Is Ares 1 on life support?

Between rumored Ares performance issues and Orion weight growth, shrinking budgets, and a growing uprising among the space science folks (not to mention Richard Shelby), Dr. Griffin seems to have an unsolvable Rubik’s cube. Something will have to give. I hope that it’s The Stick. I wonder if they’re on the verge of bowing to the inevitable, and reconsidering Atlas? And as commenters point out, what’s the significance of May 23rd?