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.

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.

Parody gets more views than real Obama launch  —  The National Republican Senatorial Committee's parody of Obama's 2012 campaign, released Friday, now has 665,000 views on YouTube.  —  Obama's real launch video, released yesterday: Just 168,000.  —  YouTube's metrics tend to lag a bit …

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 …

Senate sends repeal of new Form 1099 requirement to Obama  —  Washington (CNN) - The Senate voted Tuesday to repeal a part of the health care reform law that would require businesses to file a 1099 tax form with the government for every purchase they make over $600.

Kaine enters Senate race in Virginia  —  Washington (CNN) - Democratic National Committee Chairman and former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine ended weeks of speculation Tuesday by announcing that he will seek his state's open Senate seat, which is being vacated by Sen. Jim Webb.

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.

‘Kill Team’ Brigade commander given wrist slap  —  (U.S. Army photo) Col. Harry D. Tunnell  —  The investigation into those responsible for the Afghanistan “kill team” tactics led to “a letter of admonition” of Col. Harry D. Tunnell IV, reports the Military Times on Tuesday.  According to MT: (bolding is mine)

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.

Pawlenty latest to seek Christie nod  —  Tim Pawlenty made an undisclosed stop Thursday night for a pow-wow with one of the key players in the coming Republican presidential primary: He visited Drumthwacket.  —  That's not a small Iowa village or a cozy restaurant on Manchester's Elm Street — it's the New Jersey governor's mansion.

Do you think the poor are lazy?  —  Even if you said ‘No,’ the way we talk about wealth assigns moral superiority to the rich.  Terms like ‘the wealth gap’ obscure basic truths about inequality, casting it as a natural economic function.  Inequality is really a barrier made to keep others out.

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 …

Tina Fey puts on her big-girl ‘Bossypants’  —  It's not every day you read something that makes you laugh out loud every other page.  Then again, Tina Fey doesn't write a book every day.  Maybe she should.  —  If you're a fan of the Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock star …

48% Say Their Views Closer to Tea Party Than Congress  —  In the ongoing budget-cutting debate in Washington, some congressional Democrats have accused their Republican opponents of being held captive by the Tea Party movement, but voters like the Tea Party more than Congress.