TheNextReport

The war in Iraq came to an official close yesterday... just in time for Christmas. An odd coincidence, isn't it? In the wake of this needless production of cannon fodder for an entirely unnecessary war, America smugly finds a way to reaffirm its faith in its religious beliefs, support its calcified politics and cheer on the people who lead us oblivious to their human responsibilities. As the soldiers come home on crutches, splints and in caskets, august members of the House of Representatives demonstrated their concern for their fellow citizens last week by proposing a cutback in unemployment benefits and the institution of drug testing of the unemployed as part of a deal to preserve the payroll tax cut. You have to hand it to the GOP mandarins -- when it comes to disdain for the "common man" they are in a league of their own. Alabama Republican Senator Jeff Sessions has been pushing a new amendment that would make it more difficult for people to receive food stamps

If there was ever any doubt about the mental instability of the Republican party, consider the story that has emerged about a coalition of evangelical environmentalists and their support of new regulations proposed by the EPA that would impose stricter limits on emissions of mercury from power plants. That's right. Believe it or not, there is a group of environmentally conscious right-wing Christians who have been making their voices heard and have clashed with pro-business Republicans who want to weaken the regulations. Evangelical Christians make up 26% of the country. While official campaign rhetoric from the GOP calls for eliminating the EPA, it seems that some evangelicals, usually known for their nearly monolithic support of Republican positions and priorities, have begun to make the important connection between strong environmental regulations and concern for the unborn. Medical experts have long warned that high mercury levels in fish like tuna and swordfish can cause pre