Tuesday, August 27, 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. The Heat Is On Dangerous Heat Wave for Plains, Midwest This Week Midwest Heat Wave: Scorching Temperatures Prompt Early School Dismissals The Farmers' Almanac forecast: A frigid, snowy winter and stormy 2014 Super Bowl on the way Group wants hurricanes named after politicians who "deny climate change" War In Syria Western powers tell Syrian opposition to expect limited strike due in days SecDef Hagel: U.S. military ready to act on Syria immediately if asked Obama orders release of national security report justifying Syria strike British PM says world must act on Syria, weighs response For many Syrians, questions of Western intervention are irrelevant Reuters/Ipsos poll: As Syrian war escalates, Americans cool to U.S. intervention Poll: U.S. intervention in Syria less popular than Congress Sec. Of State Kerry: Syrian poison gas attack a "moral obscenity" Transcript: Secretary of State John Kerry's remarks on Syria Why Kerry's Speech Doesn't Necessarily Mean We're Going To War In Syria Eugene Robinson: The U.S. must act against Assad Kevin Drum: The Case For and Against Air Strikes in Syria Joshua Holland: Pundits Say Syrian "Intervention" Won't End Well, But Push for War Anyway Max Fisher: The Middle East, explained in one (sort of terrifying) chart Newly Declassified CIA Files Prove America Helped Saddam as He Gassed Iran During The Reagan Years Waleed Farwana: There Are No Good Guys in the Syrian Civil War The Dream Revisited In '63 March on Washington, white activists were largely overlooked but strategically essential Michael Kazin: The White Man Whose 'March on Washington' Speech You Should Remember Too Dana Milbank: Black Republicans try -and fail- to appropriate Martin Luther King Federal agencies urged to allow telework on anniversary of King's 'Dream' speech this Wednesday Education In America Robert Gates and David Boren: Studies Prove Public Colleges Boost Economic Growth Ezra Klein: Health care and education are messed up for the same reason Media Matters 'The Monkey Cage' blog to join The Washington Post, similar to The Plum Line & Wonkblog Slate Launches 'Outward,' A New LGBTQ Blog Energy, Climate & Environment Yosemite wildfire burns area the size of Chicago, continues to threaten homes Rim wildfire threatens San Francisco water, power Canadian Documents Suggest Shift on Pipeline Keystone XL Decision Likely Delayed Until 2014 Nations In Turmoil Bloodied and bruised, Egypt's Brotherhood searches for strategy Deadly Maoist ambush in eastern India kills five The War Over There Taliban Kill 12 Afghan Civilians in Afghanistan International News Afghan president Karzai extends Pakistan visit Kyrgyzstan boy dies of bubonic plague China hit by 'biggest ever' cyber-attack Mexico mudslides and flash flooding kill 14 Midwest Roundup ACLU suing Nebraska over ban on gay foster parents Democrat Festersen won't challenge Rep. Terry in 2014 race Heat wav this week could actually help some Iowa crops Iowa Gov. Branstad asks to meet with Obama, Sebelius in September over Medicaid expansion The Heat Is On Life is often about expectations, and at the end of August in the Midwest, we usually expect it to be hot. The scorching heat wave now covering the Great Plains is certain to push temperatures into the triple digits throughout the region all week long -  a sure sign you'll hear someone talk longingly of the Farmer's Almanac forecast for this winter that predicts a frigid and snowy season ahead. As ridiculously hot as the weather in the Plains region feels this week, we also expect that the relative temperature for President Obama on the topic of Syria is multiple degrees hotter than anything Midwesterners are feeling. As the latest Reuters/Ipsos Poll confirms, Americans are cool to the idea of intervening in Syria right now. They actually like Congress right now more than the thought of getting involved in any kind of conflict. That makes President Obama's job that much harder to decide what - if anything - the U.S. may be able to do, in light of the 'moral obscenity' of the chemical gas attack that happened in Syria this past week. Secretary of State John Kerry gave a brief address on Monday afternoon where he did note that - after U.N. inspectors had visited the site - it's undeniable that a poison gas attack has killed hundreds of Syrians. What most media outlets and many pundits failed to pick up on was that Kerry did not explicitly say the Assad regime was responsible for killing hundreds of Syrians with chemical or nerve gas. The fact is... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for August 27, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy Durable-Goods Orders Drop 7.3% in July Jared Bernstein: Wage Stagnation and Market Outcomes The Unfinished March Toward a Decent Minimum Wage It's Not The Fault Of The Long-Term Unemployed That They Can't Find Jobs Shutdown Showdown Treasury: U.S. now faces mid- October deadline to raise debt limit Treasury Prods Lawmakers on Raising Debt Ceiling Brian Beutler: The really alarming GOP threat is economic ruin through another debt limit debacle Jonathan Bernstein: The debt limit timetable Wall Street Watch Poll: Economists anticipate Fed will pull back in fourth quarter | Maximizing shareholder value: The goal that changed corporate America Health Care Checkup Tea Party to rally against 'BoehnerCare' over fight to defund healthcare law Millionaire GOP Cong. Drops Health Coverage To Protest Obamacare War on Women Anti-Abortion Laws Take Dramatic Toll On Clinics Nationwide Miley Cyrus and the issues of slut-shaming and racial condescension The Fight To Vote Kevin Drum: Conservatives Finally Admitting What Voter Suppression Laws Are All About Bouie: Felony-disenfranchisement laws suppress black turnout enough to swing elections Equality & Tolerance David Backes, Sidney Crosby, other NHLers speak out against Russia's anti-gay law Judge orders New Mexico county to issue same-sex marriage licenses Ethics & The Media ESPN Journalists Speak Out on Reports The NFL Strong-Armed Them out of Concussion Documentary Communications Breakdown Want to take down a Web site? This service will do it for just $10. And now, for your Weekly OK Gazette Toon preview for August 27, 2013  (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update President Obama awards Medal of Honor to Staff Sgt. Ty Carter for heroism in Afghanistan SCOTUS Brief Jonathan Bernstein: Ruth Bader Ginsburg - Great judge, terrible political analyst On The Left Katrina vanden Heuvel: Sochi boycott would hurt the wrong people | Irin Carmon: Oh horrors! What if women were allowed to vote?  States Of Confusion Web site backing Virginia Gov. McDonnell seeks funds for his legal costs Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to stump for Cuccinelli in Virginia George Zimmerman will ask Florida to cover $200K-$300K of his legal bills Joan Walsh: Go away, George Zimmerman! On The Right Ed Kilgore: The Truth About Tea Partiers; They Think They're More Equal Than Others Alex Seitz-Wald: The Tea Party tiger has no teeth Brian Beutler: Republicans turn on each other, invite national disaster Steve Benen: Obamacare dividing GOP against itself 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.