The GOP Path to Prosperity  —  Our budget cuts $6.2 trillion in spending from the president's budget over the next 10 years and puts the nation on track to pay off our national debt.  —  Congress is currently embroiled in a funding fight over how much to spend on less than one-fifth of the federal budget for the next six months.

Ex-NPR chief: House Republicans have thrust NPR into ‘turmoil’  —  The change of power in the House has thrust NPR into “turmoil,” according to the former chief executive of the organization.  —  Vivian Schiller said NPR has been through a “very difficult” time in the past several months.

Warning Signs Among the GOP  —  It's not inconceivable that Republicans might start seeing things go against them in the court of public opinion, starting with the current spending debate.  —  Until recently, Republicans were taking solace in a number of things as they looked forward to 2012.

Budget Deal Would Give Pentagon Extra Funds In Exchange For Social Program Cuts … WASHINGTON — While media attention focuses on the cuts to government spending demanded by House Republicans and broadly accepted by Democrats, the Pentagon is poised to reap billions more in federal funds, according to sources close to the discussions.

Another Continuing Resolution Introduced to Prevent Government Shutdown, Cut $12 billion in Spending  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers today introduced another temporary funding measure - known as a Continuing Resolution (CR) - to prevent a government shutdown …

Maine Mural Controversy: U.S. Labor Department Says Put It Back Up Or Repay The Money … Department Of Labor , Department Of Labor Maine , Labor Mural , Labor Protests , Maine Mural , Paul Lepage , Paul Lepage Maine , Paul Lepage Maine Governor , Paul Lepage Mural , Politics News

Romney leads in NH, Trump makes things interesting  —  Mitt Romney's still the clear early front runner to take the Republican primary in New Hampshire next year but for the first time in our polling of the race PPP finds someone within single digits of him...Donald Trump.

ElBaradei: We'll fight back if Israel attacks Gaza  —  In interview with Arab newspaper, former IAEA chief says if elected as Egypt's next president he will open Rafah crossing in case of an Israeli attack  —  Former International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei …

Gen. Petraeus Being ‘Seriously Considered’ For CIA Director, NPR Reports  —  General David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, is expected to leave that job by early fall.  And the question has been, where does he go from there?  —  Several sources, including government officials …

Obama, The God That Failed  —  As someone who has studied, taught, and written about the Middle East for years, I'm the first to concede that President Obama has a tough task.  What would I do about Libya if I were president?  How about Egypt?  —  I'm not exactly sure.

Racial slur led to fight with Illinois trooper, student says  —  CARLINVILLE  • The politically connected head of Gov. Pat Quinn's Southern Illinois security detail used a racial slur against a black college student in a Carlinville bar, starting a fight that preceded the officer's resignation, the student says.

Coburn vs. Norquist  —  The Senator is right on ethanol and, in this case, on tax subsidies.  —  Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma has a fighting chance to begin reforming Washington's bonehead ethanol policy.  That is unless one prominent conservative organization manages to sabotage his effort.

The Odds on Obama  —  Only two Democrats in the last 90 years have been reelected to a second term — Franklin Roosevelt and Bill Clinton.  The rest of the Democrats have seen their presidencies cut short, and so the historical odds of Obama winning a second term are at first glance not encouraging.

Cowardice Blocks the 9/11 Trial  —  Last year, Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. described a federal court trial for the self-professed mastermind of Sept. 11 attacks, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, as “the defining event of my time as attorney general.”  On Monday, Mr. Holder's dream for demonstrating …

Bloody pig's foot sent to Rep. Peter King  —  Authorities intercepted a parcel this morning addressed to Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) containing a bloody pig's foot and a derogatory message, a source has confirmed to CBS News.  —  The parcel was intercepted at the Congressional mail facility in Landover …

A Cigarette for 75 Cents, 2 for $1: The Brisk, Shady Sale of ‘Loosies’  —  By 8:30 a.m., amid the procession of sleepy-eyed office workers and addicts from the nearby methadone clinic, Lonnie Loosie plants himself in the middle of the sidewalk on Eighth Avenue in Midtown.

Radiation in water rushing into sea tests millions of times over limit  —  Tokyo (CNN) — Japanese utility and government authorities suffered fresh setbacks Tuesday with the detection of radiation in a fish and news that water gushing from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the Pacific …

Bachmann begins to overshadow Palin as more-likely White House contender  —  The vacuum created by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) absence from the 2012 campaign trail presents a major opportunity for the woman she once hinted might share a presidential ticket with her: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.).