Senate Republicans Block Floor Vote on Iraq Resolution  —  Senate Republicans today blocked a floor vote on a House-passed resolution that expresses disapproval of President Bush's plan to send thousands of additional U.S. troops to Iraq, as a procedural motion to cut off debate on the measure fell short of the 60 votes needed.

Not the 'Real Vote'  —  REP. JOHN MURTHA (D-Pa.) has a message for anyone who spent the week following the House of Representatives' marathon debate on Iraq: You've been distracted by a sideshow.  "We have to be careful that people don't think this is the vote," the 74-year-old congressman …

Rudy Giuliani: No Free Speech  —  Lucrative contract depicts GOP hopeful as image-conscious diva  —  We've previously posted the tour riders of Dick Cheney and John Kerry, but those two pols look like pikers compared to the high-rolling, diva-like Rudolph Giuliani, wannabe Republican presidential candidate.

Antiwar Anger at '02 Vote on Iraq Follows Clinton  —  One of the most important decisions that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton made about her bid for the presidency came late last year when she ended a debate in her camp over whether she should repudiate her 2002 vote authorizing military action in Iraq.

Forget Iraq.  McCain wants to be the anti-sex candidate.  He's preaching abstinence now.  —  fark it!  Oh, this is rich.  John McCain can't make the votes on Iraq — the dominant issue of these times.  No, McCain has more pressing matters on his plate.  He's too busy working on his no-sex agenda.

Trial in Error  —  Could someone please explain to me why Scooter Libby is the only person on trial in the Valerie Plame leak investigation?  —  Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald charged Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff with perjury on the theory that Libby had a nefarious reason …

Soldiers Face Neglect, Frustration At Army's Top Medical Facility  —  Behind the door of Army Spec.  Jeremy Duncan's room, part of the wall is torn and hangs in the air, weighted down with black mold.  When the wounded combat engineer stands in his shower and looks up, he can see the bathtub on the floor above through a rotted hole.

Dissent and Wars of Choice  —  There's been a lot of buzz around the blogosphere about a phony Abraham Lincoln quote that Bush Iraq War supporters keep throwing out there (most recently senior House GOPer Don Young of Alaska), suggesting that dissenters in Congress during wartime are "saboteurs" …

BAGHDAD TODAY: A REPORT FROM THE CITY  —  "The Surge is showing signs of success.  The progress made so far invites hope and optimism, but it's still too early to celebrate."  Omar Fadhil, PJM's editor in Iraq files this report.  —  Since the multiple bombings in Shroja market district on the 12th …

Workers are fine with fewer unions  —  Wealth and productivity have soared while union membership has declined.  —  LABOR UNIONS' importance in the workplace has fallen steadily since 1950, when roughly a third of American workers were unionized.  Today, that number is well below 10% in the private sector.