memeorandum: In challenge to Senate, House GOP drafting spending bill with cuts (Michael O'Brien/The Hill)

4:45 PM ET, February 22, 2011

Top Items:

Dennis Cauchon / USA Today:

Poll: 61% oppose limits on union bargaining power — The public strongly opposes laws taking away the collective bargaining power of public employee unions as a way to ease state financial troubles, according to a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll. — The poll found that 61% would oppose a law …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, TPMDC, Ben Smith's Blog, The Plum Line, Outside the Beltway, The Hill and Prairie Weather

David Brooks / New York Times:

Make Everybody Hurt — Over the past few weeks we've begun to see the new contours of American politics. The budget cutters have taken control of the agenda, while government's defenders are waging tactical retreats. Given the scope of the fiscal problems, it could be like this for the next 10 or 20 years.

Discussion: The Monkey Cage, Ezra Klein, Washington Post, The Daily Dish, The New Republic, Yglesias, PostPartisan, TalkLeft, The Plum Line, NewsBusters.org, DownWithTyranny!, Right Turn, Balloon Juice and driftglass

Noel Sheppard / NewsBusters.org:

Wisconsin State Senator Smacks Down Chris Matthews: 'You're Completely Uninformed' — MSNBC's Chris Matthews tried Monday to push the liberal media meme that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker exempted police and firefighters from his budget repair plan because their unions endorsed him in last November's election.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, TalkLeft, Politics Daily, UrbanGrounds and Fire Andrea Mitchell!

ThinkProgress:

Is Scott Walker Cutting Off Internet Access To Thwart Protesters? — Our guest blogger is Mike Elk, a freelance labor journalist and third generation union organizer based in Washington, D.C. You can follow him for more updates on Wisconsin on twitter at @MikeElk.

Ezra Klein:

Wonkbook: Are Republicans overreaching? Or just negotiating effectively? — The showdown in Wisconsin continues, and the one in Washington is just beginning. In Wisconsin, Democrats and unions have offered Gov. Scott Walker the benefit concessions he's asked for, but not the end to collective bargaining he's demanded.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Pajamas Media, American Power, The Plum Line and The Daily Dish

CNN:

Pro-union website blocked in Wisconsin state Capitol — Madison, Wisconsin (CNN) — A left-leaning website that union supporters used to rally protesters in Wisconsin was partially blocked as demonstrators gathered in the state Capitol over a controversial budget bill.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Raw Story and The Page

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:

What Did Walker Campaign On? — Last night, I heard on Fox News from Stephen Hayes that Wisconsin governor Scott Walker had run on a platform to end collective bargaining rights for public sector unions. I can find no evidence of this in the public record.

Discussion: Firedoglake and Balloon Juice

Eric Lipton / New York Times:

Billionaire Brothers' Money Plays Role in Wisconsin Dispute — WASHINGTON — Among the thousands of demonstrators who jammed the Wisconsin State Capitol grounds this weekend was a well-financed advocate from Washington who was there to voice praise for cutting state spending by slashing union benefits and bargaining rights.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Plum Line, Ben Smith's Blog, Parker Spitzer, Guardian, The Impolitic, Washington Post, AMERICAblog News, Alas, a Blog, The Raw Story, Taylor Marsh, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG, CBS News and New York Magazine

Josh Dorner / ThinkProgress:
Priorities? GOP Governors Shift Burden To Poor, Middle Class To Pay For Tax Breaks For Rich, Corporations

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, ECHIDNE of the snakes, Wonk Room and Firedoglake

Byron York / Washington Examiner:
In Wisconsin, the gap widens between GOP and Dems

Discussion: AmSpecBlog, The Note, Bloomberg, Hot Air, theblogprof, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and FrumForum

Mark Blumenthal / The Huffington Post:
AFL-CIO Polls Show Wisconsin Supports Protestors, Opposes Walker

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Wonkette, Reuters, Talking Points Memo, Guardian, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice and The American Independent

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Rasmussen Poll on Wisconsin Dispute May Be Biased

Discussion: Daily Kos, TPMDC, Outside the Beltway, CNN, The Raw Story, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hit & Run, The Mahablog, Right Wing News, The Huffington Post, Scared Monkeys and Talking Points Memo

Jamison Foser / Media Matters for America:
George Will's Dishonest Assault On Unions

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money

Indianapolis Star:

Democrats trigger Statehouse showdown over anti-union legislation — House Democrats are leaving the state rather than vote on anti-union legislation, The Indianapolis Star has learned. — A source said Democrats are headed to Illinois, though it was possible some also might go to Kentucky.

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Indiana Dem chair confirms: Dems have fled statehouse to stall anti-union push

Discussion: TPMDC, Washington Post, FrumForum and Taegan Goddard's …

Thomas M. Burton / Wall Street Journal:
Indiana Democrats Stage Walkout

Discussion: Firedoglake, JammieWearingFool and Fox News

Daniel Strauss / The Hill:
Indiana lawmakers also fleeing for border to avoid labor-bill vote

Discussion: The Politico, Cubachi, Salon, Runnin' Scared and Indecision Forever

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Madison, Indiana? — At what point does the decision …

Discussion: USA Today, Ben Smith's Blog, Common Sense Political Thought and Pajamas Media

News Item:

› - Statement from John and Kimberley Thune — For months now, my wife Kimberley and I have received encouragement from family, friends, colleagues, and supporters from across South Dakota and the country to run for the presidency of the United States.

The Politico:
Thune out — John Thune isn't running for president.

Discussion: The Fix, Ben Smith's Blog and New York Magazine

Michael O'Brien / The Hill:

In challenge to Senate, House GOP drafting spending bill with cuts — House Republicans are drafting a short-term measure funding government at reduced levels for consideration next week, the latest move in an escalating showdown between the House GOP and the Democratic-led Senate.

Discussion: National Review and FrumForum

Anjeanette Damon / Las Vegas Sun: Harry Reid: ‘The time has come for us to outlaw prostitution’

Scott Wong / The Politico:
Harry Reid spending bill exposes deep divide with John Boehner

Discussion: CNN and The Note

The Politico:
How a government shutdown could happen

Discussion: CNN, Washington Monthly, White House Dossier and Quick News

CBS News:

4 Americans on hijacked yacht dead off Somalia — U.S. Navy warship shadowing seized vessel takes action after gunshots are heard; 4 hostages apparently killed by captors, some pirates dead — The four Americans aboard a yacht hijacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia are dead.

Discussion: Guardian, Politics Daily, L.A. NOW, USA Today, NO QUARTER, Human Events, Confederate Yankee, Maggie's Notebook, New York Magazine, Mediaite, Moe Lane, BLACKFIVE, Gawker, neo-neocon, FrumForum and The Gateway Pundit

Tony Perry / L.A. NOW:
Four American hostages killed by Somali pirates during rescue attempt [Updated]

Discussion: Fox News, Right Wing News, Wizbang and Michelle Malkin

The Politico:

Ex-aide's book paints harsh portrait of Sarah Palin — A new memoir from an embittered former aide to Sarah Palin includes a trove of emails that vividly illustrate her intense focus on image and depiction in the media. — The emails, apparently from the former Alaska governor …

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Indecision Forever, Salon, Hot Air and New York Magazine

Jack Stuef / Wonkette:

Sarah Palin Has Secret ‘Lou Sarah’ Facebook Account To Praise Other Sarah Palin Facebook Account — Sarah Palin has apparently created a second Facebook account with her Gmail address so that this fake “Lou Sarah” person can praise the other Sarah Palin on Facebook.

Discussion: TPM LiveWire, Outside the Beltway, The Daily Dish, AOL News and Politics Daily

Al Jazeera Blogs:

Live Blog - Libya Feb 22 — on February 22nd, 2011. — Alleged mercenaries deployed by Gaddafi in Tripoli, the Libyan capital. — As the uprising in Libya enters its ninth day, we keep you updated on the developing situation from our headquarters in Doha, Qatar.

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Guardian, BBC, Washington Post, Libya February 17th, News Desk, Mish's Global Economic …, AMERICAblog News and Outside the Beltway, more at Mediagazer »

Wall Street Journal:
Liberating Libya — The U.S. and Europe should help Libyans overthrow the Gadhafi regime.

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Real Clear Politics, The Daily Beast, Ben Smith's Blog and The Daily Dish

Richard Cohen / Washington Post:

Government pensions, an obesity epidemic — In New York City, the No. 2 guy in the fire department retired on a pension worth $242,000 a year. In New York State, a single official holding two jobs and one pension took in $641,000. A lieutenant with the Port Authority police retired …

Discussion: Yglesias and National Review

BooMan / Booman Tribune:
Wanker of the Day: Richard Cohen

Discussion: TalkLeft

Terence P. Jeffrey / CNSNews:

Two-Thirds of Wisconsin Public-School 8th Graders Can't Read Proficiently—Despite Highest Per Pupil Spending in Midwest — (CNSNews.com) - Two-thirds of the eighth graders in Wisconsin public schools cannot read proficiently according to the U.S. Department of Education …

Discussion: PERRspectives, BizzyBlog, Vox Popoli, Confederate Yankee, protein wisdom and Weasel Zippers

Julie Hayden / KDVR:

Online Poll - Drawing Arrest … - HOT TOPICS - Carmelo Trade - Boy Arrested Over Drawing - Find Low Gas Prices - Libya Violence - E-470 Crash - ‘Heaven Is Real’

Discussion: Hit & Run, LewRockwell.com Blog, The Jawa Report, Pajamas Media, JONATHAN TURLEY and Don Surber

Sam Roberts / New York Times:

New York's Little Italy, Littler by the Year — In 1950, nearly half of the more than 10,000 New Yorkers living in the heart of Little Italy identified as Italian-American. The narrow streets teemed with children and resonated with melodic exchanges in Italian among the one in five residents born …

Discussion: Runnin' Scared and Joe. My. God.