News Nuggets 948

DAYLEE NEWS NUGGETS: A tulip farm in Norfolk in the UK.  From the Daily Mail.

The Fall of Bo Xilai (Robert Keatley) from the National Interest
"The dramatic story of China's ousted princeling reveals much about the country's deep-rooted corruption—and its aversion to reform."

Le Pen Shocks France as Far Right Hits Historic Heights from France 24 [of France in English]
"Having secured nearly one in five votes cast in the first round of France’s presidential election on Sunday, far right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen has the potential to swing what is likely to be a close second round on May 6."
This move to the hard right is the real danger of the EU's arm-twisting austerity binge.  You can see it in Greece, Spain, Portugal, Hungary and elsewhere: the rise of real hard-right movements the likes of which have not been seen in Europe in many decades -- with a corresponding decline of support for centrist/mainstream political parties.

The Ayatollah Under the Bed(sheets) (Karim Sadjadpour) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"In the Islamic Republic of Iran, all politics may not be sexual, but all sex is political."

The Other Foreign-Policy Woman (John Heilmann) from New York Magazine 
"U.N. ambassador Susan Rice plays hardball as hard as Hillary. Can she succeed her?"

The Creative Monopoly (David Brooks) from the New York Times
"In fact, Thiel argues, we often shouldn’t seek to be really good competitors. We should seek to be really good monopolists. Instead of being slightly better than everybody else in a crowded and established field, it’s often more valuable to create a new market and totally dominate it. The profit margins are much bigger, and the value to society is often bigger, too."
It HAS been a while since Mr. Brooks had anything genuinely valuable to say.  This column is at least thought-provoking.

With High Premarital Sex And Abortions Rates, Evangelicals Say It's Time To Talk About Sex from the Huffington Post
"The statistics, some evangelicals say, can no longer be ignored. Eighty percent of young evangelicals have engaged in premarital sex, according to a new video from the National Association of Evangelicals. and almost a third of evangelicals' unplanned pregnancies end in abortion. It's time to speak honestly about sex because abstinence campaigns and anti-abortion crusades often aren't resonating in their own pews, evangelical leaders say."

How are We Going to Pay for College? from the Editorial Board of the Denver Post
"For now, lower student loan rates make sense, but the U.S. must discuss education's long-term costs."

High-schoolers on Strike (Natasha Lennard) from Salon
"Occupy has caught young students' attention -- and some are planning to join the May 1 general strike."

Transgender Breakthrough from Metro Weekly [of Washington DC]
"EEOC ruling that gender-identity discrimination is covered by Title VII is a ''sea change'' that opens the doors to employment protection for transgender Americans."

Shift on Executive Power Lets Obama Bypass Rivals from the New York Times 
"One Saturday last fall, President Obama interrupted a White House strategy meeting to raise an issue not on the agenda. He declared, aides recalled, that the administration needed to more aggressively use
executive power to govern in the face of Congressional obstructionism."

Swing-state Unemployment Down, Obama’s Chances Up (Paul Wiseman) from the Associated Press via the Boston Globe
"Recent polls have shown Obama gaining an edge over his likely Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, in several so-called swing states — those that are considered up for grabs. What’s made the difference is that unemployment has dropped more sharply in several swing states than in the nation as a whole. A resurgence in manufacturing is helping the economy — and Obama’s chances — in the industrial Midwestern states of Ohio and Michigan."

Rubio Is Latest Possible Running Mate to Join Romney on the Campaign Trail from the New York Times
"As Mr. Rubio campaigned with him on Monday, standing at his side quietly as Mr. Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, fielded questions on illegal immigration, he also became the latest member of the up-and-coming Republican establishment to try out as a potential vice-presidential candidate with the party’s likely nominee."
In my view, there is no down side for Rubio in running with Romney this year.  He isn't up for reelection; it's unlikely he'll be blamed if Romney loses; and he'll get some national exposure -- and all he really needs to do is not be as bad as Palin was in 2008.  Even Rubio should be able to clear that bar.

Why The Latino Vote Isn’t Really Up For Grabs from Talking Points Memo 
"“There’s no play in the immigration debate for Republicans — the states that it would move people are already in the R column,” said Doug Usher, a managing director with the bipartisan firm Purple Strategies and a former pollster for Sen. John Kerry’s (D) presidential campaign. But it’s equally unlikely to put new states on the map for President Obama, though Usher says he thinks Latino support could help him hold Colorado and Virginia."

Jon Huntsman Trashes GOP, Expresses Campaign Regrets from BuzzFeed 
"Former Republican presidential candidate compares his party to Communist China. Says Reagan would have trouble winning GOP primary in this political environment. Regrets opposition to 10-1 spending cuts to tax increase deficit deal."
Why is this man a Republican?!

Is the Tea Party Still Relevant? (Chris Cillizza) from the Washington Post 
"Is the tea party breaking up? After playing a dominant role in a number of elections in 2010 — Christine O’Donnell, anyone? — there is growing evidence that the power (and visibility) of the movement has faded somewhat of late. To wit: ..."

The Trap Democrats are Laying for Mitt Romney (Jonathan Bernstein) from the Washington Post
"The emerging Democratic strategy is to find popular issues that Republican Members of Congress oppose, and to force votes on them. The goal: To try to make Mitt Romney choose between either appearing ideologically extreme or risking conflict within his own party."

Gorbachev, in Chicago, on Obama: ‘I Will Support Him’ from the Chicago Sun-Times
"Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev made a near-endorsement of President Barack Obama on Monday, speaking to Chicago high school students prior to the World Summit of Nobel Laureates. Then he joined former President Jimmy Carter, former Polish President Lech Walesa and other Nobel winners on a stage at the University of Illinois at Chicago urging high school and college students to take up the cause of world peace."
Good to see that Mikhail is still out and about.  I'm not sure how much Obama was actively courting this endorsement.  I guess he'll have the ex-soviet premieres vote locked up.