U.S. Lost Jobs in August, but Fewer Than Expected  —  American businesses added more jobs in the last three months than originally estimated, but the wheels of the economic recovery are still spinning in place.  —  The private sector added 67,000 jobs in August, according to the Department of Labor …

The Small Business The 97% Fallacy  —  The president's plan to raise top marginal rates is holding back the very people who should be leading the economic recovery.  —  When Congress returns from its summer recess, members will face a pivotal decision about the expiring Bush tax cuts.

New York Poll Finds Wariness for Muslim Site  —  Two-thirds of New York City residents want a planned Muslim community center and mosque to be relocated to a less controversial site farther away from ground zero in Lower Manhattan, including many who describe themselves as supporters of the project, according to a New York Times poll.

The Senate's In Play  —  For much of this year, it seemed a near mathematical impossibility that Republicans could score the 10-seat net gain needed to flip the Senate, which is split between 59 Democrats (including two independents who caucus with Democrats and largely vote with the party) and 41 Republicans.

Fewer Young Voters See Themselves as Democrats  —  FORT COLLINS, Colo. — The college vote is up for grabs this year — to an extent that would have seemed unlikely two years ago, when a generation of young people seemed to swoon over Barack Obama.  —  Enlarge This Image

The Alternate History  —  The Democrats could be heading toward a defeat of historic proportions in November, but it is possible to imagine a scenario in which things might have turned out differently:  —  On Dec. 16, 2008, President-elect Barack Obama and his senior aides gathered for a briefing on the state of the U.S. economy.

AFL-CIO president to Sarah Palin: Change or be linked with McCarthyism  —  AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka charged that if Republican political star Sarah Palin is not more careful in her choice of words, the political movement she has helped to create will be linked with 1950s McCarthyism.

New evidence undermines feds' case against Arizona  —  You've heard a lot about the Justice Department's lawsuit to stop the new Arizona immigration law.  But that's just one part of the Obama administration's multi-front war on immigration enforcement in Arizona.

AP: ‘Combat in Iraq is not over, and we should not uncritically repeat suggestions that it is’  —  Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2010 5:30 PM  —  Subject: Standards Center guidance: The situation in Iraq  —  Many AP staffers are producing content that refers to the situation in Iraq.

TRENDING: Palin's ‘impotent’ comments make rounds  —  Sarah Palin has set the blogosphere ablaze again.  —  (CNN) - Sarah Palin has managed to set the blogosphere ablaze again, this time after appearing to use sexual metaphors to slam mainstream media reporters who rely on anonymous sources.

The Real Story  —  Next week, President Obama is scheduled to propose new measures to boost the economy.  I hope they're bold and substantive, since the Republicans will oppose him regardless — if he came out for motherhood, the G.O.P. would declare motherhood un-American.

Brewer: No more debates - period  —  PHOENIX - Arizona voters won't be seeing any more debates between the top gubernatorial contenders.  —  Incumbent Republican Jan Brewer said Thursday she has no intention of participating in any more events with Democrat Terry Goddard.

How to End the Great Recession  —  THIS promises to be the worst Labor Day in the memory of most Americans.  Organized labor is down to about 7 percent of the private work force.  Members of non-organized labor — most of the rest of us — are unemployed, underemployed or underwater.

Meeting Mr. Palin  —  WASILLA, Alaska — The young lady at the desk of the Dorothy Page Museum and Visitor Center has blue hair — not the blue-silver of advanced age, but a punk-rock razor-cut style dyed cerulean blue.  She is friendly and helpful to out-of-towners who stop by the Main Street museum …

Our distracted commander in chief  —  Many have charged that President Obama's decision to begin withdrawing from Afghanistan 10 months from now is hampering our war effort.  But now it's official.  In a stunning statement last week, Marine Corps Commandant James Conway admitted that the July 2011 date is …

Peter Orszag to Write New York Times Op-Ed Column  —  Peter Orszag, economist and former director of the Office of Management and Budget, will become a contributing columnist for The New York Times Op-Ed page.  Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 7, his columns will appear one to two times a month …

Sharron Angle Claims Unemployment Insurance 'Really Doesn't Benefit Anyone'  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  In an interview this Wednesday, Nevada Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle heightened her criticisms of unemployment insurance, insisting that the benefits program to help the jobless ended up benefiting nobody.

Wrapping up Alaska  —  John Edwards, move over.  There's a new standard bearer for the most unpopular person PPP has polled in any state: Levi Johnston in Alaska.  —  Edwards' 15/72 favorability on our January North Carolina poll had set the initial record for futility but Johnston matches …

Feingold to miss Obama Labor Day visit  —  Senator cites scheduling conflict  —  When President Barack Obama visits Milwaukee on Labor Day to talk to working families and members of dozens of labor unions, one prominent politician won't be there.  —  A Labor Day schedule released by the staff …

PoliticsPA: Obama coming in for Sestak on Sept. 20  —  PoliticsPA  —  roarty@politicspa.com  —  President Barack Obama will hold a fundraiser for Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Joe Sestak on Sept. 20 in Philadelphia, his office confirmed Friday morning.

Perspective, boys, perspective  —  As I recall, National Review endorsed John McCain over J.D. Hayworth.  I don't recall any concerns mentioned about his Keating Five role or his widely reported temper tantrums.  No, J.D., we were told, had all kinds of flaws.

Oh, Great, Now We Have Sand “Castle” Conservatives, Too  —  They say neurotics build sand castles and psychotics live in them.  From what I've seen at many conservative blogs, they look determined to enable the ongoing building of a sand castle of a Republican Party by helping Mike Castle in Delaware.