Today’s Links: July 6, 2012

OPINION

WASHINGTON EXAMINER EDITORIAL: “Not Content With Winning, Obama Aides Rewrite Court’s Ruling
“From the moment the Supreme Court rewrote Obamacare’s individual insurance mandate as a ‘tax,’ the Obama White House began pushing back, even though the ‘tax’ label is all that saved the law from destruction. But on Thursday, the White House took its denial to a degree of ‘verbal wizardry’ and ‘sophistry’ not seen since Chief Justice John Roberts’ baffling decision.”

TAD DeHAVEN: “Countrywide Cronyism
“House Oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) released a report today on failed mortgage company Countrywide’s use of a VIP loan program to curry favor with Beltway decision-makers. Members of Congress, congressional staffers, and cabinet officials received preferential treatment – including rate discounts and fee waivers – from Countrywide.”

JOHN SHAW: “This Land Was Made for You, Me and Its Critics
“What may not be so well-known is that “This Land Is Your Land” belongs to an American tradition of patriotic pieces made by critics of capitalism. The authors of the Pledge of Allegiance and ‘America the Beautiful’ also took a distinctly leftist view of the U.S. economic system. Make no mistake, Guthrie was a patriot. In May 1941, months before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, he ended his song “Pastures of Plenty” with the pledge, ‘My land I’ll defend with my life if it be / ’Cause my pastures of plenty must always be free.’ When the war reached the U.S., he volunteered for the Merchant Marine, and in his three voyages across the Atlantic, two ships sank under him, one hit by a torpedo, another sunk by a mine. Nevertheless, Guthrie was also a Communist sympathizer.”

NEWS

SURVEILLANCE – Is US government reading email without a warrant? It doesn’t want to talk about it
“Does the U.S. government read your email? It’s a simple question, but apparently there’s no simple answer. And the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service are reluctant to say anything on the topic.”

EPA – EPA’s New Limits on Greenhouse Gases Stand
“The D.C. Circuit upheld new emissions limits on cars and industry, despite their allegedly ‘absurd’ consequences, since greenhouse gases may endanger public health. Looking for more environmental law news? Click here to check out Courthouse News’ Environmental Law Review. Environmental regulators promulgated the new rules after the Supreme Court defined greenhouse gases as pollutants under the Clean Air Act in 2007 with its resolution of Massachusetts v. EPA.”

EDUCATION – More States Freed From No Child Left Behind
“The Obama administration said Friday that two more states, Washington and Wisconsin, will be exempted from many requirements of the federal ‘No Child Left Behind’ education law.”