Unprecedented Tensions in Iran

Tensions Remain in Iranian Government

While street protests in Iran have been squashed, it appears from reports from the BBC that those protests have lead to significant tension and strain with in the Iranian government.

BBC - Fight resumes over Iran cabinet

Iranian MPs have resumed a heated debate on the nominees for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's new cabinet.

The Majlis holds a confidence vote on Wednesday, but correspondents say the president is struggling to win backing in the predominantly conservative body.

The latest objections by MPs have been levelled at his choice for education minister, one of three women nominees.

Iran is mired in political turmoil after Mr Ahmadinejad's re-election, which triggered huge street protests.

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Iranian press reports described the exchanges between Mr Ahmadinejad and leading conservatives on the first day of the debate on Sunday as unprecedented.

Mr Ahmadinejad defended his government as the "cleanest" possible. He rejected accusations that he had simply chosen ministers who would be obedient "yes-men".

Conservatives and reformers alike accused him of nominating unqualified people without consulting MPs.

Jaycee Lee Dugard Reuniting with Family

News on Jaycee Lee Dugard reuniting with family. Abducted at age 11 and imprisoned for 18 years, concern about the long term affects of her treatment/detention remain.

From the NY Daily News, Jaycee Lee Dugard's struggle to re-enter society after 18 years in captivity

Things started well, said FBI Special Agent Chris Campion, who worked on the case for nearly two decades and was present at last week's ecstatic reunion between mom Terry Probyn and Dugard, the daughter she last saw at age 11.

"There's going to be a period of adjustment, no doubt, but they're doing very well at this point," he said in an FBI podcast.

"It was a very emotional scene - both of them were just overjoyed to be with each other again," he said. "The two daughters are probably as happy as Jaycee is to be part of this family."

Shayna Probyn, 19, who was an infant when Dugard was kidnapped, wrote in a MySpace message, "I have a lot of love to share with my sister and new nieces."

The family is intent on making things easy for Dugard, now 29, and her daughters, 15 and 11.

They are being kept out of the public eye, and relatives and officials aren't saying where they are staying.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/08/31/2009-08-31_fragile_days_ahead_for_jaycee_kids.html#ixzz0PmNJyMO2

Deficit Climbing

From Expo Business New deficit projections pose risks to Obama's agenda

The White House budget office and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan arm of Congress, release updated economic forecasts and deficit estimates on Tuesday, providing further fiscal fodder to opponents of Obama's nearly $1 trillion healthcare overhaul plan.


Many of the figures are already known.


The White House has confirmed that its deficit estimate for the 2009 fiscal year, which ends September 30, will inch down to $1.58 trillion from $1.84 trillion after eliminating billions of dollars originally set aside for bank rescues.


Looking forward, an administration official told Reuters the 10-year budget deficit projection will jump by about $2 trillion to roughly $9 trillion from an original forecast of $7.1

Government Deficit Projections Soar

As previously reported the Federal Deficit is Soaring with estimates for this year being between $1.6 trillion or $1.8 trillion. Now the projected deficit for the next 10 years is up $2 trillion. There are so many disturbing elements to this ever expanding deficit, not least of which is how the U.S. economy will recover with this level government debt. As the deficit shoots upwards so does the risk of inflation, making recovery increasingly more difficult. Not to mention that China owns so much of our debt that at this point they're practically a part owner of this country. The government seriously needs to reexamine its priorities and reign in its spending or this country will find itself in a world of hurt.

Major Garrett reports New 10-year Federal Deficit: $9 Trillion, Up from $7 Trillion

The Obama Office of Management and Budget tells Fox the federal deficit over the next decade is projected to be $2 trillion higher than previous estimates.
The new 10-year aggregate federal deficit is $9 trillion.

An official said the prolonged recession and the ensuing decline in federal revenue prompted a recalibration of the deficit numbers.

The numbers also reflect a projection that post-recession economic growth may not be as robust as after previous recessions, the official said.

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An Unsustainable Federal Deficit

Hurricane Bill

Hurricane Bill - Track the Hurricane Live on weather.com

Hurricane Bill is accelerating north, well off the Eastern U.S. coast, and is still expected to turn northeast overnight. Bill made its closest pass to Bermuda early on Saturday and will pass by Cape Cod before morning.

As of 5 pm EDT, Hurricane Bill is located 300 SSE of Nantucket, Mass.

Battering waves and dangerous rip currents have already been impacting parts of the Eastern Coast including the Outer Banks, and high waves will spread into New England tonight into Sunday, topping 20 feet along Cape Cod and the Islands.

Ridge and the Terror Level

If anyone is in doubt that politics is plays way to big a role in the running of the government another example comes out of the Bush White House.

Ridge: Bush officials sought to raise terror alert before ‘04 vote

Former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge says he successfully countered an effort by senior Bush administration officials to raise the nation’s terror alert level in the days before the 2004 presidential vote.
Ex-Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge says he was pushed to raise the terror alert before the 2004 election.

Ex-Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge says he was pushed to raise the terror alert before the 2004 election.

“An election-eve drama was being played out at the highest levels of our government” after Osama bin Laden released a pre-election message critical of President George W. Bush, writes Ridge in his new book, “The Test of Our Times.”

Attorney General John Ashcroft and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld strongly advocated raising the security threat level to “orange” — even though Ridge believed a threatening message “should not be the sole reason to elevate the threat level.”

The former Pennsylvania governor also writes that he saw no reason for the move, which he now calls a bad idea, because additional security precautions had already been taken in advance of the election.

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Ridge On the Politics of Security