UP-FRONT FOOD & POLITICS NUGGET!!
GOP Aide Goes on Popsicle-fueled Right-wing Publicity Stunt in Favor of Cutting Food Stamps (Laura Clawson) from Daily Kos
All in one, this is hilarious, deeply disturbing, and quite revealing!
"Where two dozen Democratic members of the House did a SNAP challenge themselves, eating on the average food stamp budget for a week, Stockman had an aide do the challenge and then announce that it's a breeze, no problem, we can totally cut the program. ... Well, let's take a look at what Stockman communications director and master of the universe Donny Ferguson bought as his entire food supply for a week:..."
The Dilemmas of Cold Fish Diplomacy (Daniel W. Drezner) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"In practice, of course, it's worth remembering that Tony Blair was both Bill Clinton and George W. Bush's closest friend on the global stage. Those friendships produced... mixed results. So maybe, in the end, this is a big bunch of nothing."
IRS Scandal’s Origins Become Clearer Amid Other Questions (Richard Rubin) from Bloomberg News
"The origin of the U.S. tax agency’s scrutiny of small-government groups is becoming clearer as lawmakers release transcribed interviews with IRS workers."
On Glenn Greenwald and His Fans (Rick Perlstein) from the Nation
"Here’s the thing: I suspect Perlstein, Charles Pierce, Dave Niewert and I—to mention the commenters here I’ve actually met—could have a spirited exchange about these issues, maybe even change each others’ minds somewhat. That can’t happen with Greenwald, whom I’ve never met, becuase the FIRST thing he does out of the box is accuse anyody who disagrees with him of bad faith. That not only makes him a poor advocate, it weakens one’s trust in his reporting.” He’s losing friends. Soon, his friends, and his luck, may run out."
I think Perlstein is WAY too harsh on Obama in this piece, (Ah, it is so easy being president!) -- but he's on the money when it comes to Greenwald.
Silver vs Politico (Andrew Sullivan) from The Dish
"The distortive effect of Politico actually corrodes democracy, in my view, because it constantly prioritizes the 6-hour news cycle and the higher inside-bullshit to tell us allegedly what is happening in
Washington. We can mistake that for what matters in Washington for the 300 million people it’s supposed to represent."
Politico is not alone in this -- I see all the news cable networks as the worst offenders in this area.
Autopsy On GOP Social Issues Is ‘Grossly Overstated’ Say GOP Lawmakers from Talking Points Memo
"Republican lawmakers have a message for those who want the party to soften its emphasis on social conservatism in hopes of reaching a wider national audience: Not so fast. ... The actions reflect a roiling debate among Republicans over why they lost two elections to President Barack Obama, and how best to rebuild a winning formula."
The GOP's Clueless Caucus from Politico
"No matter what the party leadership is up to in a given month, there’s almost invariably a back-bencher in the House of Representatives or a C-list player out in the states who’s only too eager to take the wind out of a conservative comeback with some incendiary comment that seizes national attention."
Today’s GOP vs. Tomorrow’s GOP on Immigration (Michael Tomasky) from the Daily Beast
"As the immigration vote nears, writes Michael Tomasky, Republicans face a stark choice: between the present-day wishes of GOP legislators and the party’s future national hopes."
Phil Gingrey, In DOMA Speech, Says Children Should Take Classes On Traditional Gender Roles from the Huffington Post
"Gingrey is also the latest of several prominent Republicans to suggest that children suffer when their mothers don't fit traditional gender roles. Fox News pundit Erick Erickson recently lamented the fact that many women are the primary breadwinners in their households and said that "kids most likely will do best in households where they have a mom at home nurturing them while dad is out bringing home the bacon.""
Believe it or not, I actually do agree with at least element of what Gingrey is arguing here: that boys and young men need to get the message to take their "father" roles very seriously and with a long-term, deep commitment. Erikson's sputtering is just the latest form of Eisenhower-era mis-rememberance.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE NUGGET!!
The Guilty Man (Pamela Colloff) from Texas Monthly
"The jury regarded him with what appeared to be both sympathy and
fascination. One of the many strange aspects of The State of Texas v. Mark Alan Norwood was that at no point during the eight-day trial would the jurors hear that Michael himself had previously been found guilty of the crime, or that he had spent nearly 25 years behind bars."
DOMESTIC ABUSE NUGGET!!
My Mom was an Underground Railroad for Abused Women: What She Taught Me About Feminism and Fear (Haley Elkins) from XOJane
Once, my mom spotted a bruised woman with three children holding a cardboard sign in the Wal-Mart parking lot. It was pouring down rain. I was seven. “Stay in the car,” she said, locking me in."
URBAN DECLINE NUGGET!!
The Indiana Town that May be Cut in HALF to Save it From Destitution from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Ghost town of Gary plans to demolish neighborhoods and sell decaying homes for $1 to combat crippling depression. Gary was once the centre of the country's booming steel industry . Mayor is now trying to come up with a drastic solution to save the city. Economic competition from abroad forced a 90 percent job cut."
NATURE PHOTO NUGGET!!
The Most Spectacular Wildlife Photos From The National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest from Buzz Feed Animals
"The world is amazing. You can see all the entries over at National Geographic."
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