The Skinny: The Senate's Soap Opera

The "Drama" Of The Senate's Nonbinding Iraq Resolution Begins Today

(CBS)  The Skinny is Hillary Profita's take on the top news of the day and the best of the Internet.

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Pump up the volume on your C-SPAN. The "drama" of the much-bandied-about nonbinding resolution that disagrees with President Bush's plan to increase the number of troops sent to Iraq is set to begin this afternoon in the Senate.

The Washington Post features a front-page article previewing the "historic showdown," which will apparently "test the mettle of every member of the chamber."

It will be an extra-special test for Republicans, particularly those facing re-election in 2008. GOP senators are "torn between home-state voters eager for them to take a stand" and those "who warn that passage of the resolution would undermine chances of a successful conclusion to the war."

Of course, "Republican senators are loath to say that political calculations could weigh on their votes."

Obama, Clinton And Some Other Guy Running For President

This Monday morning brings yet another front-page analysis of Sen. Barack Obama's prospects as a presidential candidate, as apparently every possible angle of that story has not been speculated upon to its fullest extent.

Today, the Post examines how the Obama campaign plans to continue "his booming grass-roots support while obeying the conventions of running for president."

In that vein, Obama will be seeking a "pared-down image that focuses on the substance of his message ('the audacity of hope,' as his book title put it) rather than on proving his ability to win a general election."

And while much media attention has been lavished on Obama, the New York Times' front page chimes in noting in it's lede that "John Edwards has no intention of getting lost in the shuffle."

And yet, even the Times' profile of Edwards' campaign spends a good deal of time discussing how he measures up to Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Today, he'll be marching right in to Clinton's territory — unveiling a plan that would provide health insurance to all of America's uninsured.

(If you're looking for a nice respite from profiles of Obama and Clinton, The Los Angeles Times offers a profile of another rising political superstar — Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel.)

Could We Have $2.9 Trillion Please? Thanks.

The LAT's front page also takes note of President Bush's $2.9 trillion spending request that he'll submit to Congress today (the Wall Street Journal's newsbox also highlights the news.)

The LAT highlights the defense budget in particular, which at $481 billion is "near historic highs, even when adjusted for inflation."

Additional funding for Iraq and Afghanistan will put this year's cost at "close to $165 billion" and the Chiefs of Staff are "gearing up for a long-term campaign to convince Congress and the public" that the war on terror will "require tens of billions more each year to meet the nation's defense needs."

One anonymous "senior Pentagon official" told the paper that the Air Force was expected to request an additional $20 billion annually for the next five years.

Lost In 'Loopy' Translation

China is also taking up some front-page real estate today. The Journal reports that in advance of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the city is revamping "the loopy English translations that appear on the nation's signs."

For example, the city has replaced thousands of signs that said: 'To take notice of safe: The slippery are very crafty.' (Translation: Be careful, slippery.)"

This type of language (popularly referred to as Chinglish, writes the Journal) arose in the 1980s and '90s, as the popularity of the English language outpaced the country's ability to speak it correctly. "English words were used on billboards and on clothing to denote exoticism and sophistication — but the words often made no sense."

One Washington native who now lives in Beijing is not a fan of the revamping, arguing that it is "really taking away one of the joys of China." He was particularly disappointed to find that the sign for the "Dongda Hospital for Anus and Intestine Disease Beijing" was changed to "Hospital of Proctology."

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[skyk-2009]

If I were the Fascist I wouldn't want to debate this either. Of all the Blunders in the History of the World this has to rank right up there. Watching the American People suffer cuts in just about every program and in all aspects of Government to fund a war that never had to be...its not just disgusting it's treason!

[bluestardad]

Truth will engage and come out because it cannot be hidden for ever!

[bluestardad]

Founded in 1953 by Isaiah L. "Si" Kenen, AIPAC's original name was the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs. According to UCLA political science professor and author, Steven Spiegel, "the tension between the Eisenhower administration and Israeli supporters was so acute that there were rumors (unfounded as it turned out) that the administration would investigate the American Zionist Council. Therefore, an independent lobbying committee was formed, which years later was renamed [AIPAC]." [SPIEGEL, p. 52].[citation needed] Today, AIPAC has over 100,000 members.[1]
Activities and stated goals
AIPAC's stated purpose is to lobby the Congress of the United States on issues and legislation "to ensure that the U.S.-Israel relationship is strong so that both countries can work together" to meet the challenges of "stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, fighting terrorism and achieving peace".[2] It regularly meets with members of Congress and holds events where it can share its views. It also provides analysis of the voting records of U.S. federal representatives and senators with regard to how they voted on legislation related to Israel. AIPAC has been effective in gaining support for Israel among members of Congress and White House administrations.

[mattcat25]

This kind of increased spending without any assured return on our investment, or a plan to pay for all this freedom in the Middle East should be a concern to the American People. Bush and the rubber stamp GOP Congress has allowed this unchecked barrage of Federal Treasury Funds being diverted to the Private Special Interest Sector, without oversight and no real plan for an outcome.

1% of Americans are taking profit, while 99.9 are getting the royal shaft!

Stop Bush/Cheney.