Thursday, February 27, 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. The Consequences Of Hate Arizona governor vetoes controversial bill allowing denial of service to gays Gov. Jan Brewer's official statement vetoing the bill Arizona's history of controversial laws and boycotts Michael Tomasky: Morally and Legally, the Right Call in Arizona Brian Beutler: The GOP's "religious liberty" scam just died: Why Brewer's veto is so momentous Jonathan Capehart: Brewer veto not best part of anti-gay bill's demise Amanda Terkel: States Reassess Anti-Gay Bills After Blowback From Arizona Legislation Bill sponsors agree to scrap Ohio version of Arizona's controversial religious freedom bill Georgia Business Group Suddenly Wants Georgia's Anti-Gay Bill Scrapped Another Big Win: Texas ban on same-sex marriage struck down by federal judge No Fracking Way First step toward fracking ban in L.A. taken by land use panel Colorado First State to Clamp Down on Fracking Methane Pollution Colorado Governor Hickenlooper Touts New Air Pollution Rules For Oil And Gas Industry Colorado Fracking Rules Could Become National Blueprint Exxon Mobil CEO welcomes fracking, but not in his backyard Fracking and U.S. Energy Boom Changing America's Place in the World Related: Corporation Exploiting Major Loophole To Quickly Build 600-Mile Tar Sands Pipeline Health Care Checkup Obamacare Enrollment Reaches 4 Million Registered On Exchanges Greg Sargent: Poll confirms; Americans know there's real no GOP 'alternative' to Obamacare Jonathan Chait: The Republican Health-Care Plan Is Almost Here, and Always Will Be GOP's staggering Medicare chutzpah: Why they're attacking Medicare cuts now Holder, Sebelius tout billions in healthcare fraud recoveries Sebelius lashes out at GOP governors for "playing with people's lives" by refusing to expand Medicaid Up In Smoke It's official: Pot legalization will be put to a vote in Alaska this August Momentum Is Seen as More States Consider Legalizing Marijuana Media Matters YouTube ordered to take down anti-Muslim film Al Jazeera launches global push to free staff from Egyptian prisons Nations In Turmoil Syrian govt. says 175 fighters killed near Damascus Gunmen seize parliament in Ukraine's Crimea, raise Russian flag Ukraine Parliament Approves Arseniy Yatsenyuk As New Prime Minister The War Over There Deadly car bomb hits Somali capital as al-Qaeda linked group, al-Shabab, claims responsibility International News UN approves sanctions against political obstructionists in Yemen National News The Monkey Cage: The new defense budget may change less than you think NASA's Kepler Mission Announces a Planet Bonanza, 715 planets outside solar system Special Election Early voters may hold key in U.S. House District special election in Florida Greg Sargent: What will Florida special election tell us about 2014 fall elections? Not much. Midwest Roundup Neb. state Senator confirms: State's water plan is 'chaotic, disjointed and irrational' Iowa House approves measure on drone regulation Wells Fargo to lay off 80 Des Moines area employees The Rising Tides Of Consequence Actions have consequences. Poorly thought out actions often have drastic, unforeseen consequences. The perfect example of these axioms were visible this past week in Arizona, as the state's proposed anti-gay "religious freedom" bill nearly passed into law. As we thoroughly discussed on Wednesday, and throughly displayed in Wednesday's extended edition, the bill would not have protected anyone's religious freedom. It also could have led to severely negative economic consequences for Arizona, from the potential loss of next year's Super Bowl, to the potential loss of jobs from major businesses like Apple & Intel. In an action that only seemed to surprise the bigots on the extreme right, after being blasted by progressives, liberals, Democrats, and in a pleasant surprise, corporations and even some Republicans, the tide made a signifcant turn and Wednesday evening Arizona Governor Jan Brewer vetoed the anti-gay bill. What's more, the firestorm that exposed the heinous Arizona bill also seems to have scared politicians in Georgia and Ohio who've now dropped similar doomed legislation. As we recently mentioned here, when Democrats and rational Americans stand together, America tends to win. That theory has been proven through growing numbers of wins on major policy issues, and those successes have continued to embolden progressives and liberals. Some Democrats have even begun to go on the offensive against major right-wing boogiemen like the Koch Brothers, as Greg Sargent pointed out yesterday. Winning is something everyone likes, but like any action, winning has consequences, too. We think it's important Democrats take a look at some of the consequences of our energy policies, before a rising tide of small political victories, relatively cheap oil, and high efficiency technology blind us to the mess we're creating around us... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for February 27, 2014 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy Jobless claims: Four-week average holds steady Builder Borrowing Picks Up, Possibly Easing Housing-Supply Crunch In Coming Months Wall Street Watch Fed's Yellen Faces Senate Panel Today, Likely to Stay on Message Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sues for-profit college company over student lending Economic Inequality IMF study: Inequality is damaging to economic growth, worldwide New research suggests inequality in America also shows wide disparity among age groups The Fight To Vote Ohio's 'war on voting' continues to intensify Frmr Pres. Clinton helps launch push against unecessary voter restrictions Weather, Climate, & Environment Scientists More Certain Than Ever on Climate Change, Report Says Sec. of State Kerry doubles down on comments calling climate change a major national security threat Southern California Prepares for "Largest Rain Event" in Three Years | Storms Bring Potential For Big Relief, New Worries to California Not Done Yet: Bitter Cold Bites Once More Time This Week in Midwest, Northeast Winter Won't Give Up: Bitterly Cold To Finish February and Start March ICYMI: Your Cap News Toon Recap for February 27, 2014 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update To Pay for Infrastructure Repairs, Pres. Obama Seeking $300 Billion for Roads, Railways Obama launches 'My Brother's Keeper' to help young minority men SCOTUS Brief Software Patents Finally on the Supreme Court Docket For First Time in 33 Years Supreme Court spectator speaks out in rare interruption of Justices News From Capitol Hill Democratic veterans benefits bill clears early Senate hurdle, now faces GOP roadblocks House passes bill to ease Freedom of Information Act requests for journalists | Jonathan Bernstein: House Democrats Trying Harmless Dispatch Petition Tactic to Pass Minimum Wage Republican tax overhaul plan would come at cost of hundreds of tax credits & deductions On The Left Greg Sargent: Dems hit back at Koch Brothers in Michigan Steve Benen: The right's perpetual victimhood & their new "Human Shield" strategy In Florida speech, Hillary Clinton makes case for 'full participation' and equality of all Americans On The Right Some Republicans warn GOP candidates too focused on health-care law in 2014 races Dana Milbank: Republicans flip-flop on 'judicial activism' North Carolina GOP U.S. Senate candidate opposes minimum wage hike, stops short of supporting repeal 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.