this is an adventure

After two days in Rome, G-7 results in more dour pronouncements. Geithner’s international financial policy experience notwithstanding, he’s playing constant defense on Admin’s bailout and stimpack as other nations shake their heads: “If the problem is an excess of debt, the cure is not adding more debt, whether that debt is public or private.”

GM attempts again to make the UAW the villain. Bankruptcy filing would cause the creation of a new company, mean that all bets are off for union. Management may have trouble getting long-term debtholders to take a 70-cent haircut, since they want the same deal as the union.

Three straight days of attacks on Shiite worshipers: woman blows herself up in tent filled with women and children resting during a pilgrimage. 40 dead, 80 wounded, many of the latter in the stampede of fleeing survivors. As US prepares to withdraw, terrorists still determined to fan the flames of sectarian violence.

GOP Consultant Calabrese recommends outsourcing political steps to forge a Republican comeback, following the model of Colorado Democrats who privatized traditional political-party functions. Potential problem: pissing off traditional GOP funders and activists to the point they give up and go home.