Top Items:

We Will Not Play by Two Sets of Rules — In 2010, the Supreme Court's decision in the Citizens United case opened the door to a new wave of so-called Super PACs—non-candidate political committees that can receive and spend unlimited money from special interests.
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Major Obama Donors Tied to Fugitive Who Fled to Mexico — Two American brothers of a Mexican casino magnate who fled drug and fraud charges in the United States and has been seeking a pardon enabling him to return have emerged as major fund-raisers and donors for President Obama's re-election campaign.
Discussion:
Associated Press, ABCNEWS, Guardian, Business Insider, Politico, The Hill, JustOneMinute, Hot Air, The Daily Caller, Weasel Zippers, Washington Post, Verum Serum and Election Law Blog


Obama embraces the super PAC — President Barack Obama — in an act of hypocrisy or necessity, depending on the beholder — has reversed course and is now blessing the efforts of a sputtering super PAC, Priorities USA Action, organized to fight GOP dark-money attacks.
Discussion:
CNN, Datechguy's Blog, Pirate's Cove, ABCNEWS, CommonBlog, The Lonely Conservative and Campaign 2012

Obama Yields in Marshaling of ‘Super PAC’
Discussion:
The Loyal Opposition, The Hill, ABCNEWS, News Desk, Political Mojo, Randy's Roundtable, Mediaite and ThinkProgress

Russell Simmons defends Obama campaign designer goods
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin and American Prospect

Obama gives blessing to a super PAC
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, Patterico's Pontifications and Politico

Karen Handel resigns from Komen for the Cure — Karen Handel, the former GOP candidate for governor, just announced her resignation as a senior vice president for public of Susan G. Komen for the Cure - one week after the breast cancer charity reversed itself on a decision to sever financial ties with Planned Parenthood.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Washington Post, The Mahablog, US Politics, The Daily Caller, Jezebel, Political Mojo, Daily Kos and Colorlines
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Karen Handel, Susan G. Komen official, resigns after Planned Parenthood dispute — ATLANTA (AP) — A high-ranking official resigned Tuesday from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity after a dispute over whether the group should give funding to Planned Parenthood, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online, Karen Handel, Taylor Marsh, Feministing and Business Insider


Komen's Karen Handel Resigns After Planned Parenthood Dispute
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, Jill Stanek and Gothamist

Big Day for Santorum? — Rick Santorum could be headed for a big day in today's contests in Colorado, Minnesota, and Missouri. Missouri looks like a probable win for Santorum. He's at 45% there to 32% for Mitt Romney and 19% for Paul. Minnesota provides an opportunity for a win as well.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, msnbc.com, The Maddow Blog, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, GOP 12, Outside the Beltway, Shakesville, Saint Petersblog, Hot Air, Campaign 2012, Pundit & Pundette, THE WESTERN EXPERIENCE, Washington Post, The Caucus, Taegan Goddard's …, The Atlantic Online, Wake up America, The Lonely Conservative and National Review
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Influential conservative blogger endorses ‘sweet meteor of death’ in GOP primary — Influential conservative blogger Erick Erickson said he would endorse the “sweet meteor of death” over any of the current GOP candidates, but would back the party's eventual nominee in the general election against President Obama.
Discussion:
American Prospect, RedState, Riehl World View, Hot Air, PolitiCal and The Reaction

Video of the Day: Gay Rights Protest at Gingrich Event Gets Physical
Discussion:
Towleroad News #gay


5 things to watch Tuesday
Discussion:
Washington Post, Washington Wire, Time, The Atlantic Online and Stateline.org

Ron Paul glitterbombed at Minneapolis Convention Center [VIDEO]
Discussion:
The Raw Story


Catholic League Poised To Go To War With Obama Over Mandatory Birth Control Payments — NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Catholic leaders upped the ante Monday, threatening to challenge the Obama administration over a provision of the new health care law that would require all employers …
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Morning Bell: Obamacare Awakens a Sleeping Giant
Discussion:
Campaign 2012, The PJ Tatler and USA Today

Birth Control and Why the Catholic Church Needs to Inform Its Own Conscience
Discussion:
Pirate's Cove


This Is So Classy: ‘Yellow Girl’ — Thanks to TPM for a tip to what you see if you examine the HTML code* of the Pete Hoekstra / Fred Davis “we take your jobs” video. — The image of the “Chinese” girl in the video, who speaks American-accented English, is labelled as ... well, see for yourself:
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Balloon Juice, News Desk, Wonkette, Politico, No More Mister Nice Blog, Pete Hoekstra .com and Gawker

FBI warns of threat from anti-government extremists — (Reuters) - Anti-government extremists opposed to taxes and regulations pose a growing threat to local law enforcement officers in the United States, the FBI warned on Monday. — These extremists, sometimes known as “sovereign citizens …
Discussion:
Blogcritics, The PJ Tatler, Weasel Zippers, Hot Air, Scared Monkeys and Atlas Shrugs


Taking on Robin Hood — Ensuring access to higher education is an expensive proposition, and right now, the state of Virginia is debating who should foot the bill. — In his proposed budget, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell is seeking to cap the use of tuition dollars from in-state students …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and JSOnline


DocX Faces Foreclosure Fraud Charges in Missouri — One of the largest companies that provided home foreclosure services to lenders across the nation, DocX, has been indicted on forgery charges by a Missouri grand jury — one of the few criminal actions to follow reports of widespread improprieties against homeowners.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, naked capitalism, msnbc.com and Foreclosure Fraud


TPMDC — Are Republicans About To Commit Medicare Suicide? — It's shaping up to be spring 2011 redux. Just under a year ago, Republicans — euphoric after a midterm election landslide, and overzealous in their interpretation of their mandate — passed a budget that called for phasing …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Esquire, Hullabaloo, Balloon Juice and ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*


Rabbis oppose Minnesota marriage amendment — With its signed statement, the Minnesota Rabbinical Association adds to the spirited debate in advance of the November vote. — Dozens of Minnesota rabbis have gone on record opposing the proposed marriage amendment, urging …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress


This Friday and Saturday, Occupy CPAC: Liberate Discourse — On February 9th through February 11th, a who's who of dastardly politicians will be holding the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Marriot Wardman Park Hotel at 2660 Woodley Road, NW.
Discussion:
The Heritage Foundation, Weasel Zippers, Big Government, Hit & Run and Campaign 2012

Congressional earmarks sometimes used to fund projects near lawmakers' properties — (Video by Ben de la Cruz and David S. Fallis/Motion graphic by Sohail al-Jamea/The Washington Post) — AU.S. senator from Alabama directed more than $100 million in federal earmarks to renovate downtown Tuscaloosa near …
Discussion:
Questions and Observations, Mediaite, NewsBusters.org blogs, msnbc.com and JONATHAN TURLEY

U.S. Planning to Slash Iraq Embassy Staff by Half — BAGHDAD — Less than two months after American troops left, the State Department is preparing to slash by as much as half the enormous diplomatic presence it had planned for Iraq, a sharp sign of declining American influence in the country.


Banks Paying Cash to Homeowners to Avoid Foreclosures — Banks, accelerating efforts to move troubled mortgages off their books, are offering as much as $35,000 or more in cash to delinquent homeowners to sell their properties for less than they owe. — Lenders have routinely delayed …
Discussion:
Eschaton and Calculated Risk

Ron Paul: US sanctions against Iran are ‘terrible’ — Republican presidential contender Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) said Monday that the sanctions put in place against Iran are “terrible” for the United States and its allies. — “I voted against them and I think they're terrible and I think it's …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, The PJ Tatler and New York Times