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Quote of the day. “I wanted to create a music-driven station where music gets heard that would never be played on a commercial radio station.” Scott Johnston of Creston MT describing the low-power radio station he runs from his front porch. (New York Times).
FAITH IN THE NEWS
Islam Goes to Bat for America “Tens of thousands of Muslims plan to pray 'for the soul of America' outside the U.S. Capitol this month in what is being described as a first-of-its-kind event.”
Religious groups face financial crisis as donations diminish “With donations slowing, religious groups across the theological spectrum are reporting millions of dollars in reduced income that is resulting in staff layoffs and program cuts.”
NEWS AT HOME
Health care. Obama Rallies Union Support for Health-Care Reform “President Obama attempted to reinvigorate support for his struggling health-care agenda on Monday by giving a stirring, campaign-style speech to thousands of union members celebrating Labor Day.” Health Compromise Floated Before Obama Speech “As President Obama and top advisers drafted his eagerly awaited health care speech to Congress, new details emerged Monday about fees and coverage limits under a proposal being floated by the chairman of a crucial Senate committee.” Democrats tightening belt on revamp of health care “A new Democratic proposal on health care slims down costs and benefits, but whether it's enough to get the measure through the Senate isn't known. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., who made the proposal, is facing a Sept. 15 deadline to produce legislation.” 8 Questions About Health-Care Reform “A look at the ideas being considered to reform the nation's health system and the impact they might have.”
Congress returns. Deeply Divided House Democrats Return to Work -- and the Same Set of Problems “After a nearly 40-day recess that was anything but restful, House Democrats are returning to work Tuesday still unsettled over pending health-care legislation and sure only that the people have had their say.” Its recess over, Congress has hands full “As Congress returns today after a month-long recess, lawmakers face a pileup of pressing legislation, from immigration to energy, that has been eclipsed by the all-consuming battle over health care.”
Education speech. In School Speech Obama Avoids Political Issues “In a speech that drew fire even before he was to deliver it on Tuesday, President Obama planned to urge schoolchildren to study hard for their own sake and for their country’s.” Obama's back-to-school speech is made public “The White House releases a transcript of the president's talk to schoolchildren scheduled for Tuesday. Some critics were wary. But the text exhorts students to work hard and follow their dreams.”
Economy and education. Schools Aided by Stimulus Money Still Facing Cuts “In some districts with overwhelming deficits, federal aid has failed to prevent extensive school layoffs, leading to even more crowded classes and educators’ teaching unfamiliar grade levels.” Surge in Homeless Children Strains School Districts “The rise, to more than one million students without stable housing by last spring, has tested budget-battered school districts as they try to carry out their responsibilities — and the federal mandate — to salvage education for children whose lives are filled with insecurity and turmoil.”
Van Jones resigns. Van Jones decries 'lies and distortions,' quits as Obama's environmental advisor “Responding to a firestorm that raged on conservative talk shows and websites, the White House on Sunday announced the resignation of a top environmental advisor who had made fiery remarks about Republicans and signed a petition questioning whether the U.S. government had any role in planning the Sept. 11 attacks.” White House Adviser on ‘Green Jobs’ Resigns “In a victory for Republicans and the Obama administration’s conservative critics, Van Jones resigned as the White House’s environmental jobs 'czar' on Saturday.”
NEWS AROUND THE WORLD.
Afghanistan. For Obama, A Pivotal Moment in Afghanistan “President Obama must decide in the coming weeks whether a greater investment of troops and resources in Afghanistan is worth the political risk if Americans do not soon perceive better results on the ground.” Crux of Afghan Debate: Will More Troops Curb Terror?“A war that started as a swift counterattack against those responsible for the murder of 3,000 Americans, a growing number of critics say, is in danger of becoming a quagmire with a muddled mission.” Military leery of Afghanistan escalation with no clear goals “The heart of the problem, they say, is that neither Barack Obama's White House nor the Pentagon has clearly defined America's mission in Afghanistan.”
Iran. Iran snubs proposed nuclear talks “Iran's president has said that discussions over his country's nuclear programme are 'finished' and Tehran will neither back down nor negotiate further.” Iran's Ahmadinejad Reaches Out to 6 Powers but Rejects Talks on Nuclear Program “Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday invited representatives from a group of six world powers, including the United States, to Tehran, but he said negotiations over his country's right to a nuclear program would be off the table.” Nuclear Agency Said to Be in ‘Stalemate’ With Iran “The head of the United Nations nuclear oversight agency said Monday that his organization was in a 'stalemate' with Iran over its nuclear program, just after the Iranian president affirmed once again that his country would not stop uranium enrichment or negotiate over its nuclear rights.”
Iraq. As U.S. Forces in Iraq Withdraw, Need for Private Guards Grows “As the United States withdraws its combat forces from Iraq, the government is hiring more private guards to protect U.S. installations at a cost that could near $1 billion, according to the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction.”
Pakistan. Anti-Americanism rises in Pakistan over U.S. motives “For weeks now, the Pakistani media have portrayed America, its military and defense contractors in the darkest of lights, all part of an apparent campaign of anti-American vilification that is sweeping the country and, according to some, is putting American lives at risk.”
Kenya. Lush Land Dries Up, Withering Kenya’s Hopes “A devastating drought is sweeping across Kenya, killing livestock, crops and children. It is stirring up tensions in the ramshackle slums where the water taps have run dry, and spawning ethnic conflict in the hinterland as communities fight over the last remaining pieces of fertile grazing land.” Kenya sweeps away top-rank police “Almost all of Kenya's most senior police officers are replaced amid claims of police involvement in post-election violence.”
Congo. Congo's shame: Rape used as tool of war “Rape has been a tool of war throughout human history, but rarely in modern times have its practitioners been so cruel, indiscriminate or pervasive."
OPINION.
The U.S. and Iran: It's time to talk (Editorial, Los Angeles Times) “A conversation with the Tehran regime is the best option for dealing with our differences. The possibility of failure shouldn't [keep] Obama from making the effort.”
Op-Ed Columnist: It’s Time to Get Help (Bob Herbert, New York Times) “We’ve forgotten how to live within our means, the benefits of shared sacrifice, the responsibilities of citizenship, the importance of a well-rounded education, and tolerance.”
Middle of the Road (Eugene Robinson, Washington Post) “The rule among politicians in Washington used to be that when the provincials become restless, as they are now, the safest thing to do is run to the center. But as this sour and unsettled summer ends, the political center looks like the white line running down the middle of a busy street -- a foolish place to stand and an excellent place to get run over.”
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