Required reading from around the web of the best, most interesting, or most though provoking things we’ve read:
Freiburger: Senate fails to pass Paul amendment to defund Planned Parenthood
“The U.S. Senate voted 45-48 Thursday on Sen. Rand Paul’s latest amendment to defund Planned Parenthood, coming up short of the 60 needed to overcome current filibuster rules and pass.The Kentucky Republican introduced an amendment last week to the Senate appropriations package funding the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; which would forbid money appropriated for those departments from directly or indirectly going to any entity that performs or finances most abortions.”
Todd Starnes: California Dems prepare for crackdown on churches
“State senators passed the legislation last Thursday and the Assembly is poised to take up a final vote before the bill is sent to Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown’s office. […] ‘The faith community, like anyone else, needs to evolve with the times,’ Democratic Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi said during debate on the legislation. ‘The science is clear. The claim that the First Amendment can be used as a defense for promoting fraudulent conduct is a fallacious argument.’ […] The Alliance Defending Freedom called the breadth of the censorship is staggering. The alliance says that: . . .”
China’s new alliance stirs US worries over possible ‘military base’ in El Salvador
“El Salvador might be a small nation, but the United States is worried it has something more to offer mainland China than diplomatic recognition: a port that could be used for military purposes. The Central American country officially cut ties with Taipei and established a formal alliance with Beijing on Tuesday, leaving Taiwan with just 17 nations that officially recognise its status.”