The answer to why Congress isn’t genuflecting to President Bush’s dire economic warnings can be found in children’s literature. It’s “Chicken Little” meets “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.”

“Danger! Iraq! WMD! Mushroom clouds! Mushroom clouds! We must invade … Now!”

“We must pass the one-time appropriation of $87 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan … NOW! You’re either for the troops or against them!”

“We must pass the Patriot Act … NOW! The next plane headed for a skyscraper won’t be stopped by all of this jibber-jabber about the Constitution!”

“We must pass the Paulson Plan … NOW! We don’t have time to make it better! Foreclosures! Depression! Economic Armageddon!”

I’m not shy. According to CNNMoney.com, the outgoing CEO of Washington Mutual stands to make $18 million for 20 days of work. I can be outgoing for that much.

Department of Redundancy Department. MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow was amused by the “GOP Party” designation for Dino Rossi. “Isn’t that Grand Old Party Party?”

Yep, it’s like taking money from an ATM machine.

Palin by comparison. I think liberals who compared vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin to Dan Quayle owe him an apology.

Governor, you’re no Dan Quayle.

Friendly fire. The reviews are pouring in for Sarah Palin. Here are some thoughts from conservatives:

“Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.”

– columnist Kathleen Parker.

“I’m not where my friend Kathleen Parker is – wanting her to step aside to spend more time with her family and Alaska – but that’s not a crazy suggestion.”

– Kathyrn Jean Lopez, of National Review.

“Does Palin know enough to be a national candidate right now? No, but she can be mostly walled off from the press.”

– Rich Lowry, editor of National Review

“Couric’s questions are straightforward and responsible. Palin is mediocre, again, regurgitating talking points mechanically, not thinking. Palin’s just babbling. She makes George W. Bush sound like Cicero.”

– columnist Rod Dreher

Palintology. I can see the Fox Theater from my office. It hadn’t occurred to me that this buttresses my knowledge of classical music. Pretty soon I’ll know all the words to “The Nutcracker Suite.”