News You May Need:

NYT: Washington state institutes legal gay marriage. 

WP: GOP will extend payroll tax-cuts even without additional spending cuts. 

FT: Euro Falls after Moody's downgrade

WSJ: Israel says Iran is behind the recent bombings

 

The Day's Reads:

Brian M. Carney in WSJ: Fear and Loathing in Athens.

Jeffrey Sachs: On budget ideas that don't just favor the rich and powerful. 

Paul Krugman on "severe conservatives"

 

This Day In Politics

On February 13, 1945, Allied forces begin firebombing the German city of Dresden, a campaign ended more than 135,000 lives — more than both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

 

Not Politics But...

In commemoration of the Westminster Dog Show (which this author loves), a thought-provoking piece from last November on the health-problems of bulldogs, and whether the breed (or breeding) can be saved. 

 

What's Next

Prepare for plenty of talk about Santorum vs. Romney in Michigan. This could be the key contest in the primary. If Romney can win it there, he puts to rest most of the doubts about his candidacy.

 

Michael Brendan Dougherty 
Politics Editor