Top Items:
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, Hullabaloo, TalkLeft, GayPatriot, Hot Air, Pajamas Media, The Other McCain, The New Republic and Power Line
RELATED:
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:
The Huffington Post, Fox News, Associated Press, National Review, Little Green Footballs, Hit & Run, neo-neocon, TPMDC, Don Surber, TalkLeft, Weekly Standard, The Caucus, Wall Street Journal, Virginia Politics Blog, Left Coast Rebel, Boehner, Outside the Beltway, Cubachi, The Politico, Crooks and Liars, SEIU, Cato @ Liberty, Right Turn, The Other McCain, AmSpecBlog, The Atlantic Online, New York Times, The Note, The Foundry, POWIP, Althouse, New York Magazine, The Hill, Prairie Weather, Firedoglake, RedState, Fox Nation, Power Line, CNN, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, The Enterprise Blog, USA Today, Da Techguy's Blog, Taylor Marsh and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion
Ezra Klein:
What is actually being proposed in Wisconsin? — Reading the commentary, I think a lot of people are confused about what's actually being proposed in Wisconsin. So let's go through it. — You can find Gov. Scott Walker's proposal here. It's called “the Budget Repair bill.”
Discussion:
JSOnline, Balloon Juice, Mother Jones, PostPartisan, Rortybomb, host.madison.com and Gawker
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 …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, National Review, Salon, Washington Monthly, Mother Jones, The Plum Line, TPMDC, PostPartisan, Guardian, Hullabaloo and Obsidian Wings
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 …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Taylor Marsh, Political Punch, ThinkProgress, Crooked Timber, Daily Kos, Vox Popoli, Wake up America, Pajamas Media and FrumForum
Megan McArdle / The Atlantic Online:
Showdown in Wisconsin — The circus in Wisconsin is rapidly blowing up into the national issue of the moment, thanks in no small part to President Obama and of course Organizing for America, the group that grew out of his 2008 campaign, which seems to be playing a prominent role in building up the protests.
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:
The Mahablog, Left Coast Rebel, JSOnline, Moonbattery, Michelle Malkin, Da Techguy's Blog and Right Wing News
Devin Dwyer / ABCNEWS:
Obama, DNC Fuel State Employee Protests
Obama, DNC Fuel State Employee Protests
Discussion:
The Note, Pajamas Media and JSOnline
Matt Welch / Hit & Run:
Is This How a President Should Act?
Is This How a President Should Act?
Discussion:
James Pethokoukis, The Daily Caller, National Review, PostPartisan, protein wisdom, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG and AmSpecBlog
msnbc.com:
Vote on Wis. union bill faces more delays
Vote on Wis. union bill faces more delays
Discussion:
JSOnline, Confederate Yankee, The Page, Associated Press and Truthdig
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, PostPartisan, Althouse, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Boehner and Cubachi
Monica Davey / New York Times:
Wisconsin Bill in Limbo as G.O.P. Seeks Quorum
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 …
RELATED:
ABCNEWS:
Planned Parenthood Funding Voted Down — Amendment Passes Despite Stunning Personal Testimony From Rep. Jackie Speier — The House of Representatives Friday passed a measure to end federal funding for abortion provider Planned Parenthood a day after Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif. …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Pam's House Blend, Swampland and Joe. My. God.
Julian Pecquet / The Hill:
House cuts off funding for healthcare reform, Planned Parenthood
House cuts off funding for healthcare reform, Planned Parenthood
Discussion:
The Plum Line
First Read / msnbc.com:
House passes measure stripping Planned Parenthood funding
House passes measure stripping Planned Parenthood funding
Discussion:
AOL News, Little Green Footballs and protein wisdom
Diane Webber / The Politico:
Rep. Jackie Speier gets personal on abortion
Rep. Jackie Speier gets personal on abortion
Discussion:
CNN, New York Magazine, New York Times and FrumForum
Joan McCarter / Daily Kos:
House votes to defund Planned Parenthood, Title X
House votes to defund Planned Parenthood, Title X
Discussion:
Booman Tribune, Feministe and Don Surber
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
RELATED:
Russell Berman / The Hill:
Pelosi says she's ‘proud’ of Wisconsin Democrats who fled — House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she supports the Democratic state senators in Wisconsin who left the state to stop a vote on curbing collective bargaining rights for unionized public employees.
Discussion:
CNN, Weasel Zippers and Hot Air
Russell Berman / The Hill:
House rejects extra $22 billion in cuts that divided Republicans
House rejects extra $22 billion in cuts that divided Republicans
Discussion:
protein wisdom, Hot Air, Washington Post and CNN
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, No More Mister Nice Blog, Daily Kos and Booman Tribune
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:
Hot Air, The Politico, The Note, iOwnTheWorld.com, Maggie's Notebook and Don Surber
RELATED:
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, Swampland, RedState, Swing State Project and Daily Kos
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, Budget Committee and Mother Jones
RELATED:
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Willie Sutton Wept
Willie Sutton Wept
Discussion:
The Future of Capitalism, Firedoglake, Paul Krugman, Daily Kos, The Incidental Economist, The Confluence and Sky Dancing
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:
New York Times, msnbc.com, Salon, Chicago Boyz and AMERICAblog News
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
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 …
Frank Newport / Gallup:
Americans Say Reagan Is the Greatest U.S. President — Lincoln and Clinton next on the list; Washington fifth — PRINCETON, NJ — Ahead of Presidents Day 2011, Americans are most likely to say Ronald Reagan was the nation's greatest president — slightly ahead of Abraham Lincoln and Bill Clinton.
Discussion:
The Politico and Outside the Beltway
Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
Obama's Louis XV budget — Five days before his inauguration, President-elect Obama told The Post that entitlement reform could no longer be kicked down the road. He then spent the next two years kicking - racking up $3 trillion in new debt along the way - on the grounds …
Discussion:
neo-neocon
David Brooks / New York Times:
Tomorrow Never Comes — Jonathan Alter wrote a book about Barack Obama's first year in office called “The Promise.” That's a great title because it works on so many levels. For example, over the past four years, Obama's career has been marked by a constant promise: He has continually …
Discussion:
Hit & Run, JustOneMinute, The New Republic, Right Turn, Balloon Juice and msnbc.com
Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
Poll: Public unions a hard sell — A new poll from the Washington-based Clarus Group asked: — Do you think government employees should be represented by labor unions that bargain for higher pay, benefits and pensions ... or do you think government employees should not be represented by labor unions?
Discussion:
GayPatriot, The Plum Line, Fire Andrea Mitchell! and Behind the Numbers
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 and PoliPundit.com
Dean Baker / The Politico:
Unions badgering Wisconsin's finances? — Co-director, Center for Economic and Policy Research : — You have to give Gov. Walker and his wealthy patrons credit. Here we have a situation where Wall Street fat cats wrecked the economy - people like Richard Fuld, Robert Rubin, and Angelo Mozilo …
Discussion:
The Huffington Post and DownWithTyranny!