Oil and Inflation (NYT)

burn wood

A systematic plan for reducing the nation’s dependence on oil should be a priority for policy makers.

All Too Human (NYT)

slippery slope for essayists

by Bob Herbert
Once the green light is given to torture, the guaranteed result is an ever-widening landscape of broken bodies, ruined lives and profound shame to all involved.

Anger and Restraint (NYT)

politics eliminated

By striking down the death penalty for the rape of a child, the Supreme Court’s ruling should deter efforts to extend the use of capital punishment.

More Phony Myths (NYT)

Dowd attacks Rove's elite charge but not the snide comments one.

by Maureen Dowd
“Even if you never met him, you know this guy. He’s the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone who passes by.”

Wounds You Can’t See (NYT)

Liberals prefer soldiers as helpless fluff because anything else is too complicated for propaganda.

by Bob Herbert
In the absence of any general call for sacrifice, we have an ironclad obligation to look out for the short- and long-term needs of the troops we send off to combat.

Census Damage Control (NYT)

liberal district expansion wanted

Preparations for the 2010 census are a shambles.

Mr. Bush, Lead or Leave (NYT)

words not found

by Thomas Friedman
It is hard to find the words to express what a fraudulent, pathetic excuse for an energy policy President Bush’s new plan is.

Vice Is Nice (NYT)

to strafe at, (by women) = to strafe

by Gail Collins
On the other end, there’s the Cheney version in which the pet takes over the checkbook, diversifies the family investment portfolio and starts strafing at the neighbor’s cat.

The Court and Workers (NYT)

court as policy making arm of liberal government

The Supreme Court’s pro-worker decision on Thursday is notable because the court has appeared in recent years to go out of its way to side with corporations.

A Dubious Milestone (NYT)

lower classes explained

by Bob Herbert
A lot of clowns have fathered babies when they shouldn’t have, but it’s also difficult for many people to find the kind of job that makes raising a family feasible.

Public Funding on the Ropes (NYT)

criminals are basically good people

Unfortunately, Barack Obama has come up short of his vows to depart from self-interested politics in his decision to reject public spending limitations.

The Big Pander to Big Oil (NYT)

don't be cruel

President Bush’s decision to ask Congress to end the federal ban on offshore drilling along much of America’s continental shelf is cruelly misleading.

North Plainfield gas station closed for changing prices (Newsday)

Brain-dead populism is the price of eternal vigilance.

Officials have ordered a gas station in North Plainfield to close for 20 days for changing prices more than once in a 24-hour period.

Letter From Cairo (NYT)

price of Friedman opinion pieces falling

by Thomas Friedman
If prices keep soaring, food and fuel could reshape politics around the developing world as much as nationalism or Communism did in their days.

Obama on the Nile (NYT)

Cleft sentence packed with cliches

by Thomas Friedman
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Democrats’ nomination of Barack Obama as their candidate for president has improved America’s image abroad.

Primary Reforms (NYT)

new principle discovered in constitution

Tested against the principle of American democracy, which says that all voters should have equal opportunity, both parties’ systems fall short.

The Hate Speech Exception to the First Amendment

Savor the Moment (NYT)

the most unqualified candidates ever

by Bob Herbert
This election year has been a testament to the many decades of work by men and women to build a more just America.

A Gift to the G.O.P. (NYT)

clue bat tripped over

by Bob Herbert
The Democratic Party’s war with itself can only make you wonder about its vaunted claims of moral superiority when it comes to tolerance.