late update sept13

UPDATE: #shutstorm happened, 0000 EST 01October2013. Great piece on how gerrymandered voting districts helped allow this to happen.

Late Friday came word that the UN had voted on supporting the cataloguing, removal and destruction of Syria's chemical weapons. Last week it seemed an intractable situation and now it is as good an outcome as could be hooped for. In a surprise press briefing late in the aftrenoon, Obama announced he had spoken to the new President of Iran: the first time that's happened since 1979.

Seymour Hersh was on a roll, captured by the guardian, where he advocates firing 95% of media. They're far too easy on this WH, he says. Especially about surveillance and what the spooks do in our name. There was an open hearing in the Senate yesterday led by Intelligence Committee Chair, the CA Sen Diane Feinstein. Watching it on cspan3 yesterday was informative. You could see the heads Clapper and Alexander working to establish the foundation of a 'rapport' about the hot issues they claim to be responsible for. Acknowledging public perception (blaming the media), acknowledging the usefulness of hearings before Congress, welcoming criticism and emphasizing internal and external checks. The only real critic of this mass of secret USGOV activities was OR Sen Ron Wyden who was allowed five minutes to question the officials. Emptywheel talks about some of what was interesting about that.

some on the right-wing fever dream to get rid of the CFPB in three minutes on chrishayes

They're so scared it will work, that sabotaging healthcare is now big business for the usual suspects. Reporting by the Nation.