GOP gets wish: Rangel case in campaign season
(AP)
 AP - Republicans wanted an election-season ethics case against Democratic powerhouse Rep. Charles Rangel of New York. And now, it looks like they have one.
Obama to sell auto bailout good news in Michigan
(AP)
 AP - President Barack Obama is going to the heart of the U.S. auto industry to push an important election-year claim: his administration's unpopular auto industry bailout has turned into an economic good-news story.
Share your story: How well is BP handling Gulf oil-spill claims?
(The Newsroom)
 The Newsroom - In the three months since oil first spewed into the Gulf of Mexico, thousands of people throughout the coastal region have lost jobs or seen their incomes slashed. Many businesses are reeling too. BP has pledged to make good on all legitimate claims for damages. But how well is the process going?
Obama Mocks Polls But Spends More On Them ($4.4M) Than Bush Did
(Huffington Post)
Huffington Post - With Reporting By Julian Hattem
Immigration Debate: Border Cities See Less Violent Crime
(Time.com)
Time.com - The crime rates in large U.S. cities near the border, contrary to the fears that lie behind Arizona's tough new immigration law, are among the lowest in the country
Conservatives doubt Sherrod’s case against Breitbart
(The Upshot)
The Upshot - Shirley Sherrod caused liberals to rejoice Thursday by telling a San Diego audience that she'll "definitely" sue conservative publisher Andrew Breitbart. But are things so bad for Breitbart, a media provocateur who appears to thrive off controversy? Despite posting the misleading clip of Sherrod that led to her resignation, Breitbart hasn't apologized and continues using [...]
Rod Blagojevich's Trial: A Look at the Court's 12 Jurors
(Time.com)
Time.com - A brief look at the six men and six women who are tasked with deciding whether the guilt or innocence of the ex-governor of Illinois and his brother
Anthony Weiner Goes Ballistic At GOP For Killing 9/11 Responders Health Care Bill (VIDEO)
(Huffington Post)
Huffington Post - House Republicans late Thursday were able to corral enough votes to defeat a bill that would have provided up to $7.4 billion in aid to those sickened by toxins resulting from the 9/11 attacks.
Zients will be acting OMB chief
(Politico)
Politico - A top official tells POLITICO that he will be acting director while Jack Lew awaits confirmation.
Abortion groups caught off guard
(Politico)
Politico - A ban on coverage for most elective abortions in new high-risk pools takes them by surprise.
White House urges halt to spilling of war secrets
(AP)
 AP - The White House on Friday implored the website WikiLeaks to stop posting secret Afghanistan war documents as the Pentagon pressed its investigation of the leaks, bringing a soldier charged with handing over classified video back to the U.S. for trial.
Obama signs Tribal Law and Order Act
(AP)
AP - President Barack Obama has signed a bill giving American Indian tribes more authority to combat crime on their reservations.
China opposes new EU sanctions on Iran
(Reuters)
Reuters - China said on Friday that it did not approve of tougher new sanctions imposed by the European Union on Iran, and welcomed Tehran's offer to return to negotiations on a nuclear fuel swap without conditions.
Andy Griffith's new role: pitching health care law
(AP)
AP - Actor Andy Griffith has a new role: pitching President Barack Obama's health care law to seniors in a cable television ad paid for by Medicare.
5 Best Friday Columns
(The Atlantic Wire)
The Atlantic Wire - Paul Krugman on Obama's Tentative Centrism While the current President
rode into office on a "wave of progressive enthusiasm," the New York Times columnist writes he has since been
far "more centrist and conventional than his fervent supporters
imagined." This isn't necessarily a good thing, argues The New York
Times opinion columnist, and Obama's choices can't always be blamed on
Republican obstructionism. He concludes: "The point is that Mr. Obamaâs
attempts to avoid confrontation have been counterproductive. His
opponents remain filled with a passionate intensity, while his
supporters, having received no respect, lack all conviction. And in a
midterm election...[that] could spell catastrophe."Peggy Noonan
on the Competent Chris Christie In what has recently become a trend
among conservative pundits, the Wall Street Journal columnist gives a
ringing endorsement for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie saying that,
"He's going to break through in a big way." While the Democrats are
campaigning against the GOP's "populist spirit" (the Tea Party) in the
lead up to the November midterms, their biggest worry should be worried
about Christie's courageous and, more importantly, competent style of
governance. She enthuses, "But Mr. Christie's way is also closer than
most national Republicans have comeâor Democrats will comeâto satisfying
the public desire that someone step forward, define the problem, apply
common sense, devise a way through, do what's needed."David
Brooks on the Long Slow Decade The New York Times columnist fears the
impact of the recession will be felt for years to come. "What we have is
not just a cycle but a condition," writes Brooks. "We could look back
on the period between 1980 and 2006 as the long boom and the period
between 2007 and 2014 or so as the nasty crawl." So, how to the spur
economic growth? Brooks sees good plans on both sides of the aisle. For
Democrats, it's what Brooks calls the "Moon Shot Approach"--an economy
buoyed by a strong infrastructure and tax breaks for key sectors.
Republicans see hope in the "Unleash America" school of thinking--it's
defined by "a free-market and entrepreneurial vision of their country."
Both approaches, Brooks says, are better than the inevitable "nativist
and antiglobalist visions that will be arising" in coming years.Patrick
Kennedy on a Brain Disorders Battle Writing in the Boston Globe, the
Rhode Island congressman says the recent 20th anniversary of the
Americans With Disabilities Act should inspire politicians to demand the
same protections for those with brain disorders. "Approximately 100
million Americans have some form of traumatic brain injury," writes
Kennedy. "Millions more suffer from Alzheimerâs, autism, Parkinsonâs,
and epilepsy." Yet only 5 percent of the NIH budget is spent researching
neuroscience. Kennedy argues America must respond to the rise in brain
disorders with "the same kind of urgency...as we did with AIDS."Steven
Pearlstein on the New Division of Labor "The only surprise is that
anyone is surprised by the lack of private-sector hiring," concludes the Washington Post columnist. "It is only in the world of Chamber of
Commerce propaganda that businesses exist to create jobs." Writing in
response to the recent news that corporate profits have soared while
little new job opportunities have been created, Pearlstein isn't
optimistic that most employers will soon be adding full-time employees.
"There are lots of theories why this is happening," he writes. "With
consumers cutting back on debt-financed spending, cutting expenses has
been the most obvious way for businesses to increase their profits." In
effect, the profits are addition by subtraction.
Hope Exists for Immigration 'Down Payment'
(CQPolitics.com)
CQPolitics.com - There's not a prayer that comprehensive immigration reform will pass Congress this year, but there's a slim one that a smaller "down payment" measure might. And it should.
Senate panel grills former Arlington cemetery officials
(McClatchy Newspapers)
McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Two former top officials of Arlington National Cemetery faced hostile questioning on Capitol Hill Thursday about years of negligence that led to unmarked and mismarked graves and mishandled remains.
Recess Lesson: 'There Is No Private' Anymore
(CQPolitics.com)
CQPolitics.com - These are things that strike fear in the hearts of Members of Congress hitting the campaign trail this August recess: angry voters, bad poll numbers, damaging political ads by opponents. But perhaps most of all, they fear the unflattering video clip.
House ethics panel charges Rangel on 13 counts
(McClatchy Newspapers)
McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — A special House of Representatives subcommittee on Thursday outlined 13 counts of ethics violations against Rep. Charles Rangel, the former chairman of the powerful tax-writing Ways and Means Committee. The charges place his political career in jeopardy and could put Democrats on the defensive as November's elections approach.
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