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Moving past right-wing rhetoric — We get it, Sarah Palin. You're not morally culpable for the tragic shooting in Tucson, Ariz. All of us around the “Morning Joe” table agree, even if we were stunned that you would whine about yourself on Facebook as a shattered family prepared to bury their 9-year-old girl.
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Palin: ‘I am not going to shut up’ — (CNN) - In her first interview since the Arizona shootings, Sarah Palin Monday sharply beat back critics who have suggested her at-times charged political rhetoric and use of a graphic featuring crosshairs may have contributed to the shooter's motivations.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Mediaite, Ballot Box, Wake up America, Z on TV, TPM LiveWire, Shakesville, Taylor Marsh, Reuters, The Reaction and Media Matters for America


Palin Defends Use of ‘Blood Libel’ Phrase — WASHINGTON - Sarah Palin said in a television interview on Monday evening that she agreed with bipartisan calls for civility in the wake of the Arizona shooting rampage, but she vowed to not be deterred from political debates while deciding whether to run for president.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Jezebel, msnbc.com, Connecting.the.Dots, Conservatives4Palin and FrumForum

Palin Was Terrific — I continue to believe that Sarah Palin …
Discussion:
Hot Air, Da Techguy's Blog and Nice Deb


Toward a 21st-Century Regulatory System — If the FDA deems saccharin safe enough for coffee, then the EPA should not treat it as hazardous waste. — For two centuries, America's free market has not only been the source of dazzling ideas and path-breaking products, it has also been the greatest force …
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, CNN, ThinkProgress, Michelle Malkin, Political Punch, Fox Nation, The Atlantic Online, Bloomberg, The Daily Caller, New Deal 2.0, Economist's View, Weasel Zippers, The Awl, The Hill, Questions and Observations, The Maddow Blog, CNSNews, PointOfLaw Forum, Betsy's Page, Clusterstock, The Enterprise Blog, Shakesville, Cheat Sheet and Economix
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Obama Launches Rule Review, Pledging to Spur Jobs, Growth
Discussion:
protein wisdom, Althouse and FrumForum

Kent Conrad to retire — North Dakota Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad plans to announce his retirement today, according to two informed Democratic sources, creating a potentially prime pickup opportunity for Republicans in a GOP-leaning state. — Conrad, who currently chairs the Senate Budget Committee …
Discussion:
The Note, Hotline On Call, Raw Story, TPMDC, Daily Kos, RedState, Clusterstock and msnbc.com
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Obama Approval Rises, But Hazards Remain — Obama's Job Approval Has Matched his Highest in More Than a Year — Aided by his response to the Tucson shootings, popular lame-duck legislation and a hint of economic relief, Barack Obama has matched his highest job approval rating in more than a year …
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Poll shows high marks for Obama on Tucson, low regard for political dialogue — Americans overwhelmingly describe the tone of political discourse in the country as negative, verging on angry, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, but more than half say the culture did not contribute …
Discussion:
The Plum Line, Quinnipiac University, New York Magazine and National Review

Poll: Most want Obama, GOP to work together
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, TalkLeft, The Hill, Public Policy Polling and Outside the Beltway

Government finds up to half of Americans under 65 have preexisting conditions — As many as 129 million Americans under age 65 have medical problems that are red flags for health insurers, according to an analysis that marks the government's first attempt to quantify the number of people …
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Health care lobby mum on repeal
Discussion:
CNN, Washington Monthly, Hot Air, Boehner, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Washington Wire and Daily Kos


Bysiewicz declares for U.S. Senate — Susan Bysiewicz today declared herself a candidate for U.S. Senate, trying to put the disasters of 2010 behind her by getting an early jump on 2012, when U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman is up for re-election. — Bysiewicz, 49, a Democrat whose career derailed …
Discussion:
Ballot Box, TPMDC and Hotline On Call

Court rejects appeal over DC gay marriage law — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from opponents of same-sex marriage who want to overturn the District of Columbia's gay marriage law. — The court did not comment Tuesday in turning away a challenge from a Maryland pastor …
Discussion:
Lez Get Real, AMERICAblog Gay and Joe. My. God.
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State Sen. Thomas Duane to push gay marriage bill as hopes rise …
Discussion:
AMERICAblog Gay, Towleroad News #gay and Joe. My. God.

Study: Many college students not learning to think critically — NEW YORK — An unprecedented study that followed several thousand undergraduates through four years of college found that large numbers didn't learn the critical thinking, complex reasoning and written communication skills …
Discussion:
Booman Tribune, JammieWearingFool, Althouse and Mother Jones

China-style dictatorship of climatologists — NASA's Hansen prefers rule by decree to fight ‘global warming’ — November's election made it quite clear that the people of the United States do not want to radically change our society in the name of global warming.
Discussion:
YID With LID, blogs.telegraph.co.uk and Pajamas Media
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For Chinese Leader's Visit, U.S. to Take a Bolder Tack
Discussion:
Right Turn, msnbc.com, FP Passport, AOL News, USA Today, China Digital Times and China Real Time Report

Arizona statute could endanger Gabrielle Giffords's hold on seat — TUCSON - Even as Rep. Gabrielle Giffords shows signs of a near-miraculous recovery, with doctors on Sunday upgrading her condition from critical to serious, a little-known statutory provision in Arizona state law could endanger …
Discussion:
USA Today, Taegan Goddard's …, Hot Air, National Review, Raw Story, Gawker and Balkinization


Shooting victim apologizes for ‘misplaced outrage’ at Tea Party leader — Tucson, Arizona (CNN) — Arizona shooting victim James Eric Fuller sent his apologies Monday for telling a Tea Party leader, “you are dead.” — Dorothy DeRuyter, a companion of Fuller's, provided CNN with a statement.

Amy Chua Is a Wimp — Sometime early last week, a large slice of educated America decided that Amy Chua is a menace to society. Chua, as you probably know, is the Yale professor who has written a bracing critique of what she considers the weak, cuddling American parenting style.

Cheney: Obama has learned that Bush policies were right — President Obama has “learned from experience” that some of the Bush administration's decisions on terrorism issues were necessary, according to former Vice President Dick Cheney. — In his first interview since undergoing major heart surgery …
Discussion:
Salon, The Politico, nbcuniversal.presscentre.com, Cubachi, TalkLeft, CNN, ABCNEWS, HotAirPundit, The Gateway Pundit and FrumForum

Meredith Whitney Should Show Her Cards — What's Your Reaction: — Meredith Whitney should finally come clean. — The banking analyst who made a name for herself properly warning investors about the dire condition of the big banks a full year before the 2008 financial collapse …
Discussion:
Clusterstock and Dealbreaker


Wonkbook: Health-care debate, round two — Health-care reform isn't getting repealed this week. It's getting re-debated. The GOP's control of the House — and thus of at least some of the agenda — gives them a second opportunity to make their case against the bill.
Discussion:
TalkLeft, New York Times, The Politico, Classical Values and Weasel Zippers

Palin needs to ‘be more careful,’ Gingrich says — (CNN) - Sarah Palin is getting more advice from fellow Republicans - this time from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich who says the former Alaska governor needs to “slow down.” — Speaking on ABC's Good Morning America Tuesday …
Discussion:
The Politico and Ben Smith's Blog


Gov.-elect Robert Bentley intends to be governor over all, but says only Christians are his ‘brothers and sisters’ — MONTGOMERY — Gov.-elect Robert Bentley in a speech at a Baptist church this afternoon said he plans to be the governor of all Alabamians and be color-blind …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Taegan Goddard's … and Religion Dispatches

Watch Herman Cain Battle Bill Clinton on Health Care — In my short profile of Herman Cain, the Tea Party favorite and GOP presidential hopeful, I mentioned his auspicious debut on the national political stage. It came in 1994, when Cain was CEO of Godfather's Pizza and challenged Bill Clinton …
Discussion:
AmSpecBlog and Betsy's Page


Pirates seized record 1,181 hostages in 2010 - report — Somali pirates are now operating further offshore, the IMB says — Pirates took a record 1,181 hostages in 2010, despite increased patrolling of the seas, a maritime watchdog has said. — The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice