LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is ready to raise troop numbers in Afghanistan by 500 to 9,500, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Wednesday, providing certain conditions are met. Worsening violence in the eight-year, U.S.-led war against the Taliban has led to calls for a change of strategy including the option of sending more troops to bolster security. More than 100,000 Western troops are serving in Afghanistan, of whom 65,000 are American. The number of U.S. troops is already due to increase to 68,000 later this year.

If you’re ticked off about the Senate Committee vote on health care on Tuesday, and worried about what’s coming up next, TELL THAT TO PRESIDENT OBAMA!! Thursday, October 15, 2009 Powell across from Westin St. Francis, San Francisco Around 5:00 pm Bring signs but, please, keep them focused on the issue, which is that the health care plan is a double-whammy that has the potential to destroy both our economy and a health care program that provides excellent care to the vast majority of legal Americans.

Our political Quote of the Day comes from conservative talk show host Michael Medved who, in a detailed column and analysis on Town Hall, argues that if the Republicans want to make their way out of the national political wilderness they need to do two things: (1)embrace conservative ideas (2)moderate their town and reach out to actually win over moderates.

Rage at Government for Doing Too Much and Not Enough WASHINGTON — Americans have historically swung between anger at big business and anger at Washington. This year their rage has targeted business and government with equal fury. Public frustration over Wall Street failures that led to the financial crisis was typified by the uproar over bonus payments to American International Group Inc. executives. Those feelings haven’t dissipated, political strategists say.

Filed under: Barack Obama , Politix We knew he was smooth — but last night at the Fiesta Latina event at the White House, Barack Obama turned into a virtual Don Juan DeMarco … gettin’ out of his seat for a one-on-one salsa with Latin pop star, Thalia. But check this out — when … Permalink Bookmark It

WASHINGTON (AP) – Another Republican senator says she’s open to voting for a sweeping health care overhaul this year. Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Wednesday the status quo is unaccaptable and she shares the goal of passing responsible health care legislation to expand coverage and curb costs. But Collins also said she has serious concerns about the version that cleared the Finance Committee Tuesday with the support of her Maine colleague, Olympia Snowe.

You know, with all that Barack Obama has been taking on, including deciding what beer to have this year, you’d think he’d at least take an interest in booze related subjects in his home state. But no, apparently health care reform is way more important than a Chicago suburb trying to ban sales of airplane bottles of liquor and big cans of beer . And if the people of Chicago can’t drink, how will they ever be able to stomach watching the Cubs?

as most of you know, Sage and myself have joined forces to fight against the birthers . Recently, it has become clear that their leader is one Orly Taitz, and that she is willing to do anything to get a court to force Obama to reveal his Birth Certificate. Not caring that the court is not the place, Taitz is on a political mission to take out Obama. Today, she lost The court ruled that she was frivolous, that they were not the location, and that she should stop.

Expect the beginning of the next media war now. Michelle Malkin will eat this jackass alive and i will post the rebuttal as soon as it comes out KEITH OLBRMANN: Runner up, Michelle Malkin. … When this Obama song stupidity broke in New Jersey last month with elementary school kids there singing about the President, author Shariz Carney Nunez says she got an email from Malkin reading: I understand that you uploaded the video of schoolchildren reciting a Barack Obama song/rap at Bernice Young Elementary School in June.

Congressman Robert Wexler, who went out on a limb early as one of the first three people in Florida to support then-candidate Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton, is getting out of politics (sort of) to lead a think tank on Middle East peace , the Washington-based Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation. Wexler is a fierce advocate for Israel, so it remains to be seen if the think tank will be more Tikkkun -like or more Likudnik. Anyway, good for Wexler, and best of luck.