Long Overdue Updates: Buck Naked Politics News Round-Up (Mar.13-20)

Mar. 13
More on overbroad data mining by the FBI.  (Why don't Republicans mind?)

There was some dithering---subsequently resolved---about whether the Pentagon would release that Iraq report about which we'd all heard such intriguing things. 

Mar. 14
At the request of Republicans, the House held a secret meeting to debate FISA.  What were they debating?  It was a big old SECRET, but whatever it was,  it was supposed to convince Dems to grant telecom amnesty. 

While the Pentagon didn't distribute its report to all and sundry, journalists could request it, and ABC News promptly did.  The report revealed the shocking news that Saddam was not linked to al Qaeda.  While most of us were saying, "Duh!", a few Bush administration apologists were deconstructing the report to find some kind of link.  Given the whole thing about every two individuals being separated by a maximum of six others, they were naturally able to find some straws---probably in their hair----out of which to manufacture their bricks.

Petraeus wasn't satisfied with the progress toward political reconciliation in Iraq.  And that was before things got really bad.

Mar. 15
The FISA bill passed without telecom immunity, though with some aspects that definitely worry D Cupples.

Mar. 16
Let us consider our Bushed economy.

Mar. 17
Bear Stearns is gonna get by with a little help from its friends.

Mar. 18
For example, the government---i.e., the taxpayers, meaning you and me----is going to lend J.P. Morgan a huge chunk of cash to buy Bear Stearns.  I'm so glad that even with our tanking economy, we can afford to provide welfare for Wall Streeters.  It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  In other news, the Fed cut interest rates.

The Bush Administration was subjected to a little pressure by a pesky federal magistrate over those missing emails.

Mar. 19
As I was saying, the Fed cut interest rates.  And stock prices surged (if you'll pardon the expression).

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court was poised to strike down the District Columbia's handgun ban.

Mar. 20
And George W. Bush was still president---a president whose ratings continue to hit new lows.   On a possibly related note, 71% of Americans polled thought the Iraq War was hurting the economy.  .

House GOP members didn't want people who'd had bad experiences with credit card companies to testify about their nasty experiences.  So the Republicans used a particularly unpleasant ploy to prevent this from happening.