Just 53% Say Capitalism Better Than Socialism  —  Only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism.  —  The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 20% disagree and say socialism is better.  Twenty-seven percent (27%) are not sure which is better.

The President Has Become a Divisive Figure  —  Compare his start with George W. Bush's.  —  The Pew Research Center reported last week that President Barack Obama “has the most polarized early job approval of any president” since surveys began tracking this 40 years ago.

Lawmaker defends comment on Asians  —  Call for voters to simplify their names not racially motivated, Terrell Republican says  —  AUSTIN — A North Texas legislator during House testimony on voter identification legislation said Asian-descent voters should adopt names that are “easier for Americans to deal with.”

The Elephant in the Room: Obama vs. United States  —  The president is contemptuous of American values.  And one key nominee prefers the judgment of other countries and global elites.  —  Watching President Obama apologize last week for America's arrogance - before a French audience that owes …

Bush Aides Challenge Biden's Boasts of Oval Office Slapdowns  —  Aides to former President George W. Bush are challenging the veracity of Vice President Joe Biden's claim this week of having privately castigated Bush.  —  FOXNews.com  —  Aides to former President George W. Bush are challenging …

Connecting the Dots: The Link Between Gay Marriage and Mass Murders  —  On April 4 the NY Times ran adjacent front-page articles on the Iowa Supreme Court decision legalizing ‘gay marriage’ and the gunman who murdered 13 people in New York.  That day the Times also ran an op ed article …

The curious case of 200 nearly identical MSM headlines  —  The following headlines have appeared in newspapers within the last 24 hours.  This is not an inclusive list.  —  • Third of Illinoisans went without health insurance in last 2 years: Sun-Times

The Palins, The Johnstons, And Republican Class Politics  —  Now it gets more interesting, doesn't it?  In the Judge Judy world Sarah Palin lives in, there is always the risk of turning into Jerry Springer.  And so an already very messy family situation - the two pregnancies, Trig's and Tripp's …

Eugene Robinson: George Will “Crossed the Line”  —  The pushback on George Will continues as Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson slams Washington Post columnist George Will.  Robinson also becomes the first Postie to note the role played by Will's editors in helping him attempt to deceive the Post's readers.

Obama Risks Liberal Backlash on War Funding  —  WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to request new funding from Congress for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but he risks a backlash from antiwar lawmakers.  —  Mr. Obama is expected to seek congressional approval of $75.5 billion for the wars, perhaps as soon as Thursday.

Banks Holding Up in Tests, but May Still Need Aid  —  For the last eight weeks, nearly 200 federal examiners have labored inside some of the nation's biggest banks to determine how those institutions would hold up if the recession deepened.  —  What they are discovering may come as a relief …

Wells Fargo CFO: Wachovia Merger Behind Big Profits  —  Wells Fargo's acquisition of Wachovia late last year helped the bank generate a surprisingly healthy $3 billion in earnings for the first quarter, Wells Fargo CFO Howard Atkins told CNBC.  —  Wells Fargo, the fourth-biggest US bank …

Sole Minnesota Senator Has Problems Built for 2  —  As the fight over a United States Senate seat from Minnesota seems certain to drag into a sixth month, forgotten in all the fussing is the senator left behind.  —  Amy Klobuchar, the “other” senator from Minnesota, the one whose election was not contested …

Obama annouces upgrades to vets' health care, touts mortgage refinancing  —  WASHINGTON — Fresh from a high-profile, whirlwind tour of Europe and the war zone in Iraq, President Obama pivots back to two critical domestic issues today: improving health care for military veterans and the housing crisis.

Anti-Tax Tea Party Protests Nationwide: What You Need To Know  —  It's been over a month since CNBC's Rick Santelli called for a Chicago “Tea Party” during an impromptu rant against the government “rewarding bad behavior” with bank bailouts and mortgage relief.

Is Silicon Valley a Systemic Risk?  —  Treasury decides to treat venture capitalists like hedge funds.  —  The Obama administration wants to regulate venture capital firms to prevent systemic risks.  Silicon Valley residents are scratching their heads and asking: What risks?

Fact and Fiction on Gay Marriage Polling  —  In contrast with The Weekly Standard's Michael Goldfarb, with whom I have have a relatively honest disagreement (see yesterday's post here and Michael's response here), the National Review just doesn't appear to have its facts straight about gay marriage.

With ‘Annapolis,’ a Warning to Israel  —  WASHINGTON—Watchers of Middle East politics were quick to take note of a line in President Obama's address before the Turkish Parliament on Monday in Ankara, in which he mentioned “Annapolis.”  —  By bringing up the word, Mr. Obama was sending …

Bail out journalism  —  Other democracies pay for accurate reporting, so why shouldn't the U.S.?  —  » Discuss Article This will be my last column for the L.A. Times.  After four years, I'll soon be starting a stint at the Pentagon as an advisor to the undersecretary of Defense for policy.

Kerry calls for pirate hearings as drama continues  —  The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee called for hearings on the mounting piracy threat as the fate of an American cargo-ship captain remained in limbo Thursday.  —  “These acts of piracy off of Somalia's coastline may seem surreal …