Top Items:
Stephen Moore / Wall Street Journal:
The Wisconsin Wobblies — Conservatives in Wisconsin are getting nervous that three Republican state senators may defect on the collective-bargaining reform vote. — Conservatives in Wisconsin are getting nervous that three Republican state senators may defect on the collective-bargaining reform vote.
Discussion:
The Plum Line, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG, The New Republic and First Draft
RELATED:
Rasmussen Reports:
Wisconsin Governor Walker: 43% Approval Rating — Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker won his job last November with 52% of the vote, but his popularity has slipped since then. — A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Wisconsin Voters finds that just 34% Strongly Approve of the job he is doing …
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Are Wisconsin Republicans preparing to break with Walker? — I don't know if these reports are true or not, and we should treat them with caution. But we now have two news outlets, one local and one national, claiming GOP defections from Governor Scott Walker may be in the works.
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Jon Terbush / TPMDC:
Rasmussen Poll: Almost Six In Ten Wisconsin Voters Disapprove Of Gov. Walker
Rasmussen Poll: Almost Six In Ten Wisconsin Voters Disapprove Of Gov. Walker
Discussion:
Rasmussen Reports
Anna Holmes / New York Times:
The Disposable Woman — FORTY-THREE minutes into his “special live edition” with Charlie Sheen on Monday night, Piers Morgan finally got around to asking his guest a real question. Before that, Mr. Morgan and Mr. Sheen had mostly traded chuckles and anecdotes about multiday benders …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, The Wire, The New Republic, The Awl, ECHIDNE of the snakes and Runnin' Scared
RELATED:
James Wolcott / Vanity Fair:
It's Morgan In America — Where did Piers Morgan come from? And is there any way to send him back? Reviewing the debut “gets”—Oprah! Rudy! Condoleezza!—of Larry King's blustery British heir, the author examines the failures behind Morgan's success. — If you're going to go in, go in big.
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh, Mediaite and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »
David Leonhardt / Economix:
The Struggles of Men — 11:35 a.m. | Updated to correct percentage decline in median wages since 1969. — The Hamilton Project has produced a fairly stunning chart, suggesting that median real wages for men have dropped significantly more than is commonly understood:
Discussion:
Yglesias, EconLog and Grasping Reality …
RELATED:
Michael Greenstone / Brookings Institute:
Have Earnings Actually Declined?
Have Earnings Actually Declined?
Discussion:
Felix Salmon, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, The Atlantic Online, Corrente and Angry Bear
Kevinliptak / CNN:
Huckabee clarifies Portman criticism — (CNN) - Mike Huckabee is explaining comments he made earlier this week criticizing Oscar winner Natalie Portman for being pregnant and unmarried. — “In a recent media interview about my new book, A Simple Government, I discussed the first chapter …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Us Weekly, Hot Air, Pajamas Media, Big Hollywood, E! Online and Indecision Forever
RELATED:
Rachel Weiner / The Fix:
Why is Mike Huckabee criticizing Natalie Portman? (Poll)
Why is Mike Huckabee criticizing Natalie Portman? (Poll)
Discussion:
Politics Daily, The Plum Line, Guardian, Daily Kos and Behind the Numbers
Maggie Haberman / The Politico:
Mike Huckabee: I didn't diss Natalie Portman
Mike Huckabee: I didn't diss Natalie Portman
Discussion:
New York Magazine
Catherine Rampell / New York Times:
U.S. Added 192,000 Jobs in February; Rate at 8.9% — America's job engine picked up some steam last month. — The nation's employers added 192,000 jobs in February, after having added just 63,000 the previous month, the Labor Department reported on Friday. — The February number was about what economists had been forecasting.
Discussion:
Calculated Risk, Washington Monthly, Felix Salmon, The Atlantic Online, Ezra Klein, Above the Law, Brookings Institute, The Lonely Conservative, Economix, Online NewsHour, Firedoglake, FT Alphaville, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Hot Air, Sky Dancing, Politics Daily, AFL-CIO NOW BLOG, Outside the Beltway, Colorlines, The Daily Dish, Booman Tribune, TalkLeft and Balloon Juice
RELATED:
David Leonhardt / Economix:
Understated Progress on Jobs?
Understated Progress on Jobs?
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Daily Kos, The New Republic, Washington Monthly and LA Observed
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
McConnell: White House offer to cut $6.5B is ‘unserious’ — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday rejected the White House's opening offer to cut an additional $6.5 billion in spending as “unserious.” — Speaking on the Senate floor, the GOP leader said that Republicans …
Discussion:
The Note, CNN, The Politico and The Page
RELATED:
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
How to Kill a Recovery — The economic news has been better lately. New claims for unemployment insurance are down; business and consumer surveys suggest solid growth. We're still near the bottom of a very deep hole, but at least we're climbing. — It's too bad that so many people …
Grist:
Before George Will was against high-speed rail, he was for it — Remember how we told you the other day that Newsweek columnist George Will thinks high-speed rail is a sinister progressive plot to undermine American individualism? — Well, big thanks to reader Ed D'Amato …
Discussion:
Yglesias and A plain blog about politics
RELATED:
Sari Horwitz / Washington Post:
Federal grand jury indicts Loughner in Ariz. shootings — A federal grand jury in Arizona has indicted accused Tucson gunman Jared Lee Loughner on 49 counts in the January rampage that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 12 others and left six dead, including a chief federal district judge.
Discussion:
National Review, New York Magazine, The Page, TPMMuckraker, Talking Points Memo and FrumForum
RELATED:
Jennifer Epstein / The Politico:
Jared Lee Loughner indicted on 49 charges in Tucson shooting
Jared Lee Loughner indicted on 49 charges in Tucson shooting
Discussion:
The Hill and Runnin' Scared
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Boehner makes step toward defending DOMA in court — House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) took a step Friday toward formally defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court. — House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) took a step Friday toward formally defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court.
Discussion:
CNN, The Note, The Politico and FrumForum
Alex Seitz-Wald / ThinkProgress:
EXCLUSIVE: GOP Senator Yanked Off Committee Speaks Out, Was Informed 30 Minutes Before Anti-Union Vote — On Wednesday, just moments before a key committee in the Ohio State Senate was to vote on a GOP bill that would effectively dismantle public employees' right to collectively bargain …
Discussion:
The Political Carnival, NEWS JUNKIE POST and Wonk Room
George Russell / Fox News:
U.K. Pulls Plug on United Nations Spending, in Move That is Bound to Hearten U.S. Critics — Critics of U.S. spending on the United Nations got a huge boost—and supporters of that spending, especially the Obama Administration, took a body blow—from an unlikely source this week …
Discussion:
Cubachi, Weasel Zippers and Riehl World View
Associated Press:
NASA satellite rocket launch fails, lands in ocean — WASHINGTON (AP) — A rocket carrying an Earth-observation satellite plummeted into the Pacific Ocean after a failed launch attempt Friday, the second-straight blow to NASA's weakened environmental monitoring program.
Breaking Boston News, Weather & Sports:
Study: Staring at breasts increases heart health — GERMANY (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - Guys, listen up. A study says it is actually healthy to stare at a woman's breasts. — Five-hundred men participated in the German study. Half were told to refrain from looking at breasts for five years …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, POWIP, Pajamas Media and Fox Nation
WKOW 27:
Rep. Nick Milroy tackled while trying to enter Capitol — MADISON (WKOW) — Representative Nick Milroy (D-South Range) had a confrontation with Capitol police as he tried to enter the building Thursday night. — Milroy was trying to get clothes from his office but police would not let him into the building.
Discussion:
TPMDC, TPMMuckraker, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine and MoveOn.Org
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
That Time Has Arrived — In our main editorial chat here at TPM I was just saying that with the new evidence of Gov. Walker going into the bunker-bound, ranting at his lackeys stage of this drama I figured that it could only be a few days before the first Gov. Walker “Hitler Downfall Parody Video” appeared on Youtube.
Rick Pearson / Los Angeles Times:
Daley: U.S. a ‘country of whiners’ — Retiring Mayor Richard Daley on Thursday contended America is a “country of whiners” that's spent the last four decades fearing the impact of foreign governments on the nation's economy instead of showing the confidence and sacrifice to lead on a global stage.
Discussion:
The Hill, Weasel Zippers, Ben Smith's Blog and Swampland
John Blake / CNN:
Are whites racially oppressed? — White marchers gather at Glenn Beck rally this summer. Were they driven by racial fears or patriotic sentiment? — (CNN) — They marched on Washington to reclaim civil rights. — They complained of voter intimidation at the polls.
Discussion:
Runnin' Scared, Wonkette, The Awl and Shakesville
Army Court-Martial Defense Specialist / The Law Office …:
PFC Manning Stripped Naked Again — PFC Manning was forced to strip naked in his cell again last night. As with the previous evening, Quantico Brig guards required him to surrender all of his clothing. PFC Manning then walked back to his bed, and spent the next seven hours in humiliation.
Discussion:
Salon, The Moderate Voice, Firedoglake, Outside the Beltway, New York Times, The Atlantic Online and Emptywheel
Jon Ralston / Las Vegas Sun Blogs:
Rory Reid's gubernatorial campaign circumvented contribution limits, created 91 shell PACs to infuse $750,000 into campaign — Who funded Rory Reid's PAC — California bigwig, Vegas cab magnate, unions, gamers — PAC names were designed to cover true purpose
Discussion:
The Fix
Jim Demint / Wall Street Journal:
Public Broadcasting Should Go Private — If these outfits can afford to pay lavish salaries to their heads, they don't need taxpayer help. — When presidents of government-funded broadcasting are making more than the president of the United States, it's time to get the government out of public broadcasting.
Ann Althouse / Althouse:
Who started the restriction of access to the Wisconsin Capitol, which the state court judge has ruled unconstitutional? — If you were critical of Meade and me for refusing to wait in line and insisting on walking right into the Capitol building, then you need to read the judge's order …
Discussion:
American Power and JSOnline
Michael F. Cannon / National Review:
Mitch Daniels's Obamacare Problem — Mitt Romney isn't the only Republican presidential hopeful with an Obamacare problem: Indiana governor Mitch Daniels, were he to become the GOP's nominee, could also undermine the repeal campaign that has united the party's base and independent voters.
Discussion:
Ezra Klein and GOP 12
Ezra Klein:
Washington is bad at scheming — As far as I can tell, “The Adjustment Bureau” is about a group of superplanners who've mapped out every right turn, McDonald's combo meal and life decision we'll face. I say “as far as I can tell” because I won't see it. I can't bear it.
Discussion:
A plain blog about politics and Mother Jones
Sam Arora, Maryland Delegate:
Statement on SB 116 (Same-Sex Marriage Bill) — I have heard from constituents, friends, and advocates from across the spectrum of views and have thought about the issue of same-sex marriage extensively. I understand their concern—this is a very serious issue, and one that many people feel passionately about.
Discussion:
AMERICAblog Gay, News at Metro Weekly, Wonk Room, PostPartisan, Maryland Politics, Joe. My. God. and Balloon Juice
Todd Starnes / Fox News:
Connecticut Town Ordered to Pay for Union Workers' Coffee — A Connecticut town must provide their union workers free coffee and milk, according to a ruling from the State Board of Labor Relations. — The board also ordered town leaders to reinstate “Dress Down Fridays” for the union clerical and custodial workers.
Discussion:
protein wisdom