Day's End Round-Up

FROM THE BLOGS:

Jobs?
This is an era of permanent campaigning and economic stagnation, writes The Weekly Standard's Geoffrey Norman.

Red states getting redder
The American Prospect's Jamelle Bouie writes about how states like Alabama and Mississippi are becoming even more restrictive on abortion and same-sex marriage.

'Traditional marriage's' lamest defense
Kate Blanchard of Salon.com debunks one conservative's message against gay marriage.

BRAIN initiative gives a big check to sci-tech elite
Tim Cavanaugh of The Daily Caller believes a new expenditure on brain research is just another way for the administration to take credit for something it doesn't deserve.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Christie applauds firing of abusive Rutgers coach
The Hill's Pete Kasperowicz reports the New Jersey governor supports the university's decision to fire the coach after the release of a controversial video.

Few senators sacrifice pay amid cuts
Only a small number of senators plan on donating a portion of their salary to charity per a recent budget amendment, The Hill's Russell Berman reports.

FROM THE BLOGS:

Marco Rubio’s immigration cowardice
Michael Tomasky at The Daily Beast says the Florida senator is placing political calculation over doing the right thing.

John McCain's pro-gun-control past
Greg Sargent of the Plum Line looks at Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) past initiatives to expand gun control measures.



Why I’m not cheering the economic recovery
John Judis at The New Republic says there’s still a lot of room for pessimism in the burgeoning recovery.

St. John’s must lose status as 'The Church of Presidents'
Keith Koffler at White House Dossier says the church’s Easter Sunday political statement in front of President Obama was inexcusable.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:



Hagel to take pay cut in solidarity with DOD furloughed workers
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will take the same pay cut as the 750,000 civilian Pentagon employees slated for furloughs in the coming months, reports Carlo Muñoz of The Hill.

Kirk backs gay marriage
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) announced his support for same-sex marriage on Tuesday, making him the second sitting GOP senator to do so, Daniel Strauss of The Hill reports.

FROM THE BLOGS:

Are you ready for Hillary Clinton?
Slate's David Weigel looks inside a super-PAC paving the way for her to make another presidential run.

Sen. Reid's new tax on guns
The Foundry's David S. Addington argues that a new Senate gun bill challenges Second Amendment rights.

Don't blame gay marriage
Jennifer Rubin on Right Turn warns readers not to blame trends like higher divorce or delayed marriage on gay rights.

Transgender rights: Coming to a school near you?
Time's Adam Cohen notes that transgender rights are following a similar public trajectory to the current gay rights movement.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Obama goes 2 for 22 on basketball court
The Hill's Emily Goodin reports that the president had a tough time on the basketball court during Monday's Easter Egg Roll.

Jeb Bush scheduled to speak in Dallas on the same day as Hillary Clinton
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will deliver speeches in Dallas on the same day, fueling speculation that each is preparing to run for president in 2016, The Hill's Daniel Strauss reports.

FROM THE BLOGS

Christ in a karmic age
Redstate's Erick Erickson argues that karmic thinking pollutes the mind and that people should instead focus on doing good things.

What to expect when Obama releases his budget
The Washington Monthly's Ed Kilgore explains why the tardiness of Obama's latest budget is meaningless.

The right-wing hucksters who dare not be named
The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf writes that the hyperbolic comments echoed by some pundits undermines the conservative movement.

Liz Cheney is even more bonkers than we suspected
New York magazine's Jonathan Chait argues that the former vice president's daughter's op-ed in The Wall Street Journal shows how and why Liz Cheney is out of touch.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Democrats seek to tie House Republicans to Don Young's racial slur
Democrats are trying to use Rep. Don Young's (R-Alaska) reference to "wetbacks" to their advantage, according to The Hill's Cameron Joseph.

Texas to pay to keep flight towers open
The Hill's Keith Laing reports on how the Lone Star State is trying to counter the consequences of the sequester.

FROM THE BLOGS:

Let's hold ObamaCare to this standard: Do no harm
Cal Thomas of Fox News notes that as the third anniversary of ObamaCare passes, more doctors are looking for an early exit from the profession.

How to explain the weak job market?
Neil Irwin of Wonkblog searches for the link between economic stagnation and the availability of flexible workers.

The left's war on women
Ann Coulter at Right Wing News draws connections between Democratic gun laws and violence against women.

The NRA can still lose
The Daily Beast's Michael Tomasky calls on five Senate Democrats to stand up for gun control.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

President's budget to be released April 10, roughly two months late
President Obama will release his budget plan next week, two months after the February due date, The Hill's Amie Parnes and Erik Wasson report.

GOP Sen. Murkowski says her view on gay marriage is 'evolving'
The Hill's Daniel Strauss reports that the senator echoed President Obama in her comments about same-sex marriage.

FROM THE BLOGS:

Why social conservatives are fighting the culture wars alone
Matt Lewis in The Daily Caller discusses why social conservatives are now without many allies in the Republican Party.

Low-information voters, low-information state
John Hayward of RedState uses illegal immigration as an example to argue why big government is ineffective.

At DOMA hearing, Chief Justice suggests gays are too powerful for equal protection
Nicole Flatow of ThinkProgress highlights some of the colorful statements made at Wednesday's Supreme Court oral arguments.

Promise to protect immigrant women's rights
Mallika Dutt argues in the Huffington Post that it's important to ensure that immigrant women are granted equal rights and that they be protected from acts of violence.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Conservative justices rip Obama
The Hill's Sam Baker reports on the criticism levied against President Obama by Justices John Roberts and Antonin Scalia for his handling of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Baucus to IRS: How did the 'Star Trek' video happen? Who's responsible?
Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) voiced disappointment about the IRS-created spoof Star Trek video, The Hill's Bernie Becker reports.

FROM THE BLOGS:

Politico’s odd question on same-sex marriage and the Supreme Court
Hot Air's Ed Morrissey explains why the Supreme Court case is not as exciting or important as it seems.

Interweb tea leaves predict Supreme Court probably going to make everyone gay marry each other now or not
Wonkette's Kaili Joy Gray humorously speculates on the outcome of the Supreme Court case.

What Cyprus portends for America
RIGHTWING NEWS' Michael Porfido reports on Cyprus's recent attempt to tax all bank deposits and warns against similar actions in the United States.

ObamaCare a huge boon ... for temp staffing companies
Hit & Run's J.D. Tuccille argues that despite the burden ObamaCare places on businesses, certain sectors will find a way to profit from the changes.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Shatner ‘appalled’ by IRS ‘Trek’ spoof
William Shatner, who previously played Captain Kirk on the original "Star Trek," criticized the IRS for producing a spoof video of the popular science fiction series, according to The Hill's Mario Trujillo.

Obesity prevention grants aimed at nation's poor
The Hill's Ben Goad reports on the Obama administration's newest regulations for a grant program aimed at decreasing the obesity epidemic among low-income Americans.

FROM THE BLOGS:

Don't end the Fed, mend it
James Pethokoukis at AEIdeas thinks the Federal Reserve has an idea on how to reduce the size of the Fed's balance sheet.



Rove loves Ginsburg now?
Irin Carmon writes in Salon that Republicans are taking Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg out of context.

When does the shouting start?
Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo discusses the evolving moderate views of many in the Republican Party.



How Republicans can become compassionate conservatives again
Gary Bauer argues in Fox News says Republicans should stick to their principles on the sanctity of life and marriage.


OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

DCCC raffles trip to Obama Calif. fundraiser
The Hill's Justin Sink reports on the special prize that awaits some lucky Democratic donors.

Sen. Tim Johnson to retire, lifting GOP hopes in battle for Senate
The Hill's Mario Trujillo and Peter Schroeder report on the latest Democratic departure from the Senate.



FROM THE BLOGS:

New compromise on gun background checks floated
The Washington Post's Greg Sargent writes about Sen. Tom Coburn's (R-Okla.) willingness to rejoin bipartisan negotiations on gun control measures.

Over 30 Senate Democrats voted to repeal the medical device tax 
Erika Johnsen of Hot Air discusses the decision by some Democrats to strike down a provision of the Affordable Care Act.

Congress has a constitutional duty to preserve and promote the post office
John Nichols of The Nation gives constitutional evidence for why Congress needs to fund the U.S. Postal Service and why neglecting to do so is perilous for the country. 

Corporate taxes: Low rates, high revenues in Canada
Chris Edwards of Cato Blog argues that Canada's fiscal budget should serve as a model for the U.S.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

Obama gets diplomatic win with Netanyahu apology to Turkey
The Hill's Julian Pecquet reports on the Israeli prime minister's apology for the flotilla incident that occurred a few years ago.

White House withdraws court nominee who was blocked twice by GOP
The Hill's Justin Sink reports on Caitlin Halligan's failed nomination to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

FROM THE BLOGS:

The real Barbara Mikulski
Slate’s David Weigel says the senator may be the “Last Great Defender of Liberalism.”
 
Lowering healthcare costs a losing battle
The American Conservative’s James P. Pinkerton breaks down the thorny costs versus value question.

U.S. Capitol building a beacon of white supremacy?
Mother Jones’ Tim Murphy looks at the leaders commemorated in Statuary Hall.
 
Ryan budget a return to conservatism for the GOP
The National Review’s Andrew Stiles on what the passage of the Ryan budget means for the Republican Party.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
 
Senate hawks pressure Obama on Syria
The Hill’s Carlos Muñoz reports on the senior members of the upper chamber calling for military action in Syria.
 
Ex-Romney chief to dig dirt on Dems
The Hill’s Cameron Joseph reports on America Rising, the new GOP opposition research firm headed by Mitt Romney’s former campaign manager.