Top Items:
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Now That's Rich — We need to pinch pennies these days. Don't you know we have a budget deficit? For months that has been the word from Republicans and conservative Democrats, who have rejected every suggestion that we do more to avoid deep cuts in public services and help the ailing economy.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Think Progress, American Thinker, The Mahablog, MyDD, Clusterstock and Prairie Weather
Annie Gowen / Washington Post:
Far from Ground Zero, other plans for mosques run into vehement opposition — MURFREESBORO, TENN. — For more than 30 years, the Muslim community in this Nashville suburb has worshipped quietly in a variety of makeshift spaces — a one-bedroom apartment, an office behind a Lube Express …
Discussion:
The Caucus, Harry's Place, The Mahablog, Informed Comment, Atlas Shrugs, The Moderate Voice and Big Journalism
RELATED:
Jonathan Weisman / Wall Street Journal:
Protests, Rhetoric Feed Jihadists' Fire — Islamic radicals are seizing on protests against a planned Islamic community center near Manhattan's Ground Zero and anti-Muslim rhetoric elsewhere as a propaganda opportunity and are stepping up anti-U.S. chatter and threats on their websites.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, New York Times, Jihad Watch and Winds Of Jihad
Borzou Daragahi / Los Angeles Times:
New York mosque controversy worries Muslims overseas — Some can't understand the fuss over a house of worship and how a democracy promoting religious freedom could even be having such a debate. Others are offended at the conflation of the 9/11 attacks with all Muslims.
Discussion:
Patterico's Pontifications
NY Daily News:
Anti-'Ground Zero mosque' protesters descend on downtown Park51 site
Anti-'Ground Zero mosque' protesters descend on downtown Park51 site
Discussion:
NY1.com, Mediaite, Daily Mail, CBS New York, JammieWearingFool and Gawker
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
Proposed Muslim Center Draws Opposing Protests
Proposed Muslim Center Draws Opposing Protests
Discussion:
Think Progress, City Room, Gothamist, CNN, Politics Daily, TalkLeft, Weasel Zippers and Rumproast
Orange Squeezer / Nick Egoroff Orlando …:
Was Mike Huckabee Ready To Sell His Endorsement to Rick Scott for $250,000? — I have spoken with a reliable source telling me that a little over a week ago, Mike Huckabee approached the Rick Scott campaign and made overtures that his endorsement could be had for $250,000 dollars.
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, Ballot Box and Weigel
RELATED:
Quinnipiac University:
Meek, McCollum Lead One Day Before Florida Primaries, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; But Many Likely Primary Voters Remain Undecided — U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek holds a 39 - 29 percent lead over Jeff Greene in the Florida race for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, CNN, Public Policy Polling, National Review, Taegan Goddard's …, Ballot Box and Post on Politics
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Close Republican race in Florida
Close Republican race in Florida
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, The Buzz and GOP 12
Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:
Poll numbers in 1994, a bad year for Democrats, don't bode well for them in 2010 — Is it deja vu all over again for Democrats? — Some neutral observers and senior strategists within the party have begun to believe that the national political environment is not only similar to what they saw in 1994 …
Discussion:
Wake up America
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Russell Berman / The Hill:
House Democrats to push party small-business agenda this week — House Democrats are planning a coordinated effort to highlight the party's small-business agenda this week, hoping to build momentum for stalled jobs legislation while hammering Republicans for obstructionism.
Discussion:
New York Times, Liberty Pundits Blog, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, msnbc.com and Prairie Weather
Lou Cannon / Politics Daily:
2010 Elections: Big Potential for Republican Governor, Redistricting Wins
2010 Elections: Big Potential for Republican Governor, Redistricting Wins
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys and Betsy's Page
Kristi Keck / CNN:
10 things Obama must do in 10 weeks — (CNN) — President Obama is facing criticism that his message has gone off track at a crucial time for his party and administration. With the midterm elections just 10 weeks away, the president's approval ratings are at their lowest.
Discussion:
Sister Toldjah, Pirate's Cove and Shakesville
David Streitfeld / New York Times:
Real Estate's Gold Rush Seems Gone for Good — Housing will eventually recover from its great swoon. But many real estate experts now believe that home ownership will never again yield rewards like those enjoyed in the second half of the 20th century, when houses not only provided shelter but also a plump nest egg.
Discussion:
The Baseline Scenario, Balloon Juice, The Big Picture, nancynall.com and Modeled Behavior
Jeff Merkley / Oregonian:
Mosque: Don't blame friends for acts of enemies — The debate swirling around the proposed mosque and Muslim community center in lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center site has, for many, tapped into strong emotions of a national trauma that is still raw.
Discussion:
The Plum Line and Salon
RELATED:
Ben Dimiero / Media Matters for America:
FLASHBACK: In 2006 joint appearance, Beck appeared to call Imam Rauf a “good Muslim”
FLASHBACK: In 2006 joint appearance, Beck appeared to call Imam Rauf a “good Muslim”
Discussion:
Mediaite and Outside the Beltway
Daniel Bates / Daily Mail:
Taliban-hired snipers believed to have killed British soldiers killed by air strikes — Four foreign snipers hired by the Taliban, thought to be responsible for the deaths of ten British soldiers, have been hunted down and killed. — The mercenaries were found by British special forces …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report
Tracy Alloway / FT Alphaville:
Moving targets, US housing edition — If at first you don't succeed . . . move the goal-posts. — In the grand tradition of stimulus policy gone wrong, that seems to be just what the US Treasury has done in relation to its Hamp mortgage modification programme.
Discussion:
interfluidity
Jane Mayer / New Yorker:
The billionaire brothers who are waging a war against Obama. — David H. Koch in 1996. He and his brother Charles are lifelong libertarians and have quietly given more than a hundred million dollars to right-wing causes. — KEYWORDS … On May 17th, a black-tie audience …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog and pandagon.net
Ben Evans / Associated Press:
SPIN METER: Republicans hot, cold on Constitution — WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia won his seat in Congress campaigning as a strict defender of the Constitution. He carries a copy in his pocket and is particularly fond of invoking the Second Amendment right to bear arms.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Sweetness & Light
Dexter Filkins / New York Times:
Pakistanis Tell of Motive in Taliban Leader's Arrest — ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — When American and Pakistani agents captured Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's operational commander, in the chaotic port city of Karachi last January, both countries hailed the arrest as a breakthrough …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Jawa Report, Swampland, Emptywheel and The AfPak Channel
Pamela Geller / Atlas Shrugs:
Max Blumenthal Lies Again About Geller — Max Blumenthal, notorious Jew hater, is lying, slandering and making up racist propaganda against me again. I have no idea what this rally is. I have no idea who these people are. I have no idea who organized this rally.
Discussion:
iOwnTheWorld.com, Jihad Watch, American Power, The Other McCain and Balloon Juice
Mark Hemingway / Beltway Confidential:
Philly requiring bloggers to pay $300 for a business license — It looks like cash hungry local governments are getting awfully rapacious these days: … To say that these kinds of draconian measures are detrimental to the public discourse would be an understatement.
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, Questions and Observations, The Daily Dish, Moonbattery, Outside the Beltway and Moe Lane
Julian Pecquet / The Hill:
Insurance agents fight for survival in world after health reform — Insurance agents and brokers, afraid of being rendered irrelevant in the post-health reform world of simplified insurance shopping, are fighting for their very survival. — The agents want lawmakers' and regulators' support …
Discussion:
Wonk Room and The Politico