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Another forehead-to-keyboard moment, courtesy of the Bush administration...

First up is the news of Bush's War Supplemental. Bush has submitted a supplemental to the federal budget to cover operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to the tune of $70 billion. That's a seven with ten zeros behind it. As Keith pointed out, $45 billion is to cover combat operations, despite the fact that major combat operations were declared completed five years ago this week. Speaking of major combat operations, non-American press is reporting that US attacks on a Sadr City hospital yesterday has resulted in 20 Iraqis patients and workers wounded, and 49 civilian and ambulance vehicles destroyed. Bombing a hospital for peace, justice and the American Way? Yup, that's gonna win some serious hearts and minds.

Next is an update on the Orwellian No Child Left Behind program, which has resulted in graduation ratios going down and schools hurting for funding country-wide. Turns out that the cornerstone of the program, Reading First, a program emphasizing literacy administered by the president's brother, Neil Bush, has not proven to be effective whatsoever. So the reality is that NCLB is actually leaving children behind in favor of lining the pocket of the Bush family.

And finally, a corollary to the post I made this week on the slaughter of bison in national parks. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne has announced his intent to throw out laws in place since the Reagan administration (going against St. Ronnie? Quel horreur!) and allow the carrying of loaded firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges, a move that park rangers have called unnecessary and potentially dangerous. Gee, ya think?