The Commentariat -- Feb. 13, 2013

Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science. -- Charles Darwin

CW: Greg Sargent, via a tweet from Alex Bolton of The Hill, answers the question I asked yesterday: "Chuck Hagel cleared the Armed Services Committee by a straight party line vote. Next up: A full Senate vote. Republican Senators continue to hint that they will obstruct the nomination, perhaps by 'hold.' So it's good to see Harry Reid announcing that he will not, in fact, honor any Republican holds on Hagel's nomination. Getting tough on GOP obstructionism is long overdue, particularly in the wake of the passage of weak filibuster reform." ...

... Steve Benen calls Sen. Ted Cruz's (RTP-Texas) remarks prior to the Committee vote for Chuck Hagel "an unnerving display of McCarthyism." Right he is:

... MEANWHILE. Dana Bash of CNN: "In personal and biting terms, House Speaker John Boehner argued that President Obama's failure to find agreement with Republicans is a result of his lack of 'courage' and 'guts' to do what it takes." A bit later Boehner said, "I've tried repeatedly to come to agreement with the president. Every time I've gotten burned." CW: now you tell me -- who lacks courage & guts?

Neil Irwin of the Washington Post: "Combined with decent job creation numbers to start the year and other data on business activity, the economy seems to be holding up OK in 2013 despite the [payroll tax rise & the] tax increases implemented as part of a deal to resolve the 'fiscal cliff' at the end of 2012." CW: Irwin's reporting is a good example of carrying the Republican message. He ledes with this clause: "the 2 percentage point increase in payroll taxes that went into effect January 1" & carries through continuing to call them "payroll tax increases." But there was not a 2% increase in payroll taxes; rather, the 2% payroll tax holiday ended and payroll taxes went back to normal. Words matter.

Michael Schmidt & Nicole Perlroth of the New York Times: "President Obama signed an executive order on Tuesday that promotes increased information sharing about cyberthreats between the government and private companies that oversee the country's critical infrastructure, offering a weakened alternative to legislation the administration had hoped Congress would pass last year."

Annie-Rose Strasser & Adam Peck of Think Progress: "The Violence Against Women Act reauthorization passed through the Senate on Tuesday afternoon, by a vote of 78 to 22. Of those opposing the legislation, all 22 were Republican men. Every female Senator supported the bill.... Two Senators -- Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) -- also offered significant amendments to the VAWA bill. Grassley's amendment stripped all Native American, LGBT, and undocumented victim protections. It was voted down on Thursday of last week. Cornyn's, aimed exclusively on the bill's language relating to tribal lands, failed on Monday.... The version passed by the Senate today will next go to the House for a vote, where it is expected to encounter some difficulties, particularly over the protections of tribal women included in the bill." These smiling SOBs apparently think violence against women is A-OK:

When Did You Stop Beating Your Wife (or Significant Other)?

... "Fighting for Florida." Marco Rubio "justifies" his vote against the Violence Against Women Act. Something, something, states' rights, something, Indians! ...

... CW: Rubios's "concerns" about "the conferring of criminal jurisdiction to some Indian tribal governments over all persons in Indian country, including non-Indians," are particularly vacuous. According to the National Task Force to End Sexual & Domestic Violence Against Women, "Section 904 of S.1925 is limited to only crimes of domestic violence or dating violence committed in Indian country where the defendant is a spouse or established intimate partner of a tribal member. It does not permit tribal prosecutions unless the defendant has 'sufficient ties to the Indian tribe,' meaning he/she must either reside in the Indian country of the prosecuting tribe, be employed in the Indian country of the prosecuting tribe, or be the spouse or intimate partner of a member of the prosecuting tribe." So when Marco writes that his vote is a way he is "fighting for Florida," he is fighting for some white guy who live in, say, Everglades, Florida, & is married to a Seminole whom he likes to beat up. Well, that makes all okay, Marco.

Jon Chait of New York continues to get the best of MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, but -- remarkably -- Scarborough doesn't know it: "What makes Joe Scarborough such an enjoyable figure is his combination of affability, good intentions, high self-regard, low self-awareness, and total lack of analytical reasoning skills. He is not remotely dislikable. He is Ron Burgundy come to life." [Emphasis added.] ...

... ** James Downie of the Washington Post: "In the runup to President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night, several pundits have called on the president to focus on reducing the deficit. Early reports, though, indicate the president will talk more about jobs -- a good sign, because highlighting deficit reduction is wrong on both political and policy grounds.... The fact is, though, that not only is our national debt close to stabilized, whether or not the sequester takes effect, but also deficit reduction in the past two years 'would stand far above any other fiscal tightening since World War II.'"

ABC News: "Prominent environmental leaders ... are planning to risk arrest Wednesday at a protest outside the White House. Executive director Michael Brune would be the first Sierra Club leader to be arrested in an act of civil disobedience. The club's board of directors approved civil disobedience for the first time in its 120-year history as a way to oppose the pipeline, which would carry oil derived from tar sands in western Canada to refineries in Texas. Activist Bill McKibben and actress Daryl Hannah also are participating in the protest.

LBJ & Lady Bird Johnson's grandchildren read excerpts from their love letters, which the Johnson Library will release tomorrow in advance of Valentine's Day:

Right Wing World

America's Most Famous Deadbeat Dad, Ctd. Natasha Korecki of the Chicago Sun-Times: "After insisting he wasn't a 'deadbeat dad' throughout his failed campaign for re-election, ex-U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh is still dogged by questions about child support. Walsh, a flame-throwing Tea Party Republican who was trying to land a radio deal and last week announced he was forming a new conservative SuperPAC, filed court papers seeking to end his obligation to pay $2,134 per month in child support.... Both he and his attorney say that since he is no longer employed as a congressman, they want to 'modify' the previous agreement so that he pays 20 percent of his current salary. Walsh is not currently employed and has no salary." [Emphasis added.]

Local News

Republicans Are Still Nasty. Michael Fletcher of the Washington Post: "Despite having one of the nation's highest jobless rates, North Carolina's government took steps to enact some of most severe [unemployment] benefit cuts in the country. The measure would shrink the maximum period of time someone could receive state jobless benefits to 20 weeks from 26 weeks and reduce the maximum weekly benefit to $350 from $535. The state Senate gave preliminary approval to the proposal on Tuesday, and Gov. Pat McCrory (R) has promised to sign it into law, which would take effect July 1.... Unless [the unemployed] collect at least 26 weeks of unemployment checks from the state, they are disqualified from getting jobless benefits from the federal government, which add up to an additional 47 weeks of aid." ...

... John Frank & Renee Elder of the Raleigh News & Observer: "A Republican measure to prevent major components of the federal health care law from taking effect in North Carolina will almost certainly be approved after Gov. Pat McCrory endorsed the effort Tuesday."

Rebekah Dryden of the "Rachel Maddow Show" runs down state actions -- in just the past 24 hours -- intent on limiting women's reproduction rights.

News Ledes

AP: "Pope Benedict XVI is celebrating his last public Mass as pontiff, presiding over Ash Wednesday services inside the packed St. Peter's Basilica in Rome."

Reuters: "The United States and the European Union agreed on Wednesday to push for the launch by the end of June of talks to create a free trade alliance that could be a benchmark for global partners to follow. A free trade deal would be the most ambitious ever attempted, encompassing half the world's economic output and a third of global trade flows."

Los Angeles Times: "Charred human remains have been found in the burned cabin where police believe fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner was holed up after trading gunfire with law enforcement, authorities said. If the body is identified to be Dorner's, the standoff would end a weeklong manhunt for the ex-LAPD officer and Navy Reserve lieutenant who is believed to be responsible for a string of revenge-fueled shootings following his firing by the Los Angeles Police Department several years ago. Four people have died, allegedly at Dorner's hands."

The Commentariat -- Feb. 12, 2013

Phil Stewart of Reuters: "The Pentagon announced on Monday it would extend more of the benefits offered to spouses of heterosexual troops to those of gay personnel but acknowledged some key benefits, like housing, would still be off-limits, at least for now. The step ... will affect the day-to-day lives of their spouses in ways big and small -- from allowing them to finally get military I.D. cards to granting hospital visitation rights. But outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, in a memorandum explaining the move, noted his actions were limited by U.S. law, specifically the Defense of Marriage Act, which is now being reviewed by the Supreme Court and which defines marriage as a union between a man and woman."

New York Times Editors: "... two senators, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and James Inhofe of Oklahoma, say they will place 'holds' on President Obama's nomination of Chuck Hagel to run the Pentagon. A hold is a kind of minifilibuster, preventing unanimous consent to take up a bill or nomination, and preventing an up-or-down vote. Using this power for showboating, as Mr. Graham and Mr. Inhofe are doing, shows how easy it has become for senators to put petty personal demands ahead of the country's needs.... This kind of posturing is exactly why holds and filibusters against nominees have to end. Any senator is free to cast a vote for or against a nominee but should not be able to prevent others from doing so." ...

... Manu Raju & Tim Mak of Politico: "Some Senate Republicans are prepared to filibuster Chuck Hagel's nomination to become the next secretary of defense, a rare maneuver to block a Cabinet-level nominee that demonstrates the lingering hostility from GOP senators toward a man who used to serve with them.... Of course, it's still possible that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) cut a deal and a Hagel filibuster is avoided -- or that GOP senator[s] backs down from their threats."

... Ramsey Cox of The Hill: "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said that once work on the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is finished the Senate would proceed to a vote on the confirmation of Chuck Hagel to be Secretary of Defense.... 'Never in history has there been a filibuster on a defense nomination, and I hope that will continue,' Reid said on the floor Monday." CW: so does this mean Reid won't honor any individual holds put on the Hagel vote? I don't know.

Jia Lynn Yang of the Washington Post: "GOP senators plan to ask pointed questions about Jack Lew's work at Citigroup -- and his pay at the bailed-out bank -- when the Treasury nominee appears before a Senate panel for his confirmation hearing Wednesday, officials said Monday.

The White House will broadcast an online enhanced version of the State of the Union. Here's how it will work:

... Meanwhile, Margaret Hartmann of New York Magazine reports that "The House Republican Conference has launched the site http://www.gop.gov/SOTU/ so it can post fact-checking information and tweets from prominent Republicans during the speech." The comments to Hartmann's piece are quite good. Isn't "House Republican fact-checker" an oxymoron?

... Jennifer Epstein & Stephanie Gaskill of Politico: "President Barack Obama is expected to announce Tuesday night that he'll withdraw 34,000 more troops from Afghanistan over the coming year, the latest big move in his plan to transfer responsibility for the war to Afghanistan's homegrown soldiers and police." ...

... New York Times Editors: "President Obama ... [must] not forget the most fundamental democratic reform of all: repairing a broken election system that caused hundreds of thousands of people to stand in line for hours to vote last year. It is time to make good on his election-night promise." ...

... CW: here's a guess -- the President will be mentioning election reform in his SOTU address. Susanna Gamboa of the AP: "A delicate centenarian from Florida will sit with first lady Michelle Obama during Tuesday's State of the Union, symbolizing the ferocity and determination of a voter and giving testament to problems with America's voting system. Desiline Victor, 102, of Miami, endured a weather-delayed flight to Washington on Monday in order to get to town for President Barack Obama's address. She will be among the guests seated with Mrs. Obama...."

"Hearsay Economics." Paul Krugman: "... where do the reputable people get their [mis]information? Why, it's what they heard somebody in their circle say. It's hearsay economics all the way down.... It may seem hard to believe that this sort of petty small-group sociology exerts a vast influence on actual policy, and that it is actually responsible for millions of lost jobs. But the more I look at it, the more that seems to be right."

Bad Day for Deficit Hawks. Lori Montgomery of the Washington Post: "In recent weeks, the White House has pressed the message that, if policymakers can agree on a strategy for replacing across-the-board spending cuts set to hit next month, Obama will pretty much have achieved what he has called 'our ultimate goal' of halting the rapid rise in government borrowing.... Deficit hawks have reacted with alarm to the administration's position." CW: yeah, they're reacting with alarm because they might lose speakers' fees, etc. ...

... Jed Lewison of Daily Kos: "Eric Cantor, who voted for the sequester in the first place, now says it doesn't make any sense. He says he'd like to replace it, but only with spending cuts that target Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other social insurance programs. Cantor says that unless Democrats agree to such cuts, Republicans will move forward with implementing the sequester -- even though doing so will 'hurt a lot of people.' In other words, Eric Cantor has outlined the GOP position on the sequester: hurt a lot of people -- or hurt even more people." ...

... Jon Chait of New York: Wow, Joe Scarborough doesn't understand economics at all." CW: I should add that Mika Brzezinski is a good dancer. Other than that, she is MSNBC's bow to the tradition of always having an on-air dumb blond. ...

... Digby. "The Village has decided that Social Security must be cut. But will it be enough?"

Jane Perlez of the New York Times: "The nuclear test by North Korea on Tuesday, in defiance of warnings by China, leaves the new Chinese leader, Xi Jinping, with a choice: Does he upset North Korea just a bit by agreeing to stepped up United Nations sanctions, or does he rattle the regime by pulling the plug on infusions of Chinese oil and investments that keep North Korea afloat?"

Steve Benen on Ben Smith's claim -- linked in yesterday's Commentariat -- that President Obama is "screwing his base" via ObamaCare: "... the further we get from the needlessly inflammatory, please-Drudge-link-to-me BuzzFeed headline, the less outrageous the Obamacare policy is."

Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times: "... when the pope stunned the world on Monday with his resignation announcement, his supporters and detractors alike almost universally hailed the move as a moment of grace, sounding almost relieved to see the end of what has been a very turbulent journey." Goodstein takes a trip down memory lane, pausing on Benedict's greatest hits -- not a pretty review. ...

... Playwright John Patrick Shanley, author of "Doubt," in a New York Times op-ed: "POPE BENEDICT XVI quit. Good. He was utterly bereft of charm, tone-deaf and a protector of priests who abused children. He'd been a member of the Hitler Youth. In addition to this woeful resumé, he had no use for women." ...

... Jason Berry in a New York Times op-ed: "Benedict has one last chance to right some of the wrongs of the recent past by forcing out Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the dean of the College of Cardinals and the man who, more than any other, embodies the misuse of power that has corrupted the church hierarchy. Cardinal Sodano is hardly alone: a long list of leaders betrayed Catholics everywhere with their pathological evasions, sending known sex offenders into treatment centers to avoid the law, then planting them in parishes or hospitals where they found new victims." ...

... Washington Post Editors: "This pope's response [to the challenges the Roman Catholic church faces] was to insist that only uncompromising adherence to past doctrine could preserve the faith. Catholics who seek a different answer will have to hope that a college of cardinals dominated by the pope's appointees will choose a more progressive successor." ...

... CW: There are quite a few prognosticators out there already sussing out the various candidates for the papacy. Predictions being what they are, I'm going with John Oliver's approach:

"The Man Who Killed Osama bin Ladin -- Is Screwed," by Phil Bronstein, published by Esquire, has received a lot of media attention today: the man, who is identified only as "The Shooter,' left the military after 16 years, so is not eligible for a pension. He can't reveal his expertise to potential employers. One point of the story that enraged various commentators: he can't even get health insurance. ...

... This last "travesty" would be a lot more compelling if it were true. Megan McClosky of Stars & Stripes: "Like every combat veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the former SEAL, who is identified in the story only as 'the Shooter', is automatically eligible for five years of free healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs." ...

     ... Update: Esquire editors defend Bronstein's piece against McClosky's assertions.

Right Wing World

Tea Party, Debunked. Kevin Grandia of Firedoglake: "Shattering the public perception that the Tea Party is a spontaneous popular citizens movement, a new academic paper provides evidence that an organization founded by David and Charles Koch, attempted to launch the Tea Party movement in 2002. The peer-reviewed study appearing in the academic journal, Tobacco Control ... shows that the group Citizens for a Sound Economy launched a Tea Party movement website, www.usteaparty.com, that went live in 2002. According to the website DeSmogBlog.com, who broke this story [Monday], CSE was founded in 1984 by the infamous Koch Brothers.... David Koch sat on the board of CSE for many years and the group's first president, Richard Fink, went on to become a senior VP at Koch Industries."

American Bridge, a pro-Obama PAC, looks at the State of the GOP Union:

Ted Nugent, the kind of person who passes for a dignitary Republicans see fit to bring to a solemn Constitutional moment.Greg Sargent: "Lots of chatter about the news that GOP Rep. Steve Stockman, who threatened Obama with impeachment over guns, has invited [crazed winger, former rocker] Ted Nugent to the State of the Union address.... 'I am excited to have a patriot like Ted Nugent joining me in the House Chamber to hear from President Obama,' Stockman said in a press release. 'After the Address I'm sure Ted will have plenty to say.' ... The problem isn't so much Ted Nugent as it is the Steve Stockmans of the world telling their constituents that Obama's sensible gun reforms rise to the level of impeachment." ...

... Adam Peck of Think Progress: the Secret Service, which interviewed Nugent after he appeared to threaten the President's life, has "no comment" on his attendance at the SOTU. ...

... Steve Benen: "Republicans find themselves in the awkward position of having two GOP senators delivering post-SOTU speeches, and while they're speaking, a musician/right-wing clown will be hosting a press conference on Capitol Hill, which seems likely to become a distracting spectacle.... As the Stockman/Nugent story reminds us, the problem isn't that Republicans have some 'cranks, haters, and bigots'; the problem is that Republicans are a radicalized party in which 'cranks, haters, and bigots' routinely dominate."

Josh Marshall: new conspiracy theory -- John Brennan is a secrety Muslim.

Local News

Suzi Parker of Reuters: "Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, a Democrat, signed into law on Monday a bill that allows concealed-carry permit holders to take their weapons into churches. The Church Protection Act would allow individual places of worship to decide whether to allow concealed handguns and who could carry them. Churches that take no action will remain off-limits to guns."

Lucy Morgan of the Tampa Bay Times: "After two weeks of behind-the-scenes wrangling, former GOP party chairman Jim Greer walked into court Monday morning and pleaded guilty to theft and money laundering charges that could put him behind bars for 3 and 1/2 years. Greer responded 'guilty your honor' to charges he stole and laundered GOP campaign contributions through a company he created, Victory Strategies. He declined to talk with a crowd of reporters as he left the courtroom. The plea, which came moments before jury selection was set to begin, ends the prospects of a two-week trial that promised testimony from former Gov. Charlie Crist and a who's who of Republican politicians." CW: looks as if Greer fell on his sword for somebody.

News Ledes

Tuesday, February 12, 2013.

Here's the Los Angeles Times page with live updates of the Christopher Dorner standoff. It includes video. The New York Times has live video & updates here. MSNBC reports that the cabin Dorner is believed to be in has been "engulfed in flames." The AP is reporting Dorner "never emerged" from the cabin; also, a single shot was heard coming from inside the cabin before flames overtook the cabin. ...

     ... AP Update: "The extraordinary manhunt for the former Los Angeles police officer suspected of three murders converged Tuesday on a mountain cabin where authorities believe he barricaded himself inside, engaged in a shootout that killed a deputy and then never emerged as the home went up in flames. A single gunshot was heard from within, and a charred body was found inside." ...

     ... OR NOT. Los Angeles Times: "There were conflicting reports about whether a body was located inside the burned-out cabin Tuesday night where Christopher Jordan Dorner was believed to have kept law enforcement authorities at bay. Several sources told The Times and many other news organizations that a body was located in the rubble. But LAPD officials said that the cabin was still too hot to search and no body has been found."

New York Times: "North Korea confirmed on Tuesday that it had conducted its third, long-threatened nuclear test, according to the official KCNA news service, posing a new challenge for the Obama administration in its effort to keep the country from becoming a full-fledged nuclear power." ...

... Reuters: "North Korea conducted its third nuclear test on Tuesday in defiance of existing U.N. resolutions, drawing condemnation from around the world, including from its only major ally, China, which summoned the North Korean ambassador to protest." ...

... Politico: "President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday that the United States and its allies will take 'swift and credible action' over North Korea's latest nuclear test -- a move he denounced as a 'highly provocative act.' In a written statement issued just before 2 A.M. Eastern Time Tuesday morning, Obama promised that the U.S. will be 'steadfast' in its commitments to allies in the region. However, he was not specific about what steps the U.S. might take against North Korea or to shore up allies."

New York Times: "As it prepares for two sets of negotiations with outsiders on its disputed nuclear program, Iran said on Tuesday that it was converting some of its enriched uranium into reactor fuel, the state news agency IRNA reported, potentially limiting the expansion of stockpiles that the West fears could be used for weapons." ...

... Reuters: "The U.N. nuclear watchdog, [the International Atomic Energy Agency {IAEA},] said on Tuesday it would seek in talks in Iran this week to bridge differences that have prevented it restarting an investigation into the Islamic state's atomic activities. The agency has been trying for more than a year to revive its inquiry into suspected nuclear weapons research by Iran, which denies Western allegations that it is seeking to develop the capability to make atomic bombs."

AP: "The Vatican is acknowledging for the first time that Pope Benedict XVI has had a pacemaker for years and that its battery was replaced a few months ago in secret. Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said Benedict had the pacemaker installed 'a long time' before he became pope in 2005. He called the latest medical procedure 'routine.'"

ABC News: "President Barack Obama is spending up to $50 million from the Pentagon's budget to assist Chad and France in their efforts to combat militants in Mali< in North Africa. The United States has been supporting the French military's operations in northern Mali by providing refueling services for French forces and airlift support for French and Chadian forces. Obama issued a memorandum to the State and Defense departments Monday advising them of his directive to use the $50 million. The State Department already had notified Congress of Obama's intent to tap Pentagon funds."

The Commentariat -- Feb. 11, 2013

NEW. Seung Min Kim of Politico: "The Senate Armed Services Committee will vote Tuesday on the nomination of Chuck Hagel to be secretary of Defense. The vote is set for 2:30 p.m., the committee announced Monday." ...

... Tim Mak of Politico: "... Republican aides reacted to that idea by suggesting that some members could walk out in protest."

** Paul Krugman: "... the parties aren't just divided on values and policy views, they’re divided over epistemology. One side believes, at least in principle, in letting its policy views be shaped by facts; the other believes in suppressing the facts if they contradict its fixed beliefs.... For all the talk of reforming and reinventing the G.O.P., the ignorance caucus retains a firm grip on the party's heart and mind." ...

... George Stephanopoulos: "... on 'This Week,' Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., dismissed recent gestures by prominent members of the GOP suggesting a softening of Republican positions as simply 'lipstick on a pig.' ... Ellison said. 'I mean, the bottom line is, the Republicans have a core values problem, not a "who knows who Tupac Shakur is" problem.'" ...

... Pema Levy of TPM: "Republican strategist Nicolle Wallace said Sunday that Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) is good for the Republican Party because, as one of many attributes, Rubio "knows who Tupac is."

New York Times Editors: "The [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau] has taken seriously its mandate to protect the public from the kinds of abuses that helped lead to the 2009 recession, and it has not been intimidated by the financial industry's army of lobbyists. That's what worries Republicans.... Having failed to block the creation of the bureau in the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform bill, they are now trying to take away its power by filibuster, and they may well succeed." ...

... Nathaniel Popper of the New York Times: "Regulators across the country are confronting a wave of investor fraud that is saddling retirement savers with steep losses on complex products that until a few years ago were pitched only to the most sophisticated investors." ... CW: looks as if some of the scammers' success is an unintended consequence of near-zero interest rates; people who can't in fact afford to gamble on risky investments are susceptible to claims of fantabulous payouts.

"The Conscience of a Corporation." Bill Keller: the Obama administration's "concessions [to anti-contraceptive religious organizations] are not enough to satisfy the religious lobbies. Evangelicals and Catholics, cheered on by anti-abortion groups and conservative Obamacare-haters, now want the First Amendment freedom of religion to be stretched to cover an array of for-profit commercial ventures, Hobby Lobby being the largest litigant.... I understand why the fastest-growing religious affiliation in America is 'none.'"

David Sanger of the New York Times: "President Obama will use his State of the Union speech on Tuesday to reinvigorate one of his signature national security objectives -- drastically reducing nuclear arsenals around the world -- after securing agreement in recent months with the United States military that the American nuclear force can be cut in size by roughly a third." ...

... Jake Tapper of CNN: "Former Staff Sergeant Clint Romesha, who will be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in a White House ceremony Monday afternoon, will also be honored by the Obamas as a guest of the first lady at Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, administration officials tell CNN." (CW: I guess Jake got sick of playing 2nd fiddle at ABC News.) ...

... Justin Sink of The Hill: "President Obama will circle the country in the days following the State of the Union, with stops in Asheville, N.C., Atlanta, Ga., and his adopted hometown of Chicago." ...

... Ellen Hirst, et al., of the Chicago Tribune: "President Barack Obama will visit Chicago on Friday, when he will discuss gun violence as he focuses on his economic message from Tuesday's State of the Union address, according to the White House." ...

... Zachary Goldfarb of the Washington Post: "President Obama is considering a series of new executive actions aimed at working around a recalcitrant Congress, including policies that could allow struggling homeowners to refinance their mortgages, provide new protections for gays and lesbians, make buildings more energy-efficient and toughen regulations for coal-fired power plants, according to people outside the White House involved in discussions on the issues.... The moves underscore Obama's increasingly aggressive use of executive authority, including 23 administrative actions on gun violence last month and previous orders that delayed deportations of young illegal immigrants and will lower student loan payments. These and other potential actions suggest that Obama is likely to rely heavily on executive powers to set domestic policy in his second term."

Obama Channels Dubya. Peter Baker of the New York Times: "Particularly stark has been the secret memo authorizing the targeted killing of American citizens deemed terrorists under certain circumstances without judicial review, a memo that brought back memories of those in which John Yoo, a Justice Department official under Mr. Bush, declared harsh interrogation legal."

Americans for Responsible Solutions, founded by Gabrielle Giffords & Mark Kelly, put out this Web video today:

Ellen Nakashima of the Washington Post: "A new intelligence assessment has concluded that the United States is the target of a massive, sustained cyber-espionage campaign that is threatening the country's economic competitiveness, according to individuals familiar with the report. The National Intelligence Estimate identifies China as the country most aggressively seeking to penetrate the computer systems of American businesses and institutions to gain access to data that could be used for economic gain."

Larry Summers, the Nation's No. 1 Know-it-All, in a Washington Post op-ed: "With strains from the financial crisis receding and huge investment possible in energy, housing and reshored manufacturing, the United States faces a moment of opportunity unlike any in a long time. The economy could soon enter a virtuous cycle of confidence, growth and deficit reduction, much like it did in the 1990s. But this will require moving the national economic debate beyond its near-total preoccupation with federal budget restraint." CW: re: his recommendation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, unless Larry knows something I don't -- and that's quite possible -- none, or at least very little, of the Canadian oil would come to the U.S. Rather, it would move to Gulf refineries & on to someplace else. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong here.

Tracy Johnson, a sergeant in the North Carolina National Guard, in a moving Washington Post op-ed: "As long as DOMA is federal law, our government is required to treat same-sex military partners and widows like me as second-class citizens in the country we have sacrificed to defend."

More About Bob. Eric Lipton & William Rashbaum of the New York Times: "Senator Robert Menendez sought to discourage any plan by the United States government to donate port security equipment to the Dominican Republic, citing concern that the advanced screening gear might undermine efforts by a private company -- run by a major campaign contributor and friend of his -- to do the work.... The questions ... are potentially ... troubling for Mr. Menendez, who is already facing questions over his fitness for the Foreign Relations Committee chairmanship, because the contract involved a foreign policy concern: curbing the flow of cocaine to the United States from the Dominican Republic."

"Obama Prepares to Screw His Base." Is Ben Smith of BuzzFeed pissed off because he'll have to buy health insurance? Or because BuzzFeed will have to provide access to health insurance for its young staff? Or what? ...

... CW: Here's the thing, Ben. As Sheryl Gay Stolberg of the New York Times reports, "On a central philosophical question of the day -- the size and scope of the federal government -- a clear majority of young people embraces President Obama's notion that it can be a constructive force, a point he intends to make in his State of the Union address on Tuesday."

Grave Robber. Harriet Ryan of the Los Angeles Times: "Pressed to come up with hundreds of millions of dollars to settle clergy sex abuse lawsuits, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony ... quietly appropriated $115 million from a cemetery maintenance fund and used it to help pay a landmark settlement with molestation victims. The church did not inform relatives of the deceased that it had taken the money, which amounted to 88% of the fund. Families of those buried in church-owned cemeteries and interred in its mausoleums have contributed to a dedicated account for the perpetual care of graves, crypts and grounds since the 1890s."

Re: the tornado that hit Mississippi, & caused considerable damage in Hattiesburg, Tom Kludt, writing in TPM, has a relevant piece on Steve Palazzo (R), who represents Hattiesburg & initially opposed relief to Northeastern states hit by Hurricane Sandy.

Nicole Winfield of the AP: "With some decisive, often controversial moves, Benedict tried to remind Europe of its Christian heritage and set the Catholic Church on a conservative, tradition-minded path that often alienated progressives and thrilled conservatives. Yet his papacy will be forever intertwined with the sex abuse scandal.... Benedict never admitted any personal or Vatican failure.... He never took action against bishops who ignored or covered up the abuse of their priests...."

Right Wing World

Alex Pareene of Salon on the Right Wing World War: "The conservative movement is a massive and elaborate moneymaking venture" and the feud between the Rovians & the Norquistians is a fund-raising bonanza for both sides. "The entire modern conservative movement these days seems like a successful experiment in getting rich people (and lots and lots of non-rich people, whose donations are less coveted but accepted nonetheless) to pay an ever-growing number of pundits, think tank 'fellows' and 'scholars,' failed campaign hacks and people like Ginni Thomas who seem to serve absolutely no purpose whatsoever." CW: Pareene doesn't mention it, but of course major beneficiaries are the media.

Erasing History. Elon Green, writing in the Washington Monthly, notes that conservapundit Byron York, in criticizing President Obama for doing nothing on jobs, accidentally forgot about Obama's 2011 American Jobs Act, which "died on the table, thanks to Republicans, a month later. The failure to pass this $450 billion bill was of massive consequence to the economy in general and jobs in particular.... The Economic Policy Institute [concluded] that with the passage of the American Jobs Act 'real GDP growth for 2012 would have been 1.4 percentage points higher, bringing growth to 3.4 percent....'"

Ron Paul Sues Ron Paul Supporters. Andre Tartar of New York: "In a move that's baffled and enraged his staunchly libertarian fans, three-time presidential candidate Ron Paul has asked the World Intellectual Property Organization to confiscate two domain names currently held by his supporters: RonPaul.com and RonPaul.org. In a Friday blog post, the sites' proprietors fired back at their hero by claiming that they'd already offered to let Paul buy RonPaul.com (and its 170,000-follower mailing list) for a measly $250,000. (RonPaul.org was apparently thrown in as 'a free gift.') After all, that's the proper market economy way to handle this situation -- right? Instead, their beloved leader has chosen to expropriate private property with the help of a major bastion of liberal tyranny: the United Nations, which controls the WIPA."

Local News

Jack Leonard, et al., of the Los Angeles Times: "The [Los Angeles] Police Department concluded [suspected multiple murderer Christopher Jordan] Dorner was lying when he said his training officer kicked a man during an arrest. But it's not so clear whose testimony should be believed." ...

... They Shoot Pick-ups, Don't They? CW: I think this is the first time I've seen a full report of the Torrance Police's shooting at David Perdue, whom they thought was Christopher Dorner: "... the pickups [driven by the two men] were different makes and colors. And Perdue looks nothing like Dorner: He's several inches shorter and about a hundred pounds lighter. And Perdue is white; Dorner is black." After stopping Perdue & questioning him, the police sent him on his way. "Seconds later, Perdue's attorney said, a Torrance police cruiser slammed into his pickup and officers opened fire; none of the bullets struck Perdue." The Keystone Kops excuse is classic: after purposely ramming Perdue's car, his airbag deployed, so the cop who shot at him couldn't tell whom he was shooting.

News Ledes

Reuters: "U.S. President Barack Obama plans to release a long-awaited executive order aimed at improving the nation's defenses against cyber attacks as early as Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the matter. The order, drawn up after Congress failed to pass cyber defense legislation last year, is meant to improve the protection of critical industries and infrastructure from cyber intrusions."

AP: "Chicago police say the two men accused of killing a 15-year-old honor student mistook her and her friends for rival gang members who'd shot one of the men over the summer. Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy says murder charges were filed Monday against 18-year-old Michael Ward and 20-year-old Kenneth Williams."

New York Times: "Military leaders, law enforcement officials and thousands of others gathered at Cowboys Stadium [in Arlington, Texas,] on Monday to remember Chris Kyle, the retired Navy SEAL sniper and author who was killed with another man, investigators say, by a troubled veteran he was trying to help."

New York Times: "The authorities [in Los Angeles] have received more than 700 tips from the public on the whereabouts of Christopher J. Dorner, the former Los Angeles police officer wanted in connection with three killings, police officials said on Monday."

Space.com: "... NASA's 'Mohawk Guy' ... became world famous after helping NASA's huge Curiosity rover make a dramatic landing on Mars, and now he'll sit with first lady Michelle Obama during Tuesday's State of the Union address. The Iranian-American Mohawk Guy -- whose name is Bobak Ferdowsi -- will sit in the first lady's box to highlight President Barack Obama's call for more visas for skilled immigrants in the fields of math, science and engineering...."

AP: "A gunman who spent years in court battles over custody disputes opened fire Monday in the lobby of a Delaware courthouse, leaving two women dead before being fatally shot, authorities said."

** NBC News: "Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday he will resign on February 28 because of his failing health, saying he no longer has the strength to carry out his duties. Greg Burke, senior communication adviser to the Holy See, said the 85-year-old will step down on February 28 -- becoming the first pope to resign since at least 1415."

The text of Benedict's resignation statement is here.

AP: "Residents shaken by a tornado that mangled homes in Mississippi were waking up Monday to a day of removing trees, patching roofs and giving thanks for their survival. More than a dozen in the state were injured."