Sunday Clean Up

Sorry about the spacing of the previous post but Google must have hit Santorum.

++We got to see Florida's Governor Rick Scott over the last few days. He said the next president would be the winner of the Straw Poll so I guess that means it's Herman Cain, who has an 8% chance of living another 5 years. But Rick is embroiled in another controversy--the drug testing of people receiving unemployment benefits. 93% of the first batch passed the test. But now it's come to the attention of the state that the drug testing alone costs more than they would save if they suspended payment to those who failed the test.

++If I have refrained from my Israel-Palestine post because I was stunned by Rick perry's invasion of the UN turf to argue that the American position should be for a Greater Israel, making him more Zionist than the Israelis. Bill Clinton opined that Perry's position was in harmony with the Bible Belt. Perry also appeared at the UN with two members of the Knesset, who represent the settlers. Not to be outdone, Romney said that there could be not an inch separating the United States and Israel. Meanwhile, President Obama was trying to bail out Bibi, who got himself into a terrible mess. Obama said the United States would veto the Palestinian state at the Security Council but Abbas' speech at the UN drew cheers on the West Bank. Netanyahu claimed to want talks and, if course, attacked the United Nations. But, all is not lost, the United States and the EU have been working behind the scenes to hammer out a plan for renewed talks and a deadline for completion of a deal. Hopefully, something will be agreed to or else Israel and the United States will stand isolated in the time of the Arab Spring.

++Much has been made out of flagging Jewish support for Obama. It's hard to believe it could come from not backing Israel, despite all the propaganda. Obama gave Israel the highest increase in military assistance in decades, provided the new missile defense system,allowed the Army Corps of Engineers to work along the Gaza border to build structure to prevent further tunneling and it was revealed last week provided Israel with bunker-busting bombs, something the Bush Administration wouldn't do. The reason the Bush Adinistration won't do it was because of their fear that the technology would end up in China. Parse that one out.

++ Color me cynical but I can't seem to get worked up about the possibility that there might be a government shut-down this week. Talk about cynics, the House GOP passed a continuing resolution needed to keep the government open but with cuts to the auto industry to offset FEMA funding. Talk about the original job killers! And the Senate Democrats didn't fall for it. So the mud-wrestling continues tomorrow.

++The Telegraph (U.K.) reported that Europe is preparing a multi-trillion dollar package to save the Euro and create a firewall around Greece, Portugal and Ireland. The United States has been pleading with Angela Merkel to finally step up to the plate, warning her about the collapse of the stock market. One commentator noted that for all the parochial issues being debated in the United States, this will result in something bigger than Pearl Harbor and make all the nonsense here moot. Remember the Great Depression started in the U.K. The World Bank and the IMF is warning almost on an hourly basis that the world stands on the edge of the abyss.

++While President Obama continues his campaign for the American Jobs Bill, Republicans on the Hill are saying nothing is going to happen for 14 months. They are just running out the clock. It is a stunning lack of responsibility. But so far Republicans have not been penalized for their obstructionism. And polling for the House shows that 2012 will be a tough time for Democrats trying to get back on top. The Greenberg poll shows that Democrats are being hit with the negative approval of Congress as well and that while their chances are better than the Republicans in the 60 swing districts it's not a slam dunk.

++Yes, the great Mariano Rivera did save the game that clinched the Division Title for the Yankees. But now that he's broken the record and become immortal, I will wait until the championship series to tune in again.