Tuesday Afternoon Super-Fantastic Open Thread

Good afternoon. Just a couple of quick announcements for you Crasstalkers:
Please take a moment to read the new commenting guidelines and the writing rules posted by our Beloved Leader last night. Also, there will be a writers workshop thread starting about 8 pm EST tonight. Please join in if you are writing or want to in the future. Also Coffee and Cigarettes is hosting the first Crasstalk Book Club Meeting on Sunday. Better get to reading, kids.

Here’s some current events analysis for you to ponder this evening:

Linda Kerber has an interesting piece on the historical origins of the 14th Amendment. Lately Republican lawmakers  have targeted the Amendment because it grants citizenship for anyone born oin the US regardless of the legal status of their parents. The “anchor baby” debate misses out on the real reason we allow this, Kerber argues.

The Christian Science Monitor’s David Francis examines how we can best assist the 1/3 of Americans who are now considered working poor. He discusses how education policy can help us slow the rising gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Thanassis Cambanis  discusses the prospects of real change after last week’s Egyptian power shift. While the protestor’s may have one the first round, real change will involve trying to work with the existing group of Egyptian elites who control much of industry and government.

Today is still silly 90s music day. Don’t think I don’t know that this is on your IPod. For shame.

Yes. It was released in 1999. You are that old (and so is Brittany).