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SEC staffers watched porn as economy crashed — WASHINGTON - Senior staffers at the Securities and Exchange Commission spent hours surfing pornographic websites on government-issued computers while they were being paid to police the financial system, an agency watchdog says.
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SEC Officials Surfing Porn During Financial Crisis, Report Finds — SEC Employees Exposed Downloading, Uploading Pornography at Work — The Securities and Exchange Commission is the sheriff of the financial industry, looking for crimes such as Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme …

The Government War — In these columns I try to give voice to a philosophy you might call progressive conservatism. It starts with the wisdom of Edmund Burke — the belief that the world is more complex than we can know and we should be skeptical of handing too much power to government planners.
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Party Affiliation Gap in U.S. Narrowest Since 2005 — Democratic advantage shrinks as more independents lean to the Republican Party — PRINCETON, NJ — The advantage in public support the Democratic Party built up during the latter part of the Bush administration and the early part …


White House leaves Durbin hanging — Sen. Dick Durbin slipped into the West Wing last week to ask Rahm Emanuel for White House help in saving Barack Obama's old Senate seat. — But he didn't leave with any ironclad commitments. — Durbin told Emanuel that Democratic nominee Alexi Giannoulias …
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Redactions Revealed: The Six Secrets You Need to Know From the Obama Subpoena Request — Former governor Rod Blagojevich's defense team asked Thursday to issue a trial subpoena to the President of the United States of America. — The motion, intended to be heavily redacted …

Don't Cry for Wall Street — On Thursday, President Obama went to Manhattan, where he urged an audience drawn largely from Wall Street to back financial reform. “I believe,” he declared, “that these reforms are, in the end, not only in the best interest of our country, but in the best interest of the financial sector.”
Discussion:
Washington Post, Left Coast Rebel, Hullabaloo, Bloomberg, Buttonwood's notebook and Prairie Weather
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Senate Dems: ‘The games are over’
Discussion:
Americans for Financial Reform, This Just In, New Deal 2.0, The Daily Beast and Pat Dollard

Votes in doubt as Reid sets Wall St. showdown
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Note, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Politics Daily, CNN and ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*


The Real Republican Civil War — The struggle between Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist for the Florida Senate seat symbolizes the rift between the reformers and the establishment in the GOP. — Marco Rubio appeared on a Sunday talk show this month to say something remarkable.
Discussion:
Commentary
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LeMieux Considering His Own Future — As FL Gov. Charlie Crist (R) considers his political future as an independent candidate, he's putting Sen. George LeMieux (R) in an awkward spot. — LeMieux, who ran Crist's past campaigns, served as his chief of staff at one point and has largely …

Schumer: Obama's ‘counter-productive’ Israel policy ‘has to stop’ — New York Senator Chuck Schumer harshly criticized the Obama Administration's attempts to exert pressure on Israel today, making him the highest-ranking Democrat to object to Obama's policies in such blunt terms.
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Barack Obama Strangelove Backing A Weapon Too Crazy For Bush/Cheney — The NY Times continues to present the Administration spin in favor of reducing our nuclear arsenal. Part of the rationale was that our conventional weapons, such as smart bombs and cruise missile, are much more accurate and powerful.
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Potential Supreme Court pick Garland could find foes on left — Unlike several other possible candidates to succeed retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Merrick B. Garland probably won't face conservative opposition. Instead, it could be liberals lining up against him.
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Democrats plan to introduce bill to blunt ruling on political spending
Discussion:
The Plum Line


GOP: Put Betty Sutton ‘back in the kitchen’?! — What's the best way to move women back decades? Just ask the GOP. — The Republican Review, an apparent newsletter produced by the Medina County (Ohio) Republican Executive Committee, states the following:
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GOP newsletter: 'Let's take Betty Sutton out of the House and put …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Greece Calls for Activation of Financial Rescue — ATHENS — Describing his country's economy as “a sinking ship,” the Greek prime minister formally requested an international bailout on Friday, an unprecedented step that will test the bonds of the European Union.
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Report says health care will cover more, cost more — WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law is getting a mixed verdict in the first comprehensive look by neutral experts: More Americans will be covered, but costs are also going up. — Economic experts at the Health …
Discussion:
Hit & Run, The Moderate Voice, Townhall.com, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Times, msnbc.com, GayPatriot and Confederate Yankee


Scott Brown rules out 2012 presidential run, backs Romney — Massachusetts Republican Senator Scott Brown said this morning he was ruling out a presidential run in 2012 and that he supported former Bay State governor Mitt Romney in the race. — “Yes, absolutely, 2012, I'm ruling it out …
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …

Obama Blasts Arizona Illegal Immigration Effort — This is pretty big: Obama just now sharply condemned the controversial anti-illegal immigration effort in Arizona, calling it “misguided” and “irresponsible” — and even said his administration could insert itself into the fight if civil rights are found to be violated.

Kerry: Three Big Oil Companies Likely to Back Climate Bill — When Sens. John Kerry, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman release their climate bill on Monday, they expect to have the backing of three of the five major oil companies, Mother Jones has learned. In a conference call with a coalition …
Discussion:
The Washington Independent, Wonk Room, Matthew Yglesias, The Hill, EnviroKnow and Wall Street Journal

Hoyer Sees Election Trouble for House Democrats — Nationally-recognized election prognosticator Charlie Cook isn't the only one who sees the majority for House Democrats slipping away. Today, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer agreed, but said that he and others will mount a strong campaign …
Discussion:
The Eye

Obama slams Arizona bill as fight lifts immigration to top of agenda — A controversial bill approved by Arizona's state legislation pushing the immigration debate to the forefront of the U.S. Senate. — President Barack Obama on Friday criticized the legislation, which would allow Arizona's state police …
Discussion:
The Swamp

Institutionalizing Crony Capitalism — In the wake of the recent financial meltdown, Americans know that we need reform. Not only have many individuals learned lessons about personal responsibility through this, but we've been able to engage in a discussion about government's appropriate role.

Dodd: Fannie and Freddie must be addressed in ‘next wave’ of legislation — Dodd says reforms are a legitimate issue but will have to wait for another bill. — Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) said Friday that legislation to address troubled mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will have to come …
Discussion:
The Washington Independent