Because lately you've gone a little overboard.

I'm a avid reader and admired the way you called out the Bush cronies for the last eight years, but honestly, I think you've lost focus. It's certainly a little early to start bashing Obama over adjustments in his policies. There are enough neocon wackos who still think Obama is a Muslim bashing everything he does, thank you.

I think you've failed to appreciate the differences between the current administration and the cabal that just left. I'm reminded of them every time Darth Cheney, the most self-serving lying bastard ever to claw his way into Washington, crawls out of his lair to spout lies and accusations on TV. Compared to the past eight years we are living in a comparative Golden Age--I call it such because already I'm afraid in 4-8 years the forces of darkness will elect someone like Palin.

As for the House Dems following Obama before their own judgment: they could do a lot worse. Oh, yeah, they did that between 2002-2005, when they passed the Republican Enabling Acts limiting our freedoms. At least this ringleader has a brain and decent motives.

Newmark's actually in tune with his brethren, and may be carrying water for some on the Right--who have been there for years--who believe that executive comp in most of corporate America has gone off the chart. When revolving, replaceable CEOs are making 100-200 times what some guy on the factory floor or mailroom is making, with lavish bonuses even for failure, the stockholders--you know, that bedrock of economic society sanctified by the children of Adam Smith--won't take it any more.

So this is not necessarily a political issue, per se. The only shame is that it took a financial crash and government intervention to act as a voice for the common shareholder, since the directors won't act, as they're the same people revolving between companies as CEOs, looting on a scale comparable to African dictators.

"@DoubleHelix: heh, probably both types of power generation will be developed. Not every region has a handy desert for solar, and fusion plants will be expensive for the next 200 years, probably, at least."

Deserts, unfortunately, are growing, not shrinking. The French project in the Sahara could power many countries (http://www.expatica.com/fr/news/french-news/Sahara-to-Europe-solar-power-plan-gets-warm-welcome-_54519.html).

As for fusion being expensive--why for two centuries?? Costs in technology inevitably come down as increased energy, knowledge, and speed spread the technology. No technology's cost has remained high over any period of time once improvements in transport and dissemination of information come into play. This computer I'm using now is over 100 times more powerful, faster, and colorful than one I used twenty years ago--and today would sell for about a third of the price.

A child is thought dead from a balloon accident, and the only angle you come up with--since apparently it's the only angle you ever come up with--is that Daddy is a racist/sexist/scumbucket? What's next, following a story about a kid who falls down a well with a piece documenting the rescue worker's custody case??

One of the many troubling things about you is that you still have a job at Salon and Salon happily publishes your libel.

Unlike Palin, who diligently worked her way up from the trenches, making allies in the party, studying the issues and facts...ah, who the f@ck is she kidding??

like many women, Kate Harding has issues with her mom.