via Paul Blumenthal's In Broad Daylight

On the heels of today’s Jeff Birnbaum article, “Support for Electronic Filing of Senate Candidates' Campaign-Finance Records Gains Momentum,” the blogosphere, left and right, has united to push Senators to file their campaign-finance records electronically. Bloggers from Daily Kos, Red State, HuffPo, Captain’s Quarters, Think Progress, and Wonkette are pushing for the passage of S. 1508, which would mandate electronic filing. S. 1508 is one of many transparency measures that have been languishing in Senate or House committees waiting for the kind of public pressure that bloggers brought to Coburn-Obama and will now hopefully bring to electronic filing.

Read the entry in its entirety, here.

The blog Albany Media Bias recently expressed frustration at what appears to be a homeland security conundrum.

On the one hand, officials from major metropolitan areas are talking the talk, lambasting the Bush Administration's non-threat-based funding formulas that direct precious homeland security monies to far-flung locales in Wyoming (for example). But, on the other hand, it appears the same officials are not exactly walking the walk.

Enter Sen Hillary Clinton, who more and more seems to be taking the "City" out of New York City when talking about homeland security funding.

Is Sen. Hillary Clinton playing politics with federal HIV/AIDS funding?

Apparently ... that all depends on whom you ask, and where you live.  Such was the question posed by Jeffrey Birnbaum in today's Washington Post.

A while ago, I wrote on one of the blogs that the test of whether Sen. John McCain is really as different as the media wish is true all their heart or is just another pol would be if he changed his position on ethanol in order to win the Iowa Caucus.

I think the answer is becoming clear.

Here’s McCain’s old position –

McCain Also Voted Against Ethanol in 2004, and 2003. In 2004, John McCain voted against an amendment to Senate Bill S 150 to promote ethanol, declaring that ethanol was “a product that we have created a market for which has absolutely, under no circumstances, any value whatsoever except to corn producers and Archer Daniels Midland and other large agribusinesses.” In 2003, John McCain voted to block a final vote to an “energy bill coveted by Iowa farm interests” that “would double use of corn-based ethanol.” [S 150; Aberdeen American News, 5/2/04, S. Res. 150, 4/29/04, Roll Call #74; Des Moines Register, 11/22/03; H.R. 6, 11/21/03, Roll Call #456]

Evidently, candidate for the 60th Senate District Democrat Eddie Egriu may have zero - zip - nada valid petition signatures.

Mr. Egriu's campaign apparently used photocopied petition forms from 2004, which state that the 60th Senate primary takes place on September 14th.

2004.

Except the next one is on September 12, 2006.

Although this is still a matter for the board of elections (and maybe the courts), it would appear that all 116 pages of petitions contain fatal flaws, invalidating the lot.

For the record, Mr. Egriu needs 1,000 valid petition signatures to qualify on the ballot.

In case you had any lingering doubts, the reality on the ground is this: people have little faith in government.  The level of distrust has risen to an all time high; so high, in fact, that work-arounds to government's opaqueness are popping up all over the place.  And today, popped congresspedia.

Everything you ever wanted to know about your member of congress: their contributors, lobbyist reports, personal financial disclosures, travel records, government contracts, and more.