feed-image Blog Briefing Room - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room Feed »
  June 19, 2013, 5:00 am

MORNING READ

FROM THE BLOGS:

Republicans need to face immigration head on

Stuart Stevens at the Daily Beast argues that illegal immigration is a significant problem that all members of the GOP must acknowledge and work together to solve.

IRS found targeting conservative Hispanic group

Gateway Pundit's Jim Hoft reports that VOCES Action, a conservative Hispanic group, received special attention from the Internal Revenue Service even though its mission statement does not include the words "Tea Party" or "patriot".

Boehner is bluffing with Hastert Rule

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) may actually be bluffing on his promise to only push an immigration reform bill through his chamber if it has the support of a majority of House Republicans, writes The Plum Line's Greg Sargent.

Inflation: Not something to worry about

Mother Jones' Kevin Drum argues that the slight increase in inflation from April to May should not concern policymakers. Instead, Drum thinks that Congress should focus more on decreasing unemployment.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

White house continues to push for gun control

Vice President Joe Biden called on Congress to pass legislation expanding background checks on gun purchases, The Hill's Justin Sink reports.

NSA chief: We can't lose these intel tools

According to The Hill's Carlo Muñoz, National Security Agency chief Gen. Keith Alexander said the NSA's intelligence program has intercepted at least 50 terrorist attacks against the US, including a plot to blow up the New York Stock Exchange.

Archived under: Morning Read
comment Comments
E-mail Print share
 
  June 18, 2013, 5:19 pm

DAY'S END ROUND-UP

FROM THE BLOGS:

Young voters now available for GOP
In light of recent scandals involving the Obama Administration, Republicans now have the opportunity to alter their platform to cater to younger voters and win back the under-30 vote says Right Turn's Jennifer Rubin.

Rubio's indecisiveness may cost him with voters
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has not yet declared that he will vote for the immigration reform bill that he helped draw up. His last minute change of heart could hurt the bill and his reputation among voters according to the National Review.

Republicans appear in liberal media outlets
The Daily Beast's David Freedlander writes that many Republican lawmakers are trying their hand at more liberal media outlets in an effort to take their message more mainstream.

Until federal government places regulations, drone laws will fall to states
Wonkblog's Timothy B. Lee writes that the lack of national regulations on drones will lead to inconsistent laws being made in each state across the country.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Boehner to adhere to "Hastert Rule" on immigration reform
The Hill's Molly K. Hooper writes that Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) will not bring the immigration reform bill to a vote in the house without the support of the majority of Republicans.

Push for Clinton's campaign in 2016 begins
Sen. Claire McCaskill became the first politician to publicly support Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 on Tuesday, according to The Hill's Alexandra Jaffe.



Archived under: Day's End Round-Up
comment Comments
E-mail Print share
 
  June 17, 2013, 5:41 pm

DAY'S END ROUNDUP

FROM THE BLOGS:

Obama pulled in two directions, America left in the dark
The Washington Post's Charles Krauthammer asks the administration, is Obama closing the war on terror, or has it just begun?

ObamaCare info revealed, life for the poor looks bleak
The Washington Times thinks Obamacare will severely hurt, not help, the poor, as more information is revealed. 

Arming Syrians hard sell
The American Conservative's W. James Antle III thinks President Obama's possible arming of Syrians would be a bad choice for American foreign policy. 

GOP treading water
The Daily Beast's Michael Tomasky thinks the GOP is going backwards in its attempt to moderate. 


OTHER SOURCES:

Arizona law overturned with ease
The Hill's Daniel Strauss reports the Supreme Court overturned an Arizona Law, 7-2, that required people to prove their citizenship before they could use a federal registration system making signing up to vote easier. 

McCain's disdain towards Obama adminstration over email accounts 
The Hill's Julian Hattem reports Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) distrust of the Obama administration's allowance of private email accounts for top officials. 

Archived under: Day's End Round-Up
comment Comments
E-mail Print share
 
  June 14, 2013, 5:00 pm

DAY'S END ROUNDUP

FROM THE BLOGS:

The future of the GOP

The American Conservative’s Patrick J. Buchanan discusses the future of the GOP — and, in his eyes, it doesn’t look good.

Paul says push back
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), writing for The Washington Times, thinks Americans should defend their freedoms against government surveillance.

Right should take a step back in criticism of NSA

The Washington Post’s Michael Gerson thinks members of the right are being too hard on the NSA.

We had a warning

The Atlantic’s Conor Friedersdorf says we should have listened to Russ Feingold’s warnings over parts of the Patriot Act.


OTHER SOURCES:

House passes controversial defense bill

The House passed a defense bill Friday that strips commanders’ ability to overturn guilty verdicts in military sexual assault cases. The Hill’s Jeremy Herb and Pete Kasperowicz report.

Farm bill vote on the books

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) scheduled a vote for a five-year farm bill to be some time next week, according to The Hill’s Pete Kasperowicz and Erik Wasson.

Archived under: Day's End Round-Up
comment Comments
E-mail Print share
 
  June 13, 2013, 5:36 pm

DAY'S END ROUNDUP

FROM THE BLOGS:

Conservatives should not abandon Boy Scouts
Robert Long of The American Conservative thinks that Southern Baptists and other socially conservative groups should not be so quick to sever ties with the Boy Scouts of America after the decision to allow gay scouts.

Nancy Pelosi calls abortion issue 'sacred ground'
The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez writes that Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) avoided a tough question from a reporter about abortion by hiding behind a religious answer.

The Supreme Court denies a private companies ability genes
The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled against the ability of a private corporation to own a patent on naturally occurring genes, which is a victory for all Americans, writes TPM's Josh Marshall.

GOP lawmakers only appear to support immigration reform
According to The Atlantic's Molly Ball, many Republicans are only offering support for the bill with increased border protection in an attempt to kill the bill.


OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

House Intelligence panel says Snowden lied
Leading House Intelligence Committee members have said the Snowden lied about having access to the information that he has leaked to reporters, according to The Hill's Mike Lillis

Former president offers Syria advice to Obama
Former President Clinton has offered President Obama advice on handling the situation in Syria, which the president is very open to accepting, writes The Hill's Justin Sink.

Archived under: Day's End Round-Up
comment Comments
E-mail Print share
 
  June 13, 2013, 5:00 am

MORNING READ

FROM THE BLOGS:

Quote of the day: Darrell Issa wins the chutzpah award for June

Mother Jones' Kevin Drum calls House Overisght Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) out on his refusal to relinquish complete transcripts of interviews with the IRS.

Gay marriage, abortion and social conservatives

Right Turn's Jennifer Rubin says that while conservatives are quickly warming up to gay marriage, their opposition to abortion will continue.

Poll gives Scott Brown lead in upcoming election

The Huffington Post's Ariel Edwards-Levy concludes that in the 2014 Massachusetts governor's race, former Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II (D-Mass.) would just barely trail former Sen. Scott Brown. (R-Mass.)

John Gray, anti-progressive
The American Conservative's Rob Dreher applauds conservative writer John Gray on his "political realism." Most times, Gray states, progress is not the ideal solution.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Report: Bill Clinton to campaign for Markey

Former President Clinton will campaign for Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Edward Markey (Mass.), according to The Hill's Alexandra Jaffe.

Roland Martin: Sen. Paul 'needs an absolute makeover'

Roland Martin offers to help Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) improve his wardrobe choices, The Hill's Judy Kurtz reports.

Archived under: Morning Read
comment Comments
E-mail Print share
 
  June 12, 2013, 5:00 pm

DAY'S END ROUNDUP

Snowden’s crime is 'less sexy' than treason
Wonkblog’s Dylan Matthews says despite lawmakers’ claim that Edward Snowden is treasonous, his actions do not comply with the legal definition or treasonous acts of the past. 

Despite scandals, Obama moves forward on Gitmo
Daniel Klaidman of The Daily Beast believes that President Obama is making progress on his revived promise to close Guantánamo Bay. 

A call to action for the GOP
The National Review’s Ramesh Ponnuru asks the GOP to do more than to sit back and hope ObamaCare fails. 

Keystone pipeline draws Hollywood comparison 
The Keystone pipeline is a needed but otherwise “unremarkable pipeline,” says Erika Johnsen of Hot Air.  She agrees with Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), who recently said the pipeline is like the “Kim Kardashian of energy. I don’t know why we care.” 


OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Senators urge Obama to stay on sidelines of immigration debate
President Obama has taken a quieter role in immigration reform and many senators are appreciating this “outside cheerleader” method, The Hill's Alexander Bolton reports.

GOP Rep. Franks says rate of pregnancies from rape is 'very low'
Elise Viebeck of The Hill reports Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) claimed the rate of pregnancies resulting from rape is “very low” and women seeking late-term abortions should have to report the rape to be eligible. 

Archived under: Day's End Round-Up
comment Comments
E-mail Print share
 
  June 12, 2013, 5:00 am

MORNING READ

FROM THE BLOGS:



Maybe Ike was right
Hot Air's Ed Morrissey recalls Dwight Eisenhower's final presidential address in which he warned the nation that the "military-industrial complex" may endanger the democratic process. In light of the recent NSA controversy, Morrissey argues that it is time to take Eisenhower's warning seriously.



Plan B and the end of innocence


The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez argues that young females should be legally banned from independently making the decision to obtain the "morning after pill," citing medical, emotional, and moral implications.

Ted Cruz gives away the game


The Washington Post's Greg Sargent criticizes Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for wanting to eliminate the path to citizenship, which he says is not an area of concern for most members of the GOP.



You call this insurance?


The New Republic's Jonathan Cohn uncovers the fallacies behind Ohio Lt. Governor Mary Taylor's recent statements about projected insurance "rate shock."



OTHER NEWS SOURCES:



Rubio aims to add stricter language requirement to immigration bill


The Hill's Alexander Bolton reports on Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-Fla.) plans to offer a new amendment to the Senate immigration bill that would make English proficiency a requirement for permanent residency.



Carney refuses to label Snowden before investigation


The Hill's Justin Sink reports on Jay Carney's hesitation toward using the word "traitor" when describing Edward Snowden. The administration will wait to comment on the Snowden until the investigation is under way.


Archived under: Morning Read
comment Comments
E-mail Print share
 
  June 11, 2013, 5:00 pm

DAY'S END ROUNDUP

FROM THE BLOGS:

Data mining is a direct violation of Fourth Amendment rights

Joseph A. Palmero of The Huffington Post writes that all of the NSA's data mining and domestic spying operations should concern any American who is worried about privacy rights today and for generations to come.

Virginia GOP attempts to identify concealed weapons carriers while they still can

The Daily Beast's Ben Jacobs thinks the GOP is being hypocritical in requesting the identities of those licensed to carry concealed weapons just before the bill, championed by Republicans, to protect their identities goes into law.

Obama takes a less than impressive stance against Chinese hackers

Right Turn's Jennifer Rubin thinks that President Obama has not done nearly enough to punish Chinese hackers and scare off other threats from Asia.

Former vice president predicted problems for Obama administration

Before President Obama took office for his first term, Dick Cheney predicted that he would keep many of the programs he spoke against in his campaign out of necessity. According to The New Yorker's Patrick Radden Keefe, Cheney was absolutely right.


OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Plan B pill to be made available to girls of all ages
The Hill's Sam Baker reports that despite previous objections, the Obama administration has agreed to make over-the-counter sales of the "morning after" pill available to teenagers.

Light saber cane causes delay at airport for Chewbacca actor
Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew was held up at airport security in Denver last week because of his unusual light saber cane. He and his cane were eventually allowed to board the flight, according to The Hill's Keith Laing.

Archived under: Day's End Round-Up
comment Comments
E-mail Print share
 
  June 11, 2013, 5:00 am

MORNING READ

FROM THE BLOGS:

Tea Party shouldn't assault Common Core standards 
The Washington Post's John Markell says the Tea Party should stop criticizing the Common Core state standards, objectives that have been adopted by 45 states to help guarantee American students receive the academic skills needed to reach their full potential. 

Snowden worship should hold off 
The Daily Beast's Michael Moynihan thinks Americans should "take a few breaths" and resist worshiping Edward Snowden, the NSA leaker. 

Sebelius has too much power 
The Washington Times' Jane M. Orient says the Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius should not have the power to deny a child with cystic fibrosis a lung transplant. 

GOP split between support and opposition with NSA and Obama
The American Conservative's W. James Antle III thinks there is a civil war brewing within the GOP and that the next few elections are important in discovering whose party it really is. 

OTHER NEWS SOURCES: 

President aware of whistle-blower, White House declines to make comment 
The Hill's Justin Sink reports that the President has been briefed on Edward Snowden's claim to have leaked the National Security Agency surveillance programs, but the White House declines to make a comment. 

Quinnipiac poll has Booker far ahead of competition in Dem. primary
A Quinnipiac University poll has Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker leading in the Democratic primary for New Jersey's special Senate election, claiming 53 percent The Hill's Alexandra Jaffe reports.

Archived under: Morning Read
comment Comments
E-mail Print share
 
12345678910Next >End »
VISIT THE HILL'S HOMEPAGE FOR THE LATEST ON CONGRESS ››
 

More Videos »

Blog Briefing Room Twitter - Click to follow
More From The Web
bloglogo

More Briefing Room »

More Congress Blog »

More Pundits Blog »

More Twitter Room »

More Hillicon Valley »

More E2-Wire (Energy) »

More Ballot Box »

More On The Money »

More Healthwatch »

More Floor Action »

More Transportation »

More DEFCON Hill »

More Global Affairs »

More In The Know »

More RegWatch »

Briefing Room Blog Roll

The Hill
ABC News: The Note
AMERICAblog
Barack Obama
Beat The Press
Bill Press
BuzzFlash
Capitol Briefing
Capitol Games
The Caucus (NYT)
Clive Crook
Comments From Left Field
CNN Political Ticker
The Corner (NRO)
Crooks and Liars
The Daily Beast
Daily Caller
Daily Kos
DCCC: The Stakeholder
DNC: Kicking Ass
DSCC: From The Roots
Drudge Report
Eschaton
Extreme Mortman
Ezra Klein
firedoglake
FishbowlDC
The Fix (WashPost)
The Foundry
Gateway Pundit
Glenn Greenwald
Hendrik Hertzberg
Hillary Clinton
Hot Air
Hotline on Call
Huffington Post
Human Events
Instapundit
James Fallows
John McCain
Judicial Watch: Corruption Chronicles
Kaus Files
Left Coaster
Lefty Blogs
Lucianne
Majority AP
Marc Ambinder
Matt Lewis
Matthew Yglesias
Megan McArdle
Michelle Malkin
Minority Report
The Moderate Voice
MSNBC First Read
MyDD
The Nation
National Review
The New Republic
NewsBusters
Newsmax
The NRCC Blog
NRSC Blog
Open Left
Page (Mark Halperin)
The Plank (TNR)
Political Animal
Political Wire
Politicker
Politico's Ben Smith
Politico's Jonathan Martin
Politico's The Crypt
Power Line
Reason
RedState
Right Wing News
RNC Blog
Ross Douthat
Rush Limbaugh
SCOTUSblog
Senate Guru
The Stump (TNR)
The Swamp (Tribune)
Swampland
Swing State Project
Talk Left
TalkingPointsMemo
TAPPED
Tech Policy Summit
techPresident
TechRepublican
The Right Angle
Think Progress
Top of the Ticket (LA Times)
Townhall
TPMCafe
TPMMuckraker
The Trail (WashPost)
Truthdig
USA Today On Politics
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blog
VF Daily
Washington Wire (WSJ)
Weekly Standard
Wonkette
Yeas and Nays

Briefing Room Blog Topics

 Blog Summaries » Day's End Round-Up »
 Energy & Environment » Midday Blog Roundup »
 Morning Read » News »
  Campaigns »   Administration »
   Civil Rights »   Congressional Campaigns »
   Corporate Governance »   Defense »
   Economy & Budget »   Foreign Policy »
   Healthcare »   Homeland Security »
   Immigration »   Labor »
   Law and Courts »   Lobbyists »
   Presidential Campaigns »   Technology »
   Telecom and IT »   Trade and Agriculture »
  Energy & Environment »  Lawmaker News »
   Administration »   Campaigns »
   Civil Rights »   Corporate Governance »
   Defense »   Economy & Budget »
   Energy & Environment »   Foreign Policy »
   Healthcare »   Homeland Security »
   Immigration »   Labor »
   Lobbyists »   Technology »
   Telecom and IT »   Trade and Agriculture »
  Legislation »   Administration »
   Campaigns »   Civil Rights »
   Corporate Governance »   Defense »
   Economy & Budget »   Energy & Environment »
   Foreign Policy »   Healthcare »
   Homeland Security »   Immigration »
   Labor »   Lobbyists »
   Technology »   Telecom and IT »
   Trade and Agriculture »  Lobbying »
   Administration »   Campaigns »
   Civil Rights »   Corporate Governance »
   Defense »   Economy & Budget »
   Energy & Environment »   Foreign Policy »
   Healthcare »   Homeland Security »
   Immigration »   Labor »
   Lobbyists »   Technology »
   Telecom and IT »   Trade and Agriculture »
  Other »   Administration »
   Campaigns »   Civil Rights »
   Congressional Campaigns »   Corporate Governance »
   Defense »   Economy & Budget »
   Energy & Environment »   Foreign Policy »
   Healthcare »   Homeland Security »
   Immigration »   Labor »
   Lobbyists »   Presidential Campaigns »
   Technology »   Telecom and IT »
   Trade and Agriculture »  Oversight »
   Administration »   Campaigns »
   Civil Rights »   Corporate Governance »
   Defense »   Economy & Budget »
   Energy & Environment »   Foreign Policy »
   Healthcare »   Homeland Security »
   Immigration »   Labor »
   Lobbyists »   Technology »
   Telecom and IT »   Trade and Agriculture »

Get latest news from The Hill direct to your inbox, RSS reader and mobile devices.