House rejects farm bill, 195-234  —  In a blow to House GOP leaders, the House on Thursday rejected a five-year farm bill.  —  Members voted down the $940 billion bill in a 195-234 vote that only won 24 Democratic votes.  Most Democrats voted against the bill because it cut food stamp programs by more than $20 billion.

Revealed: the top secret rules that allow NSA to use US data without a warrant  —  Fisa court submissions show broad scope of procedures governing NSA's surveillance of Americans' communication  —  • Document one: procedures used by NSA to target non-US persons

CNN Media Critic Going to Fox  —  Fox News said on Thursday that it had hired Howard Kurtz, the reporter who for 15 years has hosted the Sunday morning media criticism program “Reliable Sources” on a rival network, CNN.  —  Mr. Kurtz will take over “Fox News Watch,” the network's media criticism program …

Ted Cruz's Father Bribed An Official To Come To U.S.  —  In a report Thursday on NPR about how Sen. Ted Cruz's (R-TX) father shaped his vision on immigration, his father, Rafael Bienvenido Cruz, an immigrant from Cuba, said that while he “came to this country legally,” he basically bribed an official to get to the United States.

LePage slips ‘Vaseline’ jab toward Democratic senator  —  AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage on Thursday said a Democratic lawmaker, Sen. Troy Jackson of Aroostook County, “claims to be for the people but he's the first one to give it to the people without providing Vaseline.”

George Zimmerman trial: Jury selected, opening statements begin Monday  —  SANFORD - A jury has been seated and sworn for the second-degree murder trial of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, after more than a week of intensive jury selection in the high-profile case.

WikiLeaks says Michael Hastings contacted it just before his death.  Are they implying he was murdered?  —  WikiLeaks just threw some gasoline onto the conspiracy fire.  On Wednesday night, they Tweeted: “Michael Hastings contacted WikiLeaks lawyer Jennifer Robinson just a few hours before he died …

On the left, Howard Dean open to presidential bid  —  San Jose, California (CNN) - Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor who electrified anti-war liberals during the 2004 presidential race, said Thursday he would consider another run for the White House - a statement that will surely be met …

Senate votes 54-43 to reject Cornyn plan for border security ‘trigger’  —  The Senate on Thursday rejected Sen. John Cornyn's (R-Texas) immigration reform bill amendment that would have put mandatory border security triggers in place before immigrants were given legal status.

George W. Bush's Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather Was a Slave Trader  —  A surprising new discovery about the notorious Thomas “Beau” Walker.  —  BUNCE ISLAND, Sierra Leone—Twelve American presidents owned slaves, eight while serving in office, and at least 25 presidents count slave owners among their ancestors.

Controversial GOP NH Rep. Tremblay resigns  —  Tremblay alleges Marathon bombing may have been faked  —  Controversial state Rep. Stella Tremblay, R-Auburn, resigned from the New Hampshire House of Representatives Thursday, moments before lawmakers were poised to pass a two-year …

Introducing Video on Instagram … 2,927 notes  — nighttim3ismytim3 likes this  — erin228 reblogged this from instagram and added: … - lluvia90 likes this  — cosmiccowpie reblogged this from instagram  — erin228 likes this  — spectaclesinscript likes this

Louie Gohmert advises LGBT people to hide who they are at work  —  Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, said on Wednesday that he wasn't “aware of exactly which one you're talking about” when a reporter asked him about his position on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, but his attempt to dodge …

GOP leader steps down after rant on ex-Miss America  —  WASHINGTON — The local Illinois Republican Party official who called a biracial congressional candidate a “street walker” resigned Thursday, after his comments were widely denounced as offensive.  —  Jim Allen referred to Erika Harold …

Bloomberg Group Named Christopher Dorner, Other Murder Suspects On List Of Gun Violence “Victims”  —  Demonstrators trying to bolster support for gun control read aloud from a list of more than 6,000 gun violence “victims” — including at least 10 murder suspects who were killed by police.

Introducing Aaron's Law, a Desperately Needed Reform of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act  —  The Internet is up for grabs.  —  Foreign countries want to control it.  Military regimes use it to spy, to oppress, and to attack public and private institutions.  ‘Big Content’ sought to censor it and dismantle its architecture.

Feds Probe Firm that Vetted NSA Leaker  —  WASHINGTON—Federal inspectors have been conducting a criminal investigation for more than a year of the company that performed a background check on Edward Snowden, the former systems analyst who leaked some of the nation's most closely held secrets to the media …

The New Economic Risk: Complacency  —  With each month of steady employment growth — in May, 175,000 jobs were created — the feeling of lassitude around the issues facing the American economy takes hold a little bit more.  —  Amid the gathering drumbeat of pronouncements of economic optimism …

Pelosi Stops Talking About Abortion  —  At a press conference Thursday afternoon, House minority leader Nancy Pelosi ripped Republicans for not spending enough money on food stamps.  “They're taking food out of the mouths of babies,” Pelosi said of her Republican colleagues following the defeat of the farm bill in a floor vote.

Union-tied group slips IRS scrutiny  —  The Restaurant Opportunities Center has slipped IRS scrutiny, and critics of the nonprofit are asking why.  —  A complaint filed by a coalition of restaurant owners with the federal tax authority alleges the 501(c)(3) labor nonprofit has received special treatment.

And Now, The Selling of Obamacare  —  Will Americans buy a plan they don't love?  —  By Zeke J Miller @zekejmillerJune 20, 2013  —  President Barack Obama speaks about Affordable Care Act at The Fairmont Hotel on June 6, 2013 in San Jose, California.  —  In a windowless office in the basement …