memeorandum: Greek MPs pass austerity plan amid violent protests (BBC)

11:30 PM ET, February 12, 2012

Top Items:

Sahil Kapur / tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com:

TPMDC — McConnell: GOP Will Fight To Let ANY Employer Deny Birth Control Coverage — Not satisfied with President Obama's new religious accommodation, Republicans will move forward with legislation by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) that permits any employer to deny birth control coverage …

Discussion: Democracy in America, Brad DeLong, Balloon Juice, TBogg, Daily Kos, The Moderate Voice and Washington Monthly

Charles Johnson / Little Green Footballs:

Now the GOP Wants to Permit Any Employer to Deny Contraception Coverage — The Republican Party's descent into Dark Ages misogyny continues; now Mitch McConnell, sensing that the GOP is on a reactionary roll, is planning to introduce legislation to let any employer deny contraception coverage.

nwlc.org:
The Blunt Amendment Takes Away Access to Critical Health Insurance Coverage for Millions of Americans

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

New York Times:

Even Critics of Safety Net Increasingly Depend on It — LINDSTROM, Minn. — Ki Gulbranson owns a logo apparel shop, deals in jewelry on the side and referees youth soccer games. He makes about $39,000 a year and wants you to know that he does not need any help from the federal government.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, PERRspectives, No More Mister Nice Blog, Zandar Versus The Stupid, iOwnTheWorld.com, Oliver Willis, Truthdig, Power Line, Taylor Marsh, Washington Monthly, Balloon Juice and Booman Tribune

Tom Maguire / JustOneMinute:

I Guess I'm Still Stuck On Stupid — I have made the mistake of peeking at the NY Times headline story before the caffeine has kicked in fully. Thier gist seems to be that the “less government” crowd is a bunch of hypocrites, but their is a glaring problem with their numbers.

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Patterico's Pontifications, Outside the Beltway and Instapundit

Josh Lederman / Ballot Box:

Rep. Ron Paul not conceding Maine vote — Rep. Ron Paul is not conceding the GOP's Maine caucuses, which state party officials and major networks called Saturday for rival Mitt Romney. — With 84 percent of precincts reporting, Romney has 39 percent to Paul's 36 percent …

Discussion: The Raw Story and Blue Mass Group

Josh Lederman / The Hill:

Santorum suggests Romney may have rigged CPAC poll — Rick Santorum suggested on Sunday that Mitt Romney's campaign may have rigged a straw poll of conservative activists by paying the entrance fee for supporters. — Romney beat Santorum by 7 points Saturday in a straw poll of almost 3,500 attendees …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Politics, The Impolitic, The Moderate Voice, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Political Carnival, The Other McCain, Ballot Box and Weasel Zippers

Glenn Thrush / Politico:
Santorum suggests Romney rigged CPAC vote

Discussion: American Spectator and Outside the Beltway

ABCNEWS:

‘This Week’ Transcript: Jack Lew, Paul Ryan and Rick Santorum — Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum on “This Week” (ABC News) — STEPHANOPOULOS: Good morning, everyone. Many of you have been following that breaking news overnight that the singer, Whitney Houston, died yesterday in Los Angeles.

Discussion: Althouse and Washington Post

Leigh Ann Caldwell / CBS News:
W.H. official: Contraceptive rule stands

Discussion: US Politics, Washington Wire, City Room and Balkinization

Dennis G. / Balloon Juice:
The Bishops make their move

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Laurie Goodstein / New York Times:
Bishops Reject White House's New Plan on Contraception

Discussion: The Hill, The Daily Beast, Blue Mass Group, Feministe, The Moderate Voice, ThinkProgress and Hullabaloo

CNN:
Lew defends new contraception policy

Discussion: Politico

BBC:

Greek MPs pass austerity plan amid violent protests — The BBC's Mark Lowen: “It was some of the worst violence Athens had seen for months” — Greece's parliament has passed a controversial package of austerity measures, demanded by the eurozone and IMF in return for a 130bn-euro ($170bn; £110bn) bailout to avoid default.

Discussion: naked capitalism

Niki Kitsantonis / New York Times:

Greeks Pessimistic in Anti-Austerity Protests — ATHENS — As hooded youths torched shops and battled police in the streets of Athens on Sunday, the country's lawmakers prepared to vote on a tough austerity package sought by lenders. — Demonstrators expressed anger at the politicians condemning …

Discussion: The Raw Story, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and Runnin' Scared

Charles Johnson / Little Green Footballs:

Fox News Commenters Respond to Whitney Houston's Death With Deluge of Hatred and Racism — I don't even know what to say about this any more. There's a real sickness running rampant in the right wing; the Fox News comment thread on Whitney Houston's death is yet another disgusting deluge …

Fox News:
Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48

Discussion: The Other McCain

Thomas L. Friedman / New York Times:

We Need a Second Party — WATCHING the Republican Party struggling to agree on a presidential candidate, one wonders whether the G.O.P. shouldn't just sit this election out — just give 2012 a pass. — You know how in Scrabble sometimes you look at your seven letters and you've got only vowels that spell nothing?

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Daily Kos

Karen Tumulty / Washington Post:
Election 2012: Republicans united on goal — beat Obama — divided on how to get there

Discussion: CNN and Washington Monthly

Tara Brady / Daily Mail:

'Do not follow me down the road to jihad. Go and get a good education in the West': Osama Bin Laden's extraordinary instructions to his young children — Osama Bin Laden told his children to live peacefully in the West where they would get a good education, his brother-in-law has revealed.

Discussion: BLACKFIVE and Jihad Watch

Walter Russell Mead / Via Meadia:
Bin Laden Gave Up on Jihad

Discussion: Wizbang

Trip Gabriel / New York Times:

Gingrich Money Hunt Faces Obstacles — Newt Gingrich recently joined Gov. Rick Perry of Texas on a conference call with more than 50 “bundlers” who had powered Mr. Perry's formidable campaign-cash machine. — Mr. Perry asked his top financial rainmakers to raise money for Mr. Gingrich …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland

ZIP / Weasel Zippers:

Occupy Oakland Burns The American Flag For The Third Week In A Row... Time for some veterans to beat some respect into these punks. … See: January 29th, February 5th — HT: Marathon Pundit

Discussion: Babalú Blog and nation.foxnews.com