Discover GOP Opprobrium

[teapeebubbles]

Today’s edition of quick hits:

* U.N. weighs in on Syria: “After months of inaction, the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday issued its first formal condemnation of Syria for its use of force against civilians during a bloody crackdown that has killed as many as 2,000 anti-government protesters.”

* Syria doesn’t care: “Ignoring mounting condemnations, the Syrian military deployed tanks, armored vehicles and snipers Wednesday into the symbolic center of Hama, a rebellious city that has emerged as a linchpin of the nearly five-month uprising, in what appeared a decisive step by President Bashar al-Assad to crush opposition to his rule.”

* The Republicans’ FAA shutdown continues, though President Obama said today it’s his “expectation” that the matter will be “resolved by the end of this week.” I have no idea what the resolution could look like.

* Moody’s Investors Service has confirmed the nation’s AAA credit rating, but it’s still threatening a possible downgrade in the future.

* President Obama will embark on a bus tour through the Midwest later this month, focusing on the White House’s economic message.

* Mubarak trial captivates the region: “An ailing Hosni Mubarak, who served longer than any ruler of modern Egypt until he was overthrown in a revolution in February, was rolled into a courtroom in a hospital bed on Wednesday to face formal charges of corruption and complicity in the killing of protesters. The televised trial was a seminal moment for Egypt and an Arab world roiled by revolt.”

* If Wall Street doesn’t think austerity measures will help the economy, maybe the industry could have said something sooner?

* One of the things I like least about House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is his habitual dishonesty. Consider examples one, two, and three, just from this week.

* Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) won’t be on the so-called “super committee.” I doubt he would have been considered, but it’s good news anyway.

* Reflecting on his experience presiding over the Senate, Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) said he can remember instances in which he saw things he wasn’t support to see. “There’s a lot of stories, and I probably can’t tell you that one,” he said, laughing. “Let me just say you see a lot of hand movements and gestures at times.”

* And in the Marvel Comics universe, the new Spider-Man is half African American and half Latino. This, of course, bothers Glenn Beck, who sees a connection between the Spidey development and Michelle Obama saying three years ago that the nation may need to “change” some of “our traditions.”