Little girl at Obama town hall has not-so-random political connections  —  As we always like to point out: There are no coincidences in Obama world.  —  Via the Boston Globe: Surprise! … Tons of readers point to this AR15.com post tracking Hall's political footprint, including this Facebook page and photo:

Obama's healthcare horror  —  Buyer's remorse?  Not me.  At the North American summit in Guadalajara this week, President Obama resumed the role he is best at — representing the U.S. with dignity and authority abroad.  This is why I, for one, voted for Obama and continue to support him.

Matthews to Obama protester: Why'd you bring a loaded gun to a town hall with the president?  —  Good question, especially given the sign this guy was carrying.  Considering the lengths to which the Secret Service normally goes to investigate threats against the president …

Economists Call for Bernanke to Stay, Say Recession Is Over  —  Economists are nearly unanimous that Ben Bernanke should be reappointed to another term as Federal Reserve chairman, and they said there is a 71% chance that President Barack Obama will ask him to stay on, according to a survey.

Santorum dips toes in 2012 Iowa waters  —  Add former Sen. Rick Santorum to the list of potential 2012 Republican presidential candidates.  —  POLITICO has learned Santorum will visit first-in-the-nation Iowa this fall for a series of appearances before the sort of conservative activists …

The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare  —  Eight things we can do to improve health care without adding to the deficit.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  “The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out  —  of other people's money.  —Margaret Thatcher

2 U.S. Architects of Harsh Tactics in 9/11's Wake  —  WASHINGTON — Jim Mitchell and Bruce Jessen were military retirees and psychologists, on the lookout for business opportunities.  They found an excellent customer in the Central Intelligence Agency, where in 2002 they became the architects …

E-Mail Reveals Rove's Key Role in '06 Dismissals  —  WASHINGTON — Thousands of pages of internal e-mail and once-secret Congressional testimony showed Tuesday that Karl Rove and other senior aides in the Bush White House played an earlier and more active role than was previously known …

DOBBS AND DEAN.... CNN President Jon Klein has reportedly decided that the cable news network shouldn't have talk-radio hosts on as guests.  According to a message obtained by Media Bistro, Klein told CNN producers, “Complex issues require world class reporting.”

Morning Fix: Nelson Strikes Back  —  Criticized by two liberal groups about his approach to President Obama's health care reform proposal, Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson is hitting back, evidence of the issue's potential political peril for the 13 Senate Democrats who represent states carried by Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) in 2008.

Back in the USPS  —  At his dog-and-pony show on health care — excuse me, health insurance — reform in Portsmouth yesterday, President Obama denied that adding a government plan to “compete” with private insurance plans would drive insurers out of business, creating a single payer system by indirection.

“Send Them Home With a Bullet in the Head”  —  I've gone on the record disagreeing with the term ‘Teabaggers’ and with the use of the word ‘un-American’ - I've done so because despite the astroturfing and the faux-grassroots opposition to health care reform, I place a premium on citizen activism …

The Confidence Game  —  CAMBRIDGE - Next month marks the one year anniversary of the collapse of the venerable American investment bank, Lehman Brothers.  The fall of Lehman marked the onset of a global recession and financial crisis the likes of which the world has not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930's.

Who cares if Stephen Hawking lives or dies?  Actually, we all do  —  So Barack Obama is facing the fight of his life (another one) as he attempts to reform the US healthcare system.  The “special interests” - doctors, healthcare companies - don't like it.  The “birthers” - crazy types …

Can't Make It Up: Dem Rep Who Opposes Photo ID To Vote Requiring Photo ID For Town Halls  —  This is Congressman Eugene Green (HT to an e-mailer), Democrat from Texas, telling the world that if you're not from his District, you're not welcome at his future town hall meetings — oh, and how he'll enforce his new rule (bold is his):

Air Congress Hits Turbulence  —  The Gulfstream jet scandal is over.  Next: unreturned per-diems.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  Congressional scandals form a pattern.  First, there is the revelation that some members have acted in a high-handed, spendthrift or unethical manner.

Dem healthcare talking points: Change over status quo  —  Senate Democratic leaders are driving home a handful of key points during this month's town hall forums on healthcare: Reform will be fully funded, will not jeopardize current doctor-patient relationships, and is the only alternative to the current, broken system.

The ObamaCare Quagmire  —  Comparisons to Iraq sell President Bush short.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  President Obama's disastrous campaign to transmogrify American medicine has sent commentators and other observers in search of an equally dismal political failure to use as an analogy.

Japanese prices in record decline  —  Japanese wholesale prices were down by a record 8.5% in July compared with a year earlier, highlighting the growing deflationary pressure in the economy.  —  Weak demand during the downturn and the fall in the price of oil have put downward pressure on prices.

A President as Micromanager  —  WASHINGTON — In briefing President Barack Obama one day this spring, White House economist Jared Bernstein delved into such arcana as the yields on different forms of credit relative to the risk.  Later, Paul Volcker pulled Mr. Bernstein aside.

The Truth About Health Insurance  —  Only nine states have the costly rules that Obama wants to impose nationwide.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  The White House is priming the defibrillator paddles to revive ObamaCare, and its new strategy is to talk about “health-insurance reform,” rather than “health-care reform.”