Democrats and Passion

E.J Dionne: "Democrats are counting on a similar twofer from their attacks on the current brand of Republicanism as being too doctrinaire and too extreme. The energy that the Tea Party provides Republicans could be offset by a negative reaction in the electoral middle to the new movement's ferocity."

Congress Stalled As 2 Million Lose Jobless Benefits

NPR: "When members of Congress return from their Fourth of July break Monday, they'll find a big challenge waiting for them right where they left it. The issue is unemployment — specifically an extension of benefits for people who've lost their jobs. The debate has turned into a high-stakes, election-year stand-off over deficits."

Burma and the Bomb

Time: "With about a third of the country in poverty, the junta could invest in health, education or job creation, but instead, new evidence suggests Burma is spending billions on outlandish military projects, including a secretive nuclear weapons program."

High-Speed Rail

Rep. James Oberstar: "Although the United States lags behind many other industrialized nations in making a serious, long-term commitment to high-speed rail, there is now broad support on the federal, state, and local level for investing in a national high-speed intercity passenger rail system."