memeorandum: Barney Frank drops a bombshell: How a shocking anecdote explains the financial crisis (David Dayen/Salon)

2:15 PM ET, March 31, 2015

Top Items:

Gov. Pence, fix ‘religious freedom’ law now — We are at a critical moment in Indiana's history. — And much is at stake. — Our image. Our reputation as a state that embraces people of diverse backgrounds and makes them feel welcome. And our efforts over many years to retool our economy …

Mike Pence / Wall Street Journal:

Ensuring Religious Freedom in Indiana — Our new law has been grossly misconstrued as a ‘license to discriminate.’ That isn't true, and here's why. — By — Last week I signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, known as RFRA, which ensures that Indiana law will respect religious freedom …

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

“Smoking Doesn't Kill” And Other Great Old Op-Eds From Mike Pence — The Indiana governor who is at the center of the debate surrounding the recently signed Religious Freedom Restoration Act in his state wrote some interesting op-eds 15 years ago. — “Time for a quick reality check.

Wall Street Journal:

The New Intolerance — Indiana isn't targeting gays. Liberals are targeting religion. — In the increasingly bitter battle between religious liberty and the liberal political agenda, religion is losing. Witness the media and political wrath raining down upon Indiana because the state dared …

Discussion: CNN, Hot Air and Washington Post

Tracy Walsh / Talking Points Memo:

Malloy Piles On Pence: ‘When You See A Bigot, You Have To Call Them On It’ — Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) on Tuesday described Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) as a “bigot” and said that politicians have a responsibility to speak out against Indiana's divisive religious freedom law.

Discussion: Balloon Juice

New York Times:
In Indiana, Using Religion as a Cover for Bigotry

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Weekly Standard, Washington Post, Christian News Network, Senator Chuck Schumer, Mediaite, Political Wire, The Daily Beast, American Spectator, The Week, LGBTQ Nation, Common Dreams, The PJ Tatler, AMERICAblog News and Daily Kos

Fox News:
Pence vows to ‘fix’ religious freedom law, ensure ‘no license to discriminate’

Discussion: CNBC, New York Times, Indianapolis Star, USA Today, Hit & Run, Outside the Beltway, WALV-TV, OnPolitics, Fox News Insider and The Week

Erik Eckholm / New York Times:
Eroding Freedom in the Name of Freedom

Discussion: Hot Air, Washington Post, National Journal, Religion Clause, Josh Blackman's Blog and Bloomberg View

Hugh Hewitt / The Hugh Hewitt Show:
Jeb Bush On The Indiana Law, Iran, and Hillary

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Washington Post, BREITBART.COM, Fox News, No More Mister Nice Blog, Washington Blade, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Bloomberg Business and New York Times

Eric Bradner / CNN:
Republican 2016 candidates back Indiana's ‘religious freedom’ law - CNN.com

Discussion: Weekly Standard, Washington Post, Daily Kos, ABC News, Re/code, Indianapolis Star, Raw Story, Boston Globe, Common Dreams, US News and NPR

WALV-TV:
Indiana's corporate leaders call for action on RFRA

Discussion: Human Rights Campaign Blog, Advocate, Talking Points Memo and IU Newsroom

Jack Gillum / Associated Press:

Clinton also used iPad for email; mixed personal, work chats — 1 photo — WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton emailed her staff on an iPad as well as a BlackBerry while secretary of state, despite her explanation she exclusively used a personal email address on a homebrew server …

Discussion: Politico, Power Line, Wall Street Journal, American Spectator, Liberal Values, The Moderate Voice, VodkaPundit, The Daily Caller, Hot Air and Bloomberg Business

Susan Ferrechio / Washington Examiner:

Benghazi panel summons Clinton — A House panel Tuesday formally requested Hillary Clinton to testify about the private server and email account she used while serving as secretary of state. — Rep. Trey Gowdy, chairman of the Select Committee on Benghazi, sent a request to Clinton's personal attorney …

Discussion: The Right Scoop and The Gateway Pundit

Kendall Breitman / Politico:
Swing-state poll shows ‘red flag’ for Clinton

Discussion: Bloomberg Business

BuzzFeed:

Rand Paul Said He Doesn't Believe In The Concept Of Gay Rights — Sen. Rand Paul said he doesn't buy into the concept of gay rights because they are defined by a gay person's lifestyle. — “I don't think I've ever used the word gay rights, because I don't really believe in rights based on your behavior …

Discussion: Daily Kos, Booman Tribune, No More Mister Nice Blog, Political Wire and PinkNews

Jura Koncius / Washington Post:

Stuff it: Millennials nix their parents' treasures — A seismic shift of stuff is underway in homes all over America. — Members of the generation that once embraced sex, drugs and rock-and-roll are trying to offload their place settings for 12, family photo albums and leather sectionals.

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Wall Street Journal

Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:

Harry Reid's appalling defense of his attack on Mitt Romney's tax record — One of the more outlandish moments of the 2012 campaign came when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid went to the floor of the world's greatest deliberative body and accused GOP nominee Mitt Romney of not paying any taxes at all for the past 10 years.

Discussion: protein wisdom, American Spectator and CNN

Ted Barrett / CNN:
Harry Reid is not looking back

Discussion: Politico, OnPolitics, Political Wire, National Review and The Week

Jaimie Etkin / BuzzFeed:

People Are Mad About Trevor Noah's Old Tweets About Women And Jews — And the backlash begins... On Monday, Comedy Central confirmed Trevor Noah will succeed Jon Stewart as The Daily Show host. — Byron L Keulemans/GQ South Africa — View Entire List ›

Discussion: New York Times, Lawyers, Guns & Money and The Huffington Post, more at Mediagazer »

Kyle Drennen / NewsBusters:
New Daily Show Host Joked U.S. Worse Than Apartheid South Africa

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News, TVNewser and Moe Lane

David Dayen / Salon:

Barney Frank drops a bombshell: How a shocking anecdote explains the financial crisis — Barney Frank has a new autobiography out. He's long been one of the nation's most quotable politicians. And Washington lives in perpetual longing for intra-party conflict.

Discussion: Bloomberg View

Gotham Magazine:

Kevin Spacey on ‘House of Cards,’ Staying in Shape & Saving the Planet — With House of Cards, Kevin Spacey helped change the way we watch TV. Now he wants to change the way we look at the planet. — Kevin Spacey takes 10 seconds to dispense with the pleasantries and get down to business.

Discussion: Washington Post

Judy Kurtz / The Hill:
Kevin Spacey: Bill Clinton backs accuracy of ‘House of Cards’

Discussion: Patterico's Pontifications and Mediaite

Brian Deese / Medium:

We're taking action on climate change—and the world is joining us — Last November, President Obama stood in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping—and made history. — The leaders of the world's two largest economies—and two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases …

Discussion: Politico, Guardian, ABC, Common Dreams, EcoWatch, Mashable and Associated Press

Chicago Tribune:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel opens big lead on mayoral challenger Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia — Mayor Rahm Emanuel has opened up a substantial lead on challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia with only a week to go in the runoff campaign, a new Chicago Tribune poll has found. — Emanuel has the backing of 58 percent …

Discussion: Politico and Chicago

Washington Post:

Poll: Clear majority supports nuclear deal with Iran — By a nearly 2 to 1 margin, Americans support the notion of striking a deal with Iran that restricts the nation's nuclear program in exchange for loosening sanctions, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, The Other McCain, Prairie Weather, Hot Air, Mediaite, The Moderate Voice, The Hill, Politico, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, The Times of Israel, Power Line and Pew Research Center …

Russell Berman / The Atlantic Online:

How Red States Learned to Love the Gas Tax — Don't believe the axiom that Republicans reflexively oppose tax increases: Outside the Beltway, it just doesn't hold up. — States across the country are raising their fuel taxes to pay for the upkeep of deteriorating roads and bridges …

Michael Stratford / Inside Higher Ed:

Cash Monitoring List Unveiled — WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday, for the first time, named most of the hundreds of colleges whose federal aid it has restricted because of concerns about their finances or compliance with federal requirements.