memeorandum: The church lady says the WI protesters are a Bizarro Tea Party (Digby/Hullabaloo)

6:30 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 …

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.

Discussion: Defend Wisconsin and Daily Kos

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: Balloon Juice, The New Republic and Firedoglake

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: Ezra Klein, Ben Smith's Blog, NewsBusters.org, The Monkey Cage, The Daily Dish, The New Republic, The Snitch, Washington Post, PostPartisan, DownWithTyranny!, The Plum Line, Right Turn, TalkLeft, Yglesias, The Mahablog, Balloon Juice and driftglass

CNN:
Pro-union website blocked in Wisconsin state Capitol

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

Ezra Klein:
Wonkbook: Are Republicans overreaching? Or just negotiating effectively?

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Wall Street Journal, AOL News, The Foundry, The Daily Dish and Daily Kos

Eric Lipton / New York Times:
Billionaire Brothers' Money Plays Role in Wisconsin Dispute

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Plum Line, The Future of Capitalism, Parker Spitzer, Guardian, The Impolitic, Ben Smith's Blog, AMERICAblog News, Alas, a Blog, Washington Post, TPMDC, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG, Taylor Marsh and CBS News

Richard Cohen / Washington Post:
Government pensions, an obesity epidemic

Discussion: Yglesias, Hot Air and National Review

Myglesias / Yglesias:
Contractortopia — I understand and, indeed, agree with the argument …

Discussion: National Review

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

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

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

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Why won't Governor Walker accept unions' offer and declare victory?

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Washington Monthly, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Hullabaloo and Daily Kos

Ezra Klein:
Why do unions care about Medicaid?

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, The New Republic and Mother Jones

Peter Schorsch / Saint Petersblog:
Gov. Rick Scott says state shouldn't move to take away collective bargaining rights

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog

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.

Indianapolis Star:

3:40 PM — Governor says time to dump labor bill — Gov. Mitch Daniels signaled this afternoon that Republicans should drop the right-to-work bill that has brought the Indiana House to a standstill for two days and imperiled other measures. — Daniels told reporters this afternoon …

Discussion: The Hill, protein wisdom, Outside the Beltway, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG and Daily Kos

Jim Geraghty / National Review:

Mitch Daniels: Indiana Republicans Should Drop the Right to Work Bill — Color me extremely disappointed with Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels right now: … If the Indiana House Democrats get what they want through this tactic, what's to prevent them from using it again and again every time they think they'll lose on a big issue?

Discussion: Hot Air, The Daily Caller, Hullabaloo, Cubachi, AmSpecBlog and Riehl World View

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

Discussion: The Hill, Cubachi, TPMDC, Weigel, Cold Fury, Washington Post, Runnin' Scared and FrumForum

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

Discussion: Sister Toldjah, USA Today, Common Sense Political Thought, Ben Smith's Blog 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

Scott Wong / The Politico:

Harry Reid spending bill exposes deep divide with John Boehner — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday he'll introduce a one-month spending bill that keeps the federal government funded at current levels, a move that raises the stakes in an increasingly tense budget showdown with Speaker John Boehner.

Discussion: The Note, CNN and The Democratic Daily

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

Henry Brean / Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Reid urges Nevada to outlaw prostitution

Discussion: The Atlantic Online and Booman Tribune

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

Discussion: National Review and FrumForum

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, Ben Smith's Blog, Salon, Hot Air, New York Magazine, The Other McCain and White House Dossier

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

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.

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, New York Times, Guardian, Washington Post, Sky News Australia, The Daily Beast, BBC, Aljazeera, Libya February 17th, News Desk and AMERICAblog News, more at Mediagazer »

Robert Baer / Time:
Gaddafi's Next Move: Sabotage Oil and Sow Chaos?

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Little Green Footballs and Libya February 17th

WISC-TV:

Madison Labor Group Prepares For General Strike — Group Says It Needs To Educate Public First — MADISON, Wis. — If Gov. Scott Walker and Republican legislators pass a union bill that restricts collective bargaining rights, some labor groups in Madison said they would endorse the entire …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers, Hot Air and iOwnTheWorld.com

Mike Elk / Open Mike:
Madison Area AFL CIO Votes to Prepare For General Strike

Discussion: Ben Smith's Blog, Firedoglake, Weigel and blue cheddar

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: theblogprof, protein wisdom, Don Surber, PERRspectives, Pajamas Media, Confederate Yankee, Vox Popoli, Fire Andrea Mitchell!, BizzyBlog 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, JONATHAN TURLEY, The Jawa Report, Pajamas Media and Don Surber

Mother Jones:

It's the Inequality, Stupid — Post Comment — HOW RICH ARE THE SUPERRICH? … WINNERS TAKE ALL — The superrich have grabbed the bulk of the past three decades' gains. — OUT OF BALANCE

Discussion: Ezra Klein, Guardian, Joe. My. God. and Mother Jones

Jerry Sullivan / Buffalo News:

Tea party may fight GOP over Lee's seat — Tea party activists, slumbering since last fall's gubernatorial election, may be awakening and ready to challenge the Republican process for choosing a successor to Christopher J. Lee in the 26th Congressional District.

Discussion: Ballot Box, CNN, RedState and Scripting News