COAL-MINE CANARIES: Tester, Nelson unsure on teachers bill. “Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Jon Tester of Montana were the only two Democrats who voted last week to filibuster President Barack Obama’s $447 billion American Jobs Act. And they’re not yet sold on their party’s latest idea: Breaking off $35 billion from that plan for states and localities to hire teachers and first-responders.”

UPDATE: Reader Gerald Hanner writes: “Ben Nelson knows he’s in deep kimchee. For the past several weeks now, he’s been running campaign ads blaming everybody but Ben Nelson for the [your issue here]. He’s even gone so far as to name several state officials, including Governor Heineman, and Nebraska AG John Brunning as being ready to kill Medicare and Social Security in general. Does he think we’re all stupid? Wonder if any Dems will step up to challenge Nelson in the primary next May.” I don’t know what he thinks, but I’m sure he hopes you’re all stupid. . . .