Top Items:
John Fund / Wall Street Journal:
What's at Stake in Wisconsin's Budget Battle — Who's in charge of our political system—voters or unions? — This week President Obama was roundly criticized, even by many of his allies, for submitting a federal budget that actually increases our already crushing deficit.
RELATED:
Patrick McIlheran / Real Clear Politics:
FDR's Ghost Is Smiling on Wisconsin's Governor — Somewhere, Franklin Delano Roosevelt is grinning past his cigarette holder at Wisconsin's governor. They are on the same page regarding government unions. — Except that Scott Walker — Republican cheapskate, his visage Hitlerized …
Discussion:
Maggie's Notebook and protein wisdom
Washington Times:
Obama's war on democracy — President's campaign forces seize Wisconsin statehouse — Message to Wisconsin taxpayers: President Obama and the Democratic National Committee have declared war on you. Message to other states: You're next. — The political unrest in Wisconsin …
Discussion:
UrbanGrounds
Monica Davey / New York Times:
For Wisconsin Governor, Battle Over State Finances Was Long in the Making — MADISON, Wis. — Just last fall, people here were waving campaign signs. But the blocks around the State Capitol have been filled for the past week with protesters brandishing signs with a different message …
Discussion:
Runnin' Scared
New York Times:
Wisconsin Leads Way as Workers Fight State Cuts
Wisconsin Leads Way as Workers Fight State Cuts
Discussion:
L'Hôte, Leiter Reports, New York Times and The Daily Dish
David S Morgan / CBS News:
Lawmaker: Gov's plan has torn Wisconsin apart
Lawmaker: Gov's plan has torn Wisconsin apart
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
Steven Greenhouse / New York Times:
A Watershed Moment for Public-Sector Unions
Rachel Maddow / PolitiFact:
Rachel Maddow says Wisconsin is on track to have a budget surplus this year
Rachel Maddow says Wisconsin is on track to have a budget surplus this year
Discussion:
PostPartisan, NewsBusters.org blogs, Z on TV, RedState, Firedoglake, TPMDC, The Week Magazine, ThinkProgress, JSOnline and Salon
JSOnline:
Assembly's abrupt adjournment caps chaotic day in Capitol
Assembly's abrupt adjournment caps chaotic day in Capitol
Discussion:
American Prospect, Washington Monthly, Pajamas Media, Hot Air and WTMJ
Rick Ungar / The Policy Page:
Koch Brothers Behind Wisconsin Effort To Kill Public Unions
Koch Brothers Behind Wisconsin Effort To Kill Public Unions
Discussion:
Blogging Blue, The Impolitic, L'Hôte, Mother Jones, TBogg, Balloon Juice, Hit & Run and ThinkProgress
First Read / msnbc.com:
First Thoughts: Upside down — How the protests in Wisconsin …
First Thoughts: Upside down — How the protests in Wisconsin …
Discussion:
Daily Kos and Balloon Juice
Nicholas Kristof / New York Times:
Delirious Joy in Bahrain — BAHRAIN — There's delirious joy in the center of Bahrain right now. People power has prevailed, at least temporarily, over a regime that repeatedly used deadly force to try to crush a democracy movement. Pro-democracy protesters have retaken the Pearl Roundabout …
Discussion:
The Daily Dish, The Reaction, msnbc.com, Newshoggers.com, Hit & Run, Opinion L.A. and Firedoglake
RELATED:
Aljazeera:
Protesters back in Bahrain centre — Anti-government protesters reoccupy Pearl roundabout after troops and police withdraw from protest site in capital. — [WARNING: This video contains images that some viewers may find disturbing] — Thousands of protesters have reoccupied …
David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:
House Votes to Cut $60 Billion, Setting Up Clash — WASHINGTON — The House voted early Saturday to slash more than $60 billion from the federal budget over the next seven months, showing how powerfully the grass-roots, antispending fervor of the November elections is driving …
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The Politico, The Democratic Daily, Washington Monthly, Wake up America and Truthdig
RELATED:
Paul Kane / Washington Post:
House approves dramatic cuts in federal spending in 235-189 vote
House approves dramatic cuts in federal spending in 235-189 vote
Discussion:
Politics Daily, New York Times, Right Wing News, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, FrumForum and Federal Eye
Felicia Sonmez / Washington Post:
Conservative budget amendment fails House amid fissure among Republicans
Conservative budget amendment fails House amid fissure among Republicans
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Ace of Spades HQ, Politics Daily, National Review and The Hill
Oregonian:
Rep. David Wu's staff confronted him over concerns about his mental health — WASHINGTON — Three days before the Nov. 2 election, U.S. Rep. David Wu's most loyal and senior staffers were so alarmed by his erratic behavior that they demanded he enter a hospital for psychiatric treatment.
Discussion:
CNN, Outside the Beltway, Fox Nation and Associated Press
Sarah Palin / Facebook:
Union Brothers and Sisters: Seize Opportunity to Show True Solidarity — The union-led school closures and demonstrations in Madison have left most ordinary Americans shaking their heads in disbelief. Months ago, I penned a message to my fellow union brothers and sisters when I found myself …
Discussion:
Washington Times, Hot Air, Cubachi, Bloomberg, Conservatives4Palin and National Review
Lady Liberty / The Gateway Pundit:
Bloggers For Peace Flotilla Arrived In Madison...SITUATION TENSE...UPDATE: Thousands of Walker's Supporters Are Here! — This is an update from Jim. He's on the ground and in the thick of things. He will be phoning in updates throughout the day. — (Pygalgia)
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Instapundit, Washington Times, JSOnline, Da Techguy's Blog and Atlas Shrugs
Rick Piltz / Climate Science Watch:
House votes 244-179 to kill U.S. funding of IPCC — Just before 2 a.m. on February 19, the war on climate science showed its grip on the U.S. House of Representatives as it voted to eliminate U.S. funding for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Republican majority …
Discussion:
The Reality-Based Community, Watts Up With That?, Right Wing News and Pirate's Cove
John Merline / AOL News:
Opinion: What Does Government Do? … Pop quiz. What's the biggest single job the federal government undertakes? — National defense? Nope. — Homeland security? Wrong. — Transportation? Not even close. — Law enforcement? No way. — Education? Getting colder. — Foreign aid?
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, CARPE DIEM and Hot Air
BBC:
Libya protests: 84 killed in growing unrest, says HRW — Former UK envoy to Libya: “The most exciting question is what happens in Tripoli” (Footage from Libyan TV and amateur sources) — The number of people killed in three days of protests in Libya has risen to 84, according to the New York-based group Human Rights Watch.
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, Outside the Beltway, Suburban Guerrilla and Libya February 17th
RELATED:
Steve Coll / New Yorker:
U.S.-TALIBAN TALKS — On August 22, 1998, Mullah Omar, the emir of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, made a cold call to the State Department. The United States had just lobbed cruise missiles at Al Qaeda camps in his nation. Omar got a mid-level diplomat on the line and spoke calmly.
Discussion:
National Review, Daniel W. Drezner and Prairie Weather