Political Digest for Week of October 2nd

Considering the fact that it's still High Holiday season, I don't have enough time to sit down and do in-depth analysis.  However, I wanted to post at least one blog entry, so I'll just do a brief digest with some pieces that I found this week that were of intrigue.

• Cato Institute Associate Director Daniel Ikenson reviews how the China currency bill currently in Congress won't create jobs, and how it will backfire by actually destroying jobs.
• I don't think this is really news, but Obama has increased debt by more than all the other presidents combined.  I'll concede that the figure is misleading because it does not adjust for inflation.  However, as Heritage Foundation points out, the federal debt as a percentage of GDP under Obama has not been this high since WWII (also see Politifact analysis for further detail).
• Sarah Palin will not be seeking the presidential nomination this election cycle.  I have three words for that: what a relief!
• The Wall Street Journal reports that approximately half of Americans receive some sort of government benefits.  The upward trend is not exactly comforting for those of us who prefer freedom to "social 'justice.'"  
• According to the Carnegie Endowment's Senior Associate Moisés Naím, China has the real potential to have its economic progress to be derailed, which would be worse than anything that is going to be going on in Greece right now.  Original article in El País is here.     
• A bit of political satire from Reason Magazine about the "Occupy Wall Street" movement.