Stories to Watch: 6/19/12

Despite reports that Marco Rubio is off the list of possible running mates, Romney insists he's still in contention. In related news, a woman is probably out.


Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell says he's waiting for Romney to come up with a position on children of undocumented immigrants before the party takes a stand on the issue. I wouldn't hold my breath. Mittens is really shy about controversy and my money's on him hoping for it to all blow over.


One of the many, many ways Republicans fail to actually support our troops. It's more than a slogan, guys.


If government is dysfunctional, blame Republicans.


Romney is being pursued by a giant foam-rubber birth control dispenser.


The familiar sight of throngs of Egyptians crowding Tahrir Square. Also, is Hosni Mubarak dead or not?


We've got to fire teachers, police, and firefighters. Cut foodstamps and government services. Slash Medicare and Social Security. But, for Republicans at least, there's always plenty of money to throw at nuclear weapons.


Finally, National Review isn't even pretending not to be racist anymore.

Related articles

• Egyptian protesters return to Tahrir Square to fight military rule - Los Angeles Times

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• McConnell: Tax code benefits the poor and needs to be changed

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• Business Insider Editor Says Mitch McConnell Enforcing GOP Obstruction 'From Now Until The Election'

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Stories to Watch: 2/11/11

It's snowing. Again. As it is, we're guaranteed spring flooding. And every flake guarantees that flooding will be even worse. Now here's the news...


In case you missed it (what, do you live under a rock?), that Mubarak guy quit in Egypt. Dancing in the streets. Jake Tapper reports that he got a little shove from Obama, but influential wingnut blogger John Hinderaker apparently didn't get that memo.


Presumed GOP presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty basically says birthers are nuts. Not surprisingly, the nuts are displeased.


House Republicans are having a big fight over whether to cut $100 billion in spending or less -- because they're totally focused on jobs.


The US Chamber has all the ethics of a con artist.


Good news on the housing front.


Finally, GOP claims about healthcare reform are fact-checked yet again and, yet again, proven to be untrue.

Stories to Watch: 2/5/11

I'm making sourdough pancakes tonight. I've got some blueberries I need to use up and it's time to feed the starter, so breakfast for dinner it is. Now here's the news...


Top leaders in Egypt resign, but Hosni Mubarak remains in office. The Egyptian people say that's not good enough.


The White House backs a transitional government led by handpicked Mubarak puppet Omar Suleiman. I'm guessing this is backing the wrong horse. Especially seeing how he's just survived his first assassination attempt.


House Republicans decide to take on Planned Parenthood. And doing a shitty job of it. The next time a GOPer tells you they're completely focused on jobs, go ahead and laugh in their face.


As long as we're talking about Republicans and abortion, this is just awful. I sometimes wonder why Republicans aren't constantly ashamed of themselves.


This is likewise just awful.


Finally, if George W. Bush goes to Switzerland, they'll arrest him. So he ain't goin'.

News Roundup for 2/3/11

Sen. John McCain

-Headline of the day-
"McCain Calls Middle East Pro-Democracy Movement A 'Virus'."

Remember how, when we invaded Iraq, democracy was supposed to bust out all over in the middle east -- and that was a good thing?

Well guess what: democracy is busting out all over in the middle east -- and that's a bad thing!

See, it works like this; these democracy movements have jack squat to do with Iraq, so that makes them automatically bad. Because they're gonna hate Israel. See, if democracy movements were born because of Iraq, then those movements would automatically love Israel.

Why? Just because, OK? When we bomb someone into democracy, that's like a vaccine. But when it breaks out all on its lonesome, then it's a virus.

Although, now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure that's how the British once felt about things -- say, two hundred and some years ago. (ThinkProgress, with video)


-Totally gratuitous graphic...-
...because I'm still wiped from dealing with ALL THAT SNOW!!



Totally worth it though, am I right? (Daily What)


-Bonus HotD-
"NATIONAL ENQUIRER SHOCKER: Enquirer Thinks Boehner Is 'Handsome'."

Also, that he's been banging a lobbyist and a "pretty congressional press secretary." (Wonkette)

Stories to Watch: 1/31/11

Snow. Apparently for days. Snow, then snow, followed by snow. Send dogs. Now here's the news...


In an act of judicial activism, a federal judge in Florida has ruled that the entire healthcare reform law is unconstitutional. Steve Benen notes that the decision doesn't seem to make any constitutional sense, that both judges who've ruled against the law were Republican appointees, and that the foes of the law haven't actually been very successful, with 2 courts ruling for the law, 2 against, and about 12 courts refusing to hear the cases at all.


Brian Beutler calls the judges decision "extreme activism."


It seems to me that telling everyone in the world that Hosni Mubarak is above reproach isn't really the smartest thing Israel has ever done.


The right is wetting their pants over the Muslim Brotherhood. Too bad they ain't squat.


Jimmy Carter says that Mubarak will have to leave office. The White House is already preparing for a post-Mubarak world.


Finally, Republicans believe that China is way more important than Americans.

Stories to Watch: 1/29/11

I'm proofing my sourdough starter right now and things look good. Smells really beery, which is a good thing, since the two byproducts of active yeast are carbon dioxide and alcohol. So I'm doing something right. For my first bread, I'm thinking of dividing a loaf into buns. If all goes well, sourdough burgers tonight. Now here's the news...


WikiLeaks releases a treasure trove of documents on Egypt and you've got to wonder why everything didn't go all to hell a lot sooner.


Relatedly, an op-ed at the magazine Foreign Policy argues that if democracy breaks out in the middle east, we'll have WikiLeaks to thank. "The people of Tunisia shouldn't have had to wait for Wikileaks to learn that the U.S. saw their country just as they did," writes Tom Malinowski. "It's time that the gulf between what American diplomats know and what they say got smaller."


John Bolton comes out in defense of Mubarak.


China seems to be remembering Tiananmen Square and nervously censors all mention of "Egypt" from the state version of Twitter.


Even as Egyptian president Mubarak tries a PR rejiggering of his regime, his hold on power looks increasingly tenuous.


Finally, more US soldiers died from suicide last year than were killed in combat. What the fuck are we doing?