Nancy Hanks at The Hankster finds a Declaration of Independents that, at last, explains what independent voters really want.

Jack Jodell, friend of the working blogger, at THE SATURDAY AFTERNOON POST focuses on one public figure and explains what Rick Santorum really wants. It begins with a strong candidate for funniest headline of the week.

Infidel 753 observes growing acrimony within the GOP as the fight for the nomination continues. He shares the popcorn.

Manifesto Joe of Texas Blues is already there, partakes of the popcorn and provides the latest play-by-play.

Max's Dad examines the latest Obama maneuver and finds it wanting. The administration is in a bind over mandating Catholic run non-church hospitals and other institutions to allow for contraceptives as part of health care. Lots of push-back because freedom of religion does not mean freedom from religion. Or something. Freedom of religion means freedom to financially restrict practices that are against the religion of employers. Republicans are on the attack over it. Women are defensive over it.

So Obama tells Catholic authorities they don't have to provide contraceptives. Just their insurance companies have to provide contraceptives. Catholic authorities are happy. Insurance companies are happy. Women's groups are happy. Democrats are happy. All God's children are happy except the Republicans who now find themselves thrown under the bus. Max's Dad is not happy either. Says Obama sold out. I don't know. I suspect religious folk, finding themselves on the wrong side of public opinion, sold in.

Rumproast's gil mann starts in step with Max's Dad, reconsiders as information comes in, and tilts toward my perspective. Great video to illustrate his first view.

PZ Myers, writing for Pharyngula, is apparently inspired by the jewelry worn by some of my brethren. Well, that plus Santorum's latest slippery slope. He comes up with an equivalent for atheists.

James Wigderson is a long time supporter of embattled Governor Scott Walker (R-WI). But James is impatient with the Governor's lack of a coherent explanation for corruption by his closest aides. On a personal note, I find this irritating because James Wigderson once more forces reexamination of the popular image of public conservatives as unprincipled apologists for outrageous conduct. Honesty seems to be a habit in the Wigderson realm. Will someone please tell him to stop?

Tommy Christopher of Mediaite fame hits another home run. This time another conservative video purports to prove that millions of legitimate voters should be kept from voting by requiring photo IDs many don't have because voter fraud is so easy. Tommy takes a closer look and demonstrates that the opposite is the case. Turns out the photo ID movement is a thinly veiled attempt to keep completely valid voters from casting ballots because conservatives suspect them of favoring the wrong candidates.

Jerry Critter at Critter's Crap does his homework and reveals who has been successful at cracking down on corporate Medicare fraud.

At Chuck Thinks Right, Chuck is not a fan of hate crime laws. He is sometimes willing to make an enthusiastic exception.

Papamoca at Papamoka Straight Talk is not enthusiastic about the death penalty. But, man, he is very enthusiastic about arguing for the death penalty.

Our favorite John Myste at John Myste Responds disagrees. He doesn't necessarily think Papamoca is wrong. He just thinks Papamoca isn't right. Anyway, he covers faith, solipsism, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, justice, God, and evil. Lots of interesting territory on his way to an answer. Or a non-answer. Or something. John is sometimes a sort of philosophical Seinfeld. Always worth reading.

Ever the analyst, The Heathen Republican is excellent at finding creative ways to explain the conservative position. He walks through several perspectives on the proposed payroll tax cut and makes a remarkable recommendation.

Dave Dubya is not happy that, in at least one area, the USA is number one. He does kind of long for us to qualify for the freedom event, though.

Turns out the Georgia State Director for American Atheists resides in Mad Mike's America. Al Stefanelli quotes the Bible in questioning why Christian women embrace subjugation. I think his thoughtful observations are a better argument against literalism. It is an argument, I think, in which literalists also face off against Jesus.

Giving deserved credit, Slant Right's John Houk is taking an honest approach in an unusually limited defense of America as a Christian nation, unlike some of our less truthful brethren. He reviews the Senate ratification in 1797 of the Treaty of Tripoli ("the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion") and concludes that President John Adams "is not repudiating Christianity!" He is correct in that. President Adams, and the US Senate of 1797 are simply following the founders. They are repudiating Christian government.

Vincent of A wayfarer's notes explores what he, in retrospect, regards as a spiritual mistake, a dead end. And, he concludes, dead ends are essential to the human experience. Vincent is a fascinating individual.

Why do we have to do this, Sir? poises to escape his role as a substitute for a teacher on maternity leave. Maternity does not last forever. Then he encounters one last day of mad academic dialogue.