Does Ryan plan cause self-rationing?  - Coburn: Drop the riders - BCBSA tracks exchange bills - Arizona ‘no’ to waiver - Women's health rally on the hill  —  **With reporting contributions from J. Lester Feder and David Nather  —  CLOSING IN ON A BUDGET DEAL?

Pence Lets Truth Slip On Uncompromising Stance: 'We're Trying To Score A Victory For The Republican People'  —  The federal government appears to be hurtling towards a shutdown following the inability of congressional negotiators to reach a compromise last night on a continuing resolution.

Winnebago County vote-count change alters Supreme Court race  —  By Sharif Durhams of the Journal Sentinel  —  The latest vote count in the state Supreme Court race in Winnebago County indicates incumbent David Prosser is leading Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg in votes.

Obama Hits Losing Trifecta In Florida, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Increased Support For Offshore Drilling  —  President Barack Obama hits a losing trifecta with Florida voters: They disapprove 52 - 44 percent of the job he is doing; they prefer an unnamed Republican challenger …

OBAMA: Get Used To High Gas Prices.  “Obama needled one questioner who asked about gas prices, now averaging close to $3.70 a gallon nationwide, and suggested that the gentleman consider getting rid of his gas-guzzling vehicle.”  —  High gas prices aren't a bug, they're a feature.

First homosexual caveman found  —  Archaeologists have unearthed the 5,000-year-old remains of what they believe may have been the world's oldest known gay caveman.  —  The male body - said to date back to between 2900-2500BC - was discovered buried in a way normally reserved only for women …

Obama friend arrested in Hawaii  —  (CNN) - A friend of President Barack Obama was arrested Monday for allegedly soliciting sex from an undercover officer posing as a prostitute, according to CNN affiliate Hawaii News Now.  —  Robert Richard Titcomb, 49, was arrested with three …

I Can't Help Myself  —  Sullivan: … The Ryan/GOP Plan, as has been pointed out to Sullivan a hundred times now with little to no effect, slashes taxes by trillions and makes up for those tax cuts by slashing trillions in services to our neediest members of society.

Cathleen Black Is Out as City Schools Chancellor  —  Deputy Mayor Dennis M. Walcott at a news conference at which he was introduced as the new schools chancellor by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.  Cathleen P. Black stepped down from the position Thursday.  —  Cathleen P. Black …

Gates says shutdown could delay troops' paychecks  —  CHIP SOMODEVILLA/ GETTY IMAGES - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates speaks to troops from the U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division during a visit to Baghdad on Thursday.  —  BAGHDAD — Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates expressed concern Thursday …

Iron Dome intercepts first rocket  —  Ashkelon residents report seeing Grad explode in midair as dozens of rockets fired at south, meanwhile Hamas says Israel taking advantage of Goldstone's regret over Gaza war report to bomb Strip  —  Latest Update:  —  Residents in Ashkelon reported …

The fiscal purists go mad  —  A quarrel over ethanol lays bare Republican divisions on tax  —  IT IS bad enough that Republicans and Democrats are so divided on how much to spend and tax.  But if you want to feel really gloomy about America's ability to tackle its deficit, consider the ideological …

Riders Caused The Storm: Government Shutdown Looms Over Anti-Abortion And Anti-EPA Measures  —  If a government shutdown happens, it'll be because Republicans are demanding policy restrictions in addition to spending cuts before agreeing to fund the government through September.

The G.O.P.'s Dukakis Problem  —  The Republican Party's presidential-nominating process has always been run by elites.  Oh, the voters have their brief moments of triumph, hoisting up an unelectable right-winger (i.e., Pat Buchanan) or an uncontrollable moderate (John McCain, the circa-2000 version).

“I'm not a punchbag - I have feelings”  —  The NS guest editor Jemima Khan talks to the Liberal Democrat leader about life on the far side of power and what it's like to be a cut-out.  —  Nick Clegg and I smile genially at each other across the table of a standard-class train carriage.

Mario Cuomo Still Believes  —  You would think that Mario Cuomo would have been proud to watch his son Andrew sworn in as governor of New York last New Year's Eve, ascending to the job his old man held for 12 years.  Apparently, you would be wrong.  —  “You really want to know how I felt?” the elder Cuomo asked me last month.

EVEN THE THREAT OF A SHUTDOWN IS EXPENSIVE.... If congressional Republicans go through with their threat and shut down the government tomorrow night, the costs will be considerable.  It's ironic that those hoping to cut the budget will force a shutdown that's needlessly expensive.