A NATO missile kills civilians in Tripoli, loosened regulations of nuclear power plants may make them more dangerous, Rep. Giffords heads home to Tucson, and Bill Clinton has 14 recommendations for fixing unemployment.
Also, USA Today reports on the record number of laws passed this year that require voters to show photo identification at the polls (http://usat.ly/lFznG9), and E.J. Dionne Jr. of the Washington Post writes how states’ restrictive voter laws are helping to rig the 2012 election (http://wapo.st/l1k6qF).
Caitlin, Katie, + Perry
CRITICAL:
NATO Admits Missile Hit a Civilian Home in Tripoli, http://nyti.ms/lCgwhs
On Sunday, NATO acknowledged that a missile hit a civilian home in Tripoli. The missile may have killed a handful of innocent civilians. Reporters have seen at least five of the bodies, and Libyan officials claim at least four more were killed.
Backlog of Cases Gives a Reprieve on Foreclosures, http://nyti.ms/jJxqec
With the huge number of foreclosures due to the recession, many states do not have the time to kick everyone in foreclosure out of their homes. In New York it would take 62 years to do so, and in New Jersey it would take 49. Courts are becoming more strict after banks were found to use inaccurate “robo-signers” to generate court documents.
AP IMPACT: US nuke regulators weaken safety rules, http://yhoo.it/kaMmFq
Federal regulators have been loosening standards on nuclear power plants to keep aging reactors from being closed. An AP investigation found that leaks were allowed 20 times over the original limit. The AP says these practices could “escalate dangers” for not just workers in the plants, but also for “billions of dollars and 19 percent of America’s electricity.”
For Giffords, a Brief Taste of Her Old Life in Tucson, http://nyti.ms/iXwRHC
Representative Gabrielle Giffords returns home to Tucson, AZ for the first time since a gunman shot her on January 8th. She now has a permanent shunt implanted that will drain fluids through a plastic tube into her abdominal cavity.
It’s Still the Economy, Stupid, http://bit.ly/m2WFaj
Curious as to what 42nd president Bill Clinton thinks about the economy? With fourteen million Americans unemployed, Clinton outlines 14 ways to get people back to work.
More states require ID to vote, http://usat.ly/lFznG9
USA Today reports on the record number of laws passed this year that require voters to show photo IDs at the polls. The paper notes that the wave of Republican victories in the midterm elections gave the GOP the majorities it needed in many state legislatures to pass the laws. Obama strategist David Axelrod called the legislation a “calculated strategy to hold down voter turnout.”
Is CA Doing Enough to “Rock the Vote?” http://bit.ly/kKmYPC
California ranked 10th in the Rock the Vote Scorecard. The state could improve it score by allowing online voter registration and same-day registration.
Rick Perry scouts 2012 bid, http://politi.co/kRjT57
Rick Perry, Governor of Texas since George Bush left to become president, is scouting out a possible presidential run of his own. His closest political adviser saying the chances are 50-50. Perry, popular with the Tea Party, would be an “instant contender” for the nomination.
Not only .coms as Internet body throws open domain names, http://reut.rs/iAIrxI
Today there are only 22 “top level domains” online, like .com, .gov, or .edu. Soon anyone starting a website will be able to use whatever domain he or she would like, provided this said person has $185,000 to spend on it. Corporations will likely be the first to register their brand names, such as .toyota or .coke, but communities could follow with names like .nyc or .london.
CULTURAL:
A Fresh Young Star Easily Wins the Open, and the Fans’ Affection, http://nyti.ms/jgMXfJ
21-year-old Californian wins Miss USA crown, http://yhoo.it/m2F5UD
CNN’s Ed Henry Jumps To Fox News To Become Chief White House Correspondent, http://bit.ly/mFWuBO
50 Cent Working On Anti-Bullying Novel, http://bit.ly/kum4Q1