Senators Announce Stimulus Agreement  —  WASHINGTON — Senate and House leaders announced Wednesday evening that they had reached agreement on a $789 billion economic stimulus bill, clearing the way for final Congressional action and President Obama's signature, perhaps by the end of the week.

Cantor's Office Responds: Video Depicting AFSCME Members As Goons  —  Updated below with call on Cantor to apologize.  —  This isn't going to make the big unions very happy.  GOP House leader Eric Cantor's office has come up with an intriguing response to the AFSCME ad bllitz targeting GOP leaders …

67% Say They Could Do A Better Job On The Economy Than Congress  —  When it comes to the nation's economic issues, 67% of U.S. voters have more confidence in their own judgment than they do in the average member of Congress.  —  Nineteen percent (19%) trust members of Congress more …

Give Geithner a Break  —  I don't think he did well yesterday.  I don't know that he's the right guy for the job.  But what I do know is the following:  —  1. Nobody, absolutely nobody, has more incentive to get this right than the Obama Administration.  If the economy collapses — well …

Steve Austria (R-OH) Doesn't Know When the Depression Happened  —  Austrian economics (pardon the pun) continues to take over the Republican Party: … Probabilities indicate that this is not the stupidest conservative in congress.

Solicitor general nominee says ‘enemy combatants’ can be held without trial  —  Elena Kagan tells a senator she agrees with Attorney General Holder that the U.S. is at war and therefore may detain suspected terrorists indefinitely.  —  Reporting from Washington — Harvard Law Dean Elena Kagan …

Lawmakers Challenge Bankers on Bailout  —  WASHINGTON — Eight of the nation's top bankers faced off Wednesday against critical lawmakers in Congress, who questioned their use of tens of billions of dollars of taxpayer money and pointed out the growing public anger at the banks in the bailout.

A Stunning Israeli Election  —  As I noted, I'm pretty far from Israel (geographically, that is), but my cell phone works in the western desert, and I've been talking to friends in Tel Aviv.  A number of quick observations:  —  1. The stunner, for me at least: The Labor Party is dead.

On State Secrets, Why Didn't The Administration Seek A Continuance?  —  Of all the responses to the administration's endorsement of the state secrets privilege in Mohamed et. al. v. Jeppesen, one question pops out: why, if the administration were simply overwhelmed with information …

So Far, Amateur Hour  —  The first however-many days of Barack Obama's presidency have been a study in amateurism.  —  Many suspected that Obama wasn't quite ready, but kept their fingers crossed.  Optimistic disappointment is the new holding pattern.  —  What's missing from Obama's performance …

RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT HUSSEIN: “A $550 Billion Electronic Run on the Banks” … This is un-frickin-believable.  The financial crisis was deliberate, planned, staged.  Who made the run? … Electronic Run On Banks - $550 Billion Withdrawn In 1 Hour, Federal Reserve Halts Withdrawals …

Bailed-Out Firms Distributing Cash Rewards: “Please Do Not Call It A Bonus”  —  Two Wall Street firms that received at least $60 billion in government bailout funds will be rewarding their financial advisers with controversial retention payments, the terms of which one senior executive described as …

Angry survivors blame council ‘green’ policy  —  ANGRY residents last night accused local authorities of contributing to the bushfire toll by failing to let residents chop down trees and clear up bushland that posed a fire risk.  —  During question time at a packed community meeting …

Opportunites pour in for Cape teen who captured Obama's attention  —  Julio Osegueda's 15 minutes of fame is starting to bring in opportunity.  —  Since the 19-year-old Cape Coral resident had the opportunity to ask the president about receiving better benefits at his McDonald's job Tuesday during …

Behind The Palin Pull Out  —  Sarah Palin is pulling back from her post-election media spree by withdrawing from CPAC, a move that can only help her if she wants a national political role.  —  Palin's pull out CPAC is striking because it represents a break in her media modus operandi …

Maxine Waters brings the crazy  —  Her questions to the bankers are so bizarre that they don't know what to do.  Ken Lewis looks like a deer in the headlights as Waters asks her about offshore loss mitigation efforts.  He can't even figure out what she's talking about …

800 Billion Reasons To Be Worried  —  The Senate stimulus bill should only stimulate taxpayer anger  —  How bad is the stimulus bill just passed by the Senate?  Well, at least as bad as the one passed last week by the House of Representatives, but probably not as bad as the final bill …

Where does the conservative movement go from here?  —  ANALYSIS/OPINION:  —  The conservative movement has a simple and almost certainly successful future if it does three things:  —  1. Advocate first principles with courage, clarity, persistence and cheerfulness.

Salmonella found at Ga. plant as early as 2006  —  Owner Stewart Parnell refused to testify at hearing; 9 have now died  —  Stewart Parnell, owner of Peanut Corp. of America, invoked his right not to incriminate himself after a House subcommittee hearing on a national salmonella outbreak blamed on his company.

Report: ‘Dirty bomb’ parts found in slain man's home  —  Agency says radioactive materials recovered in home of man allegedly slain by his wife  —  BELFAST, Maine — James G. Cummings, who police say was shot to death by his wife two months ago, allegedly had a cache of radioactive materials …

Why Tom Zarek Was Right  —  The following is a Letter to the Editor from “Concerned Colonial Citizen”, regarding the prospects of a permanent alliance between the Colonial government and the rebel Cylon.  It is titled “Why Tom Zarek Was Right”.  The letter is spoileriffic.

Ari Fleischer on “the grid in front of” the President  —  (updated below)  —  Daily Kos' Meteor Blades points to a rare moment of television candor last night, as Ari Fleischer explained to Bill O'Reilly how and why the White House determined which reporters were allowed to ask questions …