Good morning, folks. Steve Carell is indeed leaving The Office after next year. Now, your morning constitutional:

General Petraeus appears for confirmation hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee today to lead the war effort in Afghanistan. His confirmation is basically assured, but questions will arise about the President\’s strategy for the war.

Kagan taking questions during her confirmation hearing; seems to be getting at least a little bipartisan support on the committee; Scott Brown glowingly called her \”undoubtedly a brilliant woman who has served her country in a variety of capacities.\” Dahlia Lithwick at Slate on how Kagan is doing at her confirmation hearings. Republicans seem to wish they could filibuster Thurgood Marshall.

Finance reform bill in trouble; likely not enough votes to overcome a filibuster in the Senate.

Ireland adopted austerity measures two years ago, but its economic situation has only gotten worse.

David Roberts: \”Republican plans to lavish the industries and technologies they favor with subsidies — which is called \’picking winners\’ when Democrats do it — are new spending that\’s not paid for. They are, by definition, \’more expensive\’ than alternatives that are paid for. This is a key aspect of the climate debate on which the mainstream media has utterly dropped the ball: Democratic plans on climate and energy are not only more environmentally credible, they are more fiscally credible. Republican plans would achieve less at greater total cost to federal coffers.\”

Tropical storm Alex is expected strengthen into a hurricane, but its course will likely miss the oil spill cleanup effort off the coast of Louisiana.

Iceland\’s Prime Minister marries her partner after the country legalizes same-sex marriage.

A bill that would make it easier for FedEx employees to unionize is pitting FedEx against UPS on labor.

National Review endorses John McCain over J.D. Hayworth in Arizona Republican senate primary.

Sharron Angle is running for Senate and from cameras.

Three years ago, David Vitter was caught in a prostitute scandal and is now looking at being elected; how did he get away with it?

Electorlux will start making vacuum cleaners from plastic ocean trash.

Finally, new Shrek movie making Vidalia onions more popular than ever with kids. Seriously.

Good morning, folks. Steve Carell is indeed leaving The Office after next year. Now, your morning constitutional:

General Petraeus appears for confirmation hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee today to lead the war effort in Afghanistan. His confirmation is basically assured, but questions will arise about the President\’s strategy for the war.

Kagan taking questions during her confirmation hearing; seems to be getting at least a little bipartisan support on the committee; Scott Brown glowingly called her \”undoubtedly a brilliant woman who has served her country in a variety of capacities.\” Dahlia Lithwick at Slate on how Kagan is doing at her confirmation hearings. Republicans seem to wish they could filibuster Thurgood Marshall.

Finance reform bill in trouble; likely not enough votes to overcome a filibuster in the Senate.

Ireland adopted austerity measures two years ago, but its economic situation has only gotten worse.

David Roberts: \”Republican plans to lavish the industries and technologies they favor with subsidies — which is called \’picking winners\’ when Democrats do it — are new spending that\’s not paid for. They are, by definition, \’more expensive\’ than alternatives that are paid for. This is a key aspect of the climate debate on which the mainstream media has utterly dropped the ball: Democratic plans on climate and energy are not only more environmentally credible, they are more fiscally credible. Republican plans would achieve less at greater total cost to federal coffers.\”

Tropical storm Alex is expected strengthen into a hurricane, but its course will likely miss the oil spill cleanup effort off the coast of Louisiana.

Iceland\’s Prime Minister marries her partner after the country legalizes same-sex marriage.

A bill that would make it easier for FedEx employees to unionize is pitting FedEx against UPS on labor.

National Review endorses John McCain over J.D. Hayworth in Arizona Republican senate primary.

Sharron Angle is running for Senate and from cameras.

Three years ago, David Vitter was caught in a prostitute scandal and is now looking at being elected; how did he get away with it?

Electorlux will start making vacuum cleaners from plastic ocean trash.

Finally, new Shrek movie making Vidalia onions more popular than ever with kids. Seriously.