Today’s edition of quick hits.
* This isn’t a federal budget, it’s a punch-line: “President Bush today unveiled a tough-minded, $3 trillion budget proposal for fiscal 2009 that would slice $14.2 billion from the growth of federal health-care programs, eliminate scores of programs and virtually freeze domestic spending — but would still record a $407 billion budget deficit. The president’s final budget is a sharp contrast to the priorities of the Democratic-controlled Congress, which is likely to wait out Bush’s presidency rather than accede to many of his demands. The Bush budget plan would continue his first-term tax cuts beyond their 2011 expiration date, at a cost to the Treasury of $635 billion through 2013, extend abstinence education programs, create elementary and secondary education vouchers and guard other White House initiatives.”
* Speaking of budgets: “As Congress and the public focus on more than $600 billion already approved in supplemental budgets to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for counterterrorism operations, the Bush administration has with little notice approached a landmark in military spending. The Pentagon on Monday will unveil its proposed 2009 budget of $515.4 billion. If it is approved in full, annual military spending, when adjusted for inflation, will have reached its highest level since World War II.”
* As it turns out, the half-trillion in military spending may underestimate the price tag: “[T]he costs for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not included in the baseline DoD request. In reality, the war costs will most likely increase the defense budget to nearly $688 billion through the first quarter of FY 2009…. To fund his war and preserve his tax cuts for the rich, President Bush is cutting vital services for low- and moderate-income Americans, including child-care assistance for low-income families, low-income rental assistance programs, and total funding for K-12 education.”
* Making matters in Iraq a little more complex: “Turkish fighter jets bombed targets in northern Iraq on Monday, the Turkish military said, the fifth major strike against Kurdish rebels this year.
In a statement posted on its Web site, the Turkish military said it had struck 70 targets in the Avashin and Harkuk districts in a 12-hour bombing run that began at 3 a.m. The military did not give details on damage or deaths.”
* Bill Kristol thinks John McCain is less wrong than Democrats. How insightful.
* On a related note, Kristol apparently told a national television audience yesterday that he has a problem with “white women.” Great job, New York Times, giving this guy one of the most prestigious positions in American media.
* AP: “The deaths of nine civilians, including a child, in a U.S. airstrike south of Baghdad have raised fresh concerns about the military’s ability to distinguish friend from foe in a campaign to uproot insurgents from Sunni areas on the capital’s doorstep. Witnesses and Iraqi police said helicopters strafed a house Saturday after confusing U.S.-allied Sunni fighters for extremists in the deadliest case of mistaken identity since November. The U.S. military on Monday confirmed the civilian deaths, but gave few other details of the Army gunship attack. The bloodshed also points to the wider complications for U.S.-led offensives against insurgents in populated areas: As the firepower increases so do the risks of claiming innocent lives. And each such death potentially frays the crucial alliances between the Pentagon and new Sunni allies, widely known as Awakening Councils.” (thanks to R.K. for the tip)
* The fact that McCain has no idea whether Iraqi casualty rates are going up or down is not a good sign.
* The renewed FISA debate is set to move forward in the Senate, and the ACLU has put together a helpful fact sheet.
* This is just an amazing story: “The U.S. Park Police have failed to adequately protect such national landmarks as the Statue of Liberty, the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument and are plagued by low morale, poor leadership and bad organization, according to a new government report. The force is understaffed, insufficiently trained and woefully equipped, the report by the Interior Department’s inspector general concludes. Hallowed sites on the Mall are weakly guarded and vulnerable to terrorist attack, the inspector general’s office found.”
Asked about the accusation that the monuments were not adequately protected, Park Police Chief Dwight E. Pettiford declared: “They’re still standing.”
* Haven’t heard much political news from George Soros lately: “Here comes Big George again. Billionaire George Soros is weighing in heavily with more cash, delivering $2.5 million to a new political organization called Fund for America.”
* It’s good to know there are uninformed people everywhere: “Britons are losing their grip on reality, according to a poll out Monday which showed that nearly a quarter think Winston Churchill was a myth while the majority reckon Sherlock Holmes was real. The survey found that 47 percent thought the 12th century English king Richard the Lionheart was a myth. And 23 percent thought World War II prime minister Churchill was made up.”
* And finally, Karl Rove has officially joined Fox News’ on-air team of “media professionals.” Both Rove and the Republican network have been reading the same talking points for years, but now, Rove will be paid handsomely to do it. I’m only surprised it took this long for the two to get together.
Anything to add? Consider this an end-of-the-day open thread.