Nicholas Kristof: "It’s that if the poorest families spent as much money educating their children as they do on wine, cigarettes and prostitutes, their children’s prospects would be transformed. Much suffering is caused not only by low incomes, but also by shortsighted private spending decisions by heads of households...Well-meaning humanitarians sometimes burnish suffering to make … Continue reading Moonshine or the Kids?

David Leonhardt: "With the Senate’s passage of financial regulation, Congress and the White House have completed 16 months of activity that rival any other since the New Deal in scope or ambition. Like the Reagan Revolution or Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, the new progressive period has the makings of a generational shift in how Washington … Continue reading A Progressive Agenda to Remake Washington

The big story over the last couple of days has been Rand Paul and his radical beliefs, including his criticism of the Civil Rights Act.  Huff Post: “Paul told Maddow that he agrees with most parts of the Civil Rights Act, except for one (Title II), that made it a crime for private businesses to … Continue reading Regretting Rand Paul?

Marjorie Dannenfelser: "Susan B. Anthony was passionate and logical in her arguments against abortion."

LA Times: "But on Tuesday, voters in this state that is famously averse to government spending decided enough was enough. Gov. Jan Brewer was able to persuade a conservative electorate to do what Californians would not do for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger — give the state more money. They voted 64% to 36% for a temporary … Continue reading Arizona sales tax vote bucks anti-government trend

CS Monitor: "A government-appointed council of senior religious scholars in Saudi Arabia condemned terrorism financing and said it is forbidden by Islamic law."

E.J. Dionne: "The most significant result for the fall was the Democrats' success in holding the western Pennsylvania House seat left vacant by the death of John Murtha. Democrat Mark Critz won an impressive nine-point victory over Republican Tim Burns by distancing himself from Obama and liberal positions on guns and abortion, but also by … Continue reading Primaries were no Tea Party

RCP: "DNC chairman Tim Kaine acknowledged that his party still has a tough battle ahead. But, speaking at the National Press Club this afternoon, he made the case recent polling trends and even the elections Tuesday show voters will ultimately reward tough decisions made by Democrats thus far."

Fox News: "Eight-term Indiana Rep. Mark Souder announced his resignation Tuesday after admitting to an affair with a female aide who worked in his district office...Elected as a family values conservative as part of the Republican revolution in 1994, Souder survived a tough re-election challenge in 2008 and survived a contested primary two weeks ago."

NY Times: "On Tuesday, the toll of American dead in Afghanistan passed 1,000, after a suicide bomb in Kabul killed at least five United States service members. Having taken nearly seven years to reach the first 500 dead, the war killed the second 500 in fewer than two."