Tuesday, February 11, 2014 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. Railing Against Austerity Amtrak Fights Big Oil For Use Of The Rails Oil shipments blocking Amtrak trains, due to lack of rail availability Amtrak train delayed 6 hours by coal train; passengers irked Rail service delays force American Crystal Sugar to slow production in Minn, N. Dakota; May lose millions $600 million has already been spent on rail projects during Obama Administration. It's not enough. High-speed rail in New England on track despite congressional budget axing Obama priority Equality On The Field N.F.L. Prospect Michael Sam Proudly Says What Teammates Knew: He's Gay Sports Illustrated: How will news that Michael Sam is gay affect NFL draft stock? Anonymous NFL execs try to justify their bigotry Chris Kluwe: Calling A Gay Football Player A 'Distraction' Is Code For Intolerance Michael Sam's announcement prompts NFL to examine what it considers a 'distraction' Dave Zirin: All-American Michael Sam Comes Out and the NFL Is On the Clock Frank Bruni: Panic in the Locker Room! Josh Eidelson: Straight America's gay baggage; Why Michael Sam matters Lt. Col. Robert Bateman: A Word To The NFL - If Gay People Can Die For Our Country,They Can Play Football Olympics 2014 NBC single-handedly pays for a fifth of all Olympic Games Bob Costas to be temporarily replaced by Matt Lauer, as Costas' eye infections continue Russian Olympic Torch-Bearer Apologizes for Racist Obama Tweet U.S. bobsledder who got stuck in Olympics bathroom gets trapped in elevator Muddied Waters North Carolina Toxic Spill: "This was absolutely 100 percent preventable" North Carolina regulators shielded Duke Energy's coal ash pollution Virginia Governor Monitoring North Carolina Coal Ash Spill; Pollution Creeping Into His State After Coal Ash Spill, N.C. Warns Residents To 'Avoid Prolonged Direct Contact' With River Immigration: Reform Coming? House GOP finds new ways to say 'no' on immigration, when 'yes' would be easier Eugene Robinson: On immigration, the GOP is out of step with America - and reailty The Spying Game Jeremy Scahill: The NSA's Secret Role in the U.S. Assassination Program Will the White House's big data privacy initiative distract from the NSA debate? Energy, Climate & Environment More than 1,000 flights canceled as winter storm moves into South Major Winter Storm to Target Northeast Late Week Nations In Turmoil UN aid agencies concerned about men and boys detained by Syrian authorities after being evacuated from Homs Syrian rivals hold face-to-face meeting, as peace talks continue Egypt's Crackdown Widens, But Insurgency Still Burns The War Over There Video shows U.S. abduction of accused al-Qaeda terrorist on trial for embassy bombings U.S. Debates Drone Strike on American Terrorism Suspect in Pakistan Terrorist Suicide Bomb Trainer in Iraq Accidentally Blows Up His Class International News Military plane crashes in eastern Algeria, killing 103 China, Taiwan hold first direct talks since 1949 split Iranians rally to mark 35 years of revolution States Of Confusion North Carolina's Moral Monday Movement Kicks Off 2014 With a Massive Rally in Raleigh In Arkansas, 'Private Option' Medicaid Plan Could Be Derailed By State Republicans Niraj Chokshi: The one place where economic confidence is positive is, you guessed it, D.C. Midwest Roundup Fracking would be under closer scrutiny in Nebraska under proposed bill Fremont voters to decide fate of controversial immigration ordinance Tuesday Iowa Senate panel votes to legalize fantasy sports leagues in Iowa Iowa House bill offers leeway for minors in prostitution cases Last Train From Austerity Point As winter's long train keeps blasting through our northern office locations, the bitterly cold air has kept that portion of our staff indoors, working, and often listening to news and discussions on the radio. One of the stories that stuck out last week, that the cable "news" channels seemed to pass right by, was a story on NPR, about how Amtrak passenger rail service in the U.S. is currently having to fight to use our nation's rail lines, thanks to both coal and oil companies hogging up the available space on the rails. Maybe it's because some of our staff members have literally ridden trains from coast-to-coast across America, and we often ride the commuter trains near our Washington, DC offices. Maybe it's because we've also ridden trains across Europe, and have seen how large-scale, high speed rail can work well. What we are certain of, after looking into the story that NPR reported last week, is that America doesn't have enough rail lines - a problem President Obama has been attempting to remedy since the Recovery Act, enacted during his first year of office. As of December, the Obama Administration, through efforts within the Congress, has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in expanding capabilities for rail lines. Investments from adding secondary spur tracks, to retrofitting or replacing bridges, have improved America's rail system significantly over the past five years - especially in areas like the Northeast corridor, where some high-speed passenger rail projects remain on schedule. Unfortunately, outside of that Northeast corridor, the benefits of President Obama's push for investment have gone almost entirely to freight companies. Meanwhile, passengers across the U.S. have effectively been left sitting in their chairs at stations, playing "train," while they wait for the backlog of freight and oil trains to get off the tracks... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for February 11, 2014 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy Fed Chair Yellen Tells Congress Recovery in Labor Market Far From Complete Sarah Mimms: Why Democrats Will - Eventually - Win on Unemployment Insurance Jamelle Bouie: How the Right-Wing Wacko Birds are Destroying the Economy Workers Fight Back UAW Vote at Volkswagen Plant In Tennessee Confronts Union Aversion in South Why is Volkswagen helping a union organize its own plant? Better business practices. A Contrast In Action: Labor Battle at Kellogg Plant in Memphis, Tennessee Drags On Wall Street Watch U.S. Stocks Rise as Yellen Says More Work Needed on Jobs Yellen says Fed on track to keep trimming stimulus Hitting The Ceiling U.S. Treasury Takes Steps to Avoid Breaching Debt Ceiling Noam Schieber: Why the Tea Party Is Folding on the Debt Limit Economic Inequality In DeBlasio's First State of the City Address, NYC Mayor Vows to Bridge Inequality Gap | Annie Lowrey: Even Among the Richest of the Rich In U.S., Fortunes Diverge Health Care Checkup White House delays health insurance mandate for medium-size employers until 2016 Sarah Kliff: The White House is relaxing the employer mandate again. It's not a big deal. Small Businesses Get Further Delay They Requested for ACA Coverage | Some Same-Sex Couples Denied Family Policies On Ins. Marketplaces Due To Biased State Laws Ezra Klein: AOL's CEO Armstrong Needs Obamacare - And He Knows It Jonathan Cohn: Now Conservatives Are Complaining That Obamacare Doesn't Do Enough Gender Equality GM Breaks The Ceiling; Says New Female CEO Will Earn 60 Percent More Than Male Predecessor Medals Still Aren't Enough: Female Olympians Say They Still Have to Sell Sexiness Marriage Equality Attorney General Formalizes "Broad" Federal Recognition Of Same-Sex Couples' Marriages Nevada drops defense of state's same-sex marriage ban; Officials won't defend gay marriage ban Media Matters Michael Smerconish To Join CNN For New Weekend Show | FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler: Time To Update Communications Act, Preserve Net Neutrality And now, for your Weekly OK Gazette Toon preview for February 11, 2014   (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update Obama and Hollande stress common ground at start of French president's state visit | President Obama to launch major new effort to help young men of color Christie-gate Continues Bridge scandal investigative panel issues new subpoenas, sets up possible courtroom showdown More subpoenas in Chris Christie case as helicopter travel is probed | New Jersey Democrats Now Have 'Buyer's Remorse' Over Christie, Says Former Christie Opponent Buono GOP Donors Worried About Christie's 2016 Prospects On The Left Jamelle Bouie: Monica Who-insky? - Why The Clinton Attacks Won't Work this Time House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer predicts Democrats positioned to win back the House in 2014 Senate Democratic leadership member Patty Murray to seek fifth Senate term in 2016 On The Right RNC Chairman Reince Prebius: Yeah, We'll Use Lewinsky Garbage Against Hillary Clinton Huffpollster: GOP Polls Completely Off As Pollsters Miss Urban Voters In Two Swing States Michael Tomasky: When Conservatives Cry Wolf 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.