Monday, August 05, 2013   Published Weekday Mornings   To see the full version of today's cartoon, click on the preview graphic of the cartoon (below the Commentary) to be taken to the full version in your favorite web browser. Smashingly Stupid House GOP Votes To Repeal Obamacare For 40th Time Steve Benen: And then there was the 40th vote... Ezra Klein: The GOP's kamikaze mission to stop Obamacare Congress leaves DC with big problems unsolved House GOP plans anti-Washington push in August G.O.P. Governors Warns Republicans in Congress Not to Shut Down Government Greg Sargent: Be very afraid of a government shutdown Paul Krugman: Republicans Against Reality Greg Sargent: Memo to Dems - This fall, when facing Republicans? Get it right. Health Care Checkup Republicans Split on Efforts to Defund Obama Health-Care Law G.O.P. Governors Warn Party Members in Congress Not to Shut Government FreedomWorks pushes GOP to embrace ObamaCare shutdown threat Reminder: A government shutdown won't kill Obamacare The cost of rash actions: So you've burned your Obamacare "draft card"... Why do Republicans keep voting against Obamacare? Because we keep writing about it. America On Alert Intercepted al Qaeda message led to shuttering of embassies, consulates U.S. extends embassy closings, lawmakers say threat serious Senior U.S. Official: Intercepted Al Qaeda Communications Indicate Planned Attack Was 'Big,' 'Strategically Significant' Embassy, consulate closures applauded on both sides of the aisle The Spying Game Debate over NSA programs gets renewed attention amid terror threat U.S. directs agents to cover up program used to investigate Americans How DEA program differs from recent NSA revelations Lawmakers deny being stonewalled on NSA information Other Agencies Clamor for Data That N.S.A. Compiles Joshua Foust: Getting XKeyscore Right Education In America Smithsonian: No, You're Probably Not Smarter Than a 1912-Era 8th Grader Nations In Turmoil Fresh diplomatic efforts engaged to end Egypt crisis Egypt's government, pro-Morsi protesters may be near compromise Assad continues saying Syrian opposition a failure Military Matters Pentagon fires 60 troops after sex-assault review President Obama nominates woman to lead Air Force The War Over There In Afghanistan, a second Guantanamo International News U.S. intelligence, Arab allies and even foes decry lack of American vision for Middle East Death toll from heavy rains, flooding up to 53 in Pakistan States Of Confusion Florida Governor Rick Scott Poised to Execute mentally ill "Prince of God" Maryland to seek private firm for DC area Purple Line light rail project Midwest Roundup Nebraska trial could delay Keystone XL pipeline Congressman Lee Terry believes President Obama is leaning toward rejecting Keystone XL Families hit the stores to make the most of Iowa's annual sales-tax holiday Senators Harkin & Durbin take immigration overhaul debate to Iowa Rep. Steve King's backyard Repetitive Notions Repeating actions or ideas isn't always a bad idea, especially when you miss something the first time. For example, the Dream Defender protestors that have occupied the Florida governor's offices for most of the last month kept up their repeated demands for the Florida Legislature to officially revisit the 'Stand Your Ground' laws this fall. After being beaten over the head for nearly a month with the same basic request, the Republican-led Florida House decided to bow to common sense on Friday, agreeing to officially revisit the law this fall. If all Republican legislators would show that kind of good sense, chaos wouldn't be looming over Capitol Hill this fall. Sadly, common sense doesn't seem to be common at all among Republicans on the Hill.  Even in the face of opposition from their own party, some GOP extremists in Congress like Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio, and Sen. Mike Lee continue to insist they'll shut down the Federal government in October unless they get everything they want. That same kind of smashingly stupid repetition by House Republicans was on full display at the end of last week. For the FORTIETH time, Republicans in the House voted to repeal Obamacare, just before Congress members from both parties ran out of town for a five week recess, leaving massive amounts of work left undone... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for August 05, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy Elastic Numbers Make It Hard to Get a Handle on the Economy Robert Reich: Why Republicans Want Jobs to Stay Anemic Wall Street Watch Berkshire profit rises 46 percent, helped by economy The Payday Playbook: How High Cost Lenders Fight to Stay Legal Taxes & Budgets Albert Hunt: Here comes another round of debt chicken A big problem for the GOP: Eric Cantor doesn't even know the deficit is shrinking | Lindsey Graham: Continuing Sequestration Could Hurt America's Response To Terrorist Threats The Republican No-Shows in the Budget Wars Immigration: Reform Coming? Republicans in Congress offer little hope for immigration bill Demonstration at Arizona Border Divides Supporters of Immigration Overhaul Guns & America New study finds vast online marketplace for guns without background checks Florida lawmakers finally agree to fall hearings on 'Stand Your Ground' law Communications Breakdown CBS, Time Warner Cable Blackout Drags On as Consumers Fume Danny Hayes: Obama is wrong. Traditional journalism isn't dead. Media Matters Newsweek sold to IBT Media; Will remain '100% digital' Red Sox Owner's Purchase of Boston Globe Worries Journalists Energy, Climate & Environment No more free sun: Arizona's biggest power utility now wants to tax solar | Congress can't agree on most energy issues. But it loves dams. Here It Is! Your HuskerNutz Preview for August 05, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update White House to new Iranian president: Resolve nuclear dispute White House overrules ITC trade ban on Apple iPhones, iPads National Politics Dylan Matthews: The electoral college is halfway to being abolished Quinnipiac Poll: Taking The Temperature Of U.S. Voters  SCOTUS Brief Supreme Court may need to decide how private a cellphone is Judges Extend High Court Same-Sex Ruling News From Capitol Hill No vacation for lawmakers: August recess is now key season for activists Cillizza: As Congress flees, what have we learned about it and its denizens?  On The Left Jonathan Bernstein: For now, Dems are still narrowly favored to hold Senate majority in 2014 George Zornick: Obama's Better Bargain and Our Perverse Politics | The Nation On The Right Ted Cruz and his fellow Tea Party Senators stiff-arm McConnell on Mitch's reelection run Alex Roarty: Republican Worries - Why White Voters Will Flee a White-Only Party The Fall Of A-Rod Alex Rodriguez Is Expected to Play While Appealing Suspension From Major League Baseball | Dave Zirin: On Alex Rodriguez & "The Best Interests of the Game" We hope you enjoy "The Daily Felltoon" every business day. Thanks for continuing to be a member! Paul Fell Shawn "Smith" Peirce Paul Fell Cartoons, Inc.