Top Items:

Do We Really Need a National Weather Service? — As Hurricane Irene bears down on the East Coast, news stations bombard our televisions with constant updates from the National Hurricane Center. — While Americans ought to prepare for the coming storm, federal dollars need not subsidize their preparations.
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Right Wing Tries New Tactic To Soften Bush's Katrina Debacle: Say Obama's Leadership On Irene Is Just For Show — The President of the United States oversees the national response to Hurricane Irene — With the threat of Hurricane Irene to millions of Americans from the Carolinas to New England …
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys


Obama takes charge at hurricane command center — US President Barack Obama warned the US east coast was in for a “long 72 hours” as he led his government's response to Hurricane Irene at a disaster command center in Washington. — Obama on Saturday chaired a meeting at the National …

Biden Golfed in Hours Preceding Hurricane — Delaware was pounded by Hurricane Irene on Saturday night, but Vice President Biden got in one last round of golf in his home state before the heavy stuff started coming down, Fox News has learned. — Biden played golf at a Wilmington-area course …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and Scared Monkeys


Seeing Irene as Harbinger of a Change in Climate — The scale of Hurricane Irene, which could cause more extensive damage along the Eastern Seaboard than any storm in decades, is reviving an old question: are hurricanes getting worse because of human-induced climate change?
Discussion:
News Desk, Climate Central, RedState, LewRockwell.com Blog and Green

How To Politicize a Hurricane — It remains to be seen whether …
Discussion:
Sadly, No!


Obama: Getting Through Irene Will Be ‘Tough Slog’
Discussion:
The Lonely Conservative and CNN

Obama's Enablers — Meet the mainstream media.
Discussion:
The Lonely Conservative

Reporter Gives Update Covered In Sea Foam — MYFOXNY.COM - A local news reporter from Washington, D.C. ended up getting covered in what is probably the remnants of raw sewage as he delivered live hurricane reports from Ocean City, Md. — WTTG-TV reporter Tucker Barnes was providing live updates …
Discussion:
Gothamist, Mediaite, Towleroad News #gay, Gawker and Midnight Blue Says


BREAKING: Perry Says He Hasn't ‘Backed Off Anything’ In His Book, Still Thinks Social Security Is Unconstitutional — ThinkProgress filed this report from Des Moines, IA. — During a campaign stop in Des Moines, Iowa today, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) reaffirmed all the views expressed in his book Fed Up! …
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog and Lawyers, Guns & Money
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Perry calls Social Security ‘monstrous lie’ — OTTUMWA, Iowa - Riding high in the polls, Gov. Rick Perry rode into Iowa on Saturday with tough talk on President Obama, the economy and foreign policy and a declaration that Social Security is not only a Ponzi scheme but a “monstrous lie” for younger people.
Discussion:
The Hill, Associated Press and ThinkProgress


Flooding begins as Irene heads out — New York (CNN) — The streets of Manhattan began flooding Sunday morning as Irene lashed New York City with wind gusts and torrential rains. — Even as Irene weakened to a tropical storm, authorities in the region warned that its impact was not waning.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Guardian, Hot Air, This Just In and msnbc.com
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Did We Drop the Ball on Unemployment? — WHEN I'm in New York or Washington, people talk passionately about debt and political battles. But in the living rooms or on the front porches here in Yamhill, Ore., where I grew up, a different specter wakes friends up in the middle of the night.
Discussion:
Daily Kos


Why won't America embrace the left? — In two centuries, the movement's history in America is plagued by failure. An expert explains why — What has the left really accomplished over the past two centuries? FDR's New Deal remains one of the great American success stories.
Discussion:
The Other McCain, The Lonely Conservative and Taylor Marsh

Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, Qaeda No. 2, Is Said to Be Dead — WASHINGTON — A drone operated by the C.I.A. killed Al Qaeda's second-ranking operative in the mountains of Pakistan this month, an American official said Saturday, further weakening a terrorism network shaken by the killing of Osama bin Laden this year.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, CBS News, americanthinker.com, Wonkette, Hot Air, Balloon Juice and Attackerman