Morning Reads

Good morning — and a Happy International Youth Day to all our youthful friends! (Enjoy it while it lasts.)

Stat of the day: $423.6 billion — the amount of federal funding the 24 states that have refused to expand Medicaid will lose between now and 2022, according to a new study by The Urban Institute.

Defiant” –> Iraq’s coalition government selected a new prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, while a “defiant” Nouri al-Maliki insisted that the move violated Iraq’s constitution. The Guardian reports that the rift “sets the scene for yet another volatile period in Iraqi politics at a time when the Islamic State (Isis) jihadist group continues to rampage through the country.”

Ferguson –> There was a second night of civil unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, following the shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, by police on Saturday. KSDK-TV in St. Louis reports that police deployed tear gas and beanbag rounds to disperse the crowd. ALSO: WaPo’s Todd Frankel takes a look at the history of the St. Louis metropolitan area and argues that the unrest has “little to do” with the region — rather, it reflects simmering tensions between police departments and African-American communities across the country. AND: At MSNBC, Adam Serwer notes how black shooting victims are immediately tried by the media and the public.

Can’t win ’em all –> A state judge ruled that Tennessee’s same-sex marriage ban is constitutional, breaking a long winning streak for marriage equality. SCOTUSBlog’s Lyle Denniston says a federal court is also reviewing the ban.

The story of pro wrestling… is the story of American capitalism” –> At Jacobin, Dan O’Sullivan writes that “the billion dollar spectacle of pro wrestling relies entirely on the ruthless economic, mental, and physical exploitation of its performers.”

The next Cliven Bundy –> At Salon, John Avignon says Fox News’ latest cause celebré, an ex-Marine imprisoned for bringing a small arsenal into Mexico, “has some explaining to do.”

Keeping up with the spin –> At TNR, Rebecca Leber demolishes climate change “skeptics'” latest false claim — that there’s been a “hiatus” in global warming.

Study proves what we already knew –> David Sirota reports for IBT that a new study shows a strong correlation between financial institutions’ political spending and their likelihood of being the target of an SEC enforcement action. RELATED: Lawrence Lessig’s Mayday PAC —  “the Super PAC to end all Super PACs” — selected three more candidates to back in the 2014 midterms.

Two headlines for our times –> ThinkProgress: Profits outpace job growth five to one at largest US Corporations.” Reuters: “US jobs rose since ’08 crisis, but pay is 23% less.”

Problematic –> The Atlantic’s Julia Lurie reports that the lion’s share of America’s bottled spring water comes from California, which is in the grip of an epic drought.

Crazy –> David Badash reports for The New Civil Rights Movement that the Kenyan government is poised to pass a bill that would mandate death by stoning for those convicted of “aggravated homosexuality.”

R.I.P. –> Robin Williams was found dead in his home on Monday, victim of an apparent suicide at age 63. A.O. Scott writes about his unique comedy genius in The New York Times.

And Mashable has a short highlight reel of some of his best moments:

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