memeorandum: Environmental groups say Obama needs to address climate change more aggressively (Washington Post)

12:25 PM ET, January 17, 2014

Top Items:

Benny Johnson / BuzzFeed:

America's Spies Want Edward Snowden Dead — “I would love to put a bullet in his head,” one Pentagon official told BuzzFeed. The NSA leaker is enemy No. 1 among those inside the intelligence world. — Snowden's Russian refugee document. — Maxim Shemetov / Reuters

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Other McCain, Techdirt, Mediaite, Taylor Marsh, Hit & Run, Business Insider, Prairie Weather and Guardian

Reuters:

Exclusive: Obama to announce overhaul to controversial NSA program — (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will announce on Friday a major overhaul of a controversial National Security Agency program that collects vast amounts of basic telephone call data on foreigners and Americans, a senior Obama administration official said.

Discussion: The Hill, Hot Air, Booman Tribune, Mashable, The Switch, Shakesville and The Verge

New York Times:
Obama Calls for Overhaul of N.S.A.'s Phone Data Collection Program

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Moderate Voice, Guardian, The Other McCain, Washington Post, Online NewsHour, National Review and Gawker, more at Mediagazer »

Yahoo! News:
Obama NSA speech on anniversary of Eisenhower warning

Discussion: Techdirt, The Huffington Post, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Hullabaloo and RT

Jim Acosta / CNN:
Obama to announce changes to NSA data collection

Discussion: Liberaland and The Daily Caller

CEPR:

David Brooks' Primitive Defense of the Rich — David Brooks is sweating hard trying to defend the one percent against the rest of the country and reality. His column today desperately warns readers: — “Some on the left have always tried to introduce a more class-conscious style of politics.

Discussion: Business Insider

New York Times:

The Inequality Problem — Suddenly the whole world is talking about income inequality. But, as this debate goes on, it is beginning to look as though the thing is being misconceived. The income inequality debate is confusing matters more than clarifying them, and it is leading us off in unhelpful directions.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, American Prospect, PolicyShop and Paul Krugman

CNN:

CNN exclusive: Port Authority job created for Christie ally, source says — (CNN) — Give him a position at the top of the agency; he's a good friend of the governor. — That's how David Wildstein was introduced to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2010 …

Discussion: PoliticusUSA, The Daily Banter, Washington Post, Taylor Marsh, Reuters, Liberaland and Marist Poll

McKay Coppins / BuzzFeed:

Chris Christie's Crisis Plunges Republican Party Deeper Into The Wilderness — The establishment freaks out as another favorite son falls from grace. “There are definitely people jumping ship.” — Lucas Jackson / Reuters / Reuters — In the immediate aftermath of their emphatic defeat in 2012 …

Discussion: Politico, Hot Air, The Week, The Fix and Washington Post

Christopher Baxter / New Jersey Online: Chris Christie bridge scandal: 20 subpoenas issued, governor hires attorney

Shushannah Walshe / ABC News:
‘Unruffled’ and ‘Confident’ Chris Christie Addresses Bridge Scandal at Fundraiser

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:

GOP trying to chop down Reid's amendment tree — Senate Republicans have deployed a new parliamentary tactic designed to end — or at least call attention to — the frequent Democratic ban on considering GOP amendments. — Republicans have tried it four times, without success.

Discussion: The Huffington Post and Politico

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Obama to Dems: Boehner will pass immigration reform in 2014

Discussion: New York Times and Jammie Wearing Fools

Byron York / Washington Examiner: Starting year six, does Obama finally own the economy?

Politico:

Tom Coburn won't serve rest of Senate term — Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn confirmed Thursday night that he will not serve out his full Senate term and intends to step down after 2014 because of deepening health problems. — In a statement, Coburn acknowledged that he is battling a serious recurrence …

Discussion: Post Politics and Hot Air

Chris Casteel / Daily Oklahoman:

Sen. Tom Coburn to resign at the end of current Congress — WASHINGTON - Sen. Tom Coburn, who has spent a combined 15 years here rooting out government waste and warning about mounting U.S. debt, will resign after the current session of Congress, foregoing the final two years of his term.

Discussion: The World's Greatest …, The Hill, Daily Kos, The Daily Caller, Heritage Action for America and Talking Points Memo

Economist:

Coming to an office near you — The effect of today's technology on tomorrow's jobs will be immense—and no country is ready for it — INNOVATION, the elixir of progress, has always cost people their jobs. In the Industrial Revolution artisan weavers were swept aside by the mechanical loom.

Discussion: Hullabaloo and The Raw Story

James Taranto / Wall Street Journal:

The left defends corporations' rights. — People who answer Puffington Host polls tend to be ignorant, reports Emily Swanson, PuffHo poll director. The poll is a quiz on constitutional law: … “But they're wrong,” Swanson declares of the 45% plurality in the former question and the 35% minority in the latter one.

Discussion: Althouse

Drew Magary / GQ Magazine Online:
What the Duck? — How in the world did a family of squirrel-eating …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Guardian

Joaquin Castro / Texas Monthly:

Mr. Castro Goes to Washington — A BEHIND-THE-SCENES ACCOUNT OF THE BIG VOTES, DASHED HOPES, TOUGH CHOICES, AND REAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF A FRESHMAN LAWMAKER'S FIRST YEAR IN CONGRESS. — One year ago I was sworn in as a United States congressman. Representing Texas's Twentieth District …

Discussion: Politico, Talking Points Memo and The Daily Caller

Yasiin Mugerwa / Daily Monitor:

Museveni blocks Anti-Homosexuality Bill — Parliament- President Museveni has confronted Speaker Rebecca Kadaga for passing the controversial Anti-gays Bill without quorum and described homosexuals as “abnormal” beings who can be “rescued” through economic empowerment.

Discussion: BBC, Box Turtle Bulletin, Washington Blade, Guardian, LGBTQ Nation, Hinterland Gazette, AMERICAblog News and Towleroad News #gay

Campbell Brown / Wall Street Journal:

Keeping Sex Predators Out of Schoolrooms — Congress is considering better background checks for teachers. Why won't unions support the bill?

Discussion: Weekly Standard and Washington Free Beacon

ABC News:

50 Ways to Celebrate Michelle Obama's Birthday — First Lady Michelle Obama turns 50 today, and although the big White House celebration planned by President Obama isn't until Saturday, that doesn't mean you have to wait to celebrate. — If your invite to Saturday's dance party in Washington went missing …

Discussion: TheBlaze.com

Luke Johnson / The Huffington Post:

Harry Reid Backs Medical Marijuana — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) came out in favor of medical marijuana Thursday in a Las Vegas Sun interview, becoming one of the highest elected officials in the U.S. government to give his support. — “If you'd asked me this question a dozen years ago …

Discussion: susiemadrak.com