Stories to Watch: 8/22/13

Rightwingers are taking the random murder of Australian Chris Lane and trying to present it as "Trayvon Martin in reverse." They then tut-tut over the fact that liberals aren't worked up over the racial aspect of Lane's killing (which is pretty much non-existent). Needless to say, this is stupid. Not only weren't the three teenagers who committed the crime sent home by police after assuring the cops it was all in self-defense, but in order for the parallel to stand up to even casual scrutiny, you'd also have to argue that George Zimmerman set out to find a kid to shoot because he was bored. What's really at the heart of this argument is a great, big shiny plaque inscribed with "YOU'RE ALL THUGS AND YOU SUCK, BLACK PEOPLE!" -- which we're all supposed to believe is not racist in the least.


The polling firm Rasmussen Reports LLC basically fires the guy they're named after, Scott Rasmussen. Don't worry, the company assures everyone that Rasmussen will be as dedicated to being horribly wrong as they have been in the past.


Pres. Obama announces a plan to get college costs under control.


Nasdaq shut down for three hours today because of an unexplained thechincal issue.


The situation at the damaged nuclear plant at Fukushima is "much worse than we were led to believe."


The conservative clamor to defund Obamacare is really the logical conclusion of Republican messaging on the issue. If you really believed everything the GOP and wingnut pundits have been saying about the Affordable Care Act -- for years now -- shutting down government to defund it would be the most logical thing in the world. The fact that Republican leadership is pushing back against the defunders tells you all you need to know about how fact-based they think their rhetoric has been.


Pres. Obama will ask Peter Swire, a fellow at the Center for American Progress and a critic of NSA surveillance, to join a panel to review said surveillance. Unfortunately, Swire will be overwhelmed by all the intelligence community insiders who will also be appointed -- so I wouldn't get too excited.


Tom Coburn joins the ranks of crazypants Republicans who want to impeach Obama for a crime to be determined at a later date.


Finally, here comes the debt ceiling fight.


[cartoon via Carlsontoons.com]