A Plainly Unserious Budget

James Capretta, National Review Online
It's not unusual for a budget submission from a president to be declared "dead on arrival," especially by members of the opposition party in Congress. But it is unusual for the president to join his opponents in proclaiming the early demise of his own, months-long handiwork to establish priorities.But that’s essentially what the president did at his press conference yesterday.

Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2011/02/17/a_plainly_unserious_budget_250697.html

Tom Perriello Hannah Pingree Jared Polis Ben Rhodes

Anti-Austerity Alliance Wins in Illinois

David Moberg, In These Times
Not lying down: Illinois advocates and activists rejected the idea of massive service cuts. (Photo courtesy of Responsible Budget Coalition)Last April, Sandra Wiekerson took a day off from her work caring for elderly people in their homes on Chicago’s northwest side. She joined 15,000 other Illinoisans in the state capital of Springfield for a historic rally and lobbying day.“Raise my taxes,” they chanted. “Show some guts, stop the cuts.” Participants in the ‘Save Our State’ rally, one of the largest demonstrations ever...

Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2011/02/17/anti-austerity_alliance_wins_in_illinois_250715.html

Adam Kinzinger Rachel Kleinfeld Mike Lee Patrick McHenry

Put Simply: Religion Matters

Tony Blair, Monterrey Tecnológico University
A new type of debate is taking shape. It can centre around immigration or protectionism but it is above all, about issues to do with culture and integration and it is altogether more vigorous and potentially more explosive. In the Middle East, it is about whether the West fundamentally respects or does not the religion of Islam; and the Israel-Palestine dispute is caught up with it. In Europe, it is about whether our attempt to integrate cultures has succeeded or failed; and insofar as there is a perception of failure, it is about whether our "generosity" in allowing inward...

Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2011/02/17/put_simply_religion_matters_250684.html

Olympia Snowe Paul Gigot Joe Scarborough Victor Davis Hanson

Public Unions Have Too Much Control

Patrick McIlheran, Milwaukee JS
Say you generally liked Gov. Scott Walker's move to rein in government labor costs but had a few doubts on his method. The last few days should have cleared that up nicely.The public-sector union tantrums, meant to make lawmakers wobble, have an inadvertent message for the rest of us: Voters can vote all they want. We can elect a cheapskate governor and a Legislature to match. But come the moment, unions will have the last, loudest word.

Source: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/2011/02/17/public_unions_have_too_much_control_250670.html

Jared Polis Ben Rhodes Cedric Richmond Marco Rubio

Wis. Democrats Flee To Prevent Vote On Union Bill

As ever-growing throngs of protesters filled the state Capitol for a third day, 14 Democratic senators disappeared to force Republicans to negotiate over the proposal. Republicans hold a 19-14 majority in the state Senate, but they need at least one Democrat to be present before taking a vote on the bill.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/17/133847336/wis-democratic-lawmakers-flee-to-prevent-vote?ft=1&f=1014

Mike Flood Carte Goodwin Jay Goyal Nikki Haley

A Look At The Youth Of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood

Journalist Charles Sennott recently returned from Tahrir Square, where he was filming a documentary on the revolution for PBS's Frontline. It focuses on the young members of the Muslim Brotherhood who played an important role in Egypt's revolution.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/17/133777435/a-look-at-the-youth-of-egypts-muslim-brotherhood?ft=1&f=1004

LIZ CHENEY JON HUNTSMAN JR CHARLIE CRIST CLIFFORD MAY

The Nation: Obama Cuts In All the Wrong Places

President Obama's newly released budget proposal has split critics left and right. Laura Flanders of The Nation is alarmed that Obama's budget focuses so little on job growth in the flailing economy while at the same time cutting so much spending.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/17/133834965/the-nation-obama-cuts-in-all-the-wrong-places?ft=1&f=1057

THOMAS SOWELL LINDSEY GRAHAM JACK KEANE MARCO RUBIO