The demise of the dollar  —  In a graphic illustration of the new world order, Arab states have launched secret moves with China, Russia and France to stop using the US currency for oil trading  —  In the most profound financial change in recent Middle East history, Gulf Arabs are planning …

Breaking: Louisiana Attorney General: Rathke Embezzled $5 Million From ACORN  —  From NOLA.COM: … Whole blockbuster story here.  —  Update: According to the new subpoena issued by the Louisiana Attorney General, it seems ACORN leadership was aware of the full extent of the embezzlement.

White House's botched ‘op’  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama yesterday rolled out the red carpet — and handed out doctors' white coats as well, just so nobody missed his hard-sell health-care message.  —  In a heavy-handed attempt at reviving support for health-care reform …

FTC meddles in blogger content, free speech  —  More big government.  The FTC says basically anyone receiving anything (due to broad, poorly-written regulations) must pay an $11,000 fine. … Because Uncle Sam think the public is too stupid to make decisions alone or to recognize endorsements verses common reviews.

Afghanistan and Leadership  —  Gen. McChrystal needs more troops now precisely so Afghans can take over the war effort later.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  'We're at a point in Afghanistan right now in our overall campaign," the U.S. general says, “where increasingly security can best …

AMA Endorses Largest Denier of Health Care Claims  —  What appears to be the official blog of President Obama's administration is all aflutter because the President will welcome, “doctors from across the United States to the White House to share their unique perspective on the struggles …

GEORGE WILL FOLLOWS THE RIGHT'S CHOSEN MEME.... Periodically, conservatives latch onto a new line of attack against President Obama.  Apparently, the new one is “narcissism.”  Marty Peretz talked it up yesterday in a bizarre piece, and George Will endorsed the argument in his column today.

No Exit  —  The never-ending lunacy of Betsy McCaughey.  —  On an ordinary day, Henry Aaron, senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington, comes across as the quintessential policy wonk: knowledgeable, thoughtful, measured, perhaps even a tad boring.

ARE YOU “THE UNKNOWN LIBERAL”?  Pick me, pick me!  —  Jerry Falwell's offspring of Liberty University, the Liberty Counsel has a wonderful new idea! … How does it work, you ask? … I nominate myself as “The “Unknown Liberal.  No, really, that's a choice.  You can't make this crap up.

As Job Loss Rises, Obama Aides Act to Fix Safety Net  —  WASHINGTON — With unemployment expected to rise well into next year even as the economy slowly recovers, the Obama administration and Democratic leaders in Congress are discussing extending several safety net programs as well as proposing …

Barack Obama cancels meeting with Dalai Lama ‘to keep China happy’  —  President Barack Obama has refused to meet the Dalai Lama in Washington this week in a move to curry favour with the Chinese.  —  The decision came after China stepped up a campaign urging nations to shun the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Pay Czar Targets Salary Cuts  —  Top Earners at Firms Getting Aid Would See Compensation Shift From Cash to Stock  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration's pay czar is planning to clamp down on compensation at firms receiving large sums of government aid by cutting annual cash salaries …

PRESS SECRETARY ROBERT GIBBS  —  MR. GIBBS: Since we didn't have a chance to do this at the end of last week, let me do a brief week ahead on a couple of scheduling items.  —  I think some of you may know, but tomorrow the President will visit the National Counterterrorism Center in Washington, D.C., where he will deliver remarks.

GOP Senate candidate: My campaign is like fighting the Nazis in World War II.  —  In an interview with the Washington Post yesterday, former Ron Paul economic adviser Peter Schiff, who is now running as a Republican for Connecticut's U.S. Senate seat, feigned modesty when asked about his candidacy …

Turkey: Protestors burn Israeli flag  —  Thousands attend anti-Israel rally in Istanbul held in support of Arab riots in Jerusalem.  Foreign Ministry says moderate forces in turkey will know difference between incitement, facts  —  A mass anti-Israel rally was held in Istanbul Monday.

Obama, Biden to meet with lawmakers on Afghanistan  —  President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will meet with lawmakers tomorrow to discuss Afghanistan policy.  The meeting will take place in the State Dining Room at the White House, but is closed to the press.

Paul Krugman asks a Question  —  He argues that the Recalculation story falls apart … This is a good question.  I would say that answer may be that the dynamics of booms and busts are asymmetric.  —  Note that the housing boom took place slowly, and it built up over a period of years.

Sotomayor Takes Active Role on Court's First Day  —  The Supreme Court began its new term Monday with an inquisitive new justice and a case from Maryland about how long police must honor a suspect's request for an attorney.  —  Justice Sonia Sotomayor displayed no reticence …

Taking Their Time: Finance Committee May Delay Vote As It Awaits CBO Analysis  —  The Senate Finance Committee was supposed to convene for a vote on its controversial health care bill tomorrow.  Now, that's looking doubtful.  —  Early in the amendment process, the panel agreed not to hold …

In Aftermath of Failed Execution, Ohio Governor Orders Postponement of 2 Others  —  CINCINNATI — In continuing fallout from a failed execution last month, Gov. Ted Strickland on Monday postponed two other executions to give corrections officials more time to revise lethal injection procedures.

Did Viacom find smoking gun in YouTube case?  —  Lawyers working on a $1 billion copyright lawsuit filed by Viacom against Google's YouTube may have uncovered evidence that employees of the video site were among those who uploaded unauthorized content to YouTube.