In Brief - December 14th, 2007

Here is today's quick news digest:

In the Pacific Northwest

• Fred Jarrett doesn't want to be a Republican anymore. We can understand that. He's about to leave the Republican caucus for the Democrats after several years as a GOP legislator. Welcome to a new way of life, Mr. Jarrett. Or an old one, if you're used to reason and compassion. As for suburban Republicans, the Seattle Times headline says it all: "Once mighty GOP takes another Eastside hit".
• Governor Gregoire would like to see our ancient ferries replaced with three new ones. The Legislature will take up her supplemental budget request this winter. Meanwhile, the state is leasing a ferry from Pierce County to help out with the Keystone-Port Townsend run.
• Jeff Merkley, a Democratic candidate for US Senate in Oregon, sees the new energy bill as feeble (several important provisions were gutted by Republicans), but a step in the proper direction.

Across the Nation

• “Contempt” is an appropriate (if weak) word when thinking about the actions of Karl Rove and Josh Bolten. These guys have escaped accountability for way too long. But yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee finally voted for contempt charges against these two dangerous sociopaths for not showing up when subpoenaed in the Alberto Gonzales fiasco. Stay tuned.
• When you knowingly let a guy who won't define waterboarding as torture run the Justice department, what are the odds of him actually allowing investigations of waterboarding? Michael Mukasey delivers as expected.
• This doesn't make sense: Alan Keyes gets to join the Republican debates in Iowa, but Denis Kucinich is locked out of the Democratic debate? Go figure. After 27 debates (and I use the term loosely), I suppose Keyes has higher entertainment value. I don't know. Maybe the Des Moines (IA) Register can explain that one, but I doubt it.

Around the World

• Here's some comfort for Dick Cheney and anybody else with fake worries about nuclear weapons in the Middle East and environs: Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's Decider, has decided the President—not the Prime Minister—should be in charge of the country's nukes. See? He took off the General's uniform, and everything's fine.
• When Chinese parents openly seek toys made in other countries, it's probably time for those of us in America to pay attention to something other than price when we're shopping for our kids. (A reminder that Darcy Burner's campaign is offering free toy testing at many Eastside locations tomorrow).
• We've captured a billion “second in command” al Qaeda operatives, according to the White House, which has repeatedly touted successes in the effort to round up terrorists. So why is this guy and his boss still kicking out audio tapes and videos?

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