Here's what we're following this morning:

(via Business Insider)

Former Rep. senator from Wyoming lays it out for Deirdre Bolton - Bloomberg | When you have a former senator tell you that he never saw any projection of any economist ever come true, you might just want to think twice about regurgitating the latest econo-spread from the industry rags.  The problem is, the people who will control the debate about these sorts of things (in DC) do NOT have anything to do with those sorts of things.  They care about their money, and they want more money for their money.

Who owns the world? - TomDispatch | The US cannot tolerate any exercise of sovereignty that interferes with its global designs.

Functions of fascism and capitalism's self-inflicted wounds - Jesse's Cafe Americain | Extremes call out to their opposite extremes.  They breed each other, and they crowd out the balanced approach to life of the mind, body, and spirit.  Those on the extremes can no longer see the middle ground -- everything becomes "The Other."

Understanding the Ryan plan - The Washington Post | In a few years, the cash going to Medicare that's not needed for quality care will be the reason we're too strapped to invest in poor kids.  If we make it that far, that is.

Presenting the most divisive campaign in American history - Sultan Knish | There is no more inspiration, only paranoia.  To vote for one party, now, after years of mismanagement that has no precedent in history, is not the instinct of an American but of a selfish, greedy looter scrambling to grab a few dinner rolls off the tray while the ship is going down.

It's a fat-kid world - NJB Deflator | An economy is the aggregate of its consumers, and just like its consumers, this economy is structurally sick.

Will Israel strike Iran before the election? - Counterpunch | Word has it that Israeli officials are listening to The Smiths during the meetings with US officials.

FAA documents raise questions about safety of drones in US airspace - Wired | "There's a big disconnect between ground pilots and the aircraft they're flying."  Gee, really?  That must be why they have fewer and fewer problems of firing on targets in mixed-combatant situations.

"Fukushima reactors not stable," says an ex-boss of the plant - Russia Today | I would say that the stories about this event will continue to astound us long after the ground is safe again...but no one knows if or when the ground will ever be safe again.

How to tell good people from bad people - Budget RayGun via Boing Boing | Coming soon: the DC edition!  The Fed edition!  The College Sports edition!