The Mother of All No-Brainers  —  The Republicans have changed American politics since they took control of the House of Representatives.  They have put spending restraint and debt reduction at the top of the national agenda.  They have sparked a discussion on entitlement reform.

Solid Majority of Jewish Americans Still Approve of Obama  —  Changes in approval among Jews continues to reflect broader U.S. patterns  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Jewish Americans gave President Barack Obama a 60% job approval rating in June, down from 68% in May, but statistically unchanged from 64% in April.

White Supremacist Stampede  —  A startling number of white-power candidates are seeking public office.  Eve Conant reports on their under-the-radar strategy and David Duke's White House flirtation.  —  Add to the growing list of candidates considering a bid for the GOP presidential nomination …

Romney supporters raise $12 million to bolster WH bid  —  A super-PAC run by supporters of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) announced a $12 million haul during the first half of this year.  —  Restore Our Future, the outside spending group founded by supporters of Romney's presidential campaign …

DSK accuser sues NY Post for “prostitute” report  —  (Reuters) - The hotel maid who accused former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault sued the New York Post and five of its journalists for libel on Tuesday for reporting that she was a prostitute.

The riddle of the missing US ambassador as London toasts Ronald Reagan centenary  —  It was one of the most glittering events of the year, attracting some of the greatest names in American and British politics.  —  But as the British roasted lamb and the sunny Californian chardonnay were cleared away …

BMW layoffs exemplify the evisceration of the middle class  —  Every working American should be dismayed by — and afraid of — what BMW is doing.  —  By all accounts, BMW's parts distribution warehouse in Ontario was one of the jewels of the company's system.

Jury finds Casey Anthony not guilty of murder  —  THE DEFENSE SPEAKS  —  [Updated at 2:50 p.m.] Defense Attorney Jose Baez said he had mixed emotions about the case and that he had to work hard against media bias that existed during the search for Caylee and the case against Casey Anthony.

Newt Gingrich offers bleak view of campaign finances  —  Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich talks with residents of Clear Lake, Iowa during the town's Independence Day parade Monday.  (Charlie Neibergall/AP)  —  Newt Gingrich, whose presidential bid has been beset by problems including …

Boat People  —  Some questions for the “activists” aboard the Gaza flotilla.  —  The tale of the Gaza “flotilla” seems set to become a regular summer feature, bobbing along happily on the inside pages with an occasional update.  A nice sidebar for reporters covering the Greek debt crisis …

Behind the Scenes, Christian Right Leaders Rally Behind Rick Perry  —  In early June, TIME has learned, a group of prominent figures on the Christian Right held a conference call to discuss their dissatisfaction with the current GOP presidential field, and agreed that Rick Perry would be their preferred candidate if he entered the race.

U.S. Officials Behind ‘Fast and Furious’ Gun Sales Should Be Tried in Mexico, Lawmaker Says  —  While the investigation continues into the U.S. operation that helped send thousands of guns south of the border, Mexican lawmakers say they'll press for extradition and prosecution in Mexico …

Rick Santorum's Math Fail: Blasts Obama For Creating ‘Only 240 Million Jobs’  —  2012 GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum continued his long-shot campaign this morning with an appearance on CNN.  During the interview, Santorum attempted to criticize the Obama administration's record on jobs …

Arizona conservatives scramble after campaign finance law's defeat  —  The state's Clean Elections Act had swept a surge of small-government Republicans into power.  —  Arizona Republican state Sen. Steve Smith, right, had never run for public office before last year.

Population Density Fact Of The Day: The Netherlands Is An Agricultural Exporter  —  I'm not sure how relevant this is to the debate between Ha-Joon Chang and Jagdish Baghwati over the importance of manufacturing, but Chang's point about Dutch agriculture is fascinating:

The Sorrow and Pity of Another Liquidity Trap  —  There is only one real law of economics: the law of supply and demand.  If the quantity supplied goes up, the price goes down.  —  Back in the third quarter of 2008, the public held about $5.3 trillion of U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds.

Obama tries to stop execution in Texas of Mexican killer  —  US president warns Texan authorities that execution would put America in breach of international legal obligations  —  President Barack Obama is attempting to block the execution in Texas on Thursday of a Mexican man because it would breach …

Rand Paul Vows To Filibuster Everything Until Senate Debates Debt Ceiling  —  Tea Party Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is pledging to block all Senate business this week until the chamber starts debating the debt ceiling.  In an interview that aired Sunday on C-Span, the freshman senator vowed …

AP Enterprise: The man who hunted Osama bin Laden  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — After Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, the White House released a photo of President Barack Obama and his Cabinet inside the Situation Room, watching the daring raid unfold.  —  Hidden from view, standing just outside …