Thursday, April 24, 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. Our Terrifying Future The FCC is proposing new Net Neutrality rules that could enshrine pay-for-play & destroy Neutrality Alex Wilhelm: The FCC's New Net Neutrality Rules Will Brutalize The Internet Net Neutrality Advocates Angered by FCC's Planned New Rules Vox Media: Everything you need to know about network neutrality American Oligarchy Koch Brothers conservative group AFP keeps spending big bucks trying to oust Senate Democrats Aurora Victims' Families Denounce Photoshopped AFP Ad That Attacks Sen. Udall As 'Disgrace' Fact Checker: Four new 'Americans for Prosperity' ads filled with lies about Obamacare Race & The Right Nevada Rancher Cliven Bundy Makes Ridiculously Racist Comments, Says Blacks Might Have Been 'Better Off' As Slaves Ta-Nehisi Coates: Cliven Bundy Wants To Tell You All About 'The Negro' - This Won't End Well Conservatives begin backing away after Cliven Bundy's remarks disparaging 'the Negro' Joan Walsh: Race & the right-wing media - How dumb opportunism became a right-wing nightmare Bundy's position on race not uncommon on the right The Upshot: Southern Whites' Loyalty to G.O.P. Nearing That of Blacks to Democrats Race & The Left Jonathan Capehart: Defeating Obama's kryptonite with the black vote Aaron Blake: Black voters could decide who controls the Senate in 2015. Here's how. War on Women Finally recognizing danger, GOP is beginning to engage, clumsily, with Dems in battle for women voters Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signs 20-week abortion ban Immigration: Reform Coming? Pres. Obama Faces Growing Pressure Against Secure Communities Deportation Program Education In America FiveThirtyEight: More High School Grads Now Deciding College Isn't Worth It Energy, Climate & Environment Jeff Goodell: Obama's Last Shot At Fighting Climate Change Billionaire Tom Steyer: Keystone decision won't define Obama's environmental legacy Chris Hayes: The Economics of Climate Change & The New Abolitionism Nations In Turmoil Ukraine forces kill 5 pro-Russian rebels as Russia vows retaliation Turmoil in east Ukraine reaches across the country to Odessa, in the West South Sudan rebels say they are closing in on oil fields Pakistan jets attack rebel border bases The War Over There Three American doctors killed by Afghan security guard in Kabul International News Lebanon parliament fails to elect president Midwest Roundup Crowded Republican field avoids clashes in Nebraska GOP primary governor debate Iowa Senate oversight panel backs new whistleblower protections Absentee voting begins in Iowa for June primary The Terrifying Future That's Almost Here As we look ahead to the fall elections, and the 2016 elections beyond, both the Citizens United and McCutcheon decisions from this current excuse for a Supreme Court are weighing heavily on our minds. What's weighing even more heavily is that Americans soon may not have any serious access to honest media - and might only have propaganda from the new American oligarchs instead. We wish we could say that our comments this day were hyperbole, that looking into the near future of political campaigns in America wasn't like staring into a magic mirror that only spouted lies and a fog of obfuscation. We can't say that, though. Just look at the news. Since the Supreme Court effectively removed any serious limits on political campaign financing earlier in the year, the hugely wealthy Koch Brothers and their ironically named political advocacy group "Americans For Prosperity" have spent more than $35 million, just on negative TV ads, trying to slur, slam, and denigrate just four Democratic candidates. We're not exaggerating when we say that the Koch Brothers and those who stand with them will stoop to any level. The latest example of this was an AFP ad aimed at Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Udall from Colorado... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for April 24, 2014 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy U.S. factory activity expands again in April, though pace of growth slows slightly Steve Benen: Weekly jobless claims jump slightly; Seasonal factors push claims higher Economic Inequality Ed Kilgore: The New "Wedge Issues" Are On Equality - And They Benefit The Left Greg Sargent: Tea Party economics - A long term losing strategy for Repubs & everyone else too Health Care Checkup NYT: Southerners Don't Like Obamacare. But They Also Don't Want to Repeal It. New NYT Poll Blows Up The GOP's Obamacare Repeal Narrative NYT Poll: Even These Southern States Don't Want Obamacare Repealed Greg Sargent: Repubs aren't winning the big argument On Obamacare | J. Cohn: The Latest GOP Hypocrisy? Now Republicans Are Upset Obamacare Doesn't Help More People Republicans Try To "Unskew" New Senate Poll Showing Democratic Leads Kevin Drum: Running Away From Obamacare Is a Fool's Errand Virginia Government Rolls Full Steam Toward Shutdown Over Obamacare Media Matters Rated 'Mostly True': Hillary Clinton says today's media is more entertainment, less facts | Jon Stewart Skewers Sean Hannity: "You're the Arby's of News" Your Cap News Toon for April 24, 2014 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update President Obama backs Japan in ongoing islands argument with China President Obama's plan to cut unfairly harsh prison sentences, explained National News New Records: IRS Targeted Progressive Groups More Extensively Than Tea Party Navy investigates ex-Blue Angels commander after complaint he allowed sexual harassment On The Left EJ Dionne: How Democrats can woo swing voters and hold onto their base in '14 Ezra Klein: Is there a liberal equivalent of climate denial? On The Right Brian Beutler: Republicans' 2014 Midterms Strategy Is a Huge Gamble And The Founding Fathers Weep: Jeb Bush: I'm 'thinking about' 2016 run 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.