According to the Army Times, beginning October 1st, the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team will be deployed within the United States for the purpose of "homeland defense". For 35 of the past 60 months, the brigade has been on active duty in Iraq.  Now they're training in the use of nonlethal weapons and crowd control techniques.  The paper says the unit may be called upon to help with instances of civil unrest as well as to assist in the "war on drugs". The brigade will be under the control of NorthCom--a joint command established in 2002 to provide command and control for federal homeland defense and to provide defense support for various civil authorities.  At first glance, this would seem to be a clear violation of the Posse Comitatus Act.  At the very least, it sets a troubling and dangerous precedent.  Will the U.S. now join the list of countries where the sight of armed military personnel patrolling the streets becomes commonplace?  Apparently so.

Here's the announcement in the Army Times:

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/

Apparently, our local police forces are not longer sufficient to keep the peace.  The Bush Administration, with the help of a feckless and sometimes corrupt Congress, appears to be on the verge of nationalizing law enforcement.  Were the abuses this year at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul merely a dress rehearsal?

It may be wise to write your Congresspeople--right now, today--and ask them why the Army is being deployed on American soil.

This is a major story that the MSM should be covering.  One wonders why they aren't.

Greenwald is on the case.  He points out that while conspiracy theories of martial law and an endless Bush-Cheney dictatorship are tempting to consider, it's unlikely that this could be accomplished with a single Army brigade:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/09/24/army/index.html

Still, the timing of this move is somewhat ominous...

OK, I think we've all seen enough of Sarah Palin, haven't we?  Do we really need to watch a pointless and gory public spectacle on Thursday as Joe Biden completely eviscerates this clueless, pathetic woman and sucks the marrow from her bones?  Do we need another interview to understand that she is utterly unfit for the office she attains to?  The possibility of Sarah Palin in the White House should be a cause for deep despair for all Americans.  But particularly for John McCain, who has given so much for his country. 

After all he has done, after all the sacrifices he has made, he is truly willing to turn around and do this?  To his own country?  Not to sound shrill, but John McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate is truly--truly--tantamount to treason.

This must end.  In choosing Sarah Palin as his running mate, John McCain has shown that he himself lacks the judgment necessary to lead our nation.  For the good of America, John McCain should permanently suspend his campaign, stop running ads, and return all public funds to the taxpayers.  If you think I'm joking, watch the clip on the main TPM page:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txfqWzGMgmY

And for a little comic relief (if there is any comedy to be had in this situation) you might want to watch this as well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ9bP_AqHPg

This is a fun clip.  Appearing on Fox & Friends this morning, conservative jackass Michael Reagan, in an attack on Obama and the Democratic leadership, launched into a rant about Enron and Worldcom.  Guest Mike Papantonio, rightly figuring they were talking about history, brought up the Keating Five scandal, at which point, host Steve "Douchebag" Doocy immediately tried to shut him down.  The producer can even be heard off camera calling for someone to cut Papantonio's mic:

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Fox_host_tells_guest_mentioning_Keating_0925.html

A very touchy subject as far as the wingers are concerned, apparently.  Game on.

You just need to read this one for yourself.  From the National Review Online:

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MDZiMDhjYTU1NmI5Y2MwZjg2MWNiMWMyYTUxZDkwNTE=

Is there a movement bubbling under on the Republican side?  Did someone from the McCain campaign suggest she write this, now that Palin's debate with Biden appears to be on again?

This could be a lot of fun.

It's the biggest bank failure in the history of the world.  J.P. Morgan/Chase now owns Washington Mutual.

So John McCain has suspended his campaign.  Immediately following his announcement, McCain took the opportunity to appear on CBS for an interview with Katie Couric.  This morning, he gave a speech to Clinton's Global Initiative, where he again reiterated that he has suspended his campaign (and where he used the phrase, "When I am elected president" numerous times.  An odd phrase coming from a guy who's suspended his campaign, n'est pas?).  My friends, this isn't campaigning--it's just talking to folks.  Because John McCain has suspended his campaign.  No campaigning for John McCain until this financial crisis is resolved.  None whatsoever.  No siree, Bob.

Members of Congress have let McCain know, in no uncertain terms, that his input and assistance are neither requested nor particularly appreciated.  In the words of Barney Frank: "All of a sudden, now that we're on the verge of making a deal, John McCain drops himself in here to make a deal.  I really worry about this politicization of it.  Frankly, we’re going to have to interrupt a negotiating session tomorrow between the Democrats and Republicans on a bill where I think we’re getting pretty close, and troop down to the White House for a photo-op, and then come back and get on with it.  We’re trying to rescue the economy, not the McCain campaign."  "It's the longest Hail Mary pass in the history of either football or Marys."

It's becoming increasingly obvious that one of the primary reasons McCain pulled this stunt was to kill the Palin-Biden debate.  Let's hope he doesn't get away with it.

Is this sweet or what?  John McCain cancelled tonight's appearance on Late Night with David Letterman, so they've replaced him with Keith Olbermann.  Poetic justice is the sweetest justice of all.

In response to the news of the cancellation, Letterman quipped: "This doesn't smell right.  I think someeone's been putting something in his Metamucil."

Letterman also reportedly cut into a taping of an interview McCain was doing with Katie Couric and offered to give McCain a ride home.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/24/john-mccain-cancels-lette_n_128998.html

Reuters - February 10, 2009

President John McCain, responding to the latest crisis on Wall Street and his impending divorce from wife Cindy following the revelation of a sexual liason with Vice President Sarah Palin, has announced that he will suspend the U.S. Government for an undetermined amount of time "in order to assess this critical situation".  The McCain administration will appoint a commission to study the situation and, according to the president, "We will get to the bottom of this.  Because the American public demands it, and because I am a maverick reformer."

The House has unanimously voted to impeach the president, but a vote in the Senate will have to wait until the government is back in session.  Anonymous sources report that McCain will be spending the time with actress Anne Hathaway aboard her former boyfriend's yacht, which is currently anchored in Mallorca..Sources also report that the president has said that he finds being president to be "confusing".

With his poll numbers flagging, a scandal brewing concerning his campaign manager, increasing demands that Sarah Palin answer questions from the media, and a devastating speech on the way from the president, John McCain is clearly trying duck out the back door.

Senator McCain is afraid to debate Barack Obama.  It's really that simple.  They're hoping for good news.  The turtle has crawled into its shell.  The armadillo has rolled into a defensive ball.  The race is nearly over, and there's still more than a month to go.

As I've insisted throughout this race, this is going to be a landslide.