Top Items:
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Coins Against Crazies — So, have you heard the one about the trillion-dollar coin? It may sound like a joke. But if we aren't ready to mint that coin or take some equivalent action, the joke will be on us — and a very sick joke it will be, too. — Let's talk for a minute …
Discussion:
Fortune, Samizdata, Wonkette, New Economic Perspectives, NewsBusters.org, National Review, Business Insider, The Other McCain, Mother Jones, The Democratic Daily, Weasel Zippers, The Moderate Voice, The Plum Line, Smartypants, Applesauce, Patterico's Pontifications, Corrente and News Desk
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Politico:
Reid to Obama: OK to skip Congress on debt ceiling — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other top Democrats are putting new pressure on the White House to circumvent Congress to boost the nation's debt ceiling if no bipartisan agreement can be reached. — In a strongly worded letter …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Hot Air, Weasel Zippers and White House Dossier
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Top Senate Dems to White House: If you unilaterally raise debt ceiling, we've got your back — In a move that will significantly ratchet up the brinksmanship around the debt ceiling, the four members of the Senate Democratic leadership are privately telling the White House …
Discussion:
NRSC, Hullabaloo, Business Insider, The Maddow Blog, Paul Krugman, Eschaton and New York Times
Rep. Jerrold Nadler / Economy & Budget:
The debt ceiling must go — Here is a stubbornly well-kept secret: the debt ceiling is arbitrary, doesn't affect the deficit, and serves no real function in keeping spending down. In addition, it has recently become a cudgel which extremist Republican legislators use to beat the rest of us into submitting to political blackmail.
Discussion:
PostPartisan, Washington Examiner and National Republican …
Brian Beutler / Talking Points Memo:
The Wild Origins Of The Trillion Dollar Platinum Coin
The Wild Origins Of The Trillion Dollar Platinum Coin
Discussion:
The Impolitic, Business Insider, CANNONFIRE, correntewire.com, New York Times, JustOneMinute and Wired
Michael O'Brien / First Read:
Dems urge Obama to raise debt limit without Congress, if necessary
Dems urge Obama to raise debt limit without Congress, if necessary
Discussion:
Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes' and Daily Kos
William A. Jacobson / Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion:
David Gregory will not be prosecuted — Just released by D.C. Attorney General there will be no prosecution of David Gregory despite a finding that there was a clear violation of the law (emphasis mine): … D.C. Attorney General Letter Declining to Prosecute David Gregory
Discussion:
NewsBusters.org, Erik Wemple, Power Line, Washington Times, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit and The Daily Caller
RELATED:
Mackenzie Weinger / Politico:
No gun magazine charges for David Gregory — NBC's David Gregory is off the hook for showing a high-capacity gun magazine on “Meet the Press” and will not be prosecuted, D.C.'s attorney general announced on Friday. — D.C. attorney general Irvin Nathan on Friday said he would decline …
Discussion:
The Political Carnival and Althouse, more at Mediagazer »
Emily Miller / Washington Times:
David Gregory gets off scot free
David Gregory gets off scot free
Discussion:
Hot Air, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Power Line
Peter Hermann / Washington Post:
NBC's Gregory won't be charged for displaying ammunition clip on TV
NBC's Gregory won't be charged for displaying ammunition clip on TV
Discussion:
TalkLeft, Deadline.com, Post Politics and Poynter
Jon Gillooly / mdjonline.com:
Gingrey speaks out on the issue of ‘legitimate rape’ and guns — SMYRNA — U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Marietta) tackled such sensitive topics as gun reform, abortion and rape during the Smyrna Area Council of the Cobb Chamber of Commerce breakfast which took place Thursday at the Smyrna Community Center.
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Evan McMorris-Santoro / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Rep: Todd Akin ‘Partly Right’ On Legitimate Rape — “Legitimate rape” is back. Just a couple months after former Rep. Todd Akin's (R-MO) famous use of the phrase helped contribute to a double-digit loss in the 2012 Missouri Senate race, a Republican congressman and medical doctor …
Kevin Cirilli / Politico:
Phil Gingrey: Todd Akin ‘partly right’ on rape
Phil Gingrey: Todd Akin ‘partly right’ on rape
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice
Evan McMorris-Santoro / Talking Points Memo:
Gun Appreciation Day Leader: If Blacks Had Guns, They Would Not Have Been Slaves — Larry Ward, chairman of the national Gun Appreciation Day gun rights advocates have planned for the weekend of President Obama's second inauguration, told CNN Friday that there never would have been slaves in America if black people had guns.
Discussion:
Wonkette, Little Green Footballs, The Atlantic Online, The Impolitic, The Agonist and The National Memo
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David Edwards / The Raw Story:
‘Gun Appreciation Day’ chairman: Slavery wouldn't have happened if slaves were armed
‘Gun Appreciation Day’ chairman: Slavery wouldn't have happened if slaves were armed
Discussion:
p m carpenter's commentary and Colorlines
Brian Thompson / nbcnewyork.com:
Lautenberg Has Decided Not to Run Again: Sources — The news comes the same week that Newark Mayor Cory Booker has filed papers allowing him to raise money for a U.S. Senate run in New Jersey. News 4 s Brian Thompson spoke exclusively with Mayor Booker about that decision.
Discussion:
Politico, The Hill, Hot Air, Ballot Box and The Daily Caller
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Justin Sink / The Hill:
Biden: ‘No silver bullet’ to stop gun violence — The vice president downplayed harsh criticism the National Rifle Association has made about the administration's gun violence task force. — Vice President Biden said Friday that his task force on gun violence recognized there was …
Discussion:
Politico and Weasel Zippers
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Washington Post:
Biden gun task force must not overreach
Biden gun task force must not overreach
Discussion:
msnbc.com, Hit & Run, NewsBusters.org, Daily Kos and The Fix
KPTV-TV:
Men armed with rifles walk through Portland to ‘educate’ — Two men carrying assault rifles on their backs said they were simply exercising their Second Amendment right, but police said they scared plenty of people. — Calls started coming in to 911 dispatchers shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The Impolitic, Gawker, Wake up America, Shakesville, Rumproast and The Agonist
RELATED:
David Edwards / The Raw Story:
Portland residents panic as men armed with assault weapons ‘educate’ the city
Portland residents panic as men armed with assault weapons ‘educate’ the city
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and Balloon Juice
Anemona Hartocollis / New York Times:
New York City to Restrict Prescription Painkillers in Public Hospitals' Emergency Rooms — Some of the most common and most powerful prescription painkillers on the market will be restricted sharply in the emergency rooms at New York City's 11 public hospitals, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg …
Discussion:
Gothamist, Balloon Juice, Infowars and Vodkapundit
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Colin Campbell / Politicker:
Bloomberg Slaps Down Criticism of Painkiller Restriction Plan
Bloomberg Slaps Down Criticism of Painkiller Restriction Plan
Discussion:
Hot Air, The Spectacle Blog and National Review
Reuters:
Supreme Court to consider if silence can be evidence of guilt — (Reuters) - The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to consider whether a suspect's refusal to answer police questions prior to being arrested and read his rights can be introduced as evidence of guilt at his subsequent murder trial.
Benjy Sarlin / Talking Points Memo:
DREAM Activist's Family Arrested After Home Raided By ICE — Erika Andiola, a young undocumented immigrant and activist, may be free from the threat of raids and deportation, but her family is another story. — On Thursday night, Andiola's home in Arizona was raided by Immigrations …
Discussion:
The Raw Story and Democracy in America
The White House:
Joint Statement by President Obama and President Karzai — At the invitation of President Obama, President Karzai and his delegation visited Washington January 8-11, 2013. President Karzai's visit comes at an important juncture for both our nations, as we take steps to further strengthen …
Discussion:
Twitchy, Lawfare, New York Times and Michelle Malkin
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Cindy Adams / New York Post:
Patti Davis rips ‘1600 Penn’ ‘stupidity’ — “1600 Penn” - NBC's new sitcom about a dysfunctional First Family - gets a thumbs-down from Patti Davis, who was there for eight years when her father Ronald Reagan was president. — Davis — who tried to sell a similar TV show last year titled …
Discussion:
Associated Press
Jim DeMint / Washington Post:
Conservative ideas need a new message — Jim DeMint represented South Carolina in the Senate from 2005 to 2013 and in the House from 1999 to 2005. — The U.S. Senate reached an all-time low — a hard mark to achieve — last week as I said my goodbyes to rejoin the real world.
Hunter Walker / Politicker:
Satanists Rally For Rick Scott — The Satanic Temple logo. — A group of Florida-based Satanists will be holding a rally in support of the Sunshine State's Republican Governor Rick Scott on January 25. According to a press release for the event, the Satanic Temple, which organized the rally …
Discussion:
Riptide 2.0, The Raw Story and Pharyngula
Jill Lawrence / NationalJournal.com:
Obama Has Already Cemented His Legacy, Like It or Not — Ron Fournier says Obama's legacy hinges on Term Two. But that disregards a couple of game-changers from Term One. — What does a president have to do these days to get his face carved into a mountainside?
Discussion:
American Power, Washington Free Beacon, Weasel Zippers and National Review