Top Items:

The Minority Maker — Ted Cruz hurts his party by forcing a meaningless debt-ceiling vote.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Daily Kos and ProfessorBainbridge.com
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2014 House Forecast Update: No Wave in Sight — The results of a simple but extremely accurate midterm election forecasting model indicate that the 2014 U.S. House elections are likely to result in minimal change in the party balance of power. The forecasting model uses three predictors …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and Washington Post


Dramatic debt vote stirs Senate
Discussion:
CNN, Politico, The Other McCain, Ted Cruz, WFPL, The Daily Caller and National Review, more at Mediagazer »

Hypocrite's Corner
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times and National Review

‘Vote No, Hope Yes’ Defines Dysfunction in Congress
Discussion:
Daily Kos, The Plum Line, Washington Post, Booman Tribune, Connecting.the.Dots and Fusion


Kansas House passes bill allowing refusal of service to same-sex couples — (CNN) — Denying services to same-sex couples may soon become legal in Kansas. — House Bill 2453 explicitly protects religious individuals, groups and businesses that refuse services to same-sex couples, particularly those looking to tie the knot.
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Kansas City Star, Jezebel and BuzzFeed
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Yep, The Supreme Court Lit A Fuse To End Gay Marriage Bans Across USA
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Off the Kuff and Associated Press

How the Case of an Amish Farmer Could Doom Hobby Lobby in Court
Discussion:
SCOTUSblog


Sad fake “millennial” anti-debt group completely broke and confused — The Can Kicks Back is confronting both funding and identity crises — Everyone is having a bit of a laugh today at the expense of “The Can Kicks Back,” the youth-oriented affiliate of the group known as “Fix the Debt …
Discussion:
Firedoglake and Eschaton
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Anti-debt group finds itself in red
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Daily Beast and Daily Kos


Chris Christie's Entire Career Reeks — It's not just the bridge — Has there ever been a political reversal of fortune as rapid and as absolute as the one just experienced by Chris Christie? At warp speed, the governor of New Jersey has gone from the most popular politician in the country …
Discussion:
TheBlaze.com, Guardian, Liberal Values, Washington Monthly, The Dish and Balloon Juice


James O'Keefe Sued for “Wrongful Termination,” “Defamation” — February started off quite well for James O'Keefe and Project Veritas. The New York Department of Labor had been requesting information from PV, the hidden-camera investigation outfit founded by the conservative undercover journalist.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and The Raw Story


Facebook goes beyond ‘male’ and ‘female’ with new gender options — (CNN) — You don't have to be strictly a man or a woman on Facebook anymore. — In a nod to the “it's complicated” sexual identities of many of its users, the social network on Thursday added a third “custom” gender option for people's profiles.
Discussion:
Joe. My. God. and Digits
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Brent Bozell urges liberal media to ‘tell the truth,’ while he fibs about writing a column — that appears under his byline. — Brent Bozell (pictured here) wants the media to tell the truth — It is longtime MRC media analysis director Tim Graham who writes “almost everything published under …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Paul Krugman, Mediaite and Roger Ailes


Iowa welcome mat awaits Christie, but not Jersey swagger — Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad said he would gladly campaign alongside beleaguered New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. But he suggested he leave some of his New Jersey attitude at home if he hopes to do well in the state's presidential caucus.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Politico
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Maddow Defends Bridge Coverage Following ‘Morning Joe’ Criticism (VIDEO)
Discussion:
New Jersey Online and The PJ Tatler

Ninth Circuit holds Second Amendment secures a right to carry a gun — So holds today's Peruta v. County of San Diego (9th Cir. Feb. 13, 2014) (2-1 vote). The court concludes that California's broad limits on both open and concealed carry of loaded guns — with no “shall-issue” …
Discussion:
Sister Toldjah and National Review


U.S. senator drops bombshell during VW plant union vote — (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee said on Wednesday he has been “assured” that if workers at the Volkswagen AG plant in his hometown of Chattanooga reject United Auto Worker representation, the company will reward the plant with a new product to build.
Discussion:
American Prospect, BillMoyers.com, Daily Kos, USA Today and New York Times


Exclusive: Snowden Swiped Password From NSA Coworker - NBC News — A civilian NSA employee recently resigned after being stripped of his security clearance for allowing former agency contractor Edward Snowden to use his pers...
Discussion:
Washington Post, Mashable, Firedoglake, Little Green Footballs and Re/code


Some snow is on the ground at the highest elevations of the Big Island of Hawaii. — Snow is on the ground in 49 out of the 50 states — only the Sunshine State of Florida is completely snow-free, according to a map produced Thursday morning by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.


Is opposing gay marriage the same as being a racist? — Conservative opposition to same sex marriage is deeply rooted in religious belief — W — riting at The New Republic, Isaac Chotiner doesn't much appreciate my argument about the growing cockiness of secular liberals.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Booman Tribune, Balloon Juice, The Dish, Hinterland Gazette, Firedoglake and The Mahablog

Another senior House Republican announces retirement — Washington (CNN) - Republican Rep. Doc Hastings of Washington state announced Thursday that he'll retire at the end of this year rather than run for re-election in November. — Hastings, who currently serves as the chairman …
Discussion:
Politico
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Before O-Care debacle, Sebelius made many trips to White House — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was in frequent contact with President Obama and senior White House aides before the disastrous launch of the federal ObamaCare exchange last year.


Why the Republican Push for Black Voters Is (Mostly) Doomed to Fail — As long as the GOP is pushing voter-ID laws that make it harder for African Americans to vote, the party's appeal to identity politics will come up short. — The GOP has a new strategy for turning African Americans into Republicans.
Discussion:
The Dish, BizPac Review and Independent Journal Review


The $2.2 Billion Bird-Scorching Solar Project — At California's Ivanpah Plant, Mirrors Produce Heat and Electricity—And Kill Wildlife — A giant solar-power project officially opening this week in the California desert is the first of its kind, and may be among the last …
Discussion:
Power Line and The Verge


Icy blast heats up coal debate — As another snowstorm socks the East Coast, the coal industry has a message for the nation's electricity customers: We told you so. — Signs of growing pains have abounded in the past few weeks of frigid weather, which struck a U.S. electrical grid that's …
Discussion:
Hot Air


Wednesday Was Full of Good News for Obamacare. Here Are the Charts That Prove It. — More Americans enrolled in Obamacare plans in January than expected, according to data released Wednesday by the Obama administration. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had expected to sign up 1,059,900 people last month.
Discussion:
Forbes, Liberal Values, Hit & Run, The Week, Washington Monthly, Booman Tribune, The Dish and Hot Air