THE WEEK IN WASHINGTON

Week ending April 9 2010
Monday
Obama discards the big stick.
The New York Times reports
“For the first time, the United States is explicitly committing not to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear states that are in compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, even if they attacked the United States with biological or chemical weapons, or launched a crippling cyberattack.”
I presume we could always use spitballs ? (Hat tip to Zell Miller)

Russia responds by reserving the right to opt out of the treaty if, in Russia’s opinion, any opposing missile defense programs seem threatening. AP “Russia will have the right to opt out of the treaty if … the U.S. strategic missile defense begins to significantly affect the efficiency of Russian strategic nuclear forces,”

Tuesday
We are made aware of Obama’s appointment of a reparations advocate to the Ninth
Circuit Court of Appeals
A video of Liu arguing for reparations can be seen here.

National Review Online reports “Also noteworthy is his denunciation of the traditional American principles of “free enterprise,” “private ownership of property,” and “limited government” as “code words for an ideological agenda hostile to environmental, workplace, and consumer protections” (see point 3 here).
Perhaps most striking, in part because Liu presents his position as so modest, is his law-review article “Rethinking Constitutional Welfare Rights,” in which he argues that judges (usually in an “interstitial” role) may legitimately invent constitutional rights to a broad range of social “welfare” goods, including education, shelter, subsistence, and health care.”

Wednesday
AP announces nearly half of American households pay no income tax
47% of Americans pay no income tax whatever. One priceless comment actually made to me went something like this: “That’s because people lost their jobs after the Republicans destroyed the economy.” That ranks right up there with “Bush caused the tsunami that hit Hawaii.”

Thursday
The term “Islamic radicalism” to be expunged from National Security report.
At least that is consistent for a President who has referred to America as a muslim country

Friday
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) announces he will not seek re-election
Another Democrat bites the dust

Bob B