Bill would give president emergency control of Internet  —  Internet companies and civil liberties groups were alarmed this spring when a U.S. Senate bill proposed handing the White House the power to disconnect private-sector computers from the Internet.  —  They're not much happier …

Local official to Bachmann: 'I'll be danged if I am going to give up my Social Security because of socialism.'  —  In Lake Elmo, Minnesota yesterday, Rep. Michele Bachmann held a “raucous” town hall meeting to discuss health care reform that was filled with “deafening cheers and a few jeers.”

Holder's Decision To Probe CIA Hints At a New Dynamic  —  About five weeks ago, faced with a crucial decision on how to react to brutal CIA interrogation practices, Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. concluded that it would be all but impossible to follow President Obama's mandate to move forward …

A Strategy to Save Obamacare, But at What Cost  —  Obamacare Version 1.0 is dead.  The 1,000-page monstrosity that emerged in various editions from Congress was done in by widespread national revulsion not just at its expense and intrusiveness but also at the mendacity with which it is being sold.

‘Public Option’, Rolls Off the Tongue  —  Nate Silver wrote a post last night flagging an AARP poll, the upshot of which is that Americans don't seem to have any idea what the ‘public option’ even is.  As Silver notes, the fact that only 37% of respondents correctly identified what the ‘public option’ was …

The Great Gradualist  —  In the days since Ted Kennedy's death, the news programs have shown and re-shown the unforgettable ending of his 1980 Democratic convention speech — the passage from Tennyson and the beautiful final lines: “The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”

Banks ‘Too Big to Fail’ Have Grown Even Bigger  —  Behemoths Born of the Bailout Reduce Consumer Choice, Tempt Corporate Moral Hazard  —  When the credit crisis struck last year, federal regulators pumped tens of billions of dollars into the nation's leading financial institutions …

With LeMieux Pick, the Dawn of a New Era of Appointed Senators  —  George LeMieux, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's selection to succeed retired Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), will become the fifth senator this year to take his seat through appointment.  A possible sixth appointee is waiting …

US Military Investigates Afghan Desk  —  This article from Stars and Stripes has a lot of journalists talking.  It is about The Rendon Group, a company that puts together background briefs on reporters who apply for embeds with the US military in Afghanistan.  —  Most reporters in Afghanistan know about these reports.

‘Reading Rainbow’ Reaches Its Final Chapter … For 26 years, Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton (left) shepherded kids through the exciting world of books.  The show, which fostered a love of reading, was the third longest-running program in PBS history, outlasted only by Sesame Street and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Race-baiter Democrat Rep. Diane Watson praises Cuban health system, Castro & Guevara who “kicked out the wealthy”  —  Longtime readers of this blog will be quite familiar with race-baiting Democrat Rep. Diane Watson of California.  —  She attacked Ward Connerly for marrying a white woman.

Rep. Michele Bachmann to heckler: “I've given birth here probably more times than you, sir”  —  Some pro-socialized medicine hecklers tried to shout down GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann as she pointed to the crappy care pregnant moms are getting in the U.K.  —  Watch her snappy retort.

Pakistan: No Military Campaign Against the Taliban  —  Pro-Taliban militants take control of a mosque in Pakistan's tribal area of Mohamand, along Afghanistan's border  —  Despite strenuous entreaties by top U.S. officials, Pakistan has abandoned plans to mount a military offensive …

CBS Reporter Injured in Afghanistan  —  Correspondent Cami McCormick Stable after IED Explosion Hits Army Vehicle  —  (CBS) CBS News Correspondent Cami McCormick was injured today in Logar Province, Afghanistan, while on assignment for CBS Radio News.  —  McCormick was traveling with members …

OOPS!  CHARLIE FORGOT THIS $1M HOUSE  —  REALTY BITES TAX-THEM-NOT-ME RANGEL  —  WASHINGTON — Rep. Charles Rangel failed to report as much as $1.3 million in outside income — including up to $1 million for a Harlem building sale — on financial-disclosure forms he filed between 2002 and 2006, according to newly amended records.

Dealing With Being the Health Care ‘Villains’  —  LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Max Shireman says that when he looks in the mirror he does not see the monster the politicians have made him out to be.  —  Sure, he could stand to lose a few pounds.  And there was that speeding ticket last year for going 40 in a 30-mile-an-hour zone.

Obama defies safety advocates, shuns bike helmet, looks great, ignites debate  —  In an obvious bid to broaden public support for his troubled healthcare reform plans, a vacationing President Obama has now taken to defying the advice of safety advocates at both the federal and state levels.

Burton defends new vacation  —  After a mid-August trip to America's national parks and a weeklong vacation on Martha's Vineyard, President Obama plans ...  ... to take a little more time away from the office next week.  —  Obama will head to Camp David on Wednesday, Sept. 2 …

Pawlenty Says ‘Ludicrous’ to Claim Stimulus Pivoted Economy  —  Aug. 28 (Bloomberg) — Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, a possible 2012 Republican presidential candidate, charged that President Barack Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus program still isn't working and that his health-care overhaul proposal …

Joe Scarborough & Peggy Noonan: Americans Secretly Yearning for Republican-Controlled Congress  —  Some pretty first-rate concern trolling here on “Morning Joe.”  —  What Nooners and Scar conveniently ignore is that Obama's numbers are dropping primarily because he's losing Democrats.

Leverage Rising on Wall Street at Fastest Pace Since '07 Freeze  —  Aug. 28 (Bloomberg) — Banks are increasing lending to buyers of high-yield company loans and mortgage bonds at what may be the fastest pace since the credit-market debacle began in 2007.  —  Credit Suisse Group AG and Scotia Capital …

Why Isn't Health Care a Right?  —  I am an American citizen without health insurance.  I don't have a dental plan, either.  I am, however, very familiar with the inside of my doctor's office as well as that of my municipal emergency room.  Not to mention the operating rooms at two city hospitals …

SarahPAC taken to task by feds for illegal contributions  —  OOPS: Mistakes on political donations blamed on software.  —  ldemer@adn.com  —  Former Gov. Sarah Palin's political action committee gave excessive contributions to two well-known Republicans and also is facing demands …

Coal Group Says Fake Letters on Climate Bill Sent by Temp Worker  —  The case of the fake letters gets curiouser and curiouser.  —  The Washington lobbying firm that sent fake letters to lawmakers purporting to be from nonprofit groups opposed to climate-change legislation was …