On Manafort: I think there are three factors at play. First, he's facing the rest of his life in jail. Second, he's under threat by Russians, and they are not shy about eliminating loose ends. Third, he may be weighing the merits of witness protection against a possible pardon from an unreliable "friend". His lawyers were probably urging cooperation with a guarantee of less jail time rather than betting on Trump. Plus, if pardoned, the 5th Amendment doesn't apply, and he can be forced to testify without immunity.

A well reasoned argument is like a diamond: impervious to corruption and crystal clear - and infinitely rarer.

Here, as elsewhere, people are outraged at what feels like a rigged game -- an economy that won't respond, a democracy that won't listen, and a financial sector that holds all the cards. - Robert Reich