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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, The Atlantic Online, Bloomberg, Fox Nation, Pajamas Media, New Deal 2.0, Economist's View, Weasel Zippers, The Awl, The Daily Caller, Questions and Observations, The Volokh Conspiracy, The Maddow Blog, The Enterprise Blog, Climate Progress, The Hill, CNSNews, Corrente, Betsy's Page, PointOfLaw Forum, Clusterstock, Salon, Shakesville, Cheat Sheet and Economix
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Obama Launches Rule Review, Pledging to Spur Jobs, Growth
Discussion:
protein wisdom, Althouse and FrumForum


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, Wake up America, Ballot Box, Reuters, TPM LiveWire, Shakesville, Taylor Marsh, Media Matters for America and The Reaction


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:
Jezebel, The Atlantic Online, msnbc.com, Connecting.the.Dots, Conservatives4Palin and FrumForum


A Livid Sarah Palin Preaches To The Choir (But No One Else) On Tucson Massacre

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

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:
Politics Daily, The Note, Hotline On Call, The Other McCain, Raw Story, TPMDC, Daily Kos, RedState, Clusterstock, msnbc.com and FrumForum
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Sen. Kent Conrad won't seek reelection — North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad will not seek reelection in 2012, handing Republicans a prime opportunity for a pick-up in a red-leaning state. — “After months of consideration, I have decided not to seek reelection in 2012.
Discussion:
AmSpecBlog

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, Swampland, Behind the Numbers, New York Magazine and National Review

Most American Voters See Economy Improving, Quinnipiac University …
Discussion:
The Hill and Taegan Goddard's …

Poll: Most want Obama, GOP to work together
Discussion:
TalkLeft, ThinkProgress, The Hill, George's Bottom Line, 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:
The Note, CNN, Washington Monthly, Hot Air, Boehner, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Washington Wire and Daily Kos

Repeal vote just GOP's first step
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, The Moderate Voice, The New Republic and Connecting.the.Dots

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, Wonk Room, Commentary, msnbc.com, FP Passport, AOL News, USA Today, China Digital Times and China Real Time Report

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:
Box Turtle Bulletin, Lez Get Real, TPMMuckraker, AMERICAblog Gay and Joe. My. God.


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

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

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.

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


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.

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, Hot Air, Taegan Goddard's …, National Review, Raw Story, Gawker and Balkinization


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 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


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


Bill Clinton, Andy Samberg Hit Chicago to Back Rahm Emanuel for Mayor … Chicago mayoral hopeful Rahm Emanuel gains fundraising help this week from former President Bill Clinton and Andy Samberg, who portrayed Emanuel as a foul-mouthed White House chief of staff in skits on “Saturday Night Live.”
Discussion:
The Hill

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, nbcuniversal.presscentre.com, The Politico, Cubachi, TalkLeft, CNN, ABCNEWS, HotAirPundit, The Gateway Pundit and FrumForum

Democrats losing too many white voters, says civil rights leader — A leading civil rights leader in Congress believes the Democratic Party is losing too many white voters. — In an interview, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) said Democrats need to “go all out” to win back white, Southern voters before the next election.
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway