Washington Post’s paywall goes up June 12

Washington Post: On June 12, we will begin phasing in our metered subscription model. It will take us a few weeks to get everyone into the system, but doing that will allow us to ensure that you have the best possible experience.

Once the subscription service launches, you will initially be able to view 20 pieces of content per month before being asked to subscribe. We hope you will consider subscribing even if you don’t reach the limit; a subscription will provide unlimited access to all The Post’s world-class journalism, multimedia and interactive features and more. Importantly, you will also be helping to support our newsgathering operations.

Whether or not you subscribe, we will not limit your ability to view The Post’s homepage and section front pages, watch videos or search classified advertising. In addition, readers who come to The Post through search engines or shared links will be able to access the linked page regardless of the number of articles they have previously viewed.

So basically, it’s pretty much identical to the NYT’s paywall. I’ve found this model to be surprisingly unburdonsome. If you have favorite columnists or bloggers, bookmark their Twitter or Facebook feeds and you should be able to continue to read them no problem. I’ve also found that aggregators get through the paywall — I have no problem reading Krugman through links on my own Must-Read Superfeed — presumably because they’re redirected through Feedburner and Yahoo! Pipes. I guess this qualifies as “shared links.” I’m assuming that bloggers like Ezra Klein and Greg Sargent will work the same way. Worse comes to worst, run the link through TinyURL and it should get you through.

We’ll find out for sure on June 12th and I’ll make any adjustments to the Superfeed that need to be made. But judging from WaPo’s own reporting, it doesn’t look like I’ll have to change a thing.

[photo via Wikimedia Commons]

News Roundup for 2/21/12

Such a kind, gentle, thoughtful soul

-Headline of the Day-
"Top Five Roger Ailes Quotes From The Fox Effect."

OK, so The Fox Effect is a new book out by Media Matter's David Brock. And in it, David shows that Fox News president Roger Ailes is awful. I mean just terrible. Without further ado, here are the quotes:

Ailes used homophobic slurs to describe George H.W. Bush’s clothing: “‘You can’t wear a short-sleeve shirt—you’ll look like a fucking faggot.” [The Fox Effect, p. 32]

Ailes explaining race before the Federal Election Commission: “When Republicans see Willie Horton they see a criminal, and when Democrats see Willie Horton they see a black.” [The Fox Effect, p. 34]

As Richard Nixon campaign consultant, Ailes advised that a racist should be given a question at a town hall: “As long as we’ve got this extra spot open. A good, mean, Wallaceite cab driver. Wouldn’t that be great? Some guy to sit there and say, ‘Alwright mac, what about these niggers?’” [The Fox Effect, p.24]

Roger Ailes explaining his concerns about social justice to rabbis: “Of course social justice means different things to different audiences, however it has been used in situations leading to fascism, socialism, and communism as well.” [The Fox Effect, p. 147]

Ailes to The Washington Post in 1972: “If you come out and say that a guy’s a commie, fag bastard, the public turns you off, not him.” [The Fox Effect, p. 144]

Ain't he a gem? (ThinkProgress)


-Rick on the 'theology' of environmentalism-



I mean, after all, it's not like we have to live on it, right? (McClatchy)


-Bonus HotD-
"'Community' Returns March 15."

I'd rather that say "right freakin' now," but March is better than never. (ThinkProgress)

News Roundup for 1/31/12

Unstoppable

-Headline of the Day-
"Stephen Colbert’s FEC report: Big money!"

Stephen Colbert's Super PAC is super-loaded. According to the report, "Between July 1 and Dec. 31, Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow collected more than $825,400, ending the year with nearly $674,000 cash on hand, according to disclosures filed over night with the Federal Election Commission." To date, treasurer Shauna Polk says the super PAC has raised $1,023,121 total.

"Stephen Colbert, President of ABTT, has asked that I quote him as saying, 'Yeah! How you like me now, F.E.C? I’m rolling seven digits deep! I got 99 problems but a non-connected independent-expenditure only committee ain’t one!'" Polk wrote in a statement, adding, "I would like it noted for the record that I advised Mr. Colbert against including that quote."

So how's that measure up against other celebrity Super PACs? Let's look, shall we?

Sarah Palin’s political action committee raised $756,000 in the second half of last year – a steep drop off from the first half, when she as flirting with a presidential bid.

Palin’s relatively meager second half haul came despite heavy spending on fundraising and a bus tour that fanned speculation she might seek the GOP presidential nomination.

Colbert's PAC is (mostly) a joke and he's clobbering Sarah Palin in fundraising.

So, yeah... (Politico)


-Noodles v. Mittens-



It may be unending, but it's still fun to watch. (Washington Post)


-Bonus HotD-
"Robocall of the Year."

Mitt Romney forced holocaust survivors to eat pork chops!

This message brought to you by Newt's robot. (Political Animal)

Stories to Watch: 1/28/12

The Washington Post has changed the address to Greg Sargent's RSS feed. Why do sites do that? It's a total pain. I'm going to have to edit it into the Superfeed, but I'm not going to be able to do it right away. For the time being, items marked "[Greg Sargent]" are actually general WaPo news stories. That'll be fixed later today.

I wish I would've noticed it sooner, because I added the Maddow Blog to get Steve Benen's new home into the feed this morning. I was already under the hood once -- I could've done it then. Now here's the news...


John Nichols notes that if you take all the votes in the GOP primary so far, break them down as a percentage of the electorate, and compare them to the number of signatures turned in to recall Wisconsin Republicans, you find that the Wisconsin recall is about twice as popular as all the GOP candidates combined. That may seem a little off in the weeds at first, but his point is that the numbers show a much more important movement than the media is giving us credit for.


For his part, Stephen Moore mostly agrees. In a Wall Street Journal piece in which he calls the recall the "most important non-presidential election of the decade." Of course, being the WSJ, that means sheer terror at the thought that unions could be making a comeback.


Mitten's opens up a big lead in Florida. However, that'd be the third time this month that the frontrunner has switched from Romney to Gingrich or vice versa (the last being just eight days ago) -- and new polling is expected tonight.


Sarah Palin attempts to remain relevant.


Grover Norquist wants to impeach Obama if he wins reelection and doesn't extend the Bush tax cuts. "High crimes?" "Misdemeanors?" "Democracy?" What are these things of which you speak?


Obama takes on an obstructionist congress.


Mittens has lost the independent voter.


Finally, Obama and Democrats are working to bring the Buffet Rule -- which would have the wealthy paying more in taxes than their help -- up for a vote. This is probably going to be a big one, so keep an eye out.

Related articles

• Late Night FDL: Crime and Punishment, by Grover Norquist (firedoglake.com)
• How Out There Is Grover Norquist? (andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com)
• Mitt Romney turning off independents (dailykos.com)
• What Romney Would Pay Under His Tax Plan (alan.com)

Stories to Watch: 1/22/12

I'm feeling lazy tonight, so spaghetti it is. Now here's the news...


Newt was crowned Prom Queen in South Carolina last night -- by a really wide margin.


Taegan Goddard points us to this quote from New York magazine's John Heilemann: "If Gingrich wins Florida, the Republican Establishment is going to have a meltdown that makes Three Mile Island look like a marshmallow roast." Go Newt!


And on that note, the Washington Post's resident wingnut blogger, Jennifer Rubin, is already hitting the panic button. Bill Kristol's already been hitting that button repeatedly, but he's pounding away at it like John Bonham now.


Meanwhile, The Hill's Justin Sink sees Gingrich's South Carolina strategy as a realistic winner in the Sunshine State. The White House has to be checking their calendars, because it seems like it's way too early for Christmas again.


Rattled and desperate for headlines, Mittens says he'll release 2010 tax return and 2011 tax estimate Tuesday. Two years won't be enough to satisfy his critics.


Finally, surprising no one, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk becomes the first Democrat to announce her intention to run against Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in a the recall election. I've pointed out before that once a candidate declares, labor and the Democratic Party can no longer coordinate. Falk is labor's candidate of choice, meaning that all the groundwork has been laid and ready -- a little faster than I thought it would be.

Related articles

• Newt Gingrich's Victory Speech - South Carolina Primary Win 1-21-12 (constitutionclub.org)

Stories to Watch: 12/7/11

I had a way more productive day than I'd expected. Now here's the news...


RIP Harry Morgan.


Is Fox News blowing the GOP's 2012 White House chances? Maybe. According to NYT's Michael Shear, Mitt Romney is doing especially poorly with the networks' audience. About half would vote Gingrich -- a Fox News "analyst" -- but "just 12 percent of the regular Fox watchers said that Mr. Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, is their choice to be the Republican standard-bearer." Mitt stands a fair chance against Obama, while Newt is very nearly unelectable.


But don't tell that to Florida GOP voters; Gingrich leads there with 48% to Mittens' 25%.


The Washington Post's fact-checker needs a fact-checker.


Mumia Abu-Jamal will not suffer the death penalty.


Jon Huntsman's position on climate science is starting to look like a pendulum.


TIME's #1 story of the year: "Occupy Wall Street Protests Spread."


Oregon court rules that First Amendment protections only apply to "real" journalists -- bloggers can go suck it. You know, I liked it a lot better when this was a free country.


Republicans pretend to stand against Richard Cordray, President Obama's nominee to head the new financial consumer watchdog agency. What they really oppose is the existence of the agency itself. Keeping backs from screwing you royally is an assault on liberty, I guess.


Finally, Mitt Romney seems to have been listening to a different speech than the one the President gave yesterday.

Related articles

• Romney Dumps Trump Debate -- But Still Runs Risk Of Receiving Trump's Endorsement (huffingtonpost.com)
• Iowa caucus: Newt Gingrich trounces Mitt Romney among Fox viewers (dailykos.com)
• New Mitt Romney Iowa Ad Makes Claim Newt Gingrich Can't: One Marriage (npr.org)
• Mitt Romney to make 'closing argument' and mount more aggressive campaign (tarpon.wordpress.com)

News Roundup for 12/2/11

Herman Cain's women's outreach manager

-Headline of the Day-
"Cain highlights female supporters on new website."

And by "highlights" he means... Oh, make up your own joke. It's easy.

Anyway, despite coming down to the wire on his decision whether to keep going or not, Herman Cain has a new website up featuring all the women in America that Herman Cain either hasn't sexually harassed or had an affair with. Which so far is about 50 of them. If you're a woman who hasn't been harassed by or had an affair with Herman, you're invited to tell your story about why you think he's wonderful.

If your opinion of the Cain Train is somewhat different, you probably shouldn't waste your time submitting it. Criticism is not taken well there. According to the report, "The site features testimonials from female Cain supporters offering words of support and attacking the women who have alleged sexual harassment and an affair with Cain as 'scheming' and 'desperate.'"

Because, you see, not knowing Herman Cain at all, they'd be the experts about that. Of course the site is run under Herman's wife's name, Gloria Cain, who would be an expert. But according to at least one report, Gloria may not be as enthused with Herman as the site would suggest. Friends describe "a woman angry that her life has been turned upside down by her husband's need for attention and power by any means."

And, of course, this is Herman Cain we're talking about, so this thing can't go by without a gaffe. "[T]he group quickly came under fire after media organizations noted that the photo of four women giving the thumbs-up signal on the Web site was not truly of Cain supporters but a stock photo," reports the Washington Post.

Never let it be said that the Herman Cain campaign did not die as it lived; completely FUBAR. (The Hill)


-Cartoon time with Mark Fiore-
Hey kids, I was out yesterday, trying to recall this knuckleheaded governor we've got here, so I didn't get a chance to put this up. Anyway, here's two cavemen discussing science. Yay!


Click for animation

Wow, it's almost like it's a metaphor for something... (MarkFiore.com)


-Bonus HotD-
"Saudis fear there will be ‘no more virgins’ and people will turn gay if female drive ban is lifted."

Wow, Saudi Arabia has Republicans too! (Daily Mail)

News Roundup for 10/26/11

Mitt Romney, shown listing the many positions he's taken on the issues

-Headline of the day-
"Mitt Romney: Actually, I do support Ohio law."

Oh Mittens, you're so flippity-floppity.

Yesterday, Romney visited a GOP phonebank in Ohio, to boost the spirits of all the temps the state party had hired to pester people about the attempted repeal of a union-busting law by referendum. For the record, the Republican Party would be against the repeal, because then all the temps would probably unionize.

Anyway, while visiting this hive of feverish activity, Mittens was asked what he thought of the law. Romney instinctively sensed that someone was trying to pin him down on a position (a position, BTW, he's already been pinned down on) and pretty much refused to answer the question. Mittens wasn't at a phonebank that was doing get out the vote for the union-busting ballot measure to voice an opinion about it. He wasn't interested in "particular ballot issues," he said. And everyone wondered what the hell he was doing there then.

So this all became a big thing, with people on the right calling him a coward and people on the left calling him a scaredy-pants. Mitt was going to have to put a lid on this right pronto. While in Virginia today, he basically said, "Oh, you mean that ballot issue!"

"What I was referring to is I know there are other ballot questions there in Ohio and I wasn't taking a position on those," he said. "With regard to Question 2, which is the collective bargaining question, I am 110 percent behind Gov. Kasich in support of that."

Which, of course, brings us to this:

Columbus Dispatch:

Issue 2 is getting smashed by 25 points, 57 percent to 32 percent, in Quinnipiac’s latest poll. The survey by the Connecticut university, released two weeks before the election, is the final public poll planned on the controversial law, which is on hold until voters have their say.

Yeah, Romney just came out in favor of the least popular thing since the clap. Way to pick a winner, Mittens! (Politico)


-Competing visions-
Occupy Wall Street's counterpart isn't the Tea Party.


Click to embiggen

It's a much more dangerous bunch of crazies. (Truthdig)


-Bonus HotD-
"Washington Post Illustrates Oakland Police Brutality With Cop Petting Kitty."

No, really. (Wonkette)

News Roundup for 10/19/11

Rick Perry

-Headline of the Day-
"POLL: The Third Most Common Word Used To Describe Rick Perry Is IDIOT."

Noted Josh Brolin impersonator and Texican President Rick Perry got some bad news in a Washington Post-Pew Research Center poll -- people don't think much of him. The poll asked respondents to tell them "the one word that comes to mind" when a top GOP candidate's name was mentioned. For Rick, the top choices were "Texas," "No," and "idiot/idiotic." So things aren't going so well there.

Mitt Romney did a little better with "Mormon," "healthcare/Romneycare," and "flip-flop/flip-flopper." In my opinion, "flip-flopper" may be bad, but "idiot" is worse. It's an unscientific analysis, I'll admit.

Finally, Herman Cain did pretty well. He's "9-9-9," "businessman," and "interesting." Of course, there's no way of knowing whether they associate "9-9-9" with "crazyassed," as I do. Still, if you take the first two as neutral, "interesting" sounds kind of positive.

Of course, this poll was taken on the 13th, before last night's debate where everyone piled on Mittens and the Hermanator looked like an idiot -- so things might've changed by now. You never know.

But one thing's for sure; Rick Perry's probably out for good as the "I'm not Romney, who we all hate!" candidate. Right now, that's Herman. So we should totally get excited about the Cain ticket, until Herman finally explodes and Mittens becomes the nominee -- just like we all know will happen.

That's what you like about this whole GOP nominating process this cycle; the nail-biting suspense. (Business Insider)


-And while we're on that subject-


Click to embiggen

"Interesting," indeed. (McClatchy)


-Bonus HotD-
"GOP debate crowd cheers idea that jobless are to blame for their plight."

Or "Return of the Psychopathic Republican Debate Audience." (Plum Line)

Stories to Watch: 10/2/11

Rick Perry's getting some flack today for a Washington Post article that reports his association with a hunting camp. The problem; the camp until fairly recently a big, black rock at the entrance with the word "Niggerhead" painted on it. Here's the thing: I have my doubts that this will bother anyone who was planning on voting for Perry. Expect the familiar "Oh, don't be so PC!" responses from the right if this story gains any steam -- although Herman Cain is already the exception to that rule.


In other Perry news: let's invade Mexico! No, really.


Police arrested more than 700 Occupy Wall Street protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday, as the protests spread to other cities.


Dick Cheney wants an apology from Barack Obama for all the mean (and accurate) things he said about the Bush administration's "War on terror."


The Herman Cain campaign begins shedding staffers, which is always a sign that everyone thinks everything's going just super-great.


Brainwash your kids to believe paranoid, rightwing BS the Glenn Beck way! It's only "indoctrination" when lefties do it.


Finally, reason 5,329,405 explaining why I often call Fox & Friends "a show that's such ridiculous bullshit that you wish there was a stronger word for bullshit."

Related articles

• Herman Cain: Gov. Perry's hunting camp sign -- "Niggerhead" -- is 'just plain insensitive' (thehill.com)
• Cain: Perry insensitive over name of hunting camp (sfgate.com)
• More than 700 Occupy Wall Street protesters arrested on Brooklyn Bridge (boingboing.net)
• Total number arrested at Occupy Wall Street protest on Brooklyn Bridge up to 700, AP reports (shortformblog.tumblr.com)

News Roundup for 9/13/11

Noted hypocritical lunatic Shelly Malkin

-Headline of the Day-
"A few more words about Koward Krugman."

Michelle Malkin is really pissed off at Paul Krugman. You might remember that Krugman wrote a 9/11 anniversary post about how the right has snatched up 9/11 for personal and political gain. Of course, they have, but that's beside the point -- it's poor manners to point that out and Shelly will not have it. Such things simply are not done.

So she goes off on a tirade of grievance, following the rest of the rightwing blogosphere in failing to address Krugman's argument in any way. It's all bluster and outrage and oh-my-god-it's-the-worst-thing-ever, but no actual rebuttal to the claim that wingnuts have taken 9/11 as their own political totem -- mostly because there is no possible rebuttal. They clearly have.

Anyhoo, you're here for the fun, not Shelly Malkin's failure to debate while pretending to debate. Don't worry, it's coming. See, Malkin calls Krugman "Koward Krugman" because, for this 9/11 rant of his, he turned off the comments to his blog.

Here's a fun game; go to Shelly's login page and try to register to comment. Guess what? You can't do it. She turned off registration in 2005 and only rarely opens it up to new commenters. And, when you are able to register, your comments damned well better be along the lines of "OH MY GOD, YOU'RE SO AWESOME!!" or you'll be banned right pronto.

So Krugman shut comments down for a day, while Shelly's been allowing only the most fawning commenters for six freakin' years.

I'm sorry, who's the koward again? (Michelle Malkin)


-True patriots go splat-
Tom Toles takes on the right's love for austerity.


Click to embiggen

Don't worry, it'll spur good old American innovation; i.e., you'll figure out how to fly before you hit the ground. (Washington Post)


-Bonus HotD-
"Fox News Cold Freaking Out Over Obama’s Use of Crappy Paper Clip."

No, really. (Wonkette, with video)

News Roundup for 8/30/11

Fox News' Brian Kilmeade

Headline of the Day-
"Fox News Forces Candidate to Defend Reality."

You might remember a tweet sent out by GOP presidential candidate John Huntsman a few weeks ago. Huntsman, who's staked out a losing position as the "sane Republican" in the race, decided he'd had enough of the other GOP crazies. "To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming," he tweeted. "Call me crazy."

So, of course, the good folks at Fox & Friends were up to the challenge -- specifically pure white ubermensch Brian Kilmeade, who may very well be the dumbest person to ever get a gig on live TV (and that includes this guy).

Basically, Bri-bri took the Rick Perry position that scientists make shit up to score that sweet, sweet grant money. It's all very stupid, which explains why Kilmeade goes there. This would have to be a massive scam and a hoax unlike any we've seen in the history of mankind. As the Washington Post reported, 97% to 98% of all scientists support the idea that global warming has a human cause. But Kilmeade, like Perry, is either unwilling or unable to do the mental heavy-lifting it takes to grasp the enormity of what he's suggesting (I vote for the latter). Want an idea of how unlikely it is that Kilmeade and Perry are right? It would have to be on the scale of faking the moonlandings, like the nutjob flatearthers believe.

But this is Brian Kilmeade and he is very stupid and this is Fox News, after all. Dumbassery is to be expected. (American Prospect)


-Can't tell the players without your scorecard!-
Having trouble telling your GOP presidential candidates apart? Try this handy chart!


Click to embiggen

Remember, Mittens is the "sane" one. (Reddit)


-Bonus HotD-
"Five Brave Souls Attend Christine O'Donnell Book Signing In Florida."

A glimpse into Sarah Palin's future. (Wonkette)

Stories to Watch: 6/11/11

As news that Republicans plan to run phony Democrats in recall primaries sinks in, Wisconsin Democrats realize that two can play that game.


Attacking beer in Wisconsin isn't going to help Republicans here any either.


John Stossel is having a hot, torrid love affair with the straw man argument.


That Washington Post poll that put Mittens ahead of Obama is beginning to seem like an outlier. Yet another poll is out showing that the President leads all Republicans and that Romney "performs the best of a poorly performing group, trailing Obama by six points, 39% to 45%."


A former top Gingrich aide confirms the obvious; that Newt's campaign is "essentially over." Cause of death: the impression among staffers that the whole thing was just a scheme to sell books and videos -- or, at least, that a fire sale on all things Newt was taking precedence over actual campaigning. "We didn't sign up to be hucksters for products for sale," ABC quotes one senior staffer as complaining in an email.


Finally, the next time you hear the words "David Barton" and "historian" in the same sentence, go ahead and laugh until you cry.

Related articles

• David Barton belongs in a tent in Tennessee in 1911. But he's a right wing fav instead just like 'Pastor' John Hagee who says the Catholic Church is the anti-Christ. Oh I could go on . . . I do go on. And on. (maureenholland.wordpress.com)
• How Serious Is Newt Gingrich's Candidacy? (abcnews.go.com)
• Why Gingrich's campaign is taking on water (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Newt Gingrich was for Shariah law before he was against it (americablog.com)

Stories to Watch: 6/7/11

I've been looking for something to watch before I go to bed. There's a dead spot when nothing's on TV. If I start doing something else, I lose track of time and wind up hitting the sack at stupid o'clock. Same with reading. I got hold of some old episodes of Mannix, believe it or not, and that just might fit the bill. Now here's the news...


A new Washington Post poll puts Mittens ahead of President Obama. From a historical perspective at this point in the race (such as it is), this puts Romney in such hallowed company as Walter Mondale, Bob Dole, and George H.W. Bush. It's probably a bad time to start measuring the drapes.


Also from the Post: Glenn Kessler factchecks Obama, so the White House factchecks Kessler.


Tim Pawlenty joins the Paul Ryan school of economics by pulling numbers straight out of his butt. Of course, that's because his real numbers suck.


The GOP accuses Democrats of wanting to destroy Medicare. You read that right.


Finally, 42% of Republicans say they wouldn't vote for Sarah Palin.

Related articles

• 7 eyebrow-raising Sarah Palin tweets (cbsnews.com)
• Katie Couric Talks Sarah Palin Interview: "I Was Really Fascinated To Hear What Shaped Her Worldview" (businessinsider.com)
• Pawlenty proposes tax cuts, ignores fiscal crisis he left in MN (americablog.com)
• 42 Percent Of Republican Voters Say They've 'Ruled Out' Voting For Sarah Palin (mediaite.com)

Stories to Watch: 5/28/11

I'm probably heading off to a street-fair type thingy today. Bratwurst and beer are one of the things that make Wisconsin more than worthwhile. Now here's the news...


Four months after the Tea Party freshmen were sworn in, the Washington Post looks at how things are going for them. The short take; not well.


Speaking of which, Politico takes a look at Republican efforts on the debt ceiling and finds their biggest problem; the freshmen are stupid, crazy, or stupid-crazy. "The reassuring part of it is that [GOP House Whip Kevin McCarthy] genuinely seems to be working hard to bring his members up to speed," comments Jonathan Chait. "The alarming part is that, hoo boy, they're starting from a pretty low point."


After a judge struck down his union-busting law, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker insists it'll still survive "one way or another." He's hoping for the state Supreme Court to overturn the ruling, but it pays to point out -- as I have been for some time now -- that Republicans could simply reschedule a vote to comply with the open meetings law and they're golden. They're not -- meaning the votes are no longer there. If this thing goes down in the legal system, it goes down for good.


Polling shows that Americans over-estimate the percentage of gays and lesbians in the US population. This strikes me as a great example of pointless polling -- what possible difference could it make?


RIP Gil Scott-Heron.


Finally, this is pretty cool.

Related articles

• Gil Scott-Heron: share your memories (guardian.co.uk)
• Medicare and the "Disaffected" Vote - New York Times (blog) (news.google.com)
• Everybody Still Hates Scott Walker (writechic.wordpress.com)
• Judge voids Wisconsin union-busting law (capitolhillblue.com)

Stories to Watch: 5/1/11

Happy May Day! If you need to get a hold of me, I'll be out dressed like Stalin dragging missiles through the streets with the rest of the commies here in Madison. Now here's the news...

***
At the White House Correspondents Dinner, President Obama did what all non-comedians should do when asked to deliver a standup routine -- avoid the moving targets and go for the easy laughs. So, of course, Donald Trump -- who was there as a guest of the Washington Post -- took a beating. Clearly, this was the worst thing ever.

Before you get too worried that Trump really was offended, remember that this was a guy who basically kicked off his presidential campaign-stunt with a celebrity roast featuring foulmouthed comics giving him much, much worse. Trump also caught some boos on arriving to the dinner, so that probably did sting a bit.

***
NATO airstrike kills Qaddaffi's son Saif. Meanwhile, Michele Bachmann indulges in her favorite hobby -- just making shit up -- to claim that 30,000 Libyan civilians have been killed NATO forces so far.


Meet Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT), struggling multi-millionaire.


Finally, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's plan to privatize food stamps is just awful. Luckily, it's also illegal.

Stories to Watch: 3/15/11

Dave Weigel identifies a GOP problem for 2012: Republican governors suck and there's more than one state eager to vote Democrat to either get rid of them or hamstring their agendas.


After (actually, during) the Fukushima nuclear incident, the New York Times gets behind nuclear power. We just gotta go the extra mile to make sure it's safe, they argue. In case you missed it, here's what I think of that: join us in the real world, NYT editorial board.


Washington Post has a good visual blow-by-blow of the incident in Japan.


***

Yesterday, Wispolitics.com got hold of an email from Wisconsin state Senate majority leader Scott Fitzgerald informing Senate Republicans that the Democrats were "still in contempt of the Senate" and, "when taking roll call votes on amendments and bills during executive sessions, Senate Democrats’ votes will not be reflected in the Records of Committee Proceedings or the Senate Journal."

Apparently, once that got out, stuff really hit the fan. Now Fitz is saying that he's dropping the whole contempt thing, Senate Democrats can have real votes, and can't everyone just put this little unpleasantness behind them?

Question for Fitzgerald; did you honestly believe we weren't watching?


***

Shelly Bachmann gets mad because people expect a serious presidential candidate to, like, know stuff. Oooh, the media can be so unfair!


People don't want a government shutdown and would blame Republicans if it happened, polling shows. The Tea Party response? "Damn the torpedoes! Americans want a shutdown!" That ought to work out well for them.


Finally, Mainer Stephen King lets his politics out of the box. He's called Republican Govs. Walker (WI), Scott (FL), and LePage (ME) stooges, saying, "Larry, Curly and Moe. That's what we've got here." Now he's said that LePage is a "stone brain." Don't know if that's going to change anyone's mind, but it's fun and I like it.