P.I.D. Radio 7/31/11: From Future Congress to Super Congress

AS WE record this on the afternoon of July 31, 2011, the U.S. Congress is wrangling over details of a compromise to raise the federal debt ceiling.  Several news sources report that part of the deal includes the creation of a new twelve-member panel, six Democrats and six Republicans representing both houses of Congress, that would have the power to create fast-track legislation — bills that could be voted on by the full houses of Congress, but could not be filibustered or amended.Well, why not.  If the president can order hits on American citizens without oversight of any kind then anything is constitutional.Also: our report on the Future Congress; the chance that President Obama is impeached if he invokes the 14th Amendment to raise the debt ceiling; Nancy Pelosi on the level; memes from the Oslo shooting; the re-launch of Watcher Magazine; and more transhuman memes from TV and film.Vote in our online poll: Is the budget crisis a ruse to impeach President Obama or to create a "Super Congress" that bypasses the legislative process? Is it both, or neither? Cast your ballot here.Click the arrow on the player below to listen now, or right-click (control-click if you have a Mac) the "download" link to save the mp3 file to your hard drive.