Walking Away From Million-Dollar Mortgages  —  LOS ALTOS, Calif. — No need for tears, but the well-off are losing their master suites and saying goodbye to their wine cellars.  —  The housing bust that began among the working class in remote subdivisions and quickly progressed …

Election 2010: West Virginia Senate Special Election  —  West Virginia Senate: Manchin (D) 53%, Capito (R) 39%  —  A special Senate election this November to replace the late Robert Byrd is still awaiting the green light from West Virginia's attorney general, but popular Democratic Governor Joe Manchin …

The Obama-Pelosi Lame Duck Strategy  —  Union ‘card-check,’ cap and trade, and so much more.  —  Democratic House members are so worried about the fall elections they're leaving Washington on July 30, a full week earlier than normal—and they won't return until mid-September.

Be Careful What You Wish For Department: Federal District Court Strikes Down DOMA  —  Today Judge Joseph Tauro in the federal district court in Massachusetts struck down section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in two opinions, Gill v. Office of Personnel Management, and Massachusetts v. HHS.

US Justice Department to review BART shooting … LOS ANGELES — The U.S. Department of Justice will conduct an independent review of the Johannes Mehserle case in order to determine whether or not the shooting merits federal prosecution, according the department.

Raising the Retirement Age  —  Via Ezra Klein, Here's a chart from Larry Mishel that's pretty astonishing.  It shows that since 1972 the life expectency of men with low incomes has increased by two years while life expectency for men with high incomes has increased by more than six years.

GOP leaders let demagogues set tone, lawmaker says  —  WASHINGTON - Too many Republican leaders are acquiescing to a poisonous “demagoguery” that threatens the party's long-term credibility, says a veteran GOP House member who was defeated in South Carolina's primary last month.

How LeBron's Move Helps the Tea Party  —  So LeBron James is abandoning Cleveland for sunny Miami.  That's a tough break for Ohio sports fans.  But what effect might LeBron's departure have on Ohio's politics?  I think it helps the Tea Party, for reasons I'll lay out.

Obama is convinced of his own magnificence, and hardly any of his own country's.

Emanuel: Business should be thanking this president - Palin video was shot by a single videographer - Dem. donors pressured by tally of GOP plans — Ask Matt Rhoades — P.K., Drew Hammill b'days  —  EXCLUSIVE: Peter Orszag, director of the Office of Management and Budget …

David Weigel sympathizes with Sarah Palin  —  After losing his job over leaked e-mails that showed him trashing the conservatives he covers, former Washington Post blogger David Weigel says he has “new sympathy” for former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.  —  Palin, Weigel writes in the latest issue of Esquire …

Do the States Have the Power of Nullification?  —  In a recently published book, Nullification, author Tom Woods maintains that states have a power to nullify laws that exceed the powers of Congress to enact.  This claim has a long history, some of it distinguished-as in the case …

LeGone: LeBron James announces he's leaving Cleveland Cavaliers for Miami Heat  —  CLEVELAND, Ohio — The witnesses have been excused.  —  LeBron James crushed Cavaliers fans Thursday night when he announced live on national television that he was leaving Cleveland and will sign with the Miami Heat.

‘Tan tax’ discussions include allegations of reverse racism  —  Mention the new “tan tax” in a major news outlet and cries of discrimination and reverse racism often follow.  —  The complaint surfaced on reader comment boards to blogs and news Web sites back in December …

Christie looks to privatize motor vehicle inspections, other services  —  New Jersey would close its centralized car inspection lanes and motorists would pay for their own emissions tests under a sweeping set of recommendations set to be released by the Christie administration today.  —  Buy this photo

Ann Coulter vs. Bill Kristol: Beginnings of a Conservative Schism?  —  Ann Coulter's recent column, “Bill Kristol Must Resign” may have officially kicked off the next great schism within the conservative movement.  At issue is the war in Afghanistan — and, more specifically …

The Town Hall Revolt, One Year Later  —  Democrats didn't get the message.  Will Republicans do better?  —  Much has happened in the dense and shifting political landscape of the past 18 months—the quick breakdown along partisan lines in Congress; continuing arguments over spending …

Obama in Vegas: Don't bet against Harry Reid  —  POTUS, in prepared remarks at an event today at UNLV:  —  I'm especially pleased to be here with my friend and your Senator, Harry Reid.  One of the first stories I heard about Harry was that he was a boxer back in the day here in Nevada.

Russian sub ‘could stop oil leak’  —  The subs have started their third season of exploration at Lake Baikal  —  Russian-built submersibles would be able to cap the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, the captain of one of the vessels has said.  —  The skipper was speaking as two of the subs …

No Good News for Democrats  —  There is no good news for the Democrats in this survey and analysis by James Carville and Stan Greenberg (h/t Taegan Goddard).  For starters, they find a six-point lead for the GOP in their generic congressional poll.  Republicans have the advantage on the economy …