Wednesday, July 17, 2013   Published Weekday Mornings   To see the full version of today's cartoon, click on the preview graphic of the cartoon (below the Commentary) to be taken to the full version in your favorite web browser. Non-Nuclear Fallout Dems win filibuster fight as John McCain helps Harry Reid defuse 'nuclear option' Richard Cordray Confirmed As Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Adam Serwer: The consumer watchdog's work will last-for now Greg Sargent: By standing firm, Dems win nuclear standoff, though filibuster remains Ezra Klein: The Senate didn't go nuclear. But, actually, it kind of did. How a Deal Came Together to Save the Filibuster (And Avert the 'Nuclear Option') Alec Macgillis: Here's Why Senate Republicans Had to Fold on the Filibuster Weigel: For the umpteenth time, Senate caves on filibuster reform with good deal for majority party. Ed Kilgore: A Measured Blow to the Tyranny of King Phil A. Buster Obama selects National Labor Relations Board replacement picks Reid v. McConnell: Who Won, Who Lost in Senate's Nuclear Fight Markos Moulitsas: The filibuster was reformed today. Really. Injustice In America Feds Continue To Sift Through Evidence In Zimmerman Case DOJ solicits help from civil rights leaders in further Zimmerman investigation Four Other Zimmerman Jurors: B37 doesn't speak for us Alafair Burke: What You May Not Know About the Zimmerman Verdict: The Evolution of a Jury Instruction The problem for the Zimmerman prosecution wasn't Stand Your Ground. It was who had to prove what. GOP congressman on Zimmerman trial: 'Get over it' Tavis Smiley: I'm waiting to hear the NRA say if Trayvon Martin had a gun, he might still be alive Robert Parry: The Right's Racism Is Showing Rachel Jeantel Offered Full Scholarship To College By Radio Host Tom Joyner Guns & America Attorney General Eric Holder denounces 'stand your ground' laws in major address at NAACP Attorney General Holder: It's Time To Question Stand Your Ground Laws, States Stevie Wonder To Stop Performing In Florida And Other Stand Your Ground States John Nichols: Outrage Is Rising, in Florida and Nationally, Against "Stand Your Ground" Alec Macgillis: We've Had Our Conversation on Race. Now We Need One About Guns, Too Despite Trayvon Injustice, Courts Now Issuing More Pro-Gun Control Decisions IRS Mess IRS audit author Russell George is testifying under oath again. Will media care? Michael Tomasky: The Nature of the Beast - The Breathless Press and the Phony IRS 'Scandal' Energy, Climate & Environment Approving The Keystone Pipeline Could Cost U.S. Consumers $3-4 Billion Per Year in Higher Gas Prices Inside the Brutal Clean-up Efforts in Oil Train-Destroyed Lac-Megantic Nations In Turmoil UN refugee chief: Syrian crisis now worst since Rwandan genocide Muslim Brotherhood party holds protest day as Egypt cabinet starts work Pro-Morsi Egyptian protesters seek yet another 'new revolution' International News Same-sex marriage becomes law in England and Wales U.S. expert says North Korea has everything in place for new atom test Food poisoning kills at least 22 children in India, insecticide suspected International News Native American tribes' lawsuit could decide who controls Senate in 2015 Chart of the Day: "Current Military Spending is Lapping at Historic Highs, not Lows." Top Pennsylvania Republican Admits Voter ID Helped Suppress Obama Voters Midwest Roundup Nebraska sees big jump in tax incentive deals Steamy hot temps bring cattle deaths across Nebraska Nebraska's capitol city considering mandatory recycling Iowa GOP Gov. Branstad blasted for lobbying against clean water standards Nuclear Option Fallout As we noted in our extended edition on Tuesday, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid did not end up pushing the button on the "nuclear option" that would have changed the filibuster rules in the Senate. Like Ed Kilgore at The Washington Monthly, some of our staff members were a bit disappointed that Sen. Reid didn't lay legislative waste to the long-abused rules of the Senate filibuster. Still, Tuesday's deal with Senate Republicans to at least modify how the Senate uses the filibuster was a major win, both for Harry Reid and indeed for the Senate itself. As Greg Sargent explained at The Plum Line blog, the agreement is fairly simple. Under the new rules, President Obama's nominations for all open Executive Branch positions will get more than 60 votes to break any filibuster on cloture. In practical terms, that means President Obama now only needs a majority vote in the Senate for confirmation of his choices. Democrats also didn't agree to put the legislative nuke back in its silo - meaning Senate Republicans will continue to have the fallout from the near-nuclear option hanging over their heads for the foreseeable future. While some Republicans still see this whole event as a giant turkey, as Sahil Kapur noted at TPM, the deal still leaves the 60-vote threshold alive for nearly everything else in the Senate. Finally, in exchange for Republicans discontinuing their nullification-by-filibuster policy... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for July 17, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy O.E.C.D. Forecasts Worldwide Joblessness to Keep Rising, Except in U.S. & Germany Jim Tankersley: Higher productivity used to mean higher wages. Has that broken down? Housing Starts in U.S. Unexpectedly Fall to Lowest in a Year Wall Street Watch Bernanke Says Fed's Bond Purchases Aren't on 'Preset Course' Wall Street advances after Bernanke statement Quote of the Day, Ben Bernanke: Congress is Biggest Roadblock to Economic Recovery Inequality In America McDonalds' suggested budget for employees shows just how impossible it is to get by on minimum wage Charles Koch on the Poor: Let Them Eat 'Economic Freedom' | Tim Lee: That McDonald's budget that people are making fun of isn't cruel. It's cruelly realistic. Great Gatsby Curve: Inequality & the End of Upward Mobility in America Immigration: Reform Coming? Bipartisan House immigration group weighs when to unveil plan Greg Sargent: Republicans now trying to define 'citizenship' down Jorge Ramos: How Can Republicans Lose The White House In 2016? Ignore Immigration Reform John Stanton: No, Congressman, You Probably Won't Lose Your Job For Voting For Immigration Reform The Spying Game Yahoo "wins" public disclosure on FISA files - DoJ docs can still be redacted Rand Paul threatens hold on FBI nominee over domestic drone policy Sen. Graham: U.S. should consider Olympic boycott of Russian games over possible Snowden asylum Snowden may leave Moscow airport within next few days War on Women Closets, Air Conditioning, And Water Fountains: The Current Anti-Choice Weapons Against Abortion Media Ignores Why Women Need Access To Abortion After 20 Weeks Fighting Back: Texas Bill Would Block Anti-Abortion Laws Until Death Penalty Is Abolished Health Care Checkup Obamacare Effects: Health Plan Cost for New Yorkers Set to Fall 50% House GOP To Force Vote Wednesday On Delaying Obamacare Individual Mandate Yglesias: Obamacare Skeptics Are Deluding Themselves. The White House has a plan & it's going to work. Media Matters Olbermann Will Return To ESPN for late night talk show Communications Breakdown Journalism On Trial as Bradley Manning Case Nears Moment of Truth Here It Is! Your HuskerNutz Preview for July 17, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update Pres. Obama uses interviews on Univision, Telemundo to press case for immigration reform In 2nd Term, Obama Is Often Seen as Using 'Hidden Hand' Approach News From Capitol Hill GOP Dominated House Sends Its Farm Bill Without Food Aid to Senate House GOP Cuts Funding For Lead Removal - A Proven Crime Reducer - in Half On The Left Josh Eidelson: Who Should Fund Alt-Labor? Andy Kroll: Hillary Clinton, The Right-Wing Fund Raising Machine On The Right Liz Cheney to primary Sen. Enzi in Wyoming Ed Kilgore: Uh, Yeah, This Is a Different GOP States Of Confusion Cuccinelli looks to go on offense against McAuliffe over Virginia anti-sodomy law Public Policy Polling: Democrats lead in all Virginia races | North Carolina anti-abortion bill hurts Republican Governor Pat McCrory, poll finds GOP Lawmaker In Utah Wants To End Compulsory Education In The State We hope you enjoy "The Daily Felltoon" every business day. Thanks for continuing to be a member! Paul Fell Shawn "Smith" Peirce Paul Fell Cartoons, Inc.