At Least Dan Quayle Wasn't Elected in '96, Either

I'm now old enough that I'm eligible for a college newspaper's dive into the archives. I look scarily young (and presumably healthy). I don't recall the Tucson rally as focused on health care, but what the heck.

He Said, She Said: Special Muslim Man-on-the-Street Edition!

You could read this Arizona Republic article three times, as I did, and finish with absolutely no idea whether CAIR is evil and connected with terrorist organizations, or if its real crime is not being acceptable to right-wing Republicans. It's also not clear if the American Islamic Forum for Democracy has any members apart from its president, Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser. But what's beyond dispute is that Dr. Jasser is the Repubic's right-wing Islamic answer to Greg Packer.

White People, Obsessed With Race

Of course they all have to ask the President. They probably don't know any other black people.

See also Andy Borowitz: Criticism of Obama 'Not About Race,' Says New Poll of White People.

More Murtha, Less Johnstown

Now the Wall Street Journal joins in, going after the Cambria County airport, another local earmark-fest. Here's Matthew Yglesias, taking the long view more expansively than my prior post. We're getting to critical mass here, which can't be good for Johnstown.

I'm on the email list of a Johnstown guy, who sends out constant streams of emails about Israel and whose latest missives are World Net Daily (!) articles on Van Jones. (He sent around articles about the birth certificate lawsuits during the election but has since moved on, unlike the last remnant Birthers, so he's not completely untrainable.) His legal and lobbying practice is completely dependent on Jack Murtha. Very dark storm clouds are gathering, if not for next fall then after redistricting in 2012, and he's obsessing about Van Jones.

You can see what's happening, it's the Reverse Johnstown Flood. When the federal dollars stop flowing, the buildings will still be standing and there won't be any mud to clean up, but the effect on the community will be equivalent to when the steel mills shut down.