Daily Update: Tuesday September 16

Former secretaries of state all agree that the United States should talk to foes.

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Obama campaign costs taxpayers less; McCain sits with more cash available, much of it from the Feds.

McCain had about $200 million at the close of the Republican National Convention on Sept. 4, including $84.1 million in federal funds, $76 million in the Republican Party bank account, plus money left over from the primary campaign. Obama had about $95 million, with $77 million in his campaign account and $17.5 million from the Democratic National Committee.

(Bloomberg)

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Someone once said, by way of dismissing Obama's legal training as irrelevant, that "the president doesn't make law, the legislative branch does." As one rolls this around in the head, we think of Guantanamo, and the Supreme Court ruling back in June that said:

"...that detainees have the right to contest their cases in federal courts, and that a 2006 act of Congress forbidding them from doing so was unconstitutional. "Some of these petitioners have been in custody for six years with no definitive judicial determination as to the legality of their detention," the court said in its 5-4 decision, overturning Bush administration policy and two acts of Congress that codified it."

This is old but relevant news. A president and vice president's understanding of legal matters, and actually any training in that area, ought to enhance the likelihood that unconstitional policies are not pushed forward via executive order or congressional enthusiam. If a relatively well educated President Bush can get behind badly constructed policy, one wonders how the haphazardly educated Palin would fare, if stepping into that role. Just one more question to ask when thinking about the vote. ]

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Pakistani troops fire shots of warning at U.S. allies trying to enter Pakistan in hunt for al Qaida. Pakistan is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with U.S. methods, and U.S. is becoming increasingly aware that Pakistan is not up to the task at hand. Bush, Obama, and Palin all seem to agree on taking it to the streets of Pakistan.

US troops from the Chinooks then tried to cross the border. As they did so, Pakistani paramilitary soldiers at a checkpoint opened fire into the air and the US troops decided not to continue forward, local Pakistani officials say.

(BBC)

And in case you thought the policy about when and when not to enter a foreign nation was well thought out, well, think again:

The New York Times, in a report last week that the administration didn't deny, said President Bush had signed a secret order approving the deployment of U.S. forces in Pakistan. However, Bush appears to have acted without considering the impact on Pakistani domestic politics. Last week, Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced plans to draft a new strategy for Afghanistan and the Pakistan border area. Pentagon officials told McClatchy they're currently operating without a strategic plan.

(McClatchy)

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Ripples from the fallout of Lehman's collapse: Florida's pension funds take a hit.

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Wisdom for the Day:
Wall Street is Main Street, Main Street is Wall Street