ICYMI: My quick take on why it’s going to be much harder for the GOP to de-leverage its position on race politics than people seem to think.

Montana legislators poised to allow eating roadkill for dinner.

Yesterday TPM Reader AM flagged to us that the New Jersey legislature is considering a bill to ban so-called “gay conversion therapy.” Of course, if it is passed, it would need the signature of Gov. Chris Christie. If he signs it, it’s probably another nail in the coffin of any national political ambitions in the GOP. If he vetoes it, he probably damages his increasingly potent cross-party appeal going into this fall’s election campaign. Read More

To get a good sense why the immigration reform ‘debate’ is probably over, read this.

Obama compares Israel-Palestine situation to US Civil Rights struggle.

So Sen. Saxby Chambliss has to become gay apparently before he’ll support marriage equality.

The House is voting on the Paul Ryan budget blueprint right now. It’s expected to pass, re-subscribing the Republican Party to the same economic and fiscal policies that contributed to their 2012 election losses. By way of example, here’s an easy-to-read chart showing who would benefit from the income tax changes in Ryan’s plan.

Late Update: The final vote was 221-207. Ten Republicans joined all Democrats in voting no.

I’m from Louisiana, so my first reaction to Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) eating lion is, how’d you cook it?

House gives final passage to government funding bill: government shutdown averted with an entire week to spare.

Video coming momentarily of Obama heckler in J’lem. “I have to say we actually arranged for that because it made me feel at home.”

And here it is.