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1.) Just what the defund Obamacare debate was missing — With the defund Obamacare debate taking over Capitol Hill, you might be wondering: How would Martin Luther King, Jr. have voted if he were alive and decided to run for elective office? TheDC’s Patrick Howley reports:
“New Jersey Senate candidate Cory Booker, who is also the mayor of Newark, suggested that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would oppose Rep. Tom Graves’ bill to fund the federal government without funding Obamacare. ‘At the urging of extremists on the right flank, House Republicans have voted 42 times to repeal President Obama’s health care law. … Now, extremist House Republicans are threatening to shut down the government if they don’t get their way. That is not moving forward,’ Booker said in an email to supporters Monday that starts out sounding like a standard press release then decides to go for the gold. ‘Right now, extremist House Republicans seem dug in on their misguided attempt to bring the gears of government to a halt, but it can’t last — though extremism might be stubborn, hope is more stubborn still. You can’t shake hands with a clenched fist,’ Booker said.”
What’s that? You say you weren’t wondering that? Oh.
2.) Who matters most? — In Alabama’s 1st district, political and non-political celebrities have made their pick in the special congressional election. TheDC’s Alex Pappas reports:
“The Weekly Standard’s Fred Barnes cut a campaign ad for a candidate in this congressional race. Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and former presidential candidate Rick Santorum have also made endorsements. The chief justice of Alabama’s supreme court — long known as the ‘Ten Commandments Judge’ — supports another candidate. And Katherine Webb, the beauty queen and model famous for dating University of Alabama football quarterback AJ McCarron even shook up the race last week with an endorsement of her own. You may not be following the special election to fill the open U.S. House seat for Alabama’s 1st Congressional District, but an usual amount of well-known folks are. And candidates are working hard to capitalize on these endorsements before party primaries for the heavily-Republican district Tuesday.”
So do the endorsements matter? And if so, who’s endorsement matters most? TheDC Morning really has no idea, but if Alabama is really part of America, the answer should be Katherine Webb.
3.) Defund Obamacare!!! — TheDC’s Jamie Weinstein(satirically) raises the bar in defund Obamacare debate:
“Any Republican who votes to fund President Obama’s salary will be declaring they stand with the president and his agenda. These are the times that try men’s souls. President Obama’s policies have been a disaster. Domestically, the economy is stagnant. Internationally, the world is on fire. Yet Congress is poised to support a continuing resolution that funds not only President Obama’s salary, but his use of the White House and Air Force One. … Though the Republican surrender caucus and the Washington establishment currently oppose such a defunding effort, if the American people rise up, they can force it. Frankly, our country depends on it. Call your congressman and ask him, why should President Obama be paid for screwing up the country? When ordinary Americans screw up as badly as Obama has, they don’t get paid, much less get the use of a private plane and a big mansion.”
4.) Yelp help — New York is finally addressing its long-standing Yelp problem. You didn’t know New York had a Yelp problem? No worries. Neither did anyone else. The Daily Caller News Foundation’s Brendan Bordelon reports:
“Investigators at the New York attorney general’s office masqueraded as the owners of a yogurt shop in order to snag 19 companies writing phony reviews on Yelp and other websites. The office was trying to crack down on fake consumer reviews online and decided to fight fire with fire. Reuters reports that the guilty firms, which offered ‘search engine optimization’ (SEO) services to businesses seeking to improve their online reputation, must now pay a combined $350,000 in false advertising penalties.”
5.) Tweet of Yesterday — Donald J. Trump: I am a defender of @MileyCyrus, who I think is a good person (and not because she stays at my hotels), but last night’s outfit must go!
6.) Today in North Korean News — BREAKING: “Kim Jong Un Gives Field Guidance to Construction Site of Dental Hospital”
VIDEO: Just because hockey is in preseason doesn’t mean fewer fights