Gov. Brewer signs controversial immigration bill  —  Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer today signed a controversial immigration bill into state law, advancing a politically charged debate that is already having reverberations in Washington.  —  “Respect for the rule of law means respect for every law,” said Brewer, a Republican.

Have Conservatives Gone Mad?  —  Serious thinkers on the right have finally gotten around to a full and open debate on the epistemic closure problem that's plaguing the conservative movement.  The issue, to put it in terms that even I can understand, because I didn't study philosophy much in college: has the conservative base gone mad?

Party Affiliation Gap in U.S. Narrowest Since 2005  —  Democratic advantage shrinks as more independents lean to the Republican Party  —  PRINCETON, NJ — The advantage in public support the Democratic Party built up during the latter part of the Bush administration and the early part …

Why do Harvard kids head to Wall Street?  An interview with an ex-Wall Street recruit.  —  One of the common complaints about Wall Street is that it sucks up a lot of Ivy League talent that could be going toward more productive endeavors.  The common assumption is that the students are just following the money.

FDIC closes Broadway Bank, Amcore, five others  —  Ricky McCullough, associate ombudsman for the FDIC, talks to the media about the closing of Broadway Bank on Friday, April 23.  (Phil Velasquez/ Chicago Tribune)  —  By Becky Yerak |  Broadway Bank, the family-run lender …

Kerry: Three Big Oil Companies Likely to Back Climate Bill  —  When Sens. John Kerry, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman release their climate bill on Monday, they expect to have the backing of three of the five major oil companies, Mother Jones has learned.  In a conference call with a coalition …

GOP plans ‘aggressive’ effort against Dems' credibility on Wall Street reform  —  Senate Republicans are planning an “aggressive” effort to paint Democrats' claims about their Wall Street reform bill as not credible in light of the healthcare debate.  —  The GOP plans an effort to highlight claims …

The Specter of Socialism is Haunting Jonah Goldberg  —  I'm egomaniacal enough to keep tabs on what's being said about me on the internet, so I've seen a ton of conservative blogs quote this section of a Jonah Goldberg article in Commentary purporting to vindicate the right's “socialist” hits on Barack Obama:

NOT ALL GAY SEX IS ABUSIVE  —  Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on a story in today's New York Times about a case of alleged sexual abuse committed by a Chilean priest:  —  If a 17-year old guy has sex with an older guy for twenty years, and continues to have sex with him at the age of 38 …

Maybe America doesn't want an immobilized judicial branch after all. … - Climate Change Is Going To Reshape the American Electoral Map.  Here's How.- J. Lo's New Movie Is Terrible but Not as Bad as Other Rom-Coms- Project Runway Finale: The Nazi-Inspired Designs Win?

Edwards to Testify About Sex Tape  —  Hungry Beast Giving Beast Women in the World  —  Blogs and Stories  —  John Edwards will testify under oath about his relationship with mistress Rielle Hunter, facing questions about the infamous sex tape and whether he spent campaign funds to hide the relationship.

Virginia DMV Pulls License Plate Coded With Neo-Nazi Message From Truck With Anti-Islam Imagery  —  A photo has been circulating the Internet this week showing a truck parked in a disabled person parking spot, emblazoned with a large Confederate flag, and featuring a picture of the World Trade Center burning.

Op-Ed Contributor: How to End the Slavery Blame-Game  —  THANKS to an unlikely confluence of history and genetics — the fact that he is African-American and president — Barack Obama has a unique opportunity to reshape the debate over one of the most contentious issues of America's racial legacy …

M.I.T. Economist Wins John Bates Clark Medal  —  Esther Duflo, a development economist at M.I.T., has been awarded the John Bates Clark Medal.  The award is given to “that American economist under the age of 40 who is judged to have made the most significant contribution to economic thought and knowledge.”

A health-care reform Rorschach test  —  I long ago learned that cost estimates are health-care reform's version of a Rorschach test: They tell you more about the reader than the bill.  And the early reaction to the latest estimates (pdf) out of the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services are no different.

Palin testifies in hacking case  —  Sarah Palin took the stand for about an hour Friday morning in the Knoxville, Tennessee, trial of a man accused of hacking her e-mail, a manager in the court clerk's office said.  —  (CNN) - Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin testified that she did not realize anyone …

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim James tells us, “This is Alabama.  We speak English.”  —  From The Rachel Maddow Blog — ‘This is Alabama.  We speak English’: … This guy is about as subtle as a brick upside your head.  —  h/t Laffy

Is the Earth striking back?  —  Editor's note: Alan Weisman is the author of “The World Without Us,” an international bestseller now in 33 languages.  It was named the Best Nonfiction Book of 2007 by both Time magazine and Entertainment Weekly, the #1 Nonfiction Audiobook of 2007 by iTunes …

Public employee pensions under pressure  —  State and local leaders see the growing cost as a threat to California's fiscal well-being.  Efforts to reduce benefits are setting up a collision course with public employee unions.  —  Reporting from Sacramento

Institutionalizing Crony Capitalism  —  In the wake of the recent financial meltdown, Americans know that we need reform.  Not only have many individuals learned lessons about personal responsibility through this, but we've been able to engage in a discussion about government's appropriate role.