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.
RELATED:
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
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, Daily Kos, Liberaland and Taegan Goddard's …
RELATED:
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 …
New York Times:
Despite Rifts, G.O.P. Has Election Edge, Poll Finds — Republicans are in a stronger position than Democrats for this year's midterm elections, benefiting from the support of self-described independents, even though the party itself is deeply divided and most Americans agree …
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …
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, The Denver Post has learned. — Gardner is expected to make an announcement in a few days …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, ThinkProgress, The Fix, Roll Call, The Daily Caller, KDVR.com and Taegan Goddard's …
RELATED:
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, Weekly Standard, Denver Post, OnPolitics and Taegan Goddard's …
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.
RELATED:
Politico:
Republicans take on Wall Street
Republicans take on Wall Street
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:
Booman Tribune, Los Angeles Times 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
Daniel Strauss / Talking Points Memo:
Rick Scott Now Says He Would Veto Arizona Anti-Gay Bill — Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) is now saying he would veto a controversial Arizona bill that lets businesses discriminate against LGBT people after dodging the question this morning on MSNBC. — “I don't want to tell Governor Brewer what to do …
Discussion:
The Reaction, Naked Politics and The Huffington Post
RELATED:
Bob Christie / Associated Press:
AZ Gov Brewer In Emergency Meetings Over Anti-Gay Bill
AZ Gov Brewer In Emergency Meetings Over Anti-Gay Bill
Discussion:
Business Insider and Daily Kos
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
RELATED:
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:
Hot Air and Christian 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
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:
The PJ Tatler, The Daily Caller and Right Wing News
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 …
Discussion:
Rand Paul, Booman Tribune and Daily Kos
Alexander Burns / Politico:
Planned Parenthood reveals big 2014 game plan — The political arm of Planned Parenthood is preparing to launch its largest campaign offensive ever, targeting more than a dozen states and some of the cycle's top Senate and gubernatorial races to raise the alarm about the stakes …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Philip Rucker / The Fix:
What Mitch McConnell and a twice-heated biscuit have in common — Shortly after wrapping up her event with former President Bill Clinton, Kentucky Senate Democratic candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes sat down with me in Louisville to talk about why she thinks she can beat Sen …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Balloon Juice
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:
Hot Air, National Review and Fox News
Joanne Kenen / Politico:
Stretch run for Obamacare — Four million down. Two million to go. Five weeks to get it done. — Obamacare enrollment in a nutshell. — The White House announced late Tuesday that sign-ups in the federal- and state-run Obamacare insurance exchanges had surpassed the psychologically significant 4 million mark.
Discussion:
CNN
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:
CNN, Los Angeles Times, The Daily Banter, The Daily Caller, ABC News, TVNewser, Mediaite, American Power and The Huffington Post
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
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.
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
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
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:
New York Times, Hot Air, Post Politics, Business Insider, CNN, The Moderate Voice, Taylor Marsh, Hit & Run and Politico