There’s a new kerfuffle—a new word for the Curator, and for MRW—in Florida and Washington over climate change. Miami Finds Itself Ankle-Deep in Climate Change Debate was written by Carol Davenport for the New York Times on May 7, 2014. And last Thursday Caitlin MacNeal reported for Talking Points Memo on a speech by Secretary of State John Kerry, in which he alluded to an informal ban on the use of these terms—climate change, global warming, and sustainability—by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, reported by several employees. Banner-in chief Governor Rick Scott denies the charge. (Governor Scott on the deck of the Titanic: This boat is not sinking; the water is rising!)

Jonathan Chait writes for New York magazine,

The Curator shares much—well, everything, truth be told—with MRW. Thus, this week we start with Sotomayor May Have Saved Obamacare by Cristian Farias for Slate on March 6. The piece offers a recounting of the way in which the federalism issue developed last week in the King v. Burwell oral argument. Interesting to me? How little credit Justice Sonia Sotomayor has gotten in the mainstream media for seemingly setting the hook for Justice Anthony Kennedy and, perhaps, Chief Justice John Roberts.

Michael Tomasky edits Democracy: A Journal of Ideas, and writes about politics and related matters. Here, for the March 19, 2015 issue of The New York Review of Books, he has written 2016: The Republicans Write, which

On Wednesday, October 8, I mentioned Coming Around Again and major crush Carly Simon. Twenty-one weeks have passed, Wednesday’s are still coming around again, every seven days, and I’m still smitten.

This week, three notable people left us:  Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, retired president of Notre Dame University; Minnie Minoso, the (almost) forever Chicago White Sox outfielder; and Leonard Nimoy aka Spock. Each of these men lived long. Each prospered in his chosen field(s). We’re better for their having been with us, and may their memories be for a blessing!

Politics and angst have the Curator’s head spinning right now, so we’re focusing on other matters. The blue dress, for example. No, not the one which “that woman,

From the land of Blow-Hard-Ia, populated by the likes of Mayor Rudy and Bloviator Bill-O, we’ve been receiving lots of excess decibels in the past several days. Best commentary on Mayor Guiliani and his asinine comments about whether President Obama loves America? Here’s Wayne Barrett, from the February 19 edition of the New York Daily News, with What Rudy Giuliani knows about love — a response to his ‘doesn’t love America’ critique of Obama. (Regarding Bill-O, he appears to be in charge of his own fall, and surely doesn’t need any help from the likes of me!)

For some real thinking about a big aspect of loving America—how we feel and act with respect to the military and service—immerse

Waiting for the Conservative Jon Stewart by Oliver Stewart appears at TheAtlantic.com on February 14. It’s a good and interesting read! Alert to my readers—or is that reader, singular—from Far Right-i-stan: You may not like this one!

Well, tolerance for the filibuster didn’t last long in the Republican Senate. Joan McCarter wrote Republican Senators Reportedly Starting to Agitate for Filibuster Reform for DailyKos.com on February 17. Running something is a lot harder than bitching about it!

Wisconsin has for a century had the Wisconsin Idea, embodied in the University of Wisconsin’s commitment to a search for truth. “Not so much,” said Governor Scott Walker, who then claimed dumping the search for truth, in favor of meeting “the state’s work-force needs,”

My friend Naomi Yalkowsky Foster, an amazing pre-school teacher to whom countless families owe so much, posted Preschool Teachers Should Earn Like They Matter on Facebook. The piece was written by Laura Bornfreund for The Atlantic on January 28. It’s the lead article this week for a reason. Read it!

Regular readers know MRW does not like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. At. All. No one should revel in the troubles of another, but this man is definitely not who we want to lead us. For some of the latest on his ethical challenges, here’s Trouble in Trenton by Alec McGillis for Slate on February 6.

Why Are So Many Americans in Prison? by Leon Nayfakh, also for Slate on

I’ve written plenty about King v. Burwell and the latest fight in the Supreme Court about the Affordable Care Act. No new news, but when a writer—in this case, Garrett Epps for The Atlantic on February 2—manages to connect Harry Potter to healthcare, not sharing is not right. Harry Potter and the Healthcare Statute of Doom is excellent! (CBR, this one’s for you!)

Elizabeth Drew has been writing smartly about politics since yours truly was two, and every one of the 55 years which have passed since then scream and holler when I stand up. (More stretching!) For the February 19, 2015 issue of The New York Review of Books, Ms. Drew has written The Republicans: Divided & Scary.

I’m back about income/wealth inequality. (As one poster noted, “When Mitt announces in his rationale for running again that the gap and decline of the middle class will be his focus, (blames it on Obama), we can stop arguing about its existence.”) From the Center for American Progress is How the Government Subsidizes Wealth Inequality, written in June 2014 by Harry Stein, the Center’s Associate Director for Fiscal Policy. Call it the “smart” version of some of my recent pieces.

Is the Most Powerful Conservative in America Losing His Edge? by Molly Ball for The Atlantic—Jan-Fed 2015 issue—profiles Erick Erickson, RedState blogger and Tea Party big deal. Mr. Erickson seems like yet another guy who got himself and millions

It’s Wednesday again, and we’re fast approaching the Curator’s one year anniversary. Four more posts!

I really, really, really hate to even think about guns. Nevertheless, they exist, and closing my eyes and plugging up my ears helps not at all. Here’s Exclusive: Inside the NRA’s Response to Newtown by Patrice Taddonio for Frontline on PBS from late December. There are several links within the post, and some very serious journalism. Remember, just as the oil companies exist to sell us gasoline—notwithstanding their lovely Sunday morning television advertisements—the National Rifle Association exists to help an industry sell its wares.

Olga Khazan wrote The Unexpected Home of Unintended Pregnancy for The Atlantic on December 22. The title caught my eye,

When bad stuff happens and I’ve had day or two to digest the events, I usually look to the New Yorker for deeper thinking. Here, about the Paris events, is The Charlie Hebdo Shooting. Plenty of insights! (Expect my perspective this weekend.)

History Will Be Very Kind is the lead piece in a comprehensive review of the Obama Presidency, from the most recent issue of New York magazine. Jonathan Chait and Christopher Caldwell offer the point/counterpoint, and the assemblage includes observations from 53 historians. Of course, no one can really judge a presidency well for decades, but both main writers are bright and observant—one cheats a touch here and there—and, given the temporal limitations, this is a very impressive