memeorandum: Farewell to Frank Buckles, last surviving U.S. World War I veteran (David R Arnott/Photoblog)

7:45 AM ET, March 1, 2011

Top Items:

Majority in Poll Back Employees in Public Sector Unions — As labor battles erupt in state capitals around the nation, a majority of Americans say they oppose efforts to weaken the collective bargaining rights of public employee unions and are also against cutting the pay or benefits …

Discussion: American Power, Prairie Weather, Hot Air, Firedoglake, JSOnline, Sky Dancing, The Moderate Voice, The Future of Capitalism, Politicususa, AlterNet, Crooks and Liars, Daily Kos, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Political Carnival, The Caucus, Pajamas Media and The Mahablog

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Do over? — We'll have our full poll on the Wisconsin conflict out tomorrow but here's the most interesting finding: if voters in the state could do it over today they'd support defeated Democratic nominee Tom Barrett over Scott Walker by a a 52-45 margin. — The difference between how folks …

Discussion: Sky Dancing, The Politico, Firedoglake, FOK News Channel, The Nation, Comments from Left Field, Mother Jones, The Raw Story, The Plum Line, Swing State Project, WisPolitics Budget Blog, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, AOL News, Politics Daily and JSOnline

JSOnline:

Walker responds to Obama — By Lee Bergquist of the Journal Sentinel — Gov. Scott Walker on Monday afternoon responded to comments President Barack Obama made earlier in the day about the protests in Madison: — Walker's office issued this statement:

Discussion: Hot Air, NewsBusters.org, UNCOVERAGE.net, Weasel Zippers and The Lonely Conservative

Taegan Goddard's Political Wire:
Wisconsin Do Over? — A new Public Policy Polling survey finds …

Discussion: The Political Carnival and Balloon Juice

Charles G. Koch / Wall Street Journal:

Why Koch Industries Is Speaking Out — Crony capitalism and bloated government prevent entrepreneurs from producing the products and services that make people's lives better. — Years of tremendous overspending by federal, state and local governments have brought us face-to-face with an economic crisis.

Discussion: The Politico, Power Line, The Lonely Conservative and Ben Smith's Blog

Wall Street Journal:

The Democrats' Collective Bargain — What happens when a political party disconnects from the economy's productive sector. — Beneath a grayish Michigan sky, before a frozen crowd standing in the snow, a MoveOn-organized protest aims to rally support for government workers in Wisconsin.

Discussion: Betsy's Page and The Atlantic Online

JSOnline:

Missing senators rely heavily on union campaign dollars — By Daniel Bice and Ben Poston of the Journal Sentinel — The 14 Wisconsin Democratic senators who fled to Illinois share more than just political sympathy with the public employees and unions targeted by Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair bill.

Discussion: Maggie's Notebook, NewsBusters.org, Weasel Zippers, GayPatriot and The Lonely Conservative

David Bailey / Reuters:

Wisconsin's Walker to absent Democrats: 24 hours to return — (Reuters) - Wisconsin's Republican Gov. Scott Walker said on Monday that absent senate Democrats have 24 hours to return and vote on a measure to reduce the power of public sector unions or the state will miss out on opportunity to refinance its debt.

Discussion: Doug Ross, Moe Lane, AlterNet, Joanne Jacobs and The Gateway Pundit

Fhardingj / CNN: GOP group launches pro-Walker ad in Wisconsin

Cubachi:
Gov. Walker gives Wisconsin Democrats 24 hours to return

Discussion: Liberty Pundits Blog

San Francisco Chronicle:

Low-flow toilets cause a stink in SF — San Francisco's big push for low-flow toilets has turned into a multimillion-dollar plumbing stink. — Skimping on toilet water has resulted in more sludge backing up inside the sewer pipes, said Tyrone Jue, spokesman for the city Public Utilities Commission.

Discussion: This Just In, Pirate's Cove, Pajamas Media and Sister Toldjah

Washington Post:

Obama offers states more flexibility in health-care law — President Obama sought to defuse criticism of the new health-care overhaul Monday by saying he is willing to give states an earlier opportunity to opt out of certain key requirements - but only if they can find their own ways to accomplish the law's goals.

Discussion: Prairie Weather and The Politico

The Hill:
Obama backtracks on health mandate, wants opt-out from start

Discussion: FrumForum

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:
On call, officials stress public options in health care shift

Discussion: Associated Press, The Note, Pajamas Media, Hot Air, The Politico, CNN, The Apothecary, The Lonely Conservative, The Foundry, Weasel Zippers and The Hill

Lori Montgomery / Washington Post:

GOP spending plan would cost 700,000 jobs, new report says — A Republican plan to sharply cut federal spending this year would destroy 700,000 jobs through 2012, according to an independent economic analysis set for release Monday. — The report, by Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi …

Pat Garofalo / Wonk Room:
Gov. Daniels Says Governments Should Slash Spending ‘Even If They End Up Seriously Costing A Lot Of Jobs’

Discussion: NPR, Firedoglake, Washington Monthly, The Huffington Post, The Mahablog, First Draft and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Fhardingj / CNN:
House Republican Leaders Vow to Defend Defense of Marriage Act

Discussion: The Politico and The Hill

John B. Taylor / Economics One:
Goldman Sachs Wrong About Impact of House Budget Proposal

Discussion: Ezra Klein, 2chambers, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Weigel and National Review

David Shepardson / Detroit News:

Consumer Reports: GM's Volt 'doesn't really make a lot of sense' — Washington — Consumer Reports offered a harsh initial review of the Chevrolet Volt, questioning whether General Motors Co.'s flagship vehicle makes economic “sense.” The extended-range plug-in electric vehicle is on the cover …

Discussion: Michelle Malkin and UNCOVERAGE.net

Richard White / The Sun:

Film of Galliano's racist rant in bar — FASHION guru John Galliano was filmed having a vile racist rant during which he declared: “I love Hitler.” — The British designer - an alleged Jew hater - then tells a horrified woman: “People like you would be dead. Your mothers, your forefathers, would all be f****** gassed.”

Discussion: blogs.telegraph.co.uk, PoliPundit.com, The Huffington Post, AOL News, PopEater, The Moderate Voice, Towleroad News #gay, News Desk and Harry's Place

thenorthwestern.com:

State Rep. Gordon Hintz apologizes for comments made on Assembly floor following budget repair bill vote — An Oshkosh Assemblyman issued a second public apology in as many weeks Monday, the latest for comments he made on the floor of the Assembly following a vote on a contentious budget repair bill.

Discussion: NewsBusters.org, Hot Air and Weasel Zippers

Charlie Sykes / 620wtmj.com:
GORDON HINTZ: “YOU ARE F'N DEAD!”

Discussion: Maggie's Notebook, Shows, Don Surber, Pajamas Media, Shot in the Dark, Fire Andrea Mitchell!, The Daily Caller, Outside the Beltway, POWIP, The Gateway Pundit, UrbanGrounds, theblogprof, Publius Forum, The Jawa Report, RedState, Weasel Zippers, HazZzMat and JammieWearingFool

Hendrik Hertzberg / New Yorker:

UNION BLUES — “Fifteen million Americans bring you Edward P. Morgan and the news.” From 1955 to 1967, that line, heard on the ABC radio network every weeknight at 7 P.M., heralded the nation's best news broadcast. Those fifteen million Americans were the members of the A.F.L.-C.I.O. …

Discussion: The Daily Dish, Weigel and News Desk

Newsweek:
Do We Still Need Unions? Yes

Discussion: American Power, Democracy in America, The Democratic Daily and The New Editor

The Politico:

Darrell Issa probes staff; spokesman Kurt Bardella at center of controversy — Rep. Darrell Issa, the Republican chairman of the powerful Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has launched an inquiry into whether spokesman Kurt Bardella improperly shared e-mails from other reporters …

Discussion: 2chambers and FishbowlDC, more at Mediagazer »

Richard A. Oppel Jr / New York Times:

In Wisconsin, Flinging Blame and Citing Deadlines — MADISON, Wis. — Time may or may not be running out to make some crucial decisions in the Wisconsin fight over labor unions and budgets. But the blame game is definitely coming to a boil. — In his two-week-long standoff with Democrats …

Discussion: Econbrowser, Hot Air, JSOnline, FrumForum and Althouse

Alexis Madrigal / The Atlantic Online:

Revealing the Man Behind @MayorEmanuel — It was the best fake Twitter account ever, deftly satirizing Rahm Emanuel, and elevating the Tweet and the f-word to the level of literature. But the mystery writer was never revealed - until now. — There were many storylines in Rahm Emanuel's romp …

Discussion: The Politico, Washington Wire, newsfeed.time.com, Runnin' Scared, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, FishbowlDC, Outside the Beltway, driftglass, New York Magazine, Hotline On Call, Gawker and Poynter, more at Mediagazer »

USU Statesman:

Sen. Hatch says USU receives most federal dollars per capita — Young people will face a bleak future without Social Security benefits if Democrats continue to “overreach” their constitutional boundaries, said U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, Friday, in the Education Building.

Discussion: TPMDC, The Raw Story, msnbc.com and New York Magazine

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Hatch: Health law a ‘dumbass’ program

Discussion: Maggie's Notebook, Washington Monthly, The Political Carnival, Weasel Zippers and FrumForum

Daily Mail:

Christian couple lose High Court battle to foster children because they are against homosexuality — A Christian couple morally opposed to homosexuality today lost a High Court battle over the right to become foster carers. — Eunice and Owen Johns, aged 62 and 65, from Oakwood, Derby …

Discussion: JOSHUAPUNDIT, Right Wing News, Pharyngula and Vox Popoli

Cindy Boren / The Early Lead:

Iran threatens to boycott 2012 London Olympics because of logo — Iran is threatening to boycott the 2012 Olympic Games in London because of the Games' logo. — According to an Iranian official, the logo, with its blocky, abstract rendering of “2012,” is racist because it appears to spell the word …

Discussion: TigerHawk and The Moderate Voice

David R Arnott / Photoblog:

Farewell to Frank Buckles, last surviving U.S. World War I veteran — Left: courtesy David DeJonge. Right: Karen Bleier / AFP - Getty Images file — Frank Buckles, who was the last surviving US World War I veteran. The photo on the left was taken in 1917, and the photo on the right …

Discussion: Hot Air, Shot in the Dark, BLACKFIVE, Scared Monkeys and Mudville Gazette

Richard Goldstein / New York Times:
Frank Buckles, Last World War I Doughboy, Is Dead at 110

Discussion: Runnin' Scared

David Dayen / Firedoglake:

Wisconsin Capitol Building Still Closed; Other Madison Shenanigans Reported — Protestors outside the Wisconsin statehouse. (photo: signejb) — A bit more on the fast-moving story in the Capitol Building in Madison, Wisconsin: — • Clearly Scott Walker and the Capitol police …

Discussion: The Political Carnival, oily donuts, JSOnline and AlterNet

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Wisconsin GOPers angered by Republican official's efforts to reach compromise with labor, Dems

Discussion: Firedoglake, Los Angeles Times, AlterNet and Alan Colmes' Liberaland

ABCNEWS:

‘My People Love Me’: Moammar Gadhafi Denies Demonstrations Against Him Anywhere in Libya — U.S. Exclusive: Christiane Amanpour Sits Down for an Interview With Libya's Embattled Leader — REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK BY CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR — I interviewed Col. Moammar Gadhafi this evening …