FRIDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* More Shahzad fallout: “The Pakistani government has arrested a suspect with connections to a Pakistani militant group who said he acted as an accomplice to the man accused of trying to bomb Times Square, U.S. officials said.”
* On a related note, NBC News’ Pete Williams was asked this morning why so much progress has been made so quickly. He explained, “It’s all because he’s talking so much. Prosecutors ask him every day, do you want a lawyer? Do you want to go to court? He says no and keeps talking.”
* More jitters: “After a nearly $1 trillion rescue package meant to end Europe’s debt crisis once and for all, financial markets took a second look Friday and began to worry about how the plan would actually work and the implications of the drastic austerity measures for the fragile European economies.”
* How are things going in Afghanistan? Not well.
* Marc Ambinder reports on the Defense Intelligence Agency classified interrogation facility inside Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan.
* New Hampshire lawmakers were offered a chance to criminalize the new Affordable Care Act. They chose not to, but I wish the margin had been a little wider.
* EPA doesn’t need to go to Congress to regulate pollution: “The Environmental Protection Agency unveiled a final rule on Thursday for regulating major emitters of greenhouse gases, like coal-fired power plants, under the Clean Air Act. Starting in July 2011, new sources of at least 100,000 tons of greenhouse gases a year and any existing plants that increase emissions by 75,000 tons will have to seek permits, the agency said.”
* The FBI is looking for a white man suspected of firebombing a Jacksonville mosque this week. The shrapnel from the pipebomb was found up to a hundred yards away, but no one was injured.
* Adam Serwer takes a closer look at Elena Kagan’s record on executive power, and argues that many of the recent arguments don’t withstand scrutiny.
* I’d love to see the end of the carried-interest loophole, but it’s a tough reform to pass.
* New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) loses his cool with a reporter. Conservatives can hardly contain their glee.
* The Associated Press wonders if too many Americans are going to college. It’s not exactly a great question.
* Michael Gerson’s piece on the politics of immigration policy makes a lot of sense. (No, that’s not sarcasm.)
* Chait tackles misleading conservative arguments over the Affordable Care Act’s price tag.
* Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) doesn’t want a mosque to be built near Ground Zero in NYC because “it is very offensive and it’s wrong.” He could just drop the pretense and wear an “I’m A Bigot” button his lapel, but that might be too obvious.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
