"He did some research on the Internet"

Indiana Republican says Girl Scouts promote "homosexual lifestyles"

NY Daily News: A lawmaker has sent a letter to fellow Republican members of the Indiana House saying he will not support a resolution celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts because he believes it is a "radicalized organization" that supports abortion and promotes homosexuality.

In a letter obtained by The Journal-Gazette of Fort Wayne on Monday, Rep. Bob Morris of Fort Wayne said he did some research on the Internet and found allegations that the Girl Scouts are a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood, allow transgender females to join and encourage sex.

90 | Now the Republicans are after the Girl Scouts

But people still won't vote for him

Adelson Prepared to give $100 Million to Support Gingrich

CBS News: The billionaire casino magnate backing Newt Gingrich said he is prepared to give $100 million to help the former House speaker in his quest for the White House if he decides it is necessary.

Sheldon Adelson, who has already given $11 million to the outside group backing Gingrich and is expected to give another $10 million in the coming days, told Forbes magazine he is prepared to spend five times that amount.

61 | Gingrich backer willing to give $100M to benefit former House speaker

Economy

Dow Pierces 13000

WSJ: U.S. stocks rose in a choppy session, briefly sending the Dow above the 13000 level.

Stocks rose as the market opened as investors responded to news that a bailout deal has been reached for Greece, fell into negative territory and then began a steady march to the 13000 mark. It was the first time the Dow reached the 13000 level on an intraday basis since May 20, 2008. The last time the Dow closed above that level was May 19, 2008.

13 | Dow Pierces 13000

Citizens United

Justice Ginsburg knows the Citizens United decision was a mistake

Slate: Justice Ginsburg agreed that staying the Montana ruling was the right course, because lower courts are bound to apply Supreme Court precedent even if it is wrong; it is for the Supreme Court to fix its own wrong precedents. But then she added these words in a statement for herself and Justice Stephen Breyer with respect to the stay: “Montana’s experience, and experience elsewhere since this Court’s decision in Citizens United, … make it exceedingly difficult to maintain that independent expenditures by corporations ‘do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption.’ A petition {to hear the case} will give the Court an opportunity to consider whether, in light of the huge sums currently deployed to buy candidates’ allegiance, Citizens United should continue to hold sway.”

17 | Justice Ginsburg knows the Citizens United decision was a mistake...

Choice

Silent protest outside, Virginia House puts off ultrasound vote

Maddow Blog: What appears to be a crowd of several hundred people gathered today at the Virginia state capitol. Standing silently in the cold, they lined the walkway used by the legislators who have been voting on -- and voting away -- women's rights in Virginia.

From their Facebook page: The Capitol ground rules say that we cannot assemble, hold signs, chant, yell or protest. We think silence in the face of this struggle and their unconstitutional rules presents the strongest response to their assault on women. Please come out and stand up for our rights and for the rights of all women in VA to choose the best reproductive route for themselves. These people are used to signs, yelling, chanting etc. It is not new. They are not used to silently being stared at and having to look us in the eye. It gives us the power.

54 | Silent protest outside, Virginia House puts off ultrasound vote

Professor Santorum

Santorum: Democrats are "anti-science," not me

CBS News: In his remarks Monday, Santorum went beyond his usual discussion of the importance of increasing domestic energy production to deliver a blistering attack on environmental activists. He said global warming claims are based on "phony studies," and that climate change science is little more than "political science."

His views are not "anti-science" as Democrats claim, Santorum said. "When it comes to the management of the Earth, they are the anti-science ones. We are the ones who stand for science, and technology, and using the resources we have to be able to make sure that we have a quality of life in this country and (that we) maintain a good and stable environment," he said to applause, and cited local ordinances to reduce coal dust pollution in Pittsburgh during the heyday of coal mining.

85 | Santorum: Democrats are "anti-science," not me

Happy Presidents' Day! Santorum Compares Obama To Hitler

Raw Story: Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum on Sunday likened the upcoming U.S. election to World War II. While the candidate's comments to a packed First Redeemer Church in Cumming, Georgia were somewhat vague, NBC news noted that he "seemed to compare President (Barack) Obama to (Adolph) Hitler."

The former Pennsylvania senator told his supporters that this election was like World War II, "where our closest ally, Britain, was being bombed and leveled." "And America sat from 1940 when France fell to December of '41 and did almost nothing," he explained. "Why? Because we’re a hopeful people. We think, 'You know it will get better. Yeah, I mean, he's a nice guy. It won't be near as bad as what we think. You know, this will be OK. You know, maybe he's not the best guy.' After a while, you found out some things about this guy over in Europe and maybe he's not so good of a guy after all. But you know what? 'Why do we need to be involved? We'll just take care of our own problems, just get our families off to work and our kids off to school and we'll be OK.'"

The candidate added: "Sometimes, sometimes it's not OK."

52 | Santorum Uses Hitler Analogy To Describe Obama - RawStory

Equality

DOJ Will Not Defend Anti-Gay Block on Military Benefits

Care2: The Obama administration has said, in a letter notifying House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) late last week, that it will not be defending Defense of Marriage Act-like statutes involved in current lawsuits over a denial of benefits for the same-sex spouses of military personnel.

Title 38 prohibits married gay troops and their partners from receiving housing, medical, disability and death compensation benefits, among other entitlements open to married heterosexuals. Citing the Obama Administration’s decision last year to no longer defend Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act because after review it was found unconstitutional, Attorney General Eric Holder states in the letter to the House leadership that the administration believes the same standard is applicable where Title 38 is concerned and therefore the Department of Justice will no longer defend it in court.

4 | DOJ Will Not Defend Anti-Gay Block on Military Benefits

R-Money

TNR: Why Mitt Romney's Presidential Prospects May Not Be Salvageable

TNR: THE MITT ROMNEY CRISIS transcends the seven straight national polls showing Rick Santorum in the lead. It goes beyond the embarrassing reality that the son of an auto executive and two-term governor has been behind in every Michigan poll conducted since Groundhog’s Day. Even more devastating for Romney is that elite Republicans have begun to conclude that he cannot, if nominated, beat Barack Obama. About the only argument that still works for Romney among GOP insiders is that he would be less of a drag on the ticket than the strident Santorum or the mercurial Newt Gingrich.  

With the exception of Mike Dukakis (what is it about governors of Massachusetts?), it is impossible to recall a top-tier presidential contender who aroused such little passion among the voters. Perhaps Bob Dole in 1996—but if the Bobster didn't inspire awe in Republican voters, he could at least count on their respect. Compared to Dole's status as a former vice-presidential nominee, Senate leader, and war hero, Romney's boasts about the 2002 Winter Olympics and his single term as governor suffer from transparent grade inflation.

28 | Why Mitt Romney's Presidential Prospects May Not Be Salvageable

Good thing Obama saved the auto industry

"In sourcing" - GM to build new plant for electric cars in Maryland

By the end of the year, motors for cutting-edge electric vehicles will be built from scratch in a sprawling $244 million plant under construction next to GM's factory, now called General Motors Baltimore Operations.

About 189 workers will be hired to build the motors for a new generation of plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles, joining the 220 employees at the existing plant. The new plant's first order of business will be building motors for the Chevrolet Spark, a five-door mini-car with a hatch that GM plans to roll out in 2013, according to a company spokeswoman.

45 | "In sourcing" - GM to build new plant for electric cars in Maryland!