Perhaps the Most Ridiculous Thing to Come Out of Washington Since George McClellan  —  The House Republicans' “Pledge to America” is out.  A thrill will run up the leg of a few Chris Matthews' types on the right.  As Dan noted on Twitter, the Contract with America was 869 words and this is 21 pages.

Two of Obama's closest advisers among those likely to leave in White House shuffle  —  In his nearly two years in office, President Obama has relied on a very small clique of advisers that serves as his most trusted sounding board on politics and policy.  —  Members of his staff describe Obama …

Man's home sold out from under him in foreclosure mistake  —  (Robert Duyos, Sun Sentinel / September 22, 2010)  —  When Jason Grodensky bought his modest Fort Lauderdale home last December, he paid cash.  But seven months later, he was surprised to learn that Bank of America had foreclosed on the house …

Little-Known New York Attorney General Candidates Tied, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Gillibrand Up By Only 6 Points  —  Two little-known candidates for New York State Attorney General, Democratic State Sen. Eric Schneiderman and Republican Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan …

Cuomo Caught Lying About Voting For Bloomberg?  —  NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — There has been a dramatic development in the race for New York governor.  —  A new poll has Republican Carl Paladino within striking distance of Democrat Andrew Cuomo as voters say they want to elect someone who will stop the circus in Albany.

The Tea Party: Tempest in a very small teapot  —  Is the Tea Party one of the most successful scams in American political history?  —  Before you dismiss the question, note that word “successful.”  Judge the Tea Party purely on the grounds of effectiveness and you have to admire …

Amid Tension, China Blocks Vital Exports to Japan  —  HONG KONG — Sharply raising the stakes in a dispute over Japan's detention of a Chinese fishing trawler captain, the Chinese government has blocked exports to Japan of a crucial category of minerals used in products like hybrid cars, wind turbines and guided missiles.

Senate Dems Ready To Shelve Tax Cut Vote  —  A senior Senate Democratic aide told TPM today there won't be a vote on extending the Bush tax cuts in the upper chamber before the November election, a blow to party leaders and President Obama who believed this would have been a winning issue.

Dahlia Lithwick: It's “Weird” for a Senator to Consider the Constitutionality of Legislation  —  Lithwick in Slate: … Short answer: Senators swear an oath to uphold the Constitution.  Of course they are obligated to determine whether a bill they are considering is constitutional.

The election campaigners we can't see  —  All of Washington is in a frenzy, speculating about the outcome of the fall elections.  Yet the development that could most tip the scales is getting far too little public attention.  That hidden factor is the audacious stealth campaign being mounted …

For Many, Health Care Relief Begins Today  —  Sometimes lost in the partisan clamor about the new health care law is the profound relief it is expected to bring to hundreds of thousands of Americans who have been stricken first by disease and then by a Darwinian insurance system.

Memo to right-wingers: That ‘bearded Marxist’ line is a JOKE — one that makes fun of idiots like you  —  OK, this whole “Chris Coons describes himself as a bearded Marxist” thing that's now the everyday talking point at Fox News — embodied once again in Christine O'Donnell's interview …

A Claim of Pro-Islam Bias in Textbooks  —  HOUSTON — Some conservative members of the Texas Board of Education assert that the history books used in this state have a pro-Islamic bias, and they are upset about it.  —  Never shy about wading into the culture wars, they are planning …

End tax cuts for the wealthiest  —  The Board of Directors of The South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce voted this week to support the effort in Congress to end tax cuts for the very rich.  Here's why.  —  First, letting the tax cuts for the top two income brackets expire will impact very few real small business owners.

Senate Forecast: Republican Takeover Chances Improved, but Democrats Are Building Pacific Firewall  —  Polls show that the Republican nominee has gained ground in a key Senate race, Wisconsin — and Republicans have put another Senate race, in West Virginia, squarely into play.

Zuckerberg Gives $100 Million Gift to Newark Schools  —  Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive of Facebook, has agreed to donate $100 million to improve Newark's long-troubled public schools, and Gov. Chris Christie will cede some control of the state-run system to Mayor Cory A. Booker in conjunction …

(2 of 2)  —  Asked for reasons he was weighing against running, Castle said such a campaign would be “logistically difficult” because voters would have to write in the name.  —  “I think automatically you have a diminished number of votes you'll get,” Castle said.

Sarah Palin: I'll run if nobody else steps up  —  Former Alaska GOP Gov. Sarah Palin gave her strongest indication yet that she may run for president Wednesday night, saying she would jump into the race if “nobody else were to step up” with the proposals she wants to see.

New Jersey Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz Closes After Christie Cuts Funds  —  Trenton, NJ (LifeNews.com) — After the New Jersey state Senate defeated an attempt to override the decision of Gov. Chris Christie to cut off state taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood abortion businesses …