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Oregon Study Throws a Stop Sign in Front of ObamaCare's Medicaid Expansion — Today, the nation's top health economists released a study that throws a huge “STOP” sign in front of ObamaCare's Medicaid expansion. — The Oregon Health Insurance Experiment, or OHIE, may be the most important study ever conducted on health insurance.
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The New Study that Republicans Who Reject Medicaid Must Read — A major new study on Medicaid just became public. I know—nothing excites readers more than the phrase “major new study on Medicaid.” Bear with me. This study is already getting a lot of attention: Conservatives and libertarians …
Discussion:
Ross Douthat, Hit & Run, Hullabaloo, Economix and The Incidental Economist

Oregon and Medicaid and Evidence and CHILL, PEOPLE! — This is a joint post by Aaron Carroll and Austin Frakt. Relevant to this post, recently we have published three papers arguing for expansion of Medicaid, not relative to all possible other reforms, but relative to the status quo.
Discussion:
Hit & Run, Mother Jones, Business Insider, AEIdeas, Brad DeLong, A plain blog about politics and Balloon Juice


Study: Giving People Government Health Insurance May Not Make them Any Healthier
Discussion:
New York Times, National Review, Slate, The Week and Marginal Revolution

Special ops called for military backup during Libya attack, sources say — On the night of the Benghazi terror attack, special operations put out multiple calls for all available military and other assets to be moved into position to help — but the State Department and White House never gave …
Discussion:
Sister Toldjah, Bob Owens, Jammie Wearing Fools and Washington Examiner


Mountain Dew Releases Arguably the Most Racist Commercial in History Tweet — If you've never heard of Felicia the Goat, you'll know about her soon. Felicia the Goat is the main character in a recent Mountain Dew commercial, created in part by Tyler the Creator.
Discussion:
JustOneMinute, Adweek, Ed Driscoll, Hit & Run, Guardian, Mediaite, The Hinterland Gazette, The Week, Addicting Info, Booman Tribune, Gawker, Colorlines, Wake up America, Business Insider and AL.com


Obama administration plans to appeal Plan B ruling — The Justice Department filed notice late Wednesday that it will challenge a federal court decision requiring the government to make emergency contraceptives available over the counter to women of all ages.
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Justice Dept. to appeal judge's order on Plan B pill
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The Daily Caller, Guardian, Feministing and Mother Jones

Kissinger jokes about Hillary Clinton 2016 run — Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on Wednesday offered joking encouragement to Hillary Clinton's possible 2016 run, noting that the nation's top diplomats have a good record of winning presidential bids.
Discussion:
CNN
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Penny Pritzker to be nominated for Commerce secretary … Making official what many Democrats have expected for weeks, President Obama plans to nominate Chicago business executive Penny Pritzker, a longtime political supporter and heavyweight fundraiser, as his new Commerce secretary this morning.
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, First Read and The Reaction
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Obama selects Pritzker for Commerce secretary
Discussion:
Reuters, Hullabaloo and Michelle Malkin


Woman missing 11 years turns up alive — (CNN) — A Pennsylvania woman who mysteriously disappeared 11 years ago has resurfaced in Florida, saying that she just walked out on her family, her life and her problems. — Brenda Heist, 54, turned herself into authorities in Key Largo …
Discussion:
The Raw Story

Ayotte's gun vote: ‘Disgusting’ political bullying — A senator's job is to study the issues that come before the Senate, to engage thoughtfully in debate and to cast a considered vote. On the Senate's voluminous gun control legislation, Sen. Kelly Ayotte did that job incredibly well.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Riehl World News and Politico


The Daily Beast Retracts Jason Collins Blog Post — The Daily Beast has retracted a May 2, 2013, blog post by Howard Kurtz titled “Jason Collins' Other Secret.” The piece contained several errors, resulting in a misleading characterization of NBA player Collins and the story he co-wrote …


DEAR WORKERS OF THE WORLD: These Three Charts Show How You're Getting Totally Shafted — It's May Day. — In America, to the extent anyone notices May Day, they notice the sunshine and spring weather. — Elsewhere in the world, however, May Day is all about celebrating the cause (and grievances) of the world's employees.
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The systemic plight of labor
Discussion:
The Week, New York Times, Brad DeLong, Instapundit, Balloon Juice, Hullabaloo and Slate


What Ted Cruz knows — Ted Cruz for president? — What you just heard was the sound of a thousand eyeballs rolling in Washington and Austin, where the freshman senator's transparent ambition and self-regard have earned him more than a few detractors during his first few months in office.
Discussion:
Real Clear Politics, Washington Monthly, Taylor Marsh and Brains and Eggs

Six Ways to Separate Lies From Statistics — The discovery of a spreadsheet error in an influential study by Harvard University economists Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff inevitably raises a troubling question: To what extent can we trust what any researcher claims to be true?
Discussion:
Marginal Revolution, EconLog, Washington Wire and ThinkProgress


Florida School Responds to Criticism for Expelling Student Over Science Project: “There Are Consequences to Actions” — By all accounts, Kiera Wilmot's science experiment gone wrong triggered just a tiny pop and a small amount of smoke at Bartow High School last week — but her tale is certifiably blowing up the Internet today.
Discussion:
The Hinterland Gazette, Business Insider, The Daily Caller, The PJ Tatler, Hit & Run, The Raw Story and Pharyngula

Conservative groups: Balanced budget plan is price for debt hike — Conservative groups are vowing to force lawmakers to adopt a balanced budget plan before passing any increase in the nation's debt ceiling. — The Club for Growth and Heritage Action said that establishing a path …
Discussion:
AEIdeas


Where Are Syria's Chemical Weapons? — Multiple U.S. officials tell Eli Lake the scary truth: in many cases, we simply don't know. Plus: irregular militias loyal to Assad have reportedly been training in how to use them. — As the White House mulls whether Syria has crossed President Obama's red line …


Martin O'Malley signs Maryland death penalty repeal — ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland has become the first state south of the Mason-Dixon line to abolish the death penalty. — Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley signed the measure at a crowded ceremony on Thursday. Attending was one-time Maryland death row inmate Kirk Bloodsworth.
Discussion:
CNN


Obama prods liberals to give-and-take on Senate immigration bill — President Obama is warning liberal supporters that their push to make changes in a comprehensive immigration bill could jeopardize the strategy of Senate leaders, who are aiming to win up to 70 votes for the measure.
Discussion:
Power Line, National Review, Weasel Zippers, Politico and Capital New York

Obama group misleadingly cites a vote on a climate change bill — “Number of House members who voted in 2011 that climate change was a ‘hoax’: 240” — President Obama's new political group, Organizing for Action, last week released a new video that mocks Republican lawmakers for appearing …
Discussion:
Hot Air and Washington Free Beacon


FBI Adds Cop Killer Joanne Chesimard To Most Wanted Terrorist List — NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - The decades-old international case of a convicted cop killer is getting new attention in New Jersey. — It was 40 years ago today that New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster was shot …
Discussion:
She The People and The PJ Tatler


Saudi diplomat investigated — Washington (CNN) — Federal authorities are investigating a potential case of human trafficking at the suburban Washington home of a Saudi diplomat, officials said Wednesday. — Authorities were called Tuesday afternoon to an upscale neighborhood in McLean …
Discussion:
BuzzFeed, Business Insider, Hot Air and National Review

UW Police: Facebook post was a hoax — UPDATED — Citation: UW woman ‘admitted’ making controversial statement — The University of Wyoming Police Department issued a citation Monday afternoon in Albany County Circuit Court for Meg Lanker-Simons, a woman allegedly threatened last week …


Too-Big-to-Fail Takes Another Body Blow — Minds are changing on Too Big to Fail. A month ago, it was just something in the air. Now, it looks like we're headed for a real legislative confrontation. And man, is the finance sector freaking. — Last week, on April 24th …
Discussion:
DealBook and The Confluence

Obamacare Gets New Court Challenge — Opponents of the health-care overhaul have filed a new lawsuit Thursday against the federal government on behalf of four individuals and three employers in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. — The complaint focuses on the law's distribution …
Discussion:
“The Lid”


Just How Ignorant Is Obama About ObamaCare? — Health Care: At his press conference this week, President Obama tried to reassure Americans about ObamaCare. Instead, he displayed either an incredible lack of understanding about his own law, or something far worse.