Obama 'overreach' on birth control? "It will hurt President Obama's reelection prospects."

The government decision to require Catholic universities and hospitals that provide health care insurance not select policies that exclude contraceptive coverage was ethically correct but politically damaging for President Obama.

Compromise possible? Doubtful. Would it be helpful to have the insurer offer a choice to these employees, one with and one without contraceptive coverage, each at the same premium cost? That way, the institution is paying nothing extra for such coverage. I doubt that the bishops would accept this.

The best answer: single payer, Medicare-for-all. Employers not involved at all..

U.S. to ‘Right-Size’ Iraq Embassy
But denies plans to halve diplomatic presence.

Why we built Iin Baghdad an embassy far larger than any other is beyond me. Must have insulted other countries. Now rent out half of it?

Federal Appeals Court Declares Prop 8 Unconstitutional

A good decision. For years, I have been contending that the state should not be involved with "marriage", should only sanction civil unions. "Marriage" should be left to the parties and churches. Now, I realize that there is another way to look at the issue. When states sanction marriage, there is nothing sacred or spiritual about it. There is only a bundle of rights, privileges, and duties determined by the state. Therefore, there is no valid reason to deny this status to anyone based on sex.

White House: Obama Still 'Evolving' On Same-Sex Marriage

Come on. This is a former law professor who has made life or death decisions for our military and for Osama Bin Laden.

The Words of MSNBC

I like the cable network, MSNBC. But I can't say the same for its selection of names for its promotion and shows. A year or so, it chose a slogan to characterize its network, "Lean Forward." Not sure what that means, what it is supposed to tell me. Not backward? Looking to the future?

Can't say much for its program names. "Hardball" has been around for a while and implies intensive questioning. But why have "Last Word" on at 8 or 10 p.m. and "Now" on at noon? It has a new weekend program called just "Up". Scheduled to follow "Up" on Saturdays and Sundays is a new talk show with Tulane Professor Melissa Harris-Perry What will it be called? "Higher Up"? , "Down"?