Top Items:
Robert T. Garrett / Trail Blazers Blog:
Federal judge voids Texas' gay marriage ban, though he delays order from taking effect immediately — Mark Phariss of Plano, left, held the hand of partner Victor Holmes, center, as they left the U.S. Federal Courthouse in San Antonio after a hearing earlier this month.
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Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
Fail: Texas GOP Candidate Accidentally Endorses Gay Marriage On Twitter — This post has been updated. — Texas state Sen. Dan Patrick (R) accidentally endorsed same-sex marriage in a tweet on Wednesday. — Patrick, who is running for lieutenant governor, intended to express his disapproval …
Discussion:
Gawker and The Daily Banter
CNN:
Texas ban on same-sex marriage struck down — (CNN) — A federal judge has struck down Texas' ban on same-sex marriage, ruling Wednesday it has no “rational relation to a legitimate government purpose.” — The decision is the latest in a series of federal and state court moves …
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh
John Wright / Lone Star Q:
BREAKING: Federal judge strikes down Texas' bans on same-sex marriage
BREAKING: Federal judge strikes down Texas' bans on same-sex marriage
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Freedom to Marry Blog and Towleroad News #gay
Associated Press:
Federal judge strikes down Texas gay marriage ban
Federal judge strikes down Texas gay marriage ban
Discussion:
Politico, Liberaland, PoliticusUSA, Mediaite and The PJ Tatler
Catherine Thompson / Talking Points Memo:
Federal Judge Rules Texas Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional
Federal Judge Rules Texas Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional
Discussion:
The Raw Story
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Americans know there's no GOP ‘alternative’ to Obamacare — Obamacare is a disaster for Democrats, and a certain winner for Republicans. That's what we keep hearing, anyway. — So why does it look as if the percentage of Americans who favor repeal may have actually shrunk since its rollout problems began?
Discussion:
The New Republic, Liberaland and Taegan Goddard's …
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kff.org:
Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: February 2014 — Liz Hamel, Jamie Firth and Mollyann Brodie … Overall, more prefer expensive broad-network plans over cheaper narrow-network plans, but potential ACA exchange customers lean in the opposite direction — There has been a lot of discussion …
Philip Rucker / The Fix:
What Mitch McConnell and a twice-heated biscuit have in common
What Mitch McConnell and a twice-heated biscuit have in common
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Denver Post:
U.S. REP. CORY GARDNER TO ENTER U.S. SENATE RACE AGAINST MARK UDALL — Republican Congressman Cory Gardner is planning to drop his re-election bid and run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Mark Udall, a political bombshell that is expected to alter Colorado's political landscape.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Weekly Standard, ThinkProgress, The Fix, OnPolitics, Roll Call and Taegan Goddard's …
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GreeleyTribune.com:
BREAKING NEWS: Weld DA Ken Buck, Rep. Cory Gardner to swap political races this year — Weld District Attorney Ken Buck and Rep. Cory Gardner are swapping races. — Buck said Wednesday he will drop his bid for U.S. Senate and instead pursue the 4th Congressional District seat, which represents Weld County.
Discussion:
Politico, Denver Post, The Daily Caller, Taegan Goddard's … and KDVR.com
Dave Camp / Wall Street Journal:
Dave Camp: How to Fix Our Appalling Tax Code — Every year Americans spend more than six billion hours and $168 billion to file their returns. — There have been so many changes to the tax code over the past decade that it is now 10 times the size of the Bible, but with none of the Good News.
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Politico:
Republicans take on Wall Street — Republicans are proposing what was once unimaginable: raising taxes on big Wall Street banks. — Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp's Republican tax reform draft — slated to be released Wednesday afternoon — looks like it will reverse more than a decade …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Business Insider and No More Mister Nice Blog
Janet Hook / Wall Street Journal:
Why Lawmaking on a Grand Scale Is a Dying Art
Why Lawmaking on a Grand Scale Is a Dying Art
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Booman Tribune and Althouse
Virginian-Pilot:
Va. GOP official apologizes for genital slang “error” — UPDATE: In an email, FitzSimmonds said he thought the word he used had the same meaning as “twaddle,” which is defined as foolish speech. — “The minute I found out my error, I deleted the post and apologized,” he told Pilot on Politics.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Dish, Mediaite and The Raw Story
CBS News:
Jeb Bush, Rand Paul top GOP's 2016 presidential wish list: Poll — Shares - — While the 2016 presidential election may be two years away, some prospective contenders have been getting a bit of media attention. The latest CBS News/New York Times Poll asked the public whether …
Discussion:
Hot Air, Politico, Taylor Marsh, Post Politics, Business Insider, CNN, The Moderate Voice and Hit & Run
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Dalia Sussman / New York Times:
Most Democrats Want Clinton to Run in 2016
Most Democrats Want Clinton to Run in 2016
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos and OnPolitics
Tony Lombardo / Army Times:
Soldier flagrantly avoids flag salute, sets off online outrage — A soldier who hid in her car to avoid saluting the flag — and then flaunted it on Instagram — is the latest service member to come under attack via social media and be accused of dishonoring her service.
Discussion:
Right Wing News, The PJ Tatler and The Daily Caller
Ilya Shapiro / Cato Institute:
For Marriage Equality, Religious Liberty, and the Freedom of Association — Even though I'm for marriage equality - next week I'll be filing a brief supporting the challenge to the marriage laws of Oklahoma and Utah in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit - I have no problem with Arizona's SB 1062.
Discussion:
National Review and Lawyers, Guns & Money
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Paul Mirengoff / Power Line:
No, this is not Jim Crow for gays, Part Two
No, this is not Jim Crow for gays, Part Two
Discussion:
Christian News … and Hot Air
irs.gov:
Four Tax Facts about the Health Care Law for Individuals — There are a few basic tips to keep in mind about the new health care law. Health insurance choices you make now may affect the income tax return you file in 2015. — Most people already have qualified health insurance coverage …
Discussion:
Independent Journal Review
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John Kartch / Americans for Tax Reform RSS:
IRS Warns: Obamacare Tax Must Be Paid with Tax Return
IRS Warns: Obamacare Tax Must Be Paid with Tax Return
Discussion:
irs.gov, The Gateway Pundit, Scared Monkeys and National Republican …
ThinkProgress:
Rand Paul Blocks Surgeon General Nominee For Saying Gun Violence Is A Public Health Threat — On Wednesday — two years to the day after George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin — Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) placed a hold on President Barack Obama's nominee for Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy …
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
Eric Holder: Actually, somebody does have to defend gay marriage bans — BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL GAY MARRIAGE ERIC HOLDER ATTORNEY GENERAL GAY RIGHTS LAW — Attorney General Eric Holder stunned and disappointed many conservative lawyers with his decree that state attorneys general …
Discussion:
National Review, Hot Air and Fox News
Guardian:
Adidas to stop selling Brazil World Cup T-shirts that ‘encourage sexual tourism’ — Sportswear maker to stop selling T-shirts before World Cup after Brazil's ministry of women's affairs said shirts were offensive — Adidas agreed on Tuesday to stop selling two raunchy T-shirts months ahead …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, The Raw Story and Mediaite
Damon Linker / The Week:
Bring back the real neoconservatives — Confessions of a bona fide neocon, circa 1976 — I — n recent weeks, readers have asked me a cluster of questions about the positions I've staked out in my recent columns. The questions go something like this: How can you think that Lyndon Johnson …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
Miles O'Brien:
“Just a Flesh Wound” — I wish I had a better story to tell you about why I am typing this with one hand (and some help from Dragon Dictate). — A shark attack would be interesting. An assassination attempt would be intriguing. Skydiving mishaps always make for good copy.
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, CNN, The Daily Banter, The Daily Caller, ABC News, TVNewser, Mediaite, American Power and The Huffington Post
Dahlia Lithwick / Slate:
“Stand Your Ground” Nation — America used to value the concept of retreat. Now we just shoot. — Ever since George Zimmerman gunned down Trayvon Martin in his Sanford, Fla., gated community, it's become an article of faith that the rash of lethal shootings in public places …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, ThinkProgress and BillMoyers.com
Michael Barone / Washington Examiner:
Concealed-weapons laws have changed America regardless of national debate on gun control — BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL GUN CONTROL SUPREME COURT — Over the last 25 years, we have had related national debates over proposed federal gun-control laws designed to restrict access to certain firearms.
Michael W. Chapman / CNSNews:
In Mississippi, 72% of the Babies Aborted Are Black — (CNSNews.com) - Although whites outnumber blacks in Mississippi by nearly 2-to-1, 71.67% of the babies aborted in Mississippi are black, while 26.6% are white. — Based on data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …
Discussion:
Rush Limbaugh, NewsBusters and protein wisdom
David Freedlander / The Daily Beast:
The Skunk at the Oscar Party — Jeremy Scahill may not fit in amongst Leo and Marty, but even if he doesn't take home a statue for his documentary ‘Dirty Wars,’ he's already winning big with the launch of ‘The Intercept,’ his new online venture backed by Ebay's Pierre Omidyar.
Discussion:
Mediaite