Frustrated by our dysfunctional uncompromising Congress. I have posted to YouTube a political satire called "Taking the Tea Party Republican Tax Pledge" The link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfk6eVoUGPM

For an opposing viewpoint go to Americans for Tax Reform. Link below.

www.atr.org/taxpayer-protection-pledge

Right-wing group will take up voter suppression effort dropped by ALEC
Source: dailykos.com

The National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) will be stepping into the breach the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) left this week when it disbanded its voter suppression arm. ...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/19/1084764/-Right-wing-group-will-take-up-voter-suppression-effort-dropped-by-ALEC-

http://news.yahoo.com/usda-let-industry-self-inspect-chicken-191142649--abc-news-topstories.html

USDA allows poultry industry to self-inspect and allows factory farms to "speed up the processing lines to a dizzying 175 birds per minute with one USDA inspector at the end of the line"

Great article about a proposed new rule would make it easier to find out who’s bankrolling political attack ads by posting the information online. On Bill Moyers page

http://billmoyers.com/2012/04/18/i’m-big-bird-and-i-don’t-endorse-this-message/

A new big story in Texas Monthly has bombshells in the supposedly dead, long forgotten Bush national guard story. Must read!

http://www.texasmonthly.com/2012-05-01/feature.php

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/olivia-wilde/haiti-cholera-documentary_b_1432841.html
Haiti is the third-largest UN peacekeeping operation in the world, though the country hasn't seen a war in our lifetimes. Their mission in Haiti, known locally as MINUSTAH, has an annual budget of 800 million dollars, and yet, shockingly, there has been no large-scale reallocation of funds to cholera treatment and prevention. Providing clean drinking water for all Haitians -- the only way to control the epidemic -- would cost 746 million to 1.1 billion dollars. It would take only 18 days of their operating expenses to fund a cholera vaccination campaign that would cover the entire country.

This is an interesting editorial piece by Glenn Greenwald about Julian Assange, his new talk show and his hunger for hard-hitting journalism and transparency in government: http://www.salon.com/2012/04/18/attacks_on_rt_and_assange_reveal_much_about_the_critics/singleton/

Greenwald's article is a response to a review penned by Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times. Stanley has a different view on Assange's new show. That counterpoint can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/18/arts/television/julian-assange-starts-talk-show-on-russian-tv.html?_r=1&ref=alessandrastanley#

As a journalist at the dawn of my career, I believe Assange is doing the right thing. From what I can see, he is fighting for truth. I hope I, along with my fellow young journalists, take a lesson from Assange's bold actions. We need to rebuild the watchdog press, and Assange is a great role model. Naturally, Greenwald's article reaffirmed my beliefs.

But I took the time to read Stanley's take on the matter. I tried to rationalize her thoughts, and I simply cannot do so. Her review took a few shots below Assange's belt, in my opinion. If we value true journalism in our society -- which I hope we do -- then we should value what Assange has done for the industry. And we should at least give him a chance to prove himself as an interviewer, rather than writing off his show because it airs on a particular channel.

I just found this an interesting corrective to the American-centric view of the Internet:

https://chinabystander.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/how-sino-centric-is-the-world-wide-web/

When I read this article in Sunday's New York Times about Trish Vickers, it proved to me that the human spirit is alive and blossoming. Mrs. Vickers lives in Dorset (United Kingdom) and she is blind. The miracle of this story about her, is the fact that she wanted to write a novel.

You have to read this article for yourself to find the unexpected miracle that happens to this inspiring woman.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/15/world/europe/dorset-police-solve-mystery-of-invisible-manuscript.html?_r=1

A writer writes, no matter what the obstacles they may face. And, the heart of a writer lives within Mrs. Trish Vickers.

There's an essay that I believe every WNYC listener (& every consumer of media) should read, especially in this run-up to the election. It's called "The Braindead Megaphone" by George Saunders. It's a humorous look at how "the loudest guy in the room" controls "the discussion." I couldn't find a link to the whole essay, but here is one to a synopsis and brief excerpt. (If anyone can find a link to the entire essay and upload it here, I'd be much obliged.)

http://kottke.org/07/09/the-braindead-megaphone

Esquire's February 2012 issue was "Things We Can All Agree On."

Here is the link to the third page of an interview with former President Bill Clinton, discussing US infrastructure.

http://www.esquire.com/features/bill-clinton-interview-2012-0212-3

What is possible (or not) in Bosnia? Compare with a widespread opinion.
Sena

Article
Anger and Poverty Unite Former Enemies in Bosnia
By AIDA CERKEZ Associated Press, January 31, 2012 (AP)

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505245_162-57368810/anger-and-poverty-unite-former-enemies-in-bosnia/

3 articles on "job killing regulations." The first is Obama's vision for an effective, efficient regulatory system. The second argues for deregulation. The third is the kicker, criticizing both the administrations regulatory policies and the conservative overreaction to those policies.

1) Obama's Op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, "Toward a 21st Century Regulatory System."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703396604576088272112103698.html

2) An Op-ed from townhall.com titled, "The Onerous Effects of Over-Regulation."
http://townhall.com/columnists/edfeulner/2012/02/26/the_onerous_effects_of_overregulation

3) Last, but most important. NY Times columnist David Brooks' op-ed, "The Wonky Liberal."
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/opinion/brooks-the-wonky-liberal.html?ref=davidbrooks

http://volokh.com/2012/04/12/the-myth-that-the-individual-mandate-addresses-cost-shifting-by-the-uninsured-part-2-bronze-plans-are-not-the-same-as-catastrophic-coverage/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/miami-judge-rules-in-stan_n_1385219.html

This is about coverage of climate change and addresses the notion of 'false balance'. It contains many links, including links points of view from the other side.

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2012/03/14/444820/false-balance-lives-at-the-new-york-times/?mobile=nc

Jeffrey Toobin analyzes the Supreme Court's Health Care Bill hearings:

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2012/04/09/120409taco_talk_toobin

The Iran Debate: To Strike or Not to Strike
Arguments Over Military Action
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/features/collections/the-iran-debate-to-strike-or-not-to-strike

health care/ abortion debate

http://commonwealmagazine.org/separation-anxiety

interesting article on msn.com:

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/16/11225122-tough-for-zimmerman-to-get-fair-trial-defense-attorneys-say

http://reason.com/archives/2012/03/13/the-case-against-rent-control

The Case Against Rent Control

"What teachers know vs. what education policymakers do"
By Valerie Strauss
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/what-teachers-know-vs-what-education-policymakers-do--ravitch/2012/04/11/gIQAZdJeBT_blog.html

Flunking the Test
From American Journalism Review, April/May 2012
ajr.org/Article.asp?id=5280

"The White Savior Industrial Complex," by Teju Cole, in The Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/03/the-white-savior-industrial-complex/254843/.

Global Warming

"Reid Bryson maintains his long-standing opinions on
anthropogenic climate change, and he's certainly entitled to
them," Vavrus said.
http://www.debunkers.org/Library/files/block_0/GlobalWarmingHooey.pdf

I find that the internet has provided me with more access to conservative viewpoints. I participate in a forum where people from various perspectives talk about politics, and it's helped me be able to keep my finger on the pulse of conservative hysteria without having to browse over to drudge.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144703 - Pro Ron Paul thread
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=460275 - General politics