memeorandum: At 90, Dole looks back at why Congress worked (CNN)

12:15 PM ET, July 22, 2013

Top Items:

Rhetoric, race and reality in America — The biggest threat to black youths is other young blacks, not white bigots. — Rev. Al Sharpton speaks during a news conference outside the Department of Justice while discussing Trayvon Martin case. Sharpton called for the federal government …

Buckeye Firearms Foundation:

READ THIS ... Whatever you might think about the Zimmerman verdict, the fact remains that we are a nation of laws, not mob justice. — George Zimmerman was tried in a court of law and found NOT GUILTY. And that entitles him to continue exercising all his rights, including his Second Amendment right to own a firearm.

Discussion: Mediaite, The Daily Caller and The Raw Story

Shelby Steele / Wall Street Journal:

The Decline of the Civil-Rights Establishment — Black leaders weren't so much outraged at injustice as they were by the disregard of their own authority. — The verdict that declared George Zimmerman not guilty of murdering Trayvon Martin was a traumatic event for America's civil-rights establishment …

Ian Millhiser / ThinkProgress:
Ohio Gun Group: 'We're Buying Zimmerman A New Gun'

Discussion: WHIO-TV

Mark Tapscott / Washington Examiner: Is the Obama White House on a race-baiting campaign to save Obamacare?

Mark Landler / New York Times:

Obama Plans to Unveil His Agenda for Economy — WASHINGTON — With major battles looming in the fall over the federal budget and the debt ceiling, President Obama is trying to regain the initiative, embarking on a campaign-style tour of the Midwest this week to lay out his agenda for reinvigorating …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Right Wing News, Taegan Goddard's …, Booman Tribune, Ed Driscoll and UrbanGrounds

Dan Pfeiffer / White House.gov Blog:
You're Going to Want to Watch This Speech

Discussion: Real Clear Politics, The PJ Tatler, Business Insider and The Daily Caller

Scott Wilson / Washington Post:
Obama seeks to put economy, middle class back in spotlight

Discussion: Yahoo! News and TheBlaze.com

Erik Wasson / The Hill:
Obama economic speech to fire first salvo in new budget fight

Discussion: National Republican … and Hot Air

Tyler Durden / Zero Hedge:

25 Facts About The Fall Of Detroit That Will Leave You Shaking Your Head — Submitted by Michael Snyder of The Economic Collapse blog, — It is so sad to watch one of America's greatest cities die a horrible death. Once upon a time, the city of Detroit was a teeming metropolis …

Discussion: Power Line, National Review, The Heritage Foundation and Blazing Cat Fur

New York Times:
Cries of Betrayal as Detroit Plans to Cut Pensions

Discussion: msnbc.com

Stephanie Condon / CBS News:
Gov. Rick Snyder: Government bailout is the wrong answer for Detroit

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Week, MarketWatch, Hot Air and Gawker

Steve Kornacki / Salon:

Christie may be forced to quit as governor — If the polls are right and Chris Christie wins a lopsided reelection victory this fall, it will put the New Jersey governor in position to seek the presidency in 2016. That's the conventional wisdom, at least, and there's plenty to be said for it.

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland and msnbc.com

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

Detroit, the New Greece — When Detroit declared bankruptcy, or at least tried to — the legal situation has gotten complicated — I know that I wasn't the only economist to have a sinking feeling about the likely impact on our policy discourse. Was it going to be Greece all over again?

Discussion: Daily Kos and VodkaPundit

Peter Hamby / CNN:

‘Stop Hillary’ group ramps up anti-Clinton efforts — Washington (CNN) - Hillary Clinton may or may not run for president in 2016, but the conservative effort to derail her potential candidacy is already underway. — Iowa poll: Who wins a Clinton-Christie 2016 showdown?

Discussion: Yahoo! News, Politico, Shakesville and Taylor Marsh

W. James Antle III / The Daily Caller:

Southern Avenger no more: Rand Paul aide Jack Hunter leaves staff, returns to punditry — The man who for years called himself the “Southern Avenger” says he now seeks to avenge his own honor. — Jack Hunter, the aide to Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul who has been under fire …

Discussion: Politico, msnbc.com, The Hill, Washington Free Beacon, Mediaite, Hit & Run, The Raw Story, theGrio, First Read and Post Politics

Illinois Review:

OBAMA CO-SPONSORED LEGISLATION STRENGTHENING ILLINOIS' “STAND YOUR GROUND” LAW — CHICAGO - This past week President Obama publicly urged the reexamination of state self-defense laws (see remarks below). However, nine years ago then-State Sen. Barack Obama actually co-sponsored a bill …

Discussion: Rasmussen Reports and Weasel Zippers

John Fund / National Review:
Obama Voted to Strengthen Illinois's Stand Your Ground Law in 2004

Discussion: Power Line and The PJ Tatler

BBC:

Cameron unveils online porn curbs — Every household in the UK is to have pornography blocked by their internet provider unless they choose to receive it, David Cameron has announced. — In addition, the prime minister said possessing online pornography depicting rape would become illegal …

Discussion: Via Meadia and Samizdata

Guardian:
David Cameron cracks down on online pornography

Discussion: VentureBeat, Jezebel, The Raw Story, Mashable and Balloon Juice

First Read:

First Thoughts: Framing the fall debate over the economy — Obama to frame the fall debate over the economy... In fact, he'll speak three times on the economy this week (in IL and MO on Wednesday and in FL on Friday)... Boehner's stunning admission... Silence (mostly) from GOP politicians …

Discussion: USA Today, Daily Kos, Right Turn, Washington Post and The Fix

CBS News:
Face the Nation transcripts July 21, 2013: Boehner and Snyder

Discussion: The Plum Line, The Fix and Taegan Goddard's …

Alan Cowell / New York Times:

Duchess of Cambridge Is Hospitalized in ‘Early Stages of Labor’ — LONDON — After months of ever more frenetic anticipation, the British royal family said Monday that the Duchess of Cambridge, the former Kate Middleton, had gone to St. Mary's Hospital in the Paddington district of London …

Discussion: Economix, Towleroad News #gay, Taylor Marsh, The Jawa Report, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The Week, Mirror.co.uk and TalkLeft

Noam Scheiber / New Republic:

The Last Days of Big Law — You can't imagine the terror when the money dries up — Of all the occupational golden ages to come and go in the twentieth century—for doctors, journalists, ad-men, autoworkers—none lasted longer, felt cushier, and was all in all more golden than the reign of the law partner.

Discussion: Above the Law, DealBook and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Quinnipiac News + Events:

Release Detail — July 22, 2013 - Obama Approval Plunges In Iowa, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Clinton, Christie Tied In 2016 Race — Iowa voters disapprove 55 - 41 percent of the job President Barack Obama is doing, plunging the president to one of his lowest scores ever …

Discussion: CNN, Politico and Real Clear Politics

CNN:

At 90, Dole looks back at why Congress worked — Washington (CNN) — Robert Dole knew his share of Washington fights — as the Republican vice presidential and presidential nominee and as both Senate majority and minority leader. — But as he celebrates his 90th birthday on Monday …

Discussion: Politico

Matthew Boyle / BREITBART.COM:

CONSERVATIVES FEAR ‘CONFERENCE’ MAY TRANSFORM HOUSE IMMIGRATION BILLS TO SENATE'S AMNESTY — While House Speaker John Boehner is keeping a tight lid on his personal position on immigration reform, conservative activists and lawmakers fear the Republican leader may rubber-stamp Democrats …

Discussion: Vox Popoli