Something to Know - 30 January

1.  The Gun Culture nuts are sick.  Here they are heckling the father of one of the young boys who was take away from him at Newton:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/29/neil-heslin-father-of-newtown-victim-heckled_n_2572503.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=012913&utm_medium=email&utm_content=FeatureTitle&utm_term=Daily%20Brief

2.  David Brooks writes about the obvious presentation of the Republicans.  We hear much about needing to change and what not to say, and other low-hanging fruit problems, but that is all that is being heard.  Immigration Reform is hitting the committees in Congress, and will soon before the floor.  Same for gun control after that.   The GOP managed to kick the can down the road on the budget, but it will be coming up shortly in a couple of months.   No one is leading the fractured group right now:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/opinion/brooks-a-second-g-o-p.html?ref=opinion&_r=0&pagewanted=print

3.  Paul Krugman takes Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to task.  The Gov. takes the populist stand that he is going to try and eliminate the state income tax.  At the same time, he covers for this lack of revenue by raising the state sales tax.  Who do you think takes this in the shorts?   Who do you think makes out like a bandit?   The Republicans are trying to looks like populists, while they really assist the wealthy at the expense of those who are already hurting:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/28/opinion/krugman-makers-takers-fakers-.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130128&pagewanted=print

4.  Medical Doctor compensation is the subject here.   Bill Keller looks at the future of Medicare and The Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) as it seeks out a compensation system for the way MDs practice their work:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/28/opinion/keller-carrots-for-doctors.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130128&pagewanted=print

5.  This piece from the WashPost (Dana Millbank) squarely points out the diminishing effectiveness that the Tea Baggers are having on what is left of the fractured leadership of the GOP.  What remains to be seen is if the pissed off extreme right will pick up their marbles and go elsewhere come next election time:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-tea-party-is-losing-a-few-of-its-revelers/2013/01/29/42d290ce-6a60-11e2-95b3-272d604a10a3_print.html

6.  Gun Control is the next issue coming up.  It is imperative that public pressure be maintained on the legislators to ensure that something will come about this time:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/opinion/congress-takes-up-gun-violence.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

--
Juan

"My husband gave me a necklace. It's fake. I requested fake. Maybe I'm paranoid, but in this day and age, I don't want something around my neck that's worth more than my head."
       -- Rita Rudner