Friday opinions, thoughts, and news

State Government, Budget Battle

• Washington’s unemployment rate drops below 8 percent for the first time since 2009
• Republican response to Gov. Gregoire’s proposed budget
• Gov. Gregoire proposes taxes to pay for $1 billion in education funding
• Senate Democrats reject GOP power-sharing proposal, offer counterproposal (link fixed)

Media

• Media ‘Watchdogs’ Upset Obama Received No Benghazi Questions at Wednesday Presser
• Piers Morgan: 'Of Course' I'm 'Gleeful Tragedy Happened'
• 3 senators slam 'Zero Dark Thirty'

 Big Government, EPA, Agenda 21

• Taxpayers will lose around $14 billion in Treasury’s sell off of GM stock
• EPA Withdraws Order In the Face of Farmer’s Lawsuit
• California eliminates scary public threat: Small-business burger stand
• Obama: Climate change is going to be one of my top priorities this time around

Civil Discourse

• The ‘National Discussion’ on Guns Begins: CT Congressman Calls Rick Perry a ‘Testosterone Laden’ Individual with Blood on His Hands

Foreign Policy

• State Dept. officials resign after release of Benghazi report: ‘Systemic failures’ left consulate inadequately protected; attack coordinated, not result of protest over a video

 Second Amendment

• Five-Point Action Plan for President Obama to Reduce Violence by the Mentally Ill
• The new horizon of gun control, Part 3. “Military style weapons”
• The post-Newtown witch hunt
• A gun ownership boom?
• Obama Sidelines Gun Control
• A conservative case for an assault weapons ban
• Disastrous Gun Law Sparked School Shootings
  
• PIERS MORGAN'S TOP 10 FIREARMS TIPS. Oh, did I say Piers Morgan? I meant the Founding Fathers