Phony marijuana petition drive in California actually registers you as a Republican voter.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) takes to the Senate floor to laud the Republican filibuster of financial reform but implies that it’s nearing an end:

[T]his has been a very useful exercise. By giving people time to actually look at this bill and study the details for themselves, we’ve enabled them to assess not only the potential impact of the actual text of the bill itself, but also some of the unintended consequences it could have.

More here.

“[Immigration] is an issue on which Republicans salivate over short-term gains without much thought to the longer-term damage it will do the party,” Mark McKinnon tells the New York Times. That and the day’s other political news in the TPMDC Morning Roundup.

Stephen Colbert: Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein is just an average Joe who makes $5,000 an hour — $6,000 if there’s kissing. Watch.

When Jillian Rayfield and Evan McMorris-Santoro took a good look it turned out that the Arizona legislature had passed a lot of other pretty crazy laws of late beside the much-discussed immigration bill. And we got some emails over the course of the day from readers telling us about more pieces of crackpot legislation in their states. But we want to know more.

If you know of a particularly ridiculous, outrageous or just plain silly law your state legislature has passed or which is currently under serious consideration, let us know about it. Send us word at the comments email address at the upper right of the site.

Which party would Charlie Crist caucus with if he wins the Florida senate seat as an independent? “You’re way ahead of me,” he tells the Miami Herald. “One day at a time.”

Under the radar in this country there’s been a rising tide of fear on the right that the government is going to force people to be implanted with microchips. It was actually a B-list conspiracy theory tied to the Health Care Reform bill. But at least some conservatives seem to be warming to these oft-maligned little nuggets of silicon.

One of them is Dr. Pat Bertroche, who’s running to challenge Democrat Leonard Boswell in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional district. He believes we should microchip illegal immigrants to make sure we can keep track of them. Read More

As I’ve noted before, we’re expanding at TPM. And we’re starting with a subject area that is particularly important to us: green technology. We are looking for a reporter who can cover the subject expertly. Specifically, we are looking for someone who can explain the science behind the technology in an accessible way as well as explain the business, investment and policy dimensions of the story. The ideal candidate would have two or three years covering the topic. Candidates who live in DC or Silicon Valley will have an advantage. This is a contracting position with the potential to become a full-time gig.

If you’re interested, send a cover letter, clips and a resume to our comments email address at the upper right hand corner of the site. And use the subject line “Green Tech”.

It’s probably no accident that the best and brightest from Goldman Sachs looked like boiler room numskulls at times today during their Senate testimony: fumbling through exhibits, asking senators over and over to repeat their questions, and otherwise buying time. That’s the admitted-strategy of the attorney Goldman has hired to help the firm navigate the hearings, Lee Blalack.

It’s another sign that Goldman is playing hardball as its business practices and its role in the financial crisis come under scrutiny. In the genteel world of Capitol Hill, Goldman did the equivalent of showing the Senate its middle finger.

We’ve put together a reel of Goldman execs buying time today. Watch.

Can Carly Fiorina beat Barbara Boxer? Will we ever find out since Fiorina’s not going to be the Republican nominee?

No, I’m not certain about that. She could be the nominee. But virtually all the campaign coverage I see assumes that Fiorina is going to be the nominee, when in fact she’s behind in virtually every public poll.

Click the TPM icon to see a full size version of the graph.