Four Ways Justice David Prosser Can Be Removed From Office

Earlier today, news broke that Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser allegedly grabbed fellow Justice Ann Walsh Bradley around the neck during argument in her chambers last week. If these allegations prove true, Prosser is guilty of avery serious crime. Under Wisconsin law, “[w]hoever intentionally causes bodily harm or threatens to cause bodily harm to the person or family member of any judge…is guilty of a Class H felony,” except with certain exceptions that don’t apply here.

Members Of Congress Write To Clinton Asking Her To Ensure Safety Of U.S. Citizens On Gaza Flotilla

As ThinkProgress’s Ali Gharib previously noted, the State Department recently put out a statement warning that American citizens who join a flotilla of aid ships to Gaza that is leaving soon — the lead U.S. boat is calling itself the Audacity of Hope — may face arrest, injury, or even death resulting form Israeli military activities. This warning is particularly important given last year’s events, where a U.S. citizen was killed while aboard an aid flotilla.

Obama Faces Major Test In Debt-Limit Negotiations

WASHINGTON -- Struggling to break a perilous deadlock, President Barack Obama took direct control Friday of national debt-limit negotiations with both Republicans and Democrats. With the White House warning the nation's economic stability is at stake, it's one of the most severe tests yet of Obama's presidency.

China at heart of California's railway past and present

High up in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, half hidden by a snow drift, a disused railway tunnel is a monument to the Chinese labourers who helped build modern America in the 1860s. Now, 150 years later, the Chinese could be returning to build the next generation of US railways, but in a very different role.

Arpaio Orders Deputies To Start Asking Undocumented Immigrants About Wildfires

The fallout from Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) patently false statement that undocumented immigrants were responsible for the destructive wildfires in Arizona continued this week, as his fellow Arizona senator Jon Kyl (R) and Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio entered the fray. “Sheriff Joe,” as he’s called, may be the most notoriously ruthless law enforcement official in the country. He’s known for cramming detained immigrants into inhumane outdoor “tent cities” he proudly likens to concentration camps, and for parading prisoners around in pink underwear, in addition to his numerous legal violations.

Exclusive: Oil Industry Forms New Astroturf Group To Manipulate 2012 Republican Primary In Iowa

As the Republican presidential candidates tour Iowa hoping to lock up the 2012 nomination, they will hear an assortment of questions on energy policy. Some of them, ThinkProgress has learned, will be planted by the oil and natural gas lobby to steer the candidates toward pro-Big Oil policies.

Tony Blair's personal details 'hacked'

Computer hackers appear to have accessed the personal details of Tony Blair after a document containing the former prime minister’s national insurance number was published online.

Women In Power: Annemarie Goedmakers, The Woman Who Brings Light To The Darkest Corners Of Africa

Annemarie Goedmakers grew up in the center of Amsterdam not far from the storied Anne Frank House and was just three when her grandmother died of brain cancer. In the years that followed, she dreamt of becoming a scientist and professor in cancer research. "Everybody told me that I looked after her. I have photographs, but I don't remember her," Annemarie says. "I would have liked to have been able to speak to her because she seemed to be a strong woman--she raised her kids on her own."

Maddow On Gay Marriage Passage In New York: 'President Obama Is Against What Just Happened' (VIDEO)

Rachel Maddow covered the passage of same-sex marriage legislation in New York live on MSNBC Friday night.

Maddow, who is one of just three openly gay cable news anchors on television, let the cheers of the crowd play uninterrupted for minutes after the successful vote was announced.

Rags-to-riches Homeless Man Doesn't Show Up In NY

ALBANY, N.Y. -- A homeless man from Utah has failed to show up in New York to claim the sizable inheritance from his brother.

Is Clarence Thomas's Humble Georgia Museum a Huge Ethics Issue?

A quaint historical museum in Pin Point, Georgia, that is set to open this fall has become the target of an exhaustive ethics examination by the New York Times. Why would the Times devote almost 3,000 words to a community heritage museum? Pin Point, as it turns out, is also the birthplace of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and it was Thomas who introduced Pin Point residents to his friend Harlan Crow, a Dallas real-estate tycoon and major conservative donor, who would ultimately fund the museum. According to some legal analysts, Thomas's role in Crow's decision to donate may have troubling ethical implications.

Average Gasoline Price Expected To Drop 25 Cents By Mid-July

NEW YORK -- A summer road trip may not be such a bad idea after all.

Gasoline prices are falling fast. In the past 7 weeks, the average U.S. retail prices has dropped 38 cents to $3.60 per gallon. Another 25-cent drop is expected by mid-July.

Afghanistan Corruption: Study Says Taliban Influence Will Outlast U.S. Military Presence

WASHINGTON -- The farmer picking apples in the outskirts of Kabul must pay the Taliban $33 to ship out each truckload of fruit. The governor sends in armed men to chase workers off job sites if the official bribes aren't paid. Poor neighborhoods never get their U.N.-provided wheat, long since sold on the black market.

New York Gay Marriage Legalization Transformed National Debate: Legal Experts

NEW YORK (Reuters) - When New York became the sixth and by far the largest state to legalize same-sex marriage, following a grueling overtime session in the state Legislature Friday, it immediately transformed the national debate over the issue, legal experts said.

GOP Rep. Todd Akin: ‘The Heart Of Liberalism Really Is A Hatred For God’

Last Sunday, Americans tuning in to NBC watched 22-year-old golf star Rory McIlroy become the second youngest U.S. Open champion in nearly a century. Right-wing spectators, however, caught their latest scandal. In a pre-taped segment leading off the telecast, NBC played the Pledge of Allegiance butimprudently omitted the words “under God” and “indivisible.” NBC later apologized that day for the edit, stating, “It was not done to upset anyone and we’d like to apologize to those of you who were offended by it.”

GOP Blew Up Debt Negotiations To Protect Tax Breaks For People Making $500,000 Or More

Yesterday House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) may well have doomed negotiations to raise the nation’s debt limit when they walked out over a dispute with Democrats about raising revenues. Their theatrics bring the country closer to the brink of financial collapse, and observers have described the move as a “tamper tantrum” and “political grandstanding.” Today, more details emerged about exactly what Republicans are willing to threaten the global economy over to defend.

As GOP Continues Its War On Women, Study Shows Female Life Expectancy Is Declining In 313 Counties

The United States is rapidly falling behind the rest of the industrialized world when it comes to life expectancy, and no demographic is facing a more rapid decline in life expectancy than women. According to a new study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, the life expectancy of the American woman is not just growing too slowly — in 313 American counties, it is actually declining.

Santorum: ‘There’s No Such Thing As Global Warming’

In an interview with the lame-duck Fox News host Glenn Beck, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum claimed global warming is a hoax. Beck grinned as Santorum called for a “drill everywhere” policy and claimed that there is “no such thing as global warming”:

Christie Defends Berating Constituent For Asking If He Sends His Kids To Private School

On the Today Show this morning, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) defended his belittling of a constituent who asked the governor if he sends his kids to private or public school. Christie has slashed public education spending so severely that the state Supreme Courtoverruled him. However, when the woman called into a local TV interview Christie was giving this month to see if he understood first-hand the devastating effects of his cuts, the governor went off on the woman, angrily saying, “Hey Gail, you know what, first of all it’s none of your business.” Christie sends his kids to private school.

This morning, Today Show host Matt Lauer brought up the incident, asking, “Why isn’t it a fair question?” “Her point is completely ridiculous,” Chrisitie snapped, calling the woman “nonsensical.” Watch it (including video of the initial exchange):

American Distrust Of Banks Reaches Highest-Recorded Level: Gallup

The recession might be officially over, but American views toward the institutions that brought the economic system close to collapse have never been worse.

John Boehner Debt Ceiling Talks May Determine His Political Fate

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican John Boehner faces his greatest test yet as the leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, one that may determine his political fate and the country's fiscal well-being.

Planned Parenthood Win In Indiana: Judge Blocks Parts Of Tough New Abortion Law

INDIANAPOLIS -- A federal judge on Friday blocked the parts of Indiana's tough new abortion law that cuts off most of Planned Parenthood's public funding in the state because the organization provides abortions.

Ron Johnson Has Found A Creative Way To Recoup His Campaign Investment

Back in 2010, Wisconsin Democrat Russ Feingold lost his Senate seat in dramatic fashion to Republican Ron Johnson, an Oshkosh businessman-turned-Tea Party mantle-wearing political insurgent. Johnson's win came after a late-summer surge in the polls that had elite election-watchers baffled, given Feingold's long history and solid reputation in the state. Johnson, for his part was best known as one of the 2010 election cycle's many self-funders -- and one of the few successful ones.

Top 5 Notorious Gangsters Turned Informants

The fact that James “Jimmy Henchman” Rosemond was named as a federal informant by the New York Daily News caught many by surprise. Still, several notorious criminals have also provided information to authorities. It seems as if the “Stop Snitching” code of silence is just a code big gangsters use to stop people from telling on them, and does not apply to the big time dealers.

CBC Embarks On Tour To Reduce Black Unemployment Rate

Things have not been working out for the Congressional Black Caucus. Between its 43 members, this year the organization has introduced 40 different jobs bills to address the national unemployment rate of 9.1 percent (and 16.2 percent for African Americans in particular). They've met twice with President Obama on the issue. But their legislative efforts haven't gained enough support to pass through Congress. So they've decided to sidestep the usual tactics with a new approach: hitting the road for a multicity jobs tour.

Gay Black Men and the Women Who Love Them

In recent news, high-profile African-American men have come out of the closet. The latest to announce that they are gay are CNN News anchor Don Lemon and Georgia State Rep. Rashad Taylor, both of whom named homophobia in the black community as one of their reasons for previously staying quiet about the matter.

When I first heard about their announcements, a couple of thoughts came to mind: 1) I was glad that they came out and 2) yes, homophobia is rampant -- but not just in the black community. I understand their fears. But at the same time, I couldn't help worrying that some would think that homophobia is specific to our community as opposed to the world community, lessening the possibility of addressing the issue on a global scale.

Some bloggers wondered if Lemon in particular had thrown black folks under the bus. I didn't see it that way. But I do think that in making his declaration about homophobia in the black community, he was inadvertently overlooking black women. Most of us love and support gay black men. But Lemon managed to group us with straight black men, many of whom (but not all) are homophobic.

Sexism functions in the black community the same way that homophobia does -- making black women, who are hypervisible in many spaces, including schools, churches and as heads of households, invisible by virtue of being black and female. Homophobia makes gay and lesbian blacks invisible by virtue of requiring heterosexuality as a characteristic of blackness. So when Lemon and Taylor named the black community as culprits in their decision to hide their identity, the voices of black women who support gay black men were silenced. While I don't believe that silencing black women was their intention, that was the result.

When I speak of loving and supporting gay black men, I'm not talking about high-profile celebrity hookups or alleged "arrangements," like the marriages between Star Jones and Al Reynolds or Terry McMillan and Jonathan Plummer. I'm talking about the black women who are in the trenches with gay black men on an everyday basis, serving as confidantes, loyal friends and extended family members. I'm not talking about the sisters who complain that they don't have husbands because there are too many gay black men on the "down low."

I'm talking about women who know that the "down low" is a marketing term that does not apply to all gay black men and is often used by the media to further demonize black men as if they are the only ones who are creeping. I'm talking about the mothers, sisters, aunts and cousins who always assumed that you were gay and could not care less about it.

I'm not talking about women who called you the f-word out of fear and hatred or who prayed for you to become straight, knowing that you were gay all along. I'm talking about the black women who prayed for your happiness and wholeness so that one day you could be yourself because of the beautiful person you are inside.

These are the types of black women I'm talking about, who get silenced when they are grouped into the larger category of the black community; we belong to that category but may not be of it in the way that Lemon and Taylor describe. Black women and black gay men have a special relationship. Whether you look at fan groups (Diana Ross or Lil' Kim, anyone?), the church or local hair salons, by and large you find black women (gay and straight) and gay black men coexisting peacefully. My intention is not to use stereotypical representations of sexuality -- merely to highlight the cultural spaces where black women and gay black men connect.

I suppose in Lemon's and Taylor's comments, I wanted to see a space for women like me, who love and support gay black men. When Lemon and Taylor announced pubicly that they were gay, it reminded me of when my gay friends were able to do the same, and the freedom that came along with it. While I understand that their announcements were not about black women in general -- the announcements were about them and their freedom -- by implicating the black community, in my mind, they then became about black women's invisibility.

There is a tradition of closeness between black women and gay black men that should not be overshadowed by membership in a complicated club.

Source

GOP Rep. Robert Dold Claims Preserving Oil Subsidies Is Necessary For Job Growth

At a town hall meeting last weekend, constituents slammed Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL) for supporting the radical House Republican budget — particularly its failure to eliminate the costly tax breaks for oil companies that the government doles out every year. Dold attempted to sooth their grievances by arguing that his support for the oil subsidies is directly related to job growth:

EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Murphy Says Thomas’ Actions Call Into Question Whether He ‘Can Continue To Serve As A Justice’

In an exclusive interview with ThinkProgress, Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT) — the lead sponsor of a bill which would strip Supreme Court justices of their immunity from a code of ethical conduct that applies to other federal judges — suggests that an investigation may be necessary to determine whether Justice Clarence Thomas’ many ethics scandals rise to the level where Thomas is no longer fit to serve on the nation’s highest Court:

HALF OF WORLD’S REFUGEES ARE RUNNING FROM U.S. WARS

America’s wars are forcing Afghans and Iraqis to flee their homes in greater numbers. According to a recent U.N. High Commission for Refugees study, nearly one half of the world’s refugees are from Afghanistan and Iraq, 3.05 million and 1.68 million, respectively. But neither the United States nor much of the developed world bears the burden of the 10.55 million refugees under the UNHCR’s purview globally. Instead, Pakistan, Iran, and Syria serve as the top host countries. The Economist has charted the numbers:

TEXAS MAY APPROVE A CONFEDERATE FLAG LICENSE PLATE

Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) may soon get the chance to advertise his love of secession on his car. The Lonestar State is considering a specialty license plate that would feature the Confederate flag. The Texas Sons of Confederate Veterans (whose own logo incorporates the flag) designed the plate to “remember Texans who died fighting in the Civil War.” The president of the state’s NAACP chapter, however, said that the flag on license plates “would be humiliating and demeaning.” A state board has yet to approve the plate and will reconsider approval in a few months.

PROGRESSIVES TO PROTEST KOCH BROTHERS RETREAT TOMORROW

When the Koch brothers hold their biannual strategy session with top conservatives in Vail, Coloradothis weekend, they’ll be met by progressive demonstrators from various groups demanding more transparency in campaign finance. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) is one of the few known particpants at this weekend’s meeting, but previous Koch retreats have including top lawmakers like House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), top operatives like U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donahue, and conservative media figures like Glenn Beck, among many others. Last October’s secret meeting in Palm Springs, California attracted hundreds of protesters.

Sexual Assaults: Are Midwestern Universities Turning A Blind Eye?

Last week, a Chicago Tribune article reported startlingly low arrest and conviction rates in cases of sexual assaults across a selection of six Illinois and Indiana universities and colleges. Sexual health advocates expressed frustration, but some local campuses continue to defend the way they handle sex crimes internally.

Consumer Protection Agency Could Watch Over '100,000 Firms': WSJ

That "little government agency," as it was describedby its staunchest defender, Elizabeth Warren, could end up overseeing tens of thousands of firms when all is said and done.

The still-fledgling CFPB has laid out a list of six different types of companies that could soon fall under its wing, including debt relief and check cashing companies, that until now have mostly been free from the eyes of federal regulators, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Obama Pushes High Tech Partnership to Fix Manufacturing Woes

Joking that "one of my responsibilities as commander-in-chief is to keep an eye on robots," President Obama on Friday announced a new public-private sector partnership that will be tasked with driving "a renaissance of American manufacturing."

Stephen LaRoque Hires More Unemployed Workers To Clean Up His Yard

A Republican politician in North Carolina has successfully recruited two unemployed workers to clean up his yard after the first jobless constituent he hired in May quit after just one hour.

Kathryn Treadway of Goldsboro, N.C., had dared state Rep. Stephen LaRoque to hire her so she could prove she wasn't too good for manual labor. But Treadway gave up because of a sore back and because she thought LaRoque was deliberately trying to humiliate her. He paid her $8.

Obama, Boehner Held Secret Debt Ceiling Meeting At White House

WASHINGTON (AP/The Huffington Post) -- Efforts to find a bipartisan agreement blending huge budget cuts with a must-pass measure to increase how much the government can borrow have entered a new phase after Republican negotiators pulled out of talks led by Vice President Joe Biden.

Myths Of The Criminal Justice System: Part 3

Myth 8: Sex offenders are more likely to reoffend than other criminals.

There's no set of crimes more plagued by misconceptions and hysteria than sex crimes. In some cities, laws restricting where convicted sex offenders can live once they're released have become so restrictive, they're forced to live under bridges or inpatches of woods.

Rush Limbaugh Compares Obama To Hitler (AUDIO)

Rush Limbaugh compared President Obama to Hitler on his Thursday radio show.

Limbaugh was in the middle of lambasting Obama for his speech on Afghanistan, in which the President announced he will withdraw 33,000 troops from the country by the summer of 2012.

Rove-Associated Groups Vow $120 Million In Attack Ads, Say More Is Needed

WASHINGTON -- The leaders of two behemoth Karl Rove-associated unlimited donation campaign fundraising groups on Friday promised to spend $120 million against Democrats in the 2012 election cycle, much of it in the form of attack ads.

Libya Resolution: House Rejects Measures To Authorize Libya Mission, Cut Off Funding

WASHINGTON -- The House has turned back a Republican-led effort to cut off money for military hostilities in the Libyan war.

Roundup: Birth Defects Caused By World's Top-Selling Weedkiller, Scientists Say

WASHINGTON -- The chemical at the heart of the planet’s most widely used herbicide -- Roundup weedkiller, used in farms and gardens across the U.S. -- is coming under more intense scrutiny following the release of a new report calling for a heightened regulatory response around its use.

The True Cost Of Gas (VIDEO)

As gas prices in America strain family budgets, it's worth considering the true cost of filling up at the pump.

The Center for Investigative Reporting has put together this animated video detailing the hiddencosts of fuel.

Osama Bin Laden Courier's Cellphone Provides New Leads To Pakistani Links

WASHINGTON -- A cellphone of Osama bin Laden's trusted courier recovered in the U.S. raid last month that killed both men in Pakistan contained contacts to a militant group that is a longtime asset of Pakistan's intelligence agency, The New York Times reported late Thursday.

How Whitey Bulger Evaded The FBI For 16 Years

NEW YORK -- When it comes to the world's most-wanted fugitives, it seems that the public's imagination is always more dramatic than the reality.

Two Arrested In Seattle Terror Plot, Justice Department Says

SEATTLE -- Two men intent on attacking a military recruiting station to inspire Muslims to defend their religion from U.S. actions abroad were snared by FBI agents in a terror plot sting, authorities said Thursday.

Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif, also known as Joseph Anthony Davis, of Seattle, and Walli Mujahidh, also known as Frederick Domingue Jr., of Los Angeles, were arrested Wednesday night after they arrived at a warehouse garage to pick up machine guns to use in the attack, an FBI agent wrote in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court.

Obama Speaks To Gay Supporters At LGBT Gala Fundraiser In New York

NEW YORK -- President Barack Obama is praising New York lawmakers who are debating historic legislation to legalize gay marriage. The president says that's what democracies are supposed to do, and that marriage has traditionally been decided by the states.

Victims Testify: North Carolina Forcibly Sterilized Thousands Of Poor, Uneducated, And Mentally Unstable People

Forced sterilization is a human rights abuse we typically associate with another time and another place. But yesterday a North Carolina task force heard heart-wrenching testimony from some of the victims of the state’s 40-year-long forced sterilization program that targeted poor, undereducated, and mentally unstable residents.

North Carolina is considering compensating some of the nearly 7,600 victims of the program or their relatives. The program was overseen by the North Carolina Board of Eugenics and persisted well into the 1970s. Some of the victims were as young as 10 years old, and many were poor women the state deemed too “promiscuous” to be good mothers:

GEORGIA IMMIGRATION LAW ALREADY HURTING FARMERS

“It might almost be funny if it wasn’t so sad,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Jay Bookman writes of the horrendous results of HB87, Georgia’s Arizona-like immigration law. Despite being signed just over a month ago, the law has already caused a mass exodus of undocumented laborers from the state, leaving Georgia farms at least 11,000 workers short of what is needed to operate. The result: millions of dollars’ worth of Georgia crops are rotting in the fields because there is no one there to harvest them. The state’s farmers are panicking, and Gov. Nathan Deal (R), who signed the law in May, is scrambling to keep more farmers from losing crops and in some cases their farms.

Irony Alert: ‘Torture Memos’ Author John Yoo Complains That Obama Is Bending The Law For Political Reasons

Weighing in on the ongoing debate over whether the U.S. military action in Libya is in violation of the War Powers Resolution, former Bush Justice Department officials John Yoo and Robert Delahunty wrote an op-ed in the Daily Caller slamming President Obama for “ignoring” the law for political reasons:

Low-Income Americans More Often 'Very Happy' Than Middle Class: Poll

Despite high unemployment and a national foreclosure crisis, most Americans still feel happy, according to a recent poll by Harris Interactive.

The Story Of The Wisconsin 14: Behind The Scenes

WASHINGTON -- On Feb. 17, the state Senate was set to vote on the budget repair bill containing the anti-union measure. That morning, Wisconsin Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller (D-Monona) convened his caucus and told them to bring a change of clothes. They then decided to leave the state and head for Rockford, Ill.

Democrats Consider Offering Medicare Provider Cuts In Exchange For Revenue Increases

NEW YORK -- House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's (R-Va.) decision on Thursday to leave ongoing debt ceiling negotiations seemed to bring those talks to an abrupt standstill. But aides on the Hill and a statement from White House Press Secretary Jay Carney seem to suggest that Cantor's absence means, simply, that the discussions will now get picked up by President Barack Obama and Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

FTC To Deepen Google Antitrust Probe: Report

(Reuters) - Google Inc is about to receive the civil equivalent of a subpoena from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission as part of a probe into the Web giant's Internet search business, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Receiving Death Penalty Is As Random As Being 'Struck By Lightning': Report

Thirty-five years after the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment and approved new sentencing criteria to make it less random, a new report has found that receiving the death penalty is still as arbitrary and unfair as being "struck by lightning."

Herman Cain: Jon Stewart Attacked Me ‘Because I’m Black’

Earlier this month, ThinkProgress reported that GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain told an audience in Pella, Iowa that he would not sign a bill longer than three pages. (Cain later said he was “exaggerating.”)

Second Harlan Crow Connected Group Has A Perfect Litigation Record Before Justice Thomas

Real estate magnate Harlan Crow has been very good to Justice Clarence Thomas, lavishing gifts and other favors on Thomas and his family. Crow provided $500,000 to allow Thomas’ wife to start a Tea Party group, and he once gave Thomas a $19,000 Bible that belonged to Frederick Douglass. He also served on the board of a corporate-aligned think tank called the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), which once gave Thomas a $15,000 gift.

MANCHIN TO MCCAIN ON AFGHANISTAN: I DON’T HAVE YOUR EXPERIENCE, BUT I HAVE ‘A LITTLE COMMON SENSE’

This week on the Senate floor, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV)said, “We can no longer, in good conscience, cut services and programs at home, raise taxes or — and this is very important — lift the debt ceiling in order to fund nation-building in Afghanistan.” Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) then attacked Manchin, saying his remarks are characteristic of the “isolationist-withdrawal-lack-of-knowledge-of-history attitude that seems to be on the rise.” Manchin responded last night on CNN, saying he’s “proud to serve” with McCain and that he’s “a great American,” but added, “I don’t have the experience he has. But what I do have, like most West Virginians, is a little common sense.” Watch it:

MULLEN: ‘I SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT’S DECISION’ ON AFGHANISTAN, ‘AS DO GENS. MATTIS & PETRAEUS’

The right has been attacking President Obama’s decision to withdraw 33,000 troops from Afghanistan, claiming that he ignored Gen. David Petraeus’s advice. “It has been widely known that General Petraeus objected to this proposal,” Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said on Fox News last night. However, this morning in testimony to the House Armed Services Committee, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen said that Petraeus does support Obama’s decision. “I support the President’s decision, as do Generals Mattis and Petraeus,” Mullen said.

Under New Law, Kansas May Become First State Where A Woman Cannot Get An Abortion

Last month, Republican lawmakers successfully passed an anti-choice bill requiring the state’s only three abortion clinics to be inspected twice a year, including one unannounced review. Under the new licensing standards, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment will create new standards for exits, lighting, bathrooms, and equipment and would have “the power to fine clinics” or “go to court to shut them down.” The law specifically targets abortion clinics and left other surgical clinics untouched by the new requirements — a fact that moved state Senate Majority Leader Jay Emler (R) to note the hypocrisy and vote against his party. However, the law passed in May and demands compliance by July 1.

Private Prisons Spent Over $1 Million In Just Three Months Lobbying To Put More People In Jail

Yesterday, the Justice Policy Institute (JPI) released areport chronicling the political strategies of private prison companies “working to make money through harsh policies and longer sentences.” The report’s authors note that while the total number of people in prison increased less than 16 percent, the number of people held in private federal and state facilities increased by 120 and 33 percent, correspondingly. Government spending on corrections has soared since 1997 by 72 percent, up to $74 billion in 2007. And the private prison industry has raked in tremendous profits. Last year the two largest private prison companies — Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO Group — made over $2.9 billion in revenue.

McConnell: GOP Would Not Voice Opposition To Libya Campaign If Obama Was A Republican

The NATO-led air campaign in Libya is causing a significant rift within the GOP. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), and House Republicans have said the U.S. involvement violates the War Powers Act and are moving forward with a vote to cut off funding for “hostilities” in Libya this week as a “rebuke of President Obama’s handling of the mission.”

Rep. Chris Murphy: Thomas Gift Scandal ‘Undermine[s] The Integrity of The Entire Judiciary’

ThinkProgress has obtained a draft letter Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT) circulated this morning to his fellow members of Congress asking the House Judiciary Committee’s leadership to hold a hearing on the Supreme Court Transparency and Disclosure Act, a bill that will end the Supreme Court’s immunity to judicial ethics laws. As Murphy’s letter explains, his bill addresses the bevy of recently revealed ethics scandals involving members of the Supreme Court, including the Clarence Thomas gifting scandal:

Why Aren't More Americans Getting Screened For HIV?

When Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick sees patients for an HIV test, they are often afraid of coming in, she says.

"I have quite a few people who come in and tell me that they waited to get tested because they didn't want to find out they had AIDS," said Fitzpatrick, a professor of medicine at Howard University and director HIV services at D.C. based hospital United Medical Center.

Single Point Of Contact: Why Won't Banks Pay More Attention To Homeowners?

WASHINGTON -- Tim Collette's son Aaron will get back from Iraq on August 19. On August 9, his bank, JPMorgan Chase, is taking his house in Bend, Ore. -- unless Collette can get a mortgage modification first. But unlike innumerable other borrowers in similar situations, Collette now has a pretty good shot at getting one.

What The Bible Really Says About Slavery

Slavery stands as the single most contested issue in the history of biblical interpretation in the United States. Not only did the nation fracture over slavery, denominations did too. Northern and Southern Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists remained divided until well into the twentieth century; in fact, Southern Baptists still represent the nation's largest Protestant denomination. What did slavery mean in the biblical world, and how did biblical authors respond to it?

Saab Admits To Not Having Enough Money To Pay Its Employees

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Saab's owner said Thursday it doesn't have the money to pay employees' wages, deepening the financial crisis that is pushing the struggling Swedish brand ever closer to ruin.

Obama Ready To Release Oil From Petroleum Reserve

WASHINGTON -- Wary of a new surge in gas prices, the Obama administration said Thursday it is releasing 30 million barrels of oil from the country's emergency reserve as part of a broader international response to lost oil supplies caused by turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly Libya.

World's First Dog With All Bionic Legs: Naki'o Can Play Again With 4 Prosthetic Paws (VIDEO)

You might remember Polo, the husky fitted with a prosthetic paw after being hit by a car, or Midnite, the miniature horse who took off running when first fitted with a prosthetic leg, but this red heeler pup takes being a bionic animal to a whole new level.

Parents Enact Trigger Laws Nationwide

It's been seven months since the brave parents at McKinley Elementary School approached Compton Unified and handed in the petitions that sounded off a revolution that has the entire country talking. Today, they know that, starting this fall, they will get the quality education they fought so hard to get for their children and only a couple of blocks from McKinley Elementary and that this movement is growing rapidly.

Americans 'Very Concerned' GOP Budget Will Force Elderly From Nursing Homes: Poll

WASHINGTON -- Democrats are getting set to ramp up the budget cut rhetoric with a new message: Don't throw grandma from the nursing home.

For People With Disabilities In Two States, Opposite Fates

When people ask Stanley Ligas, a 43-year-old with Down syndrome, why he wanted to move into a group home after being more or less confined in a state institution for 14 years, he talked about the noise.

Nuclear Safety Probe Demanded By Senators Following AP Investigation

-- Three U.S. senators, alarmed by findings of an Associated Press investigation about aging-related problems at the nation's nuclear power plants, are asking for a congressional investigation of safety standards and federal oversight at the facilities.

Tim Geithner: Banks Have Spent Vast Sums To 'Erode' Financial Reform

Nearly one year after Congress passed financial reform, Timothy Geithner appears to have had enough with anti-Dodd-Frank lobbying efforts.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said on Wednesday that large American banks are spending "a huge amount of money to erode, weaken, walk back" the Dodd-Frank financial regulations that were enacted last year, according to The Wall Street Journal.

9 Out Of 10 Americans Don't Expect Raises To Compensate For Rising Price Of Goods, Survey Says

As the economic gloom settles in, American workers seem to be coming around to the conclusion that they may be facing a permanent midnight.

Obama Heads To New York Under Pressure On Gay Marriage

WASHINGTON — Talk about timing.

President Barack Obama scheduled a fundraiser in New York City on Thursday for gay supporters – his first as president – just as the state Legislature maneuvered toward of a historic vote legalizing gay marriage. Although the outcome was uncertain, the vote could occur hours before Obama's event.

Sex With Creatures From Future Generations Is Deadly, Sea Monkey Study Shows

If people ever travel back in time, it seems you shouldn't procreate with them.

Apparently mating with a future generation could somehow shorten your lifespan according PopSci. At least that's what scientists at the Center for Functional and Evolutionary Ecology (CEFE) in Montpellier, France believe in the wake of a new study involving sea monkeys.

Mike Mullen: Obama Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal Plan Risky

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military's top officer told Congress on Thursday that President Barack Obama's decision to withdraw up to 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by next summer is riskier than he originally was prepared to endorse.

Oprah O.J. Simpson Confession Interview Report False, Reps Say

Oprah's representatives moved quickly to quash rumors that the talk show queen is conducting an interview with O.J. Simpson in which he confesses to murder.

Eric Cantor Pulls Out Of Debt Ceiling Talks

WASHINGTON -- House Majority Leader Eric Cantor pulled out of bipartisan negotiations to raise the nation's debt limit Thursday, and the Senate Republican number two is expected to follow, according to multiple reports.

Sea Levels Rising At Fastest Rate In 2,100 Years: Study

WASHINGTON -- Sea level has been rising significantly over the past century of global warming, according to a study that offers the most detailed look yet at the changes in ocean levels during the last 2,100 years.

House Votes To Ease Offshore Drilling Rules

WASHINGTON -- The House has approved a bill removing a barrier to companies seeking to drill for oil in some areas offshore.

Marijuana Bill In Congress: Barney Frank, Ron Paul Legislation Would End Federal Ban On Pot

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) will introduce legislation on Thursday to end the federal ban on marijuana and let the states decide whether to legalize it.

Democrats Largely Disappointed With Obama's Afghanistan Announcement

WASHINGTON -- Democratic lawmakers who have been pressing for a sizable and significant withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan almost universally expressed disappointment with President Barack Obama's speech on Wednesday night.

What Do Afghans Want? White House Official Says ‘They Want A Smaller Footprint But Don’t Want Us To Leave’

Tonight, President Obama announced the first phase of a withdrawal from Afghanistan, with 10,000 troops returning home this year and a total of 33,000 by the end of next summer. In 2008, Obama of course campaigned on a strategy of increasing troop levels in Afghanistan to help remove the safe havens of al Qaeda and other extremist groups. Upon entering office, the president subsequently authorized troop surges in early and late 2009.

Obama: ‘America, It Is Time To Focus On Nation Building Here At Home’

In his speech tonight announcing that the U.S. will withdraw 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by the end of next summer, President Obama cited the financial burden of ten years of war there as part of his reasoning for beginning to end the war:

Obama Announces Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal In Speech To Nation

WASHINGTON -- In a much-anticipated prime time address on Wednesday, President Barack Obama laid out the beginning of the U.S. drawdown in Afghanistan, assuring the nation that 33,000 U.S. troops will be pulled out by the autumn of 2012. Five thousand troops will be pulled out immediately, with another 5,000 leaving at the end of 2011.

GINGRICH BLAMES CAMPAIGN IMPLOSION ON MEDIA: I WAS THE MOST ‘DANGEROUS’ CANDIDATE

On conservative radio host Neil Boortz’ show this morning, presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich concocted an almost endearingly farcical explanation for his campaign’s latest woes, saying the media targeted him because he was best-positioned to beat President Obama. The media desperately wants to reelect President Obama, Gingirich said, and thus he was their “worst nightmare.” “I didn’t think they would realize this early just how dangerous this campaign is and go after it so hard,” he said. (ThinkProgress will update with audio if it becomes available).

KATY PERRY: IT’S ‘F-CKING ABSOLUTELY CRAZY’ THAT AMERICA DOESN’T HAVE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, pop star Katy Perry says she recently had a “political awakening,” telling the magazine she’s worried about the role of money in politics and outraged that the U.S. doesn’t have a proper universal health care system. “[T]he fact that America doesn’t have free health care drives me fucking absolutely crazy, and is so wrong,” the California gurl said. Her Canadian fellow pop star Justin Bieber said earlier this year that he wouldn’t became an American citizen because of our lack of a functioning health care system.

Fukushima Nuclear Plant Remains 'Ticking Time Bomb' After Japan Disaster: Michio Kaku, Theoretical Physicist

Though global fears about radiation emissions from the heavily damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility have calmed in the weeks since Japan's devastating March 11 earthquake andtsunami, famed physicist Michio Kaku insists the situation remains a "ticking time bomb."

Conservatives Pressure GOP Lawmakers To Demand Deep Cuts Before Agreeing To Raise Debt Ceiling

WASHINGTON -- A coalition of conservative groups tried to hike the pressure on Republican lawmakers who might be considering a compromise on the ongoing debt talks Wednesday, demanding that they sign a pledge to demand deep cuts, spending caps and a balanced budget amendment.

Stocks Of Socialized Countries Have Outperformed U.S. Since Reagan Era

American traders aren't likely to take kindly to the suggestion that big government might be good for the stock market. But data from a paper on the job- and income-growth of top earners shows that stock prices in some socialized countries, relative to themselves and adjusted for inflation, have done considerably better than those in the U.S over the last two and a half decades.

Michigan Groups Sue Gov. Snyder Over 'Emergency Manager' Law, Calling It A 'Power Grab'

Nearly 30 Michigan residents filed a lawsuit Wednesday that seeks to overturn a law that gave state-appointed "emergency managers" near carte blanche in cases of state takeover of indebted municipalities and school districts.

Whoopi Goldberg Spars With Elisabeth Hasselbeck About David Tyree's Gay Marriage Views (VIDEO)

The co-hosts of "The View" argued about footballer David Tyree's controversial comments about gay rights on Tuesday.

Alcee Hastings Sexual Harassment Allegation Investigated By Ethics Panel

A congressional ethics panel is looking into claims that Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) sexually harassed one of his staff members, the Wall Street Journalreports.

U.S. Pledges More Foreign Aid To Fight Drug Cartels

GUATEMALA CITY -- The Obama administration pledged Wednesday to increase its investment in Central Americas security to nearly $300 million this year to thwart the expanding activities of drugs cartels threatening to destabilize the entire region.

Wal-Mart: Too Big to Discriminate?

The Supreme Court's decision struck a blow against class actions by rejecting the concept of modern workplace bias.

Cain Energy Plan: Put Oil And Coal CEOs In Charge Of EPA Regulations

Today at a campaign stop with the group American Principles Project, Herman Cain took a question about how to increase domestic oil production. Without missing a beat, Cain said that, as president, he would create a special commission to remove environmental and energy regulations at the EPA. Cain explained that the commission would be comprised of businessmen from the coal, oil, shale oil, and natural gas industries because they are the “people closest to the problem.”

The Clarence Thomas Scandal

In 1969, Justice Abe Fortas resigned in disgrace after the nation learned that he had accepted tens of thousands of dollars worth of gifts from corporate executives and other wealthy benefactors. Forty years later, Justice Clarence Thomas is caught in a strikingly similar scandal. Similarly to Fortas, Thomas has a wealthy benefactor named Harlan Crow who has shown lavish generosity to Thomas and his Tea Partying wife Ginni. And where Fortas had an ad hoc group of corporate executives to subsidize his lifestyle, Thomas seems to have the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) — a corporate-aligned think tank that once gave him a $15,000 gift. We find it difficult to find daylight between Thomas’ actions and the gifting scandal that forced Abe Fortas off the bench.

Meet The ‘Friendly Fracosaurus’: Natural Gas Industry Produces Propaganda For Children

Taking a lesson from coal, the natural gas industry, under increasing scrutiny for its boom of unregulated fracking across the United States, is now bringing its own propaganda to children. Talisman Energy, a Canadian driller with extensive operations in Pennsylvania, has developed the coloring book “Talisman Terry’s Energy Adventure,” starring the “friendly fracosaurus,” a smiling dinosaur wearing drilling garb named Talisman Terry. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explains that the coloring book is part of the company’s outreach strategy to Pennsylvania locals:

LAWMAKERS RE-INTRODUCE THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT IN RESPONSE TO WAL-MART RULING

This week, the Supreme Court dealt a blow to 1.5 million women by throwing out their charges of comprehensive gender discrimination by retail behemoth Walmart in a 5-4 decision. In response to the ruling, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) re-introduced the Equal Rights Amendment, a bill that affirms the equal application of the U.S. Constitution to both women and men by declaring “equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.” Although the ERA applies to government action and not discrimination by Walmart, ratifying the ERA would serve an important reminder that gender discrimination has no place in American society. Maloney said, “The Equal Rights Amendment is still needed because the only way for women to achieve permanent equality in the U.S. is to write it into the Constitution,” albeit “more than 200 years late.”

Flesh-Eating Drugs Hit U.S., Russia

You should really stop doing cocaine. Not because it's addictive, or anything, but because it's likely laced with levamisole, a veterinary drug used for de-worming livestock, and it will make your flesh rot off.

Jared Bernstein On Paul Ryan's Budget: 'Robin Hood In Reverse' (VIDEO)

Jared Bernstein, Vice President Joe Biden's former economic advisor, agrees with Republican Congressman Paul Ryan on Wisconsin being a nice place to pass the time. How he feels about Ryan's spending cut-filled budget proposal is quite another matter, according to a Monday discussion CNBC Squawk Box.

Job Clubs: Feds Encourage Peer Support For The Jobless (What kind of Shit is This?)

Every Monday night, Steve Colella hosts a two-hour meeting at the West Warwick Public Library in Rhode Island to boost the spirits of layoff victims and to help them find new jobs.

Georgia Immigration Law Could Force Taxi Drivers To Check Passengers’ Immigration Status

Yesterday, a federal judge heard arguments in the legal challenge brought against Georgia’s new immigration law by advocacy and civil rights groups. The plaintiffs in the case argue that the law — modeled after Arizona’s immigration legislation — is federally preempted, would promote racial profiling, and violate the Fourth Amendment. Those aren’t the only problems with Georgia’s new immigration policy.

Florida Pushes Rule Allowing Medicaid Providers To Opt-Out Of Family Planning Services On Moral Or Religious Grounds

The 2010 Republican wave is bearing a multi-pronged attack on women’s reproductive rights. Pushing nearly 1,000 anti-choice bills through legislatures, Republican lawmakers across the country are finding significant success in demonizing Planned Parenthood. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) recently beat out four GOP governors and House Republicans to make Indiana the first state to defund the health and family planning organization to the detriment of thousands. However, because providing family planning services is a mandated requirement for health providers, Indiana is running afoul of federal law and stands to lose $4 billion in Medicaid funding.

12 Things That The Mainstream Media Is Being Strangely Quiet About Right Now

As the mainstream media continues to be obsessed with Anthony Weiner and his bizarre adventures on Twitter, much more serious events are happening around the world that are getting very little attention. In America today, if the mainstream media does not cover something it is almost as if it never happened. Right now, the worst nuclear disaster in human history continues to unfold in Japan , U.S. nuclear facilities are being threatened by flood waters, the U.S. military is bombing Yemen, gigantic cracks in the earth are appearing all over the globe and the largest wildfire in Arizona history is causing immense devastation. But Anthony Weiner, Bristol Palin and Miss USA are what the mainstream media want to tell us about and most Americans are buying it.

GRAPH: Obama ‘Withdrawal’ Plan Would Leave More Troops In Afghanistan Than When He Began His Presidency

Today, President Obama is expected to announce the withdrawal of as many as 33,000 troopsfrom the war in Afghanistan by the end of 2012. While this announcement is largely being portrayed as a serious reduction of troops, it is important to look at the numbers in context.

Forecasters Predict Spending On Campaign Ads Will Reach Nightmarish Levels In 2012

Here's some good news for people who work in broadcast television: the 2012 campaign season is ramping up, and it seems that your sector of the economy is about to be stimulated. By billions ofterrible political ads! So this is also good news for people who like to watch their lawmakers shoot legislation with guns. Pretty terrible news for everyone else, though. Here's the Hollywood Reporter, with news of the coming Babylon:

Despite Online Bio, Demeanor, Gingrich Ain't No Professor

WASHINGTON--Not many Republicans play up their academic credentials. Count former House Speaker and struggling presidential candidate Newt Gingrich as one of the few who do. But has Gingrich emphasized his scholarly cred a little too much?

Myths Of The Criminal Justice System: Part 2

Myth 4: We have appeals courts to check and verify jury verdicts.

Appeals courts review claims that a defendant wasn't afforded his rights under the U.S. Constitution, or the constitution of a particular state. They also review claims that the prosecution or judge did not follow the proper rules of criminal procedure and decide whether those lapses resulted in in an unfair trial. But they almost never second-guess a guilty verdict by reconsidering the evidence.

Siemens CEO: 'Mismatch' Between U.S. Jobs Available, Skills Needed

The United States might have millions of unemployed workers, but one company is having a hard time finding people that fit.

The Cause Of Nearly Two-Thirds Of The World's Deaths

UNITED NATIONS -- Nearly two-thirds of deaths in the world are caused by noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart and lung disease which are rapidly increasing at a cost to the global economy of trillions of dollars, according to U.N. estimates and preliminary results of a new study.

IPhone 5 Rumors: Next Phone To Be Faster, Released In September

Is Apple readying a faster, more powerful iPhone for the fall?

That's the gist of a new rumor from Bloomberg, which suggests that the next iPhone will debut in September and will have an A5 processor and an 8-megapixel camera. Additionally, the site's sources say that Apple is also testing an iPad with a higher resolution screen that is also more responsive.

Small Businesses Bash 'Tax Holiday' Plan For Corporate Titans

WASHINGTON -- Debra Ruh runs TecAccess, a small business that works with large companies and the federal government to help make their tech products accessible to people with disabilities. The 11-year-old central Virginia-based operation has always been small -- at its peak before the economic crash, Ruh had 35 employees. Ruh says she always reached out to workers who themselves lived with disabilities. The cause is close to Ruh's heart: Her 24-year-old daughter was born with Down Syndrome. But it's also good business: People with disabilities can tell when a new product does or does not work well.

Koch Industries: Social Security Age Should Be Raised

WASHINGTON -- Bipartisan negotiators representing the House, Senate and White House continue to haggle over what spending cuts will be demanded in exchange for agreeing to pay past debts. The group is deadlocked on the two key issues, however, as Republicans insist that no tax increases can be any part of an agreement, while Democrats are ruling out cuts to entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

Poll: 44 Percent Of Americans Say Economy Worse Under Obama

More than four in ten Americans believe they are worse off economically than before President Obama took office, according to a Bloomberg National Poll published today, underscoring the degree to which a critical shortage of jobs has amplified the gloom hovering over the nation.

Al Gore Blasts Obama On Climate Change For Failing To Take 'Bold Action'

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former Vice President Al Gore is going where few environmentalists – and fellow Democrats – have gone before: criticizing President Barack Obama's record on global warming.

Gingrich Calls For Audit Of Fed While Also Urging Repeal Of Legislation That Audits The Fed

In an email to supporters this morning, presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) tried to revive his troubled campaign by delving into monetary policy. “In a speech this morning in Atlanta,” he wrote, “I called for the repeal of the Dodd-Frank legislation and dramatic reforms in the operation of the Federal Reserve, starting with a full-scale audit of its activities.” Gingrich might be interested to learn that the Dodd-Frank legislation he wants to repeal already mandates an audit of Federal Reserve activities as well as featuring important governance changes to reduce privately owned banks’ influence over monetary policy.

POLITIFACT IS FALSE: EVERY POLL SHOWS FOX NEWS VIEWERS ARE THE MOST MISINFORMED

At DeSmogBlog, Chris Mooney debunks Politifact’s “false” rating of Jon Stewart’s claim that “every poll” shows Fox News viewers to be the “most consistently misinformed.” Mooney, author of The Republican War on Science, explains that all five studies done on the question find that watching Fox News and believing political misinformation — on the Iraq War, global warming, health care legislation, and other contentious political issues — are strongly correlated.

VIDEO: Santorum Struggles To Explain Why He Called For Clinton To Resign, Yet Gives Vitter A Free Pass

In the wake of the Anthony Weiner scandal, many are wondering why Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), a member of Congress who was caught regularly using a prostitute service, has not faced public pressure to resign. On Monday at a campaign stop in Ames, Iowa, ThinkProgress asked Rick Santorum about the double-standard. He told us that he never calls on other members to resign and that he would only talk about his own conduct. However, in 1998, when he was still serving in the Senate, Santorum called on President Bill Clinton to resign if Republicans gained seats in the midterm because Clinton would undoubtedly face impeachment over the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Milton Mathis, Convicted Killer, Executed in Texas Despite Evidence of Retardation

A man convicted of slaying two people and critically injuring a third in a drug house shooting was executed on Tuesday evening by Texas officials, despite evidence that he suffered from mental retardation.

Luis Gutierrez: Latinos Won't Vote For Obama In 2012 Without Deportation Relief

WASHINGTON -- In a meeting with bloggers last week, longtime immigrant rights advocate Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) said President Barack Obama should not count on Latinos to vote for him in 2012 unless he takes executive action to stop some deportations.

Budget Cuts Force Libraries To Re-Examine Their Purpose

DENVER -- A century after the nation's library building boom, public libraries are under siege: plunging tax revenues are forcing closures and staff cutbacks, while e-readers and the Internet can make a library seem quaint as a place to find a book or do research.

OLBERMANN DEBUT ON CURRENT TV TOPS CNN IN KEY DEMO

Politico reports: “‘Countdown’ drew 179,000 viewers in the 25-54 demographic – not enough to beat MSNBC’s 237,000 viewers, but enough to beat CNN’s 89,000.” Prior to last night, Current TV averaged about 30,000 total viewers a night in primetime. Politico concludes that “Current’s big bet on Olbermann is looking sound.”

After Taking Millions From Natural Gas, Pennsylvania Gov. Threatens To Veto Any Taxes On Industry

When it came time to fix his state’s $4 billion budget deficit, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R) steadfastly refused to raise new revenues, even through a tax on natural gas extraction, despite the fact that Pennsylvania is the only state with hydrofracking thatdoes not tax its use.

32 Corporations Spent More On Compensation For Top Executives In 2010 Than They Paid In Income Taxes

Over the last few decades, executive pay at large corporations has skyrocketed. Today, American CEOs make263 times the average compensation for American workers, up from the 30 to 1 ratio in the 1970s. In 2010 alone, CEO pay went up 27 percent while average worker pay went up just 2 percent.

FBI Knocks Websites Offline

The FBI took a series of websites offline on Tuesday in a raid on servers owned by DigitalOne, according to the company, the New York Times reported.

Noki N9 MeeGo Smartphone Unveiled: Will It Survive New Windows Phone Launch? (VIDEO)

Florida's Teachers Union Sues State Over Pension Reform, Plans Further Action

Florida's largest teachers union filed suit on Monday to stop the enactment of new pension reform laws, the first lawsuit of potentially many that seek to halt the Sunshine State's education agenda.

Robert Reich Solves The U.S. Economy In Two Minutes (VIDEO)

Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich knows what's wrong with the economy, and he says he can explain to viewers in less than three minutes.

Senate Republicans Oppose Economic Development Administration They Once Supported

WASHINGTON -- Republicans filibustered a reauthorization bill Tuesday of a federal program that many had previously praised as a job creator, saying they would not move forward with the bill without a guarantee for GOP amendments.

Six Ways Jon Huntsman Would Hurt The American Economy

Former Utah Gov. and Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman (R) announced his candidacy for president this morning, and in doing so, he became the latest candidate to declare that he is running to fix the American economy. Though Huntsman’s polling numbers are rather unimpressive, his sometimes progressive stances on various issues have earned him the “moderate” tag and made him a media darling.

Barred From Unionizing, Walmart Workers Form New Group To Fight For Better Conditions

Yesterday, the Supreme Court sided with Walmart in an enormous employment discrimination suit that denied 1.5 million female workers the chance to form a class action to sue the company for billions in damages for discriminatory pay and promotion practices. Walmart’s triumph is just the latest in the corporation’s decades-long campaign to prevent workers from banding together to fight for fair pay and decent working conditions. The corporation’s union-busting has become notorious, along with directly connecting to their sexist practices, appalling working conditions, and menial wages.

As Survivors Dwindle, Tulsa Confronts Past

TULSA, Okla. — With their guns firing, a mob of white men charged across the train tracks that cut a racial border through this city. A 4-year-old boy named Wess Young fled into the darkness with his mother and sister in search of safety, returning the next day to discover that their once-thriving black community had burned to the ground.

Obama Health Care Law Glitch Opens Medicaid To Millions Of Middle-Class Americans

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's health care law would let several million middle-class people get nearly free insurance meant for the poor, a twist government number crunchers say they discovered only after the complex bill was signed.

Carl Levin: Obama Needs To Withdraw At Least 15,000 Troops From Afghanistan

WASHINGTON -- Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) has put forward a baseline number of troops that the president must announce he will pull out of Afghanistan, saying that anything less would break Obama's promise of a "significant" drawdown.

Keith Olbermann And Rachel Maddow Opening Now Head To Head; Olbermann Defends Move On Twitter

Keith Olbermann announced Monday night that hisnew edition of "Countdown" would actually air for 63 minutes. Since his show airs at 8 PM, this means that Olbermann is now going head-to-head with Rachel Maddow, his old protege, for the first few minutes of her show.

AARP's Social Security Debt Ceiling Fears

WASHINGTON -- For defenders of the Social Security Act's old-age retirement insurance program, news that the most powerful lobbying force for older Americans had softened its opposition to benefit cuts could not have come at a worse time.

Nearly One In Three U.S. Workers Considering Leaving Their Jobs: Report

Dissatisfied workers are less alone than they were six years ago, a new report finds.

In 2010, nearly one in three of surveyed U.S. workers, or 32 percent, said that they were seriously considering leaving their jobs. Compare that to 2005, when 23 percent expressed that level of dissatisfaction, according to the report by Mercer LLC. The report also found fewer feelings of commitment, accomplishment and pride within the workplace.

Jeb Bush: No run in 2012, but I don't rule out 2016

It is a truism of political dynasties that there is a chosen heir - the one who should or would or could have been next. It is certainly apt of the Bush family.

US crime figures: Why the drop?

For 20 years, crime in the US has been falling and new figures from the FBI show a sharp drop in the last two years, despite the recession. Why?

Why Ban Ki-moon is tipped for new UN term

When Ban Ki-moon faces a UN General Assembly vote on his re-nomination Tuesday, he is pretty much guaranteed a second five-year term. He has no competition and virtually no opposition.

Indiana Law Forces Planned Parenthood Clinics To Close And Stop Treating Thousands Of Medicaid Patients

In it’s comprehensive campaign against women’s reproductive rights, Republican lawmakers have turned Planned Parenthood into the touchstone for anti-choice efforts. But as the Washington Post’s Ezra Klein notes, the women’s health organization itself “isn’t about abortion.” Planned Parenthood’s services focus on contraception, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) testing and treatment, and cancer screening and prevention. Serving mostly adults who earn below 150 percent of the poverty line, Planned Parenthood “estimates it prevents more than 620,00 unintended pregnancies each year, and 220,000 abortions.” Only 3 percent of its services actually involve abortion procedures.

Mark Kelly Retiring From NASA To Help Gabrielle Giffords Recovery

Astronaut Mark Kelly announced today that he is retiring from NASA in order to focus on the recovery of his wife, Gabrielle Giffords.

“Today, I am humbled to announce that after 25 years of service to our country, I am retiring from the United States Navy and leaving NASA, effective Oct. 1,” he said on his Facebook page.

Verizon Killing Unlimited Data Plans Soon

No more unlimited data for new Verizon customers: The wireless carrier will begin to roll out tiered data plans for new customers beginning July 7.

Oil Companies, Refiners Investigated For Possible Market Manipulation

This would help to explain those high gas prices.

Late Monday, federal regulators announced an investigation into whether oil companies and refiners have manipulated markets, raising oil prices to their benefit, according to a letter released by the Federal Trade Commission to the Senate yesterday and cited by The Hill.

Markos Moulitsas Bashes MSNBC On Olbermann's First 'Countdown' (VIDEO)

Keith Olbermann didn't waste any time getting some digs in--or, rather, letting his guests get some digs in--at his old network upon his return to television.

Gov. Scott Rejects Millions In Health Aid For Seniors, Children, And Disabled To Grandstand Against Health Law

In his relentless campaign against President Obama’s health care reform law, Florida Governor Rick Scott (R) has repeatedly proven his willingness to put politics ahead of the welfare of his state’s residents. While other Republican governors have joined in opposition to the Affordable Care Act, most haveforged ahead with implementing the reforms and accepted the federal money that comes with it as that is the law, until their suit against the legislation is settled in court.

OVER 100,000 SIGN PETITION CALLING FOR THOMAS RESIGNATION

Yesterday, Credo Action launched a petition drive calling for Justice Thomas to resign because of his many ethics scandals. Just one day later, over 100,000 people have signed the petition saying, “It’s time for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to resign.” You can sign the petition yourself here.

David Flory, Fairleigh Dickinson University Professor, Accused Of Running Prostitution Site

MADISON, N.J. -- A New Jersey college professor has been arrested in New Mexico and is accused of operating a prostitution website.