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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.

State Rep. Reggie Fullwood, D-Jacksonville (Pic by Meredith Geddings, via myfloridahouse.gov) Under Florida statutes, a student who wishes to qualify for in-state tuition fees for higher education has to provide proof of residency, and if the student is a dependent also must provide proof of his or her parents’ legal residency. State Rep.

Jim Leljedal, media director for the Broward Sheriff’s Office, tells The Florida Independent that charges of criminal transmission of HIV filed against Daniel Hay Lewis are not false. # Leljedal confirmed that the sheriff’s office requested on Wednesday that the Broward state attorney’s office drop the charge of criminal transmission of HIV against Lewis.

TIFFIN — Speaking before a large gathering of 2nd Congressional District Republicans, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum painted himself as the GOP’s best bet for defeat of Barack Obama in 2012, and continued his ongoing stump speech that defines key pieces of the Declaration of Independence for caucus-goers

You watch, said FreedomWorks spokesman Adam Brandon. This is the idea that’s going to change the election.

Advocates are not accepting explanations Florida legislators are giving for their rejection of federal grant money for a program aimed at curbing child abuse and neglect. # Florida policymakers have recently received scrutiny for rejecting home vising grants from the Affordable Care Act

Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, sent a letter to key Obama administration

Officials from the conservative activist group The Family Leader are choosing to stay mum on donation amounts they have accumulated in recent weeks in light a protest petition against their leader Bob Vander Plaats , but say the overall amount is “unprecedented.” Bob Vander Plaats “I can tell you that we have received unprecedented support, but we’re not going to release any amounts or the names of our donors at this point in time,” Julie Summa, director of marketing for The Family Leader, told The Iowa Independent Wednesday afternoon.

State officials have ordered a review of the finances of the Highland Park School system, which has lost more than half its students in the last four years and is facing a $19.9 million deficit. Under Michigan’s Emergency Manager law, financial review is the first step in a process that can result in take over of a school system.

Matthew Yglesias reports that Mancow, the libertarian/conservative shock jock, had himself waterboarded as a stunt to prove that the practice was not torture.

Undocumented workers make up large proportions of the nation’s chefs, cooks and dishwashers, and as the Obama administration shifts much of its immigration

Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ statements yesterday that he expects the United States will have to transfer up to 100 prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to the

Joining Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), who announced that she could no longer attend the National Tea Party Convention being held in her own state, Rep.

Our sister publication, The Florida Independent, has a great story this morning on industry lobbying against the Environmental Protection Agency’s water quality

One of the more sensational aspects of the Northwest Airlines Flight 253 review is that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab’s name was inconsistently spelled by State

My colleague Luke Johnson got some reaction from the Sierra Club on Kendrick Meek’s rejection of the environmental group’s endorsement. Meek rejected the

The American Independent News Network and the Michigan Messenger are taking the day off to celebrate Presidents Day. Originally a celebration of George Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22, it is now viewed as a celebration of his and Lincoln’s birthday, which was Feb

A new report from the National Employment Law Project shows that many states, faced with serious budget problems, have passed laws limiting access to unemployment insurance benefits — including Michigan, of course. State lawmakers enacted a range of policies in 2011 to amend their unemployment insurance (UI) programs, most of them motivated by insolvent state trust funds. Most notably, six states passed unprecedented cuts in the duration of benefits, for the first time reducing benefit weeks to less than the decades-long accepted standard of 26 weeks.

Noah Shachtman at Danger Room has an alarming post about Tara O’Toole, the Obama administration’s pick to become Undersecretary of Homeland Security for Science

Hundreds of Occupy Des Moines demonstrators will march on Terrace Hill on Saturday, part of an international “Robin Hood Tax” day of action.