Tidbits in the news...

Conyers to Carter: John Conyers has politely informed Jimmy Carter of a little fact most of us already knew: Putting James Baker on a commission designed to investigate claims of vote fraud is about as dumb as putting Michael Corleone on a commission investigating organized crime.

Even dumber: Putting "Thor" Hearne of the el-fake-o American Center for Voting Rights on the Academic Advisory Board for that same commission.

Can the bankruptcy bill be defeated? Some members of Congress are going to try their damnedest. Check out the major press conference coverage at www.debtslavery.org.

The bankruptcy bill is emblematic of what this Republican Congress is all about: coddle big business and the wealthy at every turn, even when the least fortunate are trampled in the process. Many, many people who land in bankruptcy court end up there because they or a family member got sick and lost their job and medical insurance.

I don't hold out much hope that this atrocious legislation can be defeated, but the fight remains a worthy one.

I fear he may be right. Corrupt Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell has said that the vote in Ohio was a national model.