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.

Romney Holds Sizable Lead In Poll; Bachmann Jumps To 2nd  —  Romney Still Leads In Hypothetical Race With Obama  —  DURHAM, N.H. — Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney continues to lead a field of Republican presidential candidates, according to the latest WMUR Granite State Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.

No Deal Yet: President Rejects Short-Term Debt Fix  —  President Obama made an unscheduled appearance today before reporters to say that some progress has been made in the deeply divided negotiations over the nation's debt ceiling, and “greater progress is in sight.”

Casey Anthony Found Not Guilty of Killing 2-Year-Old Daughter  —  BREAKING: A Florida jury has acquitted Casey Anthony of murdering her 2-year-old daughter Caylee.  —  Anthony, 25, wept after the clerk read the verdict, which jurors reached after less than 11 hours of deliberation over two days.

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 …

Why Gallup's Analysis of Jewish Voters is Dishonest  —  There it was in bold Gallup-type headlines. … The problem with the headline is that it is Dishonest.  —  Assuming the overall Jewish American approval numbers are correct, they gave President Barack Obama a 60% job approval rating in June …

Strauss-Kahn faces hurdle at home as U.S. woes ease  —  (Reuters) - Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was hit with a complaint of attempted rape in France on Tuesday in a new hurdle to any political comeback even as the U.S. sex assault case against him appeared to be falling apart.

Madison 360: Baldwin likely to forgo safety for her dream of Senate seat  —  She really wants to do it.  —  That's the precise phrase I've heard for weeks from elected officials, political professionals and supporters who know her.  —  While the words are consistent …

Paul Ryan is in total denial  —  If Paul Ryan really believes what he said about his Medicare plan in this interview with a local Wisconsin TV station, then he is in total denial about how unpopular his proposal really is — and how much of a jam it created for his fellow Republicans:

Harry Reid yanks Libya resolution  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid cancelled a vote on a Libya resolution Tuesday, following a torrent of criticism from Senate Republicans who say they are in town to talk about debt, not foreign policy.  —  Reid said he decided against holding …

Global warming lull down to China's coal growth  —  Solar power is coming to China - but coal-burning grew amazingly quickly a few years back  —  The lull in global warming from 1998 to 2008 was mainly caused by a sharp rise in China's coal use, a study suggests.

GRAPH: Contrary To GOP Claims, U.S. Has Second Lowest Corporate Taxes In The Developed World  —  During negotiations regarding raising the nation's debt limit, congressional Republicans have defended tax loopholes for corporations, claiming that America has a high corporate tax rate that is stifling economic growth and job creation.

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 …

Post-Traumatic Stress Cure: Writer Stages Her Own Rape  —  Mac McClelland, a civil rights reporter who has seen the impact of sexual violence around the globe, couldn't shake the image of Sybille, a woman who said she had been raped at gunpoint and mutilated in the aftermath of Haiti's catastrophic 2010 earthquake.

The Fiscal Impact of States' Anti-Immigrant Legislation  —  Jason Azurmendi, left, is joined by Will Pesante, center, and Kristen Everett, right, all of Atlanta, as they protest a proposed controversial state immigration bill outside the state capitol on April 14, 2011 in Atlanta.

Rep. Paul: Abolish TSA  —  The Transportation Security Administration should be abolished, Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) said over the weekend.  —  Speaking on his weekly “Texas Straight Talk” audio address, Paul said that recent reports alleging a 95-year-old woman …

The Shame of the Cities and the Shade of LBJ  —  President Lyndon Johnson and the “best and the brightest” who staffed his administration led this country into three quagmires.  By far the most famous, but perhaps not the most expensive and dangerous resulted from LBJ's escalation of the Vietnam War.

Drunk Puppy Buying Banned by West Village Pet Stores  —  Drunk puppy buying customers are a challenge for Greenwich Village pet stores surrounded by bars and clubs.  —  DNAinfo Reporter/Producer  —  WEST VILLAGE — You've heard of drunk dialing and drunk Facebooking, but drunk puppy buying?

Perry Breaks With a Fellow Texan: Bush  —  AUSTIN, Tex. — Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican contemplating a presidential run, shares many attributes with the last man who ran for president from here, his predecessor and onetime patron, George W. Bush.  He has the same straight-legged Texas swagger …