When I want to learn about something, I generally start with my good friend, the Google. Depending on how much I want to know, it can stop there, or lead me to the local public library. Sometimes, when I want to know a lot about one particular thing, I even head for one of the university libraries in town.

“Greed: A word commonly used by liberals, low achievers, anti-capitalists and society's losers to denigrate, shame and discredit those who have acquired superior job skills and decision-making capabilities and who, through the application of those job skills have accumulated wealth.” Neal Boortz

Congratulations to Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Hers was the first nomination of a progressive judge since Bill Clinton appointed Stephen Breyer fifteen years ago. In the national debate over her nomination, we saw a preview of what's to come in future nomination battles. Given the ages of the judges, we will likely see from one to four appointments before Obama leaves office.

As much as I hate the over-simplification of the liberal/conservative dichotomy (which feeds into the "with us or against us" mentality), a discussion I had recently with a friend left me thinking about how we often not only use those distinctions, but also use finer grained distinctions that are equally misleading. (Specifically we were talking about how the free trade vs. protectionism discussions combines disparate camps from both sides.)

Will wonders never cease?

Last week, Congressman Mark Souder, a conservative Republican from Indiana's 3rd district, voted--with 12 of his conservative Republican colleagues on the House Education and Labor Committee--for an amendment that would allow states to opt out of the federal health insurance reform plan as long as they set up a single payer system in their state. The amendment was sponsored by uber-liberal Dennis Kucinich (D-OH).

Yesterday, Steve Benen at the Washington Monthly pointed out that Paul Ryan had a piece at the American Spectator Web site. In it, Ryan writes:

The American character itself and the principles of free market democracy which protect and preserve it may be lost beyond recovery if Congress chooses the wrong path to health care reform

I don't have a whole lot of time to write this, but I'm hoping that the core questions I'm going to forward here will be compelling enough to stand on their own.  As I prepare to leave for the day, I'm listening to NPR.  I've been quite busy lately and haven't had the time to read as much as I like, but I've been trying to follow the political developments of health care reform.  It seems to me that this week we've gotten down to a new meme: "How will we pay for it?"

Last week, the House of Representatives voted 410-8 to spend nearly $100,000 to engrave "In God We Trust" and the Pledge of Allegiance at the Capitol Visitor Center. The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation Inc. immediately sued to stop the engraving.

Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, apologized today for his firm's strong earnings in 2009. In a press statement, he took responsibility for the profit and promised to lose money more aggressively for the remainder of the year.

The American Conservative Union (ACU), which proudly boasts of being "the nation's oldest conservative lobbying organization," proudly demanded $2M+ from FedEx in return for endorsing its position in a legislative dispute with UPS, stating, "We stand with FedEx in opposition to this legislation."

Our own Orlando yesterday posted an unbelievably tragic story regarding her mother and how our health care system completely failed her and her family. It's a powerful tale, one whose basic premise unfortunately could probably be told by way too many people in this country, and everyone needs to read it.

But trying to put aside the raw emotions for a moment - albeit, a nearly impossible task when discussing people's health and/or finances - this is a crisis where the answers will not come easy.

I didn't grow up in a family with a lot of money. In fact, we apparently started out poor. I didn't know this, because I was three and thought a walk shuffling through leaves was the best entertainment ever. But my mom and dad both worked really hard and my mom was a serious penny pincher. So, they saved.

The Supreme Court nomination process is one of the weirdest games in American politics. By tradition, the confirmation process is supposed to be non-partisan. Many Americans subscribe to an ideal that judges should objectively interpret the law without political bias. Of course, everyone admits that there is no true objectivity, but many of us still hope that our judges will come as close to objectivity as possible in a political institution.

I can admit when I'm wrong. Sometimes.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/09/AR2009070902908.html

I was absolutely certain that Roland Burris would never let go of his senate seat without a contentious primary. I was also pretty sure that Lisa Madigan would challenge him in a primary.

Looks like the Illinois Democratic party might have something up its sleeve. I can't wait to see who the final candidate will be

The titular question is one that my old man used to ask me when the going got tough and he could see that I was thinking of packing it in.

"You're going to give up, huh?"

"I don't know, dad.  This is hard!"

"Well, did you ever hear of Oliver Twiddledee?"

"No."

"That's because he gave up."

(IMPORTANT UPDATE: Full video - embedded below in the comments section - seems to exonerate the POTUS of his 'checking the goods' gaffe, tho not Sarkozy.)

So the media is all abuzz of this picture of Barack and French President Nicolas Sarkozy apparently checking out the rear end of a 16-year-old girl from Rio de Janeiro.

Hi everyone!!!!!!!  i wrote a letter to sarah palin on tues but she hasn't answered yet but i know that she will becuz she appreciates her grrrrlfriends!!!!! 

DEAR SARAH PALIN,

i am writing 2u becuz i have been reading lots of stuff from media dorks who hate u becuz ur beautiful and successful .

The AP has posted an article detailing Obama's new regulatory plan that would if enacted impose serious penalties on financial institutions when they get too large.