Top Items:
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, Politics Daily, Fire Andrea Mitchell!, UrbanGrounds, Badger Blogger and Verum Serum
RELATED:
New York Times:
Union Bonds in Wisconsin Begin to Fray — JANESVILLE, Wis. — Rich Hahan worked at the General Motors plant here until it closed about two years ago. He moved to Detroit to take another G.M. job while his wife and children stayed here, but then the automaker cut more jobs.
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Rasmussen Poll on Wisconsin Dispute May Be Biased — We've noted before that the automated polling firm Rasmussen Reports has had problems with bias in a statistical sense: in the election last fall, its polls overestimated the standing of Republican candidates by roughly 4 percentage points on average.
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
In Wisconsin, the gap widens between GOP and Dems — “They've painted themselves in a corner,” Wisconsin Republican state senator Randy Hopper says of his Democratic colleagues. “There's no way for them to get out of it.” — Democratic senators last week fled Wisconsin rather than allow …
Discussion:
The Note, Bloomberg, Hot Air, theblogprof and FrumForum
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 Raw Story, New York Magazine, CBS News and AMERICAblog News
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:
The Caucus, Right Turn and Balloon Juice
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:
TalkLeft, The Monkey Cage, Right Turn, NewsBusters.org, driftglass and Balloon Juice
Jamison Foser / Media Matters for America:
George Will's Dishonest Assault On Unions
George Will's Dishonest Assault On Unions
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money
Mark Blumenthal / The Huffington Post:
AFL-CIO Polls Show Wisconsin Supports Protestors, Opposes Walker
AFL-CIO Polls Show Wisconsin Supports Protestors, Opposes Walker
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Guardian, Reuters, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice and Chicago Boyz
George F. Will / Washington Post:
Out of Wisconsin, a lesson in leadership for Obama
Out of Wisconsin, a lesson in leadership for Obama
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Weasel Zippers, Talking Points Memo, Moonbattery, Don Surber and Big Government
Wall Street Journal:
Political Fight Over Unions Escalates
Political Fight Over Unions Escalates
Discussion:
Classical Values and The Politico
Richard Cohen / Washington Post:
Government pensions, an obesity epidemic
Government pensions, an obesity epidemic
Discussion:
Booman Tribune
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
First look: Unions launch TV ad campaign backing Wisconsin public employees
First look: Unions launch TV ad campaign backing Wisconsin public employees
Discussion:
Firedoglake, TPMDC and WisPolitics Budget Blog
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:
L.A. NOW, Human Events, USA Today, Guardian, Washington Post, Maggie's Notebook, Confederate Yankee, Fox Nation, Moe Lane, BLACKFIVE, Mediaite, FrumForum, Gawker, The Gateway Pundit and New York Magazine
RELATED:
Fox News:
Four Americans Killed on Yacht Hijacked by Somali Pirates — DEVELOPING STORY: Four Americans aboard a yacht hijacked by Somali pirates have been killed, Fox News has confirmed. — U.S. forces responded to gunfire aboard the yacht Quest at approximately 1 a.m. Tuesday, but discovered all four hostages had been shot by their captors.
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin and The Jawa Report
Sky News Australia:
Cleric orders Gaddafi killed — Influential Muslim cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi has issued a fatwa that any Libyan soldier who can shoot dead embattled leader Muammar Gaddafi should do so ‘to rid Libya of him.’ — 'Whoever in the Libyan army is able to shoot a bullet at Mr Gaddafi should do so …
RELATED:
BBC:
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi appears on state TV — Col Gaddafi signalled his defiance over a mounting a revolt against his rule — Libya's leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi, has dismissed reports that he had fled amid the unrest sweeping the country, calling foreign news channels “dogs”.
Discussion:
The Foundry, A Chequer-Board of Nights …, ABCNEWS, The Other McCain, Guardian, FrumForum and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
New York Times:
Chaos Grows in Libya as Strife in Tripoli Intensifies — TUNIS — Libya appeared to slip further into chaos on Tuesday, as clashes intensified between rebels and forces loyal to Col. Muammar el Qaddafi in Tripoli and opposition forces moved to consolidate their hold in eastern Libya.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, New York Magazine, FP Passport, Democracy Now, The Agonist, The Big Picture, Towleroad News #gay, Hot Air and Time
Jennifer Chambers / Detroit News:
Michigan orders DPS to make huge cuts — Bobb told to consolidate services, close half of schools to end deficit — Lansing— Swift and severe changes are coming to Detroit Public Schools. — State education officials have ordered Robert Bobb to immediately implement a financial restructuring plan …
Discussion:
The American Independent, POWIP and Salon
RELATED:
Matthew Dolan / Wall Street Journal:
Detroit Schools' Cuts Plan Approved
Detroit Schools' Cuts Plan Approved
Discussion:
Joanne Jacobs and Sweetness & Light
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:
protein wisdom, Weasel Zippers and Confederate Yankee
Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:
WI State Rep Busted For Sexual Misconduct - Says Charges Are a Distraction From Larger State Issues — Now we know what they do when they're not at work... Wisconsin State Rep. Gordon Hintz told reporters today that his arrest for sexual misconduct is a distraction from larger issues facing the state.
Discussion:
UrbanGrounds, Fire Andrea Mitchell! and The Other McCain
The Politico:
How a government shutdown could happen — Neither party says it wants a government shutdown. — But the path to a compromise is so tricky, neither party can rule it out. — Republicans say any short-term agreement must include spending cuts. Democrats say, no way.
Discussion:
Quick News and White House Dossier
RELATED:
Kevinliptak / CNN:
House Republicans and Senate Democrats in talks to avoid government shutdown
House Republicans and Senate Democrats in talks to avoid government shutdown
Discussion:
protein wisdom, Washington Monthly, Wall Street Journal, Liberty Pundits Blog and Hot Air
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Sen. Scott Brown says, 'I'm not a Tea Party member,' welcomes GOP primary — “You're talking about being an ideologue? If you're looking for one, I'm not it,” said Sen. Scott Brown. — Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) said he doesn't consider himself a member of the Tea Party movement and would welcome any primary challenger.
Discussion:
CNN, The Politico, The Impolitic and AMERICAblog News
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:
Ben Smith's Blog, Hot Air, New York Magazine, Mediaite, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Politics Daily
Lauraklairmont / CNN:
Pro-Huntsman effort launches website, offering 2012 clues — Washington (CNN) - A political action committee created by supporters of United States Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman launched a sleek but cryptic new website Tuesday, providing some of the first clues as to how a possible Huntsman …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, The Caucus, Swampland and The Page
David Streitfeld / New York Times:
Home Prices Slid in December in Most U.S. Cities, Index Shows — Real estate prices slid again in December, pushing a leading price index within a whisper of its lowest level since the housing crash began, data released Tuesday showed. — The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller Home Price Index …
Discussion:
protein wisdom and Mother Jones
Lauraklairmont / CNN:
Paul to return to New Hampshire for first time since '08 — Washington (CNN)- Rep. Ron Paul heads to New Hampshire next month, his first visit since the 2008 presidential election to the state that holds the first primary in the race for the White House. — A senior adviser …
Discussion:
Ballot Box and GOP 12
Jarrel Wade / Tulsa World:
Email: TPD captain investigated for refusing to order officers' attendance at mosque event — A Tulsa police captain who allegedly refused to require his subordinates to attend a “Law Enforcement Appreciation Day” at the Tulsa mosque has been assigned to a different division …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and Jihad Watch
Ann Althouse / Althouse:
I receive a threat: “whoever video taped this has no life and needs to be shot in the head.” — That's a comment on my YouTube video about the salt trucks that circled the Wisconsin Capitol yesterday, blowing horns, apparently in support of the protesters. (I blogged the video here.)
Discussion:
Chicago Boyz, BizzyBlog, Pajamas Media and alicublog
Laura Rozen / The Politico:
Among Libya's lobbyists — As several Libyan diplomats Monday denounced their country's four-decade ruler Col. Muammar Qadhafi for unleashing the army against anti-government protesters, U.S. consultancies that have worked to burnish Libya's and Qadhafi's U.S. image were laying low.
Discussion:
Harry's Place, Mock, Paper, Scissors and Gawker