Blood payment
Facing prison time for a court-ordered fine you can’t afford to pay? An Alabama judge says there’s a way out: “Give blood or go to jail.” Critics are blasting him for human rights violations. Via The New York Times.
Oh Canada
Upset in the Canadian Prime Minister race: Steven Harper and the Conservative Party are out, and Justin Trudeau and the Liberals are in. Who is Trudeau, and how did a guy who just entered politics in 2007 rise to the role of Prime Minister? That’s right: family ties. Via The New York Times.
People’s Republicans?
Republicans will flock to the People’s Republic of Boulder later this month for the third GOP debate. Residents are bracing themselves for protests, students are griping they can’t get tickets to the main event, and everybody’s noting what was once a hippy town has turned into a tech-industry hub. Via The New York Times.
Rightward bound
Speaking of Republicans, two years ago Marco Rubio supported comprehensive immigration reform. Now, he’s swung rightward backing a bill supporting a crackdown on so-called “sanctuary cities.” Via Politico.
Terms and conditions
Paul Ryan is leaning toward taking the Speaker of the House gig, but only on one seemingly impossible condition — if he can get unconditional support from the hardcore right. Via The Washington Post.
Succinctly put
George W. Bush’s verdict on Ted Cruz: “I just don’t like the guy.” Via Politico.
Pack leader
In the wake of the first Democratic presidential debate, Hillary Clinton has regained her lead over Bernie Sanders, and support for a possible Joe Biden run is slipping, according to The Washington Post. The numbers answer the who-won-the-debate question, and the pundits were right: Clinton.
Money talks
“Money is speech,” and wealthy donors get to talk as much as they want. But as billionaire Sheldon Adelson’s rambling talk at the Israeli American Council shows — just because you can talk doesn’t mean you should, writes Dana Milbank in The Washington Post.
Moving on
Jim Webb didn’t fare too well with the Democrats in the debate. So he’s considering striking out on his own as an independent and decrying the two party system. Via Mother Jones.
Photo credit: Enokson, Creative Commons, Flickr.
