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In the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee on Thursday, Sen. Al Franken spoke about his Student Non-Discrimination Act and lamented that the bill, which would beef up national anti-bullying policies, was not included in the proposed revamp of No Child Left Behind that’s being considered in the Senate. Franken spoke of several recent suicides of LGBT students around the country, including Justin Aaberg who attended the Anoka-Hennepin School District

The New York Times made an incredibly moving video about what it’s like to live in Swat under the rule of the Taliban. The barbarism on display is repugnant:

State Medicaid directors from across the country are asking a group of federal lawmakers to consider allowing more flexibility in state Medicaid plans in order to cut costs. The Hill reports : The National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD) urged the supercommittee on Thursday to relax the rules that govern how states make changes to their Medicaid programs

The New York Times editorial board weighs in today in defense of Col. Morris Davis, the Air Force officer fired from the Congressional Research Service after he

A proposal to designate more than 60,000 acres in southwestern Colorado as either wilderness or a special management area is back before Congress.

It’s worth reading through Jason Zengerle’s long, definitive piece on tax resistance, but I want to highlight one section — an expose of how Wesley Snipes’

Sure, she got quoted out of context immediately after the near-attack on Northwest Airlines Flight 253. But in her testimony this morning to the Senate’s

Andrew Sullivan flags this Robert Kaplan piece from last week that about Afghanistan. Most of it is a recitation of can-do optimism about the war -- containing

Our sister publication, The Michigan Messenger, has been doing some great reporting on a massive oil spill along the Kalamazoo River in Calhoun County, Mich.,

The ACLU sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder demanding that the Obama administration live up their repeated promise not to prosecute people for using medical marijuana in compliance with state and local laws. Though Obama and the DOJ have said several times that they would not use federal resources to go after those who are complying with state laws allowing the use of medical marijuana, U.S

State Rep. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth (Pic by Mark Foley, via myfloridahouse.gov) State Rep.

Mark your calendars! Tea Party Express and CNN announced that they will be holding a debate of Republican presidential candidates for Labor Day 2011. More from

An interesting scene from a health care town hall held by Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa), a Democrat who easily won a House seat in 2006 in a district carried by

Further fueling the speculation that U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) may be making a bid for the White House in 2012, she handed out jerseys with “Bachmann” on the front and “12? on the back at a reception Thursday evening

The New York Times reported that the National Security Agency improperly wiretapped a member of Congress who was part of a Congressional delegation to the

Michigan residents could vote via absentee ballots for any reason under election reforms proposed by Republicans last week, but because the package requires voters to pick up their ballots in person, the change might not make it much easier for some people to vote. Under the current rules a voter can only get an absentee ballot if they certify that they are 60 or older, expect to be away while polls are open, are physically unable to get to the polls, in jail awaiting arraignment or trial, can’t attend for religious reasons, or will be working as a election official in another precinct

Gov.

After soliciting funds for defending its SB 1070 immigration law in court, the State of Arizona is now asking for funds to build a border fence across its 378-mile border. The website, buildtheborderfence.com, has received $113,460 in donations since July 20, ranging from $5 to $2,000, according to the Arizona Senate. State Senator Steve Smith is sponsoring SB 1406 , which would construct such a fence on the border

During the eight-month battle for unemployment benefits, the jobless organized online. Now, they are looking to the midterm elections.

Since launching his presidential campaign, Gov. Rick Perry has been hit hard with charges that, as governor, he’s promoted a system of crony capitalism in

According to Andy McCarthy, senior fellow at the National Review Institute, the idea of calling waterboarding torture is just silly. And the fact that Khalid