I've let these accumulate. Take em or leave em.
- The National Journal argues that, despite recent Republican success in state and congressional races, public opinion research indicated the overall population is moving left. It doesn't necessarily mean that Democrats will start winning elections though - save the presidency where they have a structural advantage.
- Vox reports that "coat hanger abortions" - self induced abortions - are making a comeback. They look at the consequences in terms of criminal justice and politics. Might this turn slowly the scales away from pro-life to pro-choice policies? It happened before.
- The Atlantic makes a proposal. Democrats want more spending on infrastructure. Republicans want less red tape. They propose they compromise.
- The New York Times tell us that independents in New Hampshire like Bernie Sander and Donald Trump. Gaining their support might be their respective tickets to the general election ballot.
- Egberto Willies writes about the Powell Memorandum. This is alleged to be the memo responsible for mobilizing the business sector in 1971 against what it perceived as attacks on it from unions and other groups. The author - Lewis Powell - would later be appointed to the Supreme Court by Richard Nixon.
- The Austin American Statesman reports that the state executive committee of the Texas Republican Party decided not to put a proposal that Texas seceded from the union on the March 1st primary ballot.
- The Hill speculates on what Congress might do to President Obama's climate rules in 2016.
- Politico looks into the omnibus spending and tax bill passed by Congress in December and finds some unusual detail. For example, they outlawed changes to the $1 bill.
- Vox reviews some of the new state laws that went into effect January 1st.
- The New York Times reminds us that there were once white male liberals in Arkansas, and they even held office.
- The New Republic points out that while early reports suggest that money hasn't had the expected impact on the presidential campaign so far, it still has a major impact on state and local races.
