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Democrats to End Union Standoff — Playing a game of political chicken, Democratic senators who fled Wisconsin to stymie restrictions on public-employee unions said Sunday they planned to come back from exile soon, betting that even though their return will allow the bill to pass …
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Washington Monthly, WisPolitics Budget Blog, Power Line, The Maddow Blog, WLS-TV, Examiner, Fox Nation, Sky Dancing, The Lonely Conservative, Wonkette, The Politico, JSOnline, Outside the Beltway, Taegan Goddard's …, The Mahablog, 620WTMJ, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Betsy's Page, Balloon Juice, Another Black Conservative, Freedom's Lighthouse, iOwnTheWorld.com and Gawker
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Wisconsin Dems Deny WSJ Report Of Imminent Return — Wisconsin state Senate Democrats, who have fled the state in order to block budget quorum on Gov. Scott Walker's anti-public employee union proposals, are walking back reports in the Wall Street Journal that they plan to return to the state.
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, Guardian, Zandar Versus The Stupid and Russ' Filtered News

How Boehner is playing the Democrats — Richard Nixon espoused what he called “the madman theory.” It's a negotiating approach that induces the other side to believe you are capable of dangerously irrational actions and leads it to back down to avoid the wreckage your rage might let loose.
Discussion:
Connecting.the.Dots, Left Coast Rebel, Balloon Juice and Prairie Weather

Talks to Resolve Wisconsin Battle Falter — CHICAGO - Talks appear to have broken down between Wisconsin's Democratic state senators and representatives of Gov. Scott Walker, whose plan to cut collective bargaining rights and benefits for public workers has created a major battle in the state …
Discussion:
New York Magazine


Wisconsin Democrats May Return Soon — The leader of the 14 Wisconsin Senate Democrats who left the state last month to block legislation that would curb public-employee union rights said the senators plan to return “in the relatively near future,” because negotiations with the governor have failed.
Discussion:
Hot Air, Weasel Zippers, Maggie's Notebook, “Badger 14”, The Policy Page, The Gateway Pundit, American Power and Pajamas Media


Wisconsin Senate Democrats say no date set for return
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Daily Kos, Pajamas Media and Washington Post

The Fading Power of Beck's Alarms — Almost every time I flipped on television last week, there was a deeply angry guy on a running tirade about the conspiracies afoot, the enemies around all corners, and how he alone seemed to understand what was under way.

In ‘thermometer poll,’ voters rank Sarah Palin at bottom with Pelosi, Reid — Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) ranks with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) when it comes to voters' feelings about political leaders. — A new Quinnipiac University poll measuring the …
Discussion:
Ballot Box
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Will Sarah Palin run for president and can she win? — Ms Palin outlines factors that will influence whether she enters the running — Sarah Palin, one of the best known and most controversial figures in American politics, told BBC Newsnight she was weighing up whether the US was ready for an …
Discussion:
The Politico and Swampland

Christie receives ‘hottest’ title
Discussion:
GOP 12, The Politico, New York Magazine and JammieWearingFool

First Thoughts: Romney 3.0 — In New Hampshire on Saturday, Romney unveiled Romney 3. (a presidential candidate who focuses more on the economy than on social issues)... How that compares with Romney 1. (the socially moderate Massachusetts governor) and Romney 2. (the 2008 presidential candidate …
Discussion:
Oliver Willis, Taegan Goddard's … and Mother Jones
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Degrees and Dollars — It is a truth universally acknowledged that education is the key to economic success. Everyone knows that the jobs of the future will require ever higher levels of skill. That's why, in an appearance Friday with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, President Obama declared that …
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, Vox Popoli, Marginal Revolution, Shakesville, Odd Man Out, Paul Krugman and European Tribune


Obama's hard line on leaks — The Obama administration, which famously pledged to be the most transparent in American history, is pursuing an unexpectedly aggressive legal offensive against federal workers who leak secret information to expose wrongdoing, highlight national security threats or pursue a personal agenda.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Right Wing News and The BLT

Number of healthcare reform law waivers climbs above 1,000 — The number of temporary healthcare reform waivers granted by the Obama administration to organizations climbed to more than 1,000, according to new numbers disclosed by the Department of Health and Human Services.


Recall drives could make history — Rarely have multiple lawmakers faced such action — By Craig Gilbert of the Journal Sentinel — As improbable as the last three weeks have been in state politics, Wisconsin is about to embark on another wild ride into the political unknown …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online


White House Seeks to Allay Muslims' Fears on Terror Hearings — STERLING, Va. — As a Republican congressman prepares to open hearings on the threat of homegrown Islamic terrorism, President Obama's deputy national security adviser visited a mosque here on Sunday to reassure Muslims that …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, ThinkProgress, Associated Press, Washington Post, City Room, NewsBusters.org, Oliver Willis, The Caucus, Religion Clause and The Page
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White House to Muslims ahead of Rep. King hearings: Terror threat ‘real’
Discussion:
The Politico, Ben Smith's Blog and JammieWearingFool


Huntsman Backers to Gather in New Orleans for Strategy Session — CONCORD, N.H. — Members of the presidential campaign-in-waiting for U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman are set to meet on March 18th in New Orleans for a strategy session. — Huntsman plans to leave his Beijing posting …
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America's secret plan to arm Libya's rebels — Obama asks Saudis to airlift weapons into Benghazi — Desperate to avoid US military involvement in Libya in the event of a prolonged struggle between the Gaddafi regime and its opponents, the Americans have asked Saudi Arabia if it can supply weapons to the rebels in Benghazi.
Discussion:
New York Times, Weasel Zippers and HotAirPundit
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Libyan diplomatic mission ends in humiliation
Discussion:
Israel Matzav and War in Context


Zimbabwe to sell uranium to Iran — Zimbabwe is to defy United Nations sanctions in a deal to sell uranium to Iran — Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Zimbabwe's foreign minister, said the sanctions - which prohibit member states from providing Iran with raw materials that it could use to make a nuclear weapon - were unfair and hypocritical.
Discussion:
Fausta's Blog
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A Blast From the Past, and Maybe the Future
Discussion:
Jerusalem Post and Israel Matzav