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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.
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Badger State Battle: Unions vs. Tea Party in Wisconsin; Runaway Dems could be AWOL “for weeks;” recall campaigns launched; nine anti-Walker protesters arrested; fake doctors' notes for fake sick teachers (VIDEO) — It's Battle of the Protest Bands in Madison today, with thousands …
Discussion:
Doug Ross, The Page, Althouse, Pundit & Pundette, Fire Andrea Mitchell!, Blogging Blue, AmSpecBlog and Atlas Shrugs
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Wisconsin Protesters Breitbarted Over Bogus Teachers' Excuses — Fox News broke this bulletin about an hour ago. It stems from a video posted by the MacIver Institute Wisconsin alleging that a doctor is signing bogus excuses for teachers protesting in Madison.
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Fake Doctors' Notes Being Handed Out at Wisconsin Gov. Union Rally — [Madison, WI] As tens of thousands of public employees skipped work this week to attend protest rallies outside the Wisconsin State Capitol, many wondered if they would face any disciplinary action for unexcused absences.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Daily Kos and Doug Ross
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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, Weasel Zippers and Althouse
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Bloggers For Peace Flotilla Arrives In Madison...SITUATION TENSE ...Update: Thousands of Walker 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. — There were thousands of tea party patriots at the Wisconsin capitol today.
Discussion:
Washington Times, Weasel Zippers, Atlas Shrugs, Da Techguy's Blog and National Review
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HERMAN CAIN VIDEO ADDED — Tea Party activists staged a “Stand With Scott Walker” rally today at the Capitol in Madison. Our man Troglopundit was on the scene and Tweeted that the union goons outnumbered the pro-Walker crowd. But he also Tweets this:
Discussion:
ABCNEWS, Instapundit, GayPatriot, National Review, WisPolitics Budget Blog, Moe Lane and AFL-CIO NOW BLOG
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Standoff on the square: Biggest protests yet as pro-Walker side, larger union crowd meet peacefully
Discussion:
WisPolitics Budget Blog, TPMDC and AFL-CIO NOW BLOG
Monica Davey / New York Times:
For Wisconsin Governor, Battle Was Long Coming
For Wisconsin Governor, Battle Was Long Coming
Discussion:
Sky Dancing, New York Magazine, Runnin' Scared and Mother Jones
Gov. Tim Pawlenty / Big Government:
I Stand with Scott Walker
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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:
Outside the Beltway, Fox Nation, The Other McCain, Associated Press and JammieWearingFool
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Libya protests: Reports of intense Benghazi violence — A former UK envoy to Libya says a key question is what happens in the capital Tripoli (Footage from Libyan TV and amateur sources) — Intense violence has been reported in Libya's second city, Benghazi, with troops said to have opened fire again on anti-government protesters.
Discussion:
Guardian, The Atlantic Online, Chicago Boyz, Unqualified Offerings and Libya February 17th
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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:
Hot Air, Outside the Beltway, CARPE DIEM and Verum Serum
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:
msnbc.com, EA WorldView, The Reaction, The Daily Dish, Newshoggers.com, Hit & Run and Firedoglake
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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:
Crooks and Liars, Watts Up With That?, The Reality-Based Community and Pirate's Cove
David S Morgan / CBS News:
Lawmaker: Gov's plan has torn Wisconsin apart — Dem state senator says Scott Walker's proposal to end collective bargaining for most public employees is “absolutely, positively wrong” — Protests are continuing at the State Capitol in Madison against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker proposal …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
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Wisconsin Leads Way as Workers Fight State Cuts
Discussion:
L'Hôte, Leiter Reports, New York Times, The Daily Dish, Daily Kos and msnbc.com
Steven Greenhouse / New York Times:
A Watershed Moment for Public-Sector Unions
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Photo gallery: What Big Labor protesters are teaching kids (language warning) — Thanks to reader Justin Falk for sending along these pictures from the progressive Peace&Love march in Madison, Wisconsin today (language warning). Keep it classy, progs! — New Civility. Same as the Old.
Discussion:
Pajamas Media and Pundit & Pundette
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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:
The Politico, Firedoglake, Wake up America, The Democratic Daily, Washington Monthly and Truthdig
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House approves dramatic cuts in federal spending in 235-189 vote
Discussion:
Politics Daily, Liberal Values, Right Wing News, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, FrumForum, New York Times and Federal Eye
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Michelle Obama in Vail for weekend — VAIL, Colorado — First lady Michelle Obama is among the Presidents Day weekend crowd. — Obama arrived Friday night for a weekend of skiing in Vail and Beaver Creek, according to local sources. — A motorcade of about a dozen vehicles …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Scared Monkeys, Don Surber, Weasel Zippers, JammieWearingFool and Political Punch
Fcphantom / Daily Kos:
Organizing recall in Wisconsin — All week long I've been closely following the situation in Madison as I sat on my couch sneezing and coughing. Others have covered the issue itself. I'm going to cover what we can actually DO about it. — Wisconsin law says that you can recall …
Discussion:
AMERICAblog News
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The ‘Union Hires Non-Union Picketers’ Story of the Day — Unions hiring non-union labor to walk picket lines certainly isn't a rarity, but this story from Michigan has some bonus irony: The business a local carpenter's union hired homeless people to picket is a company that is a partner …
Discussion:
Fire Andrea Mitchell!
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Jonathon M. Seidl / The Blaze:
MICH. UNION HIRING HOMELESS PEOPLE TO PICKET