Breaking News

A new study released this week by the conservative Tax Foundation shows that Florida has the fifth lowest unemployment benefits in the country. Florida’s unemployment tax currently averages about 0.5 percent of all wages, which is eighth among the 50 states.

Democratic strategists are champing at the bit for Republicans to go on the record for total repeal of health care reform -- the strategists believe that once

As heated discussions continue over the national debt, two of Minnesota’s major political parties are wresting with significant debts of their own. According to Federal Election Commission reports filed at the end of July, both the GOP and DFL continue to carry debt from the 2010 election cycle. The Republican Party of Minnesota owes the most — more than $600,000 while the DFL owes close to $300,000.

The New Mexico House passed a Democratic-backed redistricting plan this morning, with every Republican in the chamber voting against the proposal. The Alamogordo Daily News reports : It would pit incumbents against each other in two redrawn districts, and sets up the possibility of another competitive pairing

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:

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

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.

As Avatar sails past a $500 million box office gross, more than 50,000 anti-abortion rights activists have signed up to participate in the annual March for

With the Home Affordable Modification Program faltering in its effort to stem the foreclosure crisis, Dean Baker, the co-chair of the Center for Economic and

A number of moderate Democratic senators are pushing to scrap comprehensive climate legislation and instead pass a much weaker energy bill that has been called

This video continues a conversation about anti-LGBT bullying that was started during the 2011 legislative session when lawmakers passed a bill that clearly defines bullying and specifically protects LGBT young people. The new law, which went into effect this school year, also requires each school district to adopt a comprehensive anti-bullying policy. “The new law is an important step toward addressing the pervasive problem of bullying against Colorado’s most vulnerable young people.

Kenneth Feinberg, who is taking over the BP claims process on Aug. 23, told Gulf Coast residents today that he is meeting in Washington, D.C., tomorrow to

A Christian group says it will target U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann over her opposition to President Obama’s jobs plan.