Left's angst grows over Obama's shift to the political center  —  Anxiety over President Obama's shift to the political center is threatening to alienate the White House's liberal base.  —  As Obama prepares Wednesday to outline his deficit reduction strategy, liberals worry he'll embrace Medicare …

Daniels' presidential run would take on big issues  —  But governor says he still hasn't decided on 2012 campaign  —  Gov. Mitch Daniels' campaign for president would be a crusade against federal debt and for major entitlement reform — if, that is, he runs.

Do-Nothing Congress as a Cure  —  A trick question: If Congress takes no action in coming years, what will happen to the budget deficit?  —  It will shrink — and shrink a lot.  This simple fact may offer the best hope for deficit reduction.  —  As federal law currently stands …

Lobbyists Won Key Concessions in Budget Deal  —  WASHINGTON — At a quarter till midnight last Friday, with a deal to avert a government shutdown barely an hour old, Senator Harry Reid phoned a fellow Democratic senator, Ron Wyden, at home and startled him with some bad news.

How Congress can balance the budget in eight years by literally doing nothing.  This is not a joke.  —  The Simpson-Bowles blue-ribbon deficit commission longs to slash Social Security and defense spending.  The Bipartisan Policy Center's Alice Rivlin and Peter Domenici yearn for a value-added tax.

Diplomatic Breakdown Amid Bieber Fever in Israel  —  JERUSALEM — The teenage pop idol Justin Bieber became embroiled in a diplomatic imbroglio on Tuesday when it emerged that plans for a meeting between the singer and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel had been called off, with the sides differing over why.

Wall Street executives warn John Boehner on debt limit  —  NEW YORK — Republicans are growing increasingly concerned about the impact a bruising fight over raising the nation's $14.29 trillion debt ceiling could have on U.S. financial markets.  —  House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) …

Pawlenty makes another hire  —  Washington (CNN) - Republican Tim Pawlenty is adding to his team of advisers and strategists.  —  The former Minnesota governor announced Wednesday that GOP strategist Jon Seaton will join Pawlenty's presidential exploratory committee as national political director, the second big hire in three days.

Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Drink  —  Republicans can make up for a Reagan-era error by returning this issue to the states.  —  'If you get shot at, you can have a shot.  " That's the rationale behind Alaska State Representative—and Vietnam veteran—Bob Lynn's effort to establish …

The Real Housewives of Wall Street  —  Why is the Federal Reserve forking over $220 million in bailout money to the wives of two Morgan Stanley bigwigs?  —  By  —  America has two national budgets, one official, one unofficial.  The official budget is public record and hotly debated …

Inflation Actually Near 10% Using Older Measure  —  After former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker was appointed in 1979, the consumer price index surged into the double digits, causing the now revered Fed Chief to double the benchmark interest rate in order to break the back of inflation.

ThinkProgress Leaves Bachmann Speechless: Doesn't ‘Have An Answer’ On Whether Homosexuality Is A Public Health Hazard  —  Yesterday, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) — who is seriously considering launching a campaign for the presidency — appeared before the FAMiLY Leader, an anti-gay social conservative group in Iowa.

Why Obama was forced to give today's deficit speech  —  If President Obama is in political trouble, just wait a minute.  He'll give a speech.  He thinks speech-making is his best skill and clearly prefers campaigning over presidenting at a desk.  —  Oh, look!  Obama's giving another speech this afternoon.

Wisconsin previews 2012 chaos  —  Here we go again.  —  Wisconsin's contested Supreme Court race has set in motion a drama that's by now almost painfully familiar.  It goes something like this: A hard-fought election comes down to a few troublesome precincts.

Egypt junta bows to protesters, Mubarak and sons jailed  —  It didn't take long for Egypt's interim military-backed regime to respond to the country's latest popular demands.  —  On Friday hundreds of thousands of Egyptians again filled Cairo's Tahrir Square, this time demanding the government …

Tea Party group warns GOP members: Shape up or face primaries  —  One of the nation's largest Tea Party groups is warning congressional Republicans to watch their right flanks ahead of a final vote this week on the long-term budget deal that averted a government shutdown.

John DiStaso's Granite Status: Santorum will discuss his next step regarding possible candidacy on Wednesday night  —  TUESDAY NIGHT UPDATE: WHAT'S NEXT FOR RICK?  Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum will discuss the next step he will be taking regarding a potential presidential candidacy on Wednesday night on the Fox News channel.