New York Today May Become Sixth State To Legalize Gay Marriage

One vote shy in the Senate; Catholic Church opposes

Multiple polls show majority support…

Americans Overwhelmingly Think Military In Too Many Places

72% say we’re fighting in too many places

Iraq and Afghanistan wars have not made us safer…

A Test For House Republicans

by Stuart Shapiro

The Senate last week, in a broad bipartisan effort, voted to repeal the ethanol tax credit.  This will save over $6 billion annually and get rid of a subsidy that has perverse effects on both the fuel and food markets.  Next step?

We join the 99.974 percent of economists in applauding the Senate’s bipartisan vote to repeal the 45-cent-a-gallon tax credit reaped by ethanol refiners. That doesn’t mean we’re done with the credit, of course: The refiners, led by ADM, will have a thing or three to say to House Republicans, who are now caught between …

Sen. Lindsey Graham: Congress Should “Shut Up” On Libya

War Powers Act “unconstitutional, not worth the paper it’s written on”…

U.S. In Talks With Taliban To End Afghanistan War

But SecDef Gates questions seriousness of talks…

Obama Impersonator Given The Hook At GOP Conference

Racial, gay, and anti-Mormon jokes get Reggie Brown removed from the stage…

It’s The Anniversary Of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill

The Senate passed it 73-27. From the June 19, 1964 New York Times:

Except for Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, all the Democratic votes against the bill came from Southerners…

The bill passed by the Senate outlaws discrimination in places of public accommodation, publicly owned facilities, employment and union membership and Federally aided programs. It gives the Attorney General new powers to speed school desegregation and enforce the Negro’s right to vote…

The Illinois Republican [Everett Dirksen] proceeded to answer Mr.[Barry] Goldwater’s implied rebuke of yesterday when the Arizonan called the rights measure an “unconstitutional” bill.

Mr. …

NATO Accused By Libya Of Bombing Residential Neighborhoods

At least four, including two children killed

NATO says it’s investigating…

Clarence Thomas: Ethically Challenged?

Contributions and favors from Harlan Crow, not all of them disclosed…

And Another Conservative Thinker Jumps Ship

by Stuart Shapiro

Fareed Zakaria has never been a raging conservative but his views consistently hew right of center.  Like most thinking conservatives, he is alarmed by the state of American conservatism (h/t Steve Benen).

But that history [of U.S. investments in science and technology] has been forgotten. When considering health care, for example, Republicans confidently assert that their ideas will lower costs, when we simply do not have much evidence for this. What we do know is that of the world’s richest countries, the U.S. has by far the greatest involvement of free markets and the private sector …

The President And The Speaker Vs The VP And The Governor

No scores released, but Obama-Boehner won $2 from Biden-Kasich…