educational system is in disarray and our healthcare system is scandalously poor. Today, we can throw as many billions as we want at Wall Street, but in the long run, if we don't push the reset button and get serious about spending on the true fundamentals of our economy — people, infrastructure and knowledge — the bailout can't save us. That's the choice: We can bail out Wall Street but then put the government back on a shelf. Or we can tell our leaders we want our government back. Nixon, Bush & Palin by Roger Cohen Bush, who often seemed to need directions to the Treasury, opted to allow an opaque derivatives market to grow into the trillions without supervision, regulation or information. The market knew best. Turns out that what the market knew best was how to turn capitalism into a pyramid scheme for trading worthless paper. The cost is now clear. But we should be grateful for small mercies. Remember Bush wanted to throw Social Security into the casino, too, by privatizing it! Abolish the Vice Presidency by Bruce Ackerman Teddy Roosevelt — who replaced William McKinley when he was assassinated in 1901 — may have been a great progressive president, but he had been named as vice president by the arch-conservative McKinley simply to carry New York. The country elected a right-winger but ended up with something else entirely. Similar perverse logic led Abraham Lincoln to choose Andrew Johnson as a running mate. Lincoln knew that Johnson was a racial conservative, but he was more interested in carrying Tennessee. This tragic blunder clouds Lincoln's claim to greatness. When Lincoln was killed, Johnson's bitter opposition to Reconstruction helped poison race relations for generations.

Today's Quote:

"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or exercise their revolutionary right to overthrow it."

- President Abraham Lincoln

Editor's Notes & Rants:

America is Lost. The Senate of the Damned (2/3 of which is not up for reelection, so they can ignore the will of the voters) passed an $800B givaway for the filthy-rich on Wall St, nothing for Americans losing their homes. They actually added $100B in bribes to the already rejected extortion package.

Will Congress succeed in throwing a magic TARP over our eyes, and let Wall St. abscond with another $Trillion of taxpayer money? If ever there was a time for a second American Revolution, this is it.

Never mention the greed. Nutcase Conservatives again try to scapegoat minorities for Wall St. meltdown. Just like Hitler blamed the Jews for Germany's economic collapse.

In taped interview, McCain proves what an asshole and liar he really is. I hear his handlers are worried about him going postal before the election.

Another huge success for McCain's surge. Dozens killed in Baghdad bombings this morning.

Muslim clerics issue fatwa against new Pakistani president, for flirting with the slutty tramp Sarah Palin.

I'm going to the store to buy some popcorn, tonight is when Sarah Palin makes a complete fool of herself debating Biden, and tomorrow the Republicans will have to hide their faces in shame at the thought of having to vote for her. But hey, a contract is a contract, even with the Devil himself.