HuffPost Bloggers Threaten Boycott Over AOL Merger

Bloggers and writers for the Huffington Post feel betrayed by HuffPost founder Arianna Huffington's decision to sell her left-leaning news site to AOL. A blog post from the Adbusters web site claims that The Huffington exploited thousands of indie and liberal bloggers and is now cashing in by selling out to a "mega-corp." "But the Huffington Post is not Arianna's to sell," the Adbusters blog reads. "It is ours: the lefty writers and readers, environmentalism activists and anti-corporate organizers who flooded the site with 25 million visits a month." The blog announces a campaign to "Huff & Puff it down" by boycotting the site and promoting true independent blogs through Twitter.

Poll: Most Americans Oppose Republican Plots Against EPA

Republicans in Congress are promoting bold plans to curtail the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) expanded power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and hold industries accountable for pollution under the Clean Air Act, but most Americans want Congress to leave the EPA alone, according to a new poll released by environmental group the National Resource Defense Council. The poll reports that 77 percent of Americans said, "Congress should let the EPA do its job."

Republicans Attempt to Defund Planned Parenthood

Republicans launched a new effort to defund Planned Parenthood this week, according to The Hill. A spending resolution announced by House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Kentucky) would strip $327 million in Title X funding for low-income individuals who visit Planned Parenthood and other health clinics that offer reproductive health services. The Title X funds do not pay for abortion services, but conservatives in Congress are making good on a pledge to eliminate federal funding to pro-choice clinics.

Unemployment Claims Drop to Lowest Level Since 2008

In the past week, the number of Americans filing for state unemployment benefits fell 36,000 from the previous week to a seasonally adjusted figure of 383,000, according to the Labor Department. Reuters reports that the number is the lowest since July 2008, and the Labor Department reports that layoffs decreased in several sectors.

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