The climate bill is on the ropes in the Senate. Tom Friedman begs GOP Senators to join the Democrats in passing the bill. They won't, whether you (or they) think Friedman's reasons are good ones or not. The GOP (and the Democrats would do the same if the shoe was on the other foot) are going to do whatever is necessary to weaken the Democrats in the eyes of independent voters between now and November, and they'll do whatever is necessary to fire up their own base supporters during that time as well. This is how it is done, and how it has always been done, except in times of extraordinary national emergencies (and sometimes, even then).

A very scary unemployment graph.

Michael Gerson says there are signs of sanity in the Tea Party movement.

Katrina vanden Heuvel offers some left-wing solutions for our financial system.