Now That's Rich  —  We need to pinch pennies these days.  Don't you know we have a budget deficit?  For months that has been the word from Republicans and conservative Democrats, who have rejected every suggestion that we do more to avoid deep cuts in public services and help the ailing economy.

Far from Ground Zero, other plans for mosques run into vehement opposition  —  MURFREESBORO, TENN. — For more than 30 years, the Muslim community in this Nashville suburb has worshipped quietly in a variety of makeshift spaces — a one-bedroom apartment, an office behind a Lube Express …

Was Mike Huckabee Ready To Sell His Endorsement to Rick Scott for $250,000?  —  I have spoken with a reliable source telling me that a little over a week ago, Mike Huckabee approached the Rick Scott campaign and made overtures that his endorsement could be had for $250,000 dollars.

Poll numbers in 1994, a bad year for Democrats, don't bode well for them in 2010  —  Is it deja vu all over again for Democrats?  —  Some neutral observers and senior strategists within the party have begun to believe that the national political environment is not only similar to what they saw in 1994 …

10 things Obama must do in 10 weeks  —  (CNN) — President Obama is facing criticism that his message has gone off track at a crucial time for his party and administration.  With the midterm elections just 10 weeks away, the president's approval ratings are at their lowest.

Real Estate's Gold Rush Seems Gone for Good  —  Housing will eventually recover from its great swoon.  But many real estate experts now believe that home ownership will never again yield rewards like those enjoyed in the second half of the 20th century, when houses not only provided shelter but also a plump nest egg.

How Obama's Social Security Tactics Hurt Bipartisanship  —  President Barack Obama delivers a speech in Washington, D.C., on June 11, 2010  —  In a move as predictable as Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown, Democrats are using Social Security scare tactics to gain ground before the November election.

Taliban-hired snipers believed to have killed British soldiers killed by air strikes  —  Four foreign snipers hired by the Taliban, thought to be responsible for the deaths of ten British soldiers, have been hunted down and killed.  —  The mercenaries were found by British special forces …

The billionaire brothers who are waging a war against Obama.  —  David H. Koch in 1996.  He and his brother Charles are lifelong libertarians and have quietly given more than a hundred million dollars to right-wing causes.  —  KEYWORDS … On May 17th, a black-tie audience …

SPIN METER: Republicans hot, cold on Constitution  —  WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia won his seat in Congress campaigning as a strict defender of the Constitution.  He carries a copy in his pocket and is particularly fond of invoking the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Moving targets, US housing edition  —  If at first you don't succeed . . . move the goal-posts.  —  In the grand tradition of stimulus policy gone wrong, that seems to be just what the US Treasury has done in relation to its Hamp mortgage modification programme.

Pakistanis Tell of Motive in Taliban Leader's Arrest  —  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — When American and Pakistani agents captured Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's operational commander, in the chaotic port city of Karachi last January, both countries hailed the arrest as a breakthrough …

Mosque: Don't blame friends for acts of enemies  —  The debate swirling around the proposed mosque and Muslim community center in lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center site has, for many, tapped into strong emotions of a national trauma that is still raw.

True stories of bloggers who secretly feed on partisan cash  —  Katie Couric once described bloggers as journalists who gnaw at new information “like piranhas in a pool.”  But increasingly, many bloggers are also secretly feeding on cash from political campaigns, in a form of partisan payola …

Credit-Card Rates Climb  —  Levels Hit Nine-Year High as New Rules Limiting Penalty Fees Help Fuel Rise  —  Interest rates continue to tumble for the U.S. Treasury, companies and home buyers alike.  But for a large portion of 381 million U.S. credit-card accounts, borrowing rates have been moving only one way: up.