McConnell puts Medicare in the ransom note  —  The Republican debt-ceiling strategy hasn't been subtle: GOP officials are threatening to cause a recession, on purpose, unless Democrats give them the spending cuts they want.  It's Hostage Taking 101.  —  The trick has been identifying the ransom.

Are Dems drawing hard line on Medicare after all?  —  Is it possible that Democrats participating in the Biden-led deficit reduction talks are drawing a hard line against any cuts to Medicare benefits?  —  Many liberals fear that Dems will cave on this point.

Mediscare: The Surprising Truth  —  Republicans are being portrayed as Medicare Grinches, but ObamaCare already has seniors' health care slated for draconian cuts.  —  The Obama administration has repeatedly claimed that the health-reform bill it passed last year improved Medicare's finances.

Asking People About Statistics  —  As you can see 52% of US adults answered that more than 20% of Americans are gay or lesbian.  —  About 3.5% of Americans identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered.  —  By contrast roughly 2.2% of Americans are ethnically or religiously Jewish and 4.8% of Americans are Asian.

Rudy Giuliani leads new national poll  —  Here we go again, Rudy Giuliani edition.  —  A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation national poll shows the former New York City mayor atop the slow-forming Republican primary field.  —  The survey shows Giuliani getting 16 percent of independents and Republicans …