Top Items:
Washington Post:
Obama joins Wisconsin's budget battle, opposing Republican anti-union bill — MADISON, WIS. - President Obama thrust himself and his political operation this week into Wisconsin's broiling budget battle, mobilizing opposition Thursday to a Republican bill that would curb public-worker benefits …
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, Weekly Standard, TalkLeft, Hit & Run, National Review, The Caucus, Crooks and Liars, Left Coast Rebel, The Atlantic Online, Cubachi, Wall Street Journal, The Politico, Boehner, The Other McCain, TPMDC, Outside the Beltway, Michelle Malkin, SEIU, AmSpecBlog, Cato @ Liberty, The Daily Caller, POWIP, The Foundry, New York Magazine, Politics, The Note, New York Times, Right Turn, Firedoglake, The Hill, Power Line, Prairie Weather, Althouse, Taylor Marsh, Da Techguy's Blog, CNN, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, USA Today, The Huffington Post, The Enterprise Blog, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Fox Nation, Pajamas Media, Pundit & Pundette, JSOnline, Shakesville, FrumForum, The Sundries Shack, The Hill and WTMJ
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Joe Klein / Swampland:
Wisconsin: The Hemlock Revolution — Revolutions everywhere—in the middle east, in the middle west. But there is a difference: in the middle east, the protesters are marching for democracy; in the middle west, they're protesting against it. I mean, Isn't it, well, a bit ironic …
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Other McCain and Hullabaloo
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Wis. governor: GOP won't be ‘bullied’ by union bill protesters — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) says his party has been emboldened by massive protests against his controversial budget plan. — Walker said demonstrators who filled the state Capitol building in Madison and the boycott …
Ezra Klein:
Unions aren't to blame for Wisconsin's budget — Let's be clear: Whatever fiscal problems Wisconsin is — or is not — facing at the moment, they're not caused by labor unions. That's also true for New Jersey, for Ohio and for the other states. There was no sharp rise in collective bargaining …
Wall Street Journal:
Athens in Mad Town — A seminal showdown between public unions and taxpayers. — For Americans who don't think the welfare state riots of France or Greece can happen here, we recommend a look at the union and Democratic Party spectacle now unfolding in Wisconsin.
Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
Join Andrew Breitbart, Herman Cain & Jim Hoft at Wisconsin Freedom Rally to Support Scott Walker Saturday
Join Andrew Breitbart, Herman Cain & Jim Hoft at Wisconsin Freedom Rally to Support Scott Walker Saturday
Discussion:
Left Coast Rebel, JSOnline, Moonbattery, Right Wing News and Da Techguy's Blog
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Poll: Public unions a hard sell
Poll: Public unions a hard sell
Discussion:
The Plum Line and Behind the Numbers
New York Times:
Gov. Walker's Pretext — In a year when governors across …
Gov. Walker's Pretext — In a year when governors across …
Discussion:
TalkLeft, Mother Jones, Althouse, PostPartisan, Cubachi, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Boehner, Crooks and Liars, The Plum Line and Daily Kos
msnbc.com:
Vote on Wis. union bill faces more delays
Vote on Wis. union bill faces more delays
Discussion:
JSOnline, The Page, Confederate Yankee, Associated Press, Truthdig and Hit & Run
Ezra Klein:
What is actually being proposed in Wisconsin?
What is actually being proposed in Wisconsin?
Discussion:
Rortybomb, host.madison.com, PostPartisan, Gawker and TPMDC
Monica Davey / New York Times:
Wisconsin Bill in Limbo as G.O.P. Seeks Quorum
Matthew Cooper / The Atlantic Online:
Wisconsin: A Critical Fight for the Labor Movement
Wisconsin: A Critical Fight for the Labor Movement
Discussion:
Sky Dancing, Indecision Forever and Wonkette
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Jeff Bingaman to retire — New Mexico Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman is expected to announce his retirement today, according to a source close to the decision, a move that further complicates his party's efforts to hold their Senate majority in 2012. — Bingaman had been mulling whether …
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Politics Daily, Grist, Hotline On Call, The Raw Story, RedState, Swampland, Daily Kos and Swing State Project
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Kevinliptak / CNN:
Obama to Florida for Nelson fundraiser
Jennifer Epstein / The Politico:
Sen. Jeff Bingaman to retire
Sen. Jeff Bingaman to retire
Discussion:
CNN and Outside the Beltway
Diane Webber / The Politico:
Rep. Jackie Speier gets personal on abortion — The debate over defunding Planned Parenthood turned personal Thursday night as California Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier told colleagues of her own abortion experience. — Speier spoke out after Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey read …
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, CNN, New York Magazine, New York Times and FrumForum
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The Politico:
House votes to defund Planned Parenthood — The House just approved Rep. Mike Pence's amendment to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood, checking off a hot-button social issue even as it set up a bigger showdown over defunding the health care law. — The vote was 240-185 with 11 Democrats voting …
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice and Taegan Goddard's …
First Read / msnbc.com:
House passes measure stripping Planned Parenthood funding — From NBC's Shawna Thomas and Mark Murray — As expected, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence's (R) amendment to strip federal funding for Planned Parenthood passed the House by a 240-185 vote. Ten Democrats joined the GOP majority, while seven Republicans voted against the measure.
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, protein wisdom and AOL News
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
House Dem reveals abortion on the House floor
House Dem reveals abortion on the House floor
Discussion:
The Hill, ThinkProgress, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Mediaite and Tennessee Guerilla Women
Jonathan Allen / The Politico:
Government shutdown is likely, Pelosi aide says — A high-ranking aide to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told chiefs of staff of Democratic lawmakers that a government shutdown is more likely than not, according to attendees. — Speaking at a regular meeting of the top aides to House Democrats …
Discussion:
Boehner, ThinkProgress, GayPatriot and FrumForum
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Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
THEY MAY ACTUALLY BE ‘A BUNCH OF YAHOOS’.... A month …
THEY MAY ACTUALLY BE ‘A BUNCH OF YAHOOS’.... A month …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Booman Tribune, Daily Kos and The Politico
Arizona Daily Star:
Firefighter refused call to Tucson shooting spree scene — A veteran city firefighter's refusal to respond to the Jan. 8 shooting spree, citing “political bantering,” may have slowed his Tucson Fire Department unit's response to the incident that left six dead and 13 wounded, city memos show.
Discussion:
msnbc.com, Salon, Chicago Boyz and AMERICAblog News
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Free exchange:
Outrageous cuts — PAUL KRUGMAN'S columns tend so often toward scathing criticism of Republicans that it's easy to discount the outrage and dismiss it. It would be a shame if that's the reaction to his writing today, which couldn't be more on point. To wit:
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, Washington Post, Mother Jones and Alas, a Blog
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Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Willie Sutton Wept
Willie Sutton Wept
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The Future of Capitalism, Paul Krugman, The Confluence, Sky Dancing, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice and Washington Post
Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:
Democrat suggests ‘ObamaCare’ rhetoric should be banned from House floor — House Republicans and Democrats started Friday morning's debate over whether to defund last year's healthcare law, and as part of this debate sparred over whether members should be allowed to call that law “ObamaCare.”
Discussion:
The Politico, CNN, The Note, iOwnTheWorld.com, Maggie's Notebook and Don Surber
Danny Yadron / Washington Wire:
Army Wins NASCAR Sponsorship Fight — The Army, the Air Force and the National Guard NASCAR racing teams will ride again this year, after the House voted 241-148 to ditch a measure to ban the Pentagon from sponsoring stock car teams. — The measure was introduced by Rep. Betty McCollum …
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs
RELATED:
Christina Wilkie / The Hill:
House votes down ban on military sponsorship of NASCAR teams
House votes down ban on military sponsorship of NASCAR teams
Discussion:
The Note
Jason Millman / The Hill:
Administration asks judge to tell the states that healthcare law isn't optional — The Obama administration is asking a federal judge who struck down the healthcare reform law to clarify that states must still implement the overhaul as the appeals process plays out.
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Left Coast Rebel and Patterico's Pontifications
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Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Obama WH to Vinson: Please tell states to obey law you just struck down
Obama WH to Vinson: Please tell states to obey law you just struck down
Discussion:
Maggie's Farm
Rob Stein / Washington Post:
Obama administration replaces controversial ‘conscience’ regulation for health-care workers — The Obama administration rescinded most of a federal regulation Friday designed to protect health workers who refuse to provide care they find objectionable on personal or religious grounds.
Discussion:
The Foundry and Pam's House Blend
Sonja Puzic / Vancouver Sun:
Ont. couple's appeal to bring baby home dismissed — A Superior Court judge has dismissed a Windsor couple's appeal of a decision to have their dying baby's breathing tube removed in hospital. In this undated handout photo, Joseph Maraachli, a one-year-old boy from Windsor, Ont. …
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Bob Unruh / WorldNetDaily:
Stunner! Supremes to give eligibility case another look — Challenge to Obama getting 2nd conference before court — In a stunning move, the U.S. Supreme Court has scheduled another “conference” on a legal challenge to Barack Obama's eligibility to occupy the Oval Office …
Discussion:
iOwnTheWorld.com, Classical Values, PoliPundit.com and Scared Monkeys
New York Times:
Security Forces in Bahrain Open Fire on Mourners — MANAMA, Bahrain — Government forces opened fire on hundreds of mourners marching toward Pearl Square Friday, sending people running away in panic amid the boom of concussion grenades. But even as the people fled, at least one helicopter sprayed fire …