White House proposal would ease FBI access to records of Internet activity  —  The Obama administration is seeking to make it easier for the FBI to compel companies to turn over records of an individual's Internet activity without a court order if agents deem the information relevant to a terrorism or intelligence investigation.

What Judge Bolton's Injunction Doesn't Say — By: NRO Staff  —  In enjoining Arizona's landmark immigration law, U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton maintains the Obama administration's carefully cultivated fiction: that what concerns the White House regarding S.B. 1070 is its effect on legal, rather than illegal, aliens.

The Rangel case — Lessons from Sherrod?  —  (This post is being published before the charges against Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) have been published by the House ethics committee subpanel.  I will try to update this post after the charges have been published.)

Poll shows opposition to health care overhaul declining  —  Opposition to the landmark health care overhaul declined over the past month, to 35 percent from 41 percent, according to the latest results of a tracking poll, reported Thursday.  —  Fifty percent of the public held a favorable view of the law …

The Plight of Afghan Women: A Disturbing Picture  —  Our cover image this week is powerful, shocking and disturbing.  It is a portrait of Aisha, a shy 18-year-old Afghan woman who was sentenced by a Taliban commander to have her nose and ears cut off for fleeing her abusive in-laws.

The BP Spill: Has the Damage Been Exaggerated?  —  An extensive network of oil booms surround marsh lands off the coast of Louisiana.  July 18, 2010.  —  Mario Tama / Getty Images  —  President Obama has called the BP oil spill “the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced,” and so has just about everyone else.

Fired USDA employee Sherrod to sue conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart  —  Ousted USDA employee Shirley Sherrod says she will sue conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart, the Associated Press reports.  —  Sherrod made the announcement Thursday in San Diego at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention.

Court Upholds Expulsion of Counseling Student Who Opposes Homosexuality  —  A federal judge ruled schools can expel students, like Julea Ward, who believe homosexuality is morally wrong.  Ward's lawsuit against Eastern Michigan University was dismissed.  —  A federal judge has ruled in favor …

Evidence Ties Manning to Afghan Leaks  —  WASHINGTON—Investigators have found concrete evidence linking Pfc. Bradley Manning with the leak of classified Afghanistan war reports, a defense official said.  —  A search of the computers used by Pfc. Manning yielded evidence he had downloaded …

House GOP leaders: 9/11 first responders aid bill ‘a massive new entitlement program’  —  House Republican leadership is advising its members to vote against a bipartisan bill that would, among other things, bolster medical support to Sept. 11 victims.  —  The James Zadroga 9/11 Health …

Taxes: A Defining Issue  —  Barack Obama knows taxes define worldview.  The GOP should offer voters an alternative.  —  If the Obama presidency didn't exist, we would have to invent it.  —  At a time when the American people need to make some decisions about the nation's purpose …

Political operatives on Journolist worked to shape news coverage  —  Despite its name, membership in the liberal online community Journolist wasn't limited to journalists.  Present among the bloggers, reporters and editors were a number of professional political operatives …

Graham eyes ‘birthright citizenship’  —  Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced Wednesday night that he is considering introducing a constitutional amendment that would change existing law to no longer grant citizenship to the children of immigrants born in the United States.

Fix Clip -N- Save: “First families” of politics  —  When the Fix posse — yes, we have “Fix” tattoos (or we may get them) — started to ponder who the first family (aka the political dynasty) was in each of the 50 states, we came up with about 10 off the top of our heads.  —  That's where the Fixistas came in.

GOP predicts major state-level gains this fall  —  Republicans are forecasting widespread gains for the party this fall in legislative chambers across the country, which could give the party control over the redistricting process in a number of key states.  —  Former RNC Chairman and current head …

Body of 2nd missing US Navy sailor recovered in eastern Afghanistan; US, Afghan officials say  —  KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A second U.S. Navy sailor who went missing in a dangerous part of eastern Afghanistan was found dead and his body recovered, a senior U.S. military official and Afghan officials said Thursday.

Local Woman Convicted of Drug Fraud Joins Obama at the Podium … Charlottesville resident Leslie Macko was once employed at ACAC in the Albemarle Square Shopping Center.  In April 2009, she lost her job as an aesthetician in the spa at ACAC.  —  President Barack Obama called on Congress last week to extend unemployment insurance.

Dem memo: No, we won't lose the House  —  In another sign that House Dem leaders are eager to silence talk about them losing the House, top Democrats are circulating a memo on Capitol Hill that lays out a detailed case for why Republicans will come up short this fall.

Why are so many homes unemployed?  —  Theories of unemployed labor are a subset of theories of unemployed resources.  —  The U.S. housing vacancy rate—an unemployment rate for home—is at its highest level since at least 1965 (see figure).  Why?  Is it sticky prices?  Lack of aggregate demand?