Boehner's Obama Gamble  —  A tax increase now for the promise of tax reform later won't fly.  —  President Obama wants Congress to raise the $14.3 trillion national debt limit, which means he needs House Republican votes.  Yet Mr. Obama and the Washington chorus are insisting that in return …

Gary Johnson Calls Family Leader Pledge “Offensive and Unrepublican”  —  July 9, 2011, Las Vegas, Nevada - Presidential candidate and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson charged today in a formal statement through his campaign that the Family Leader “pledge” Republican candidates for President …

U.S. Is Deferring Millions in Pakistani Military Aid  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is suspending and, in some cases, canceling hundreds of millions of dollars of aid to the Pakistani military, in a move to chasten Pakistan for expelling American military trainers and to press its army to fight militants more effectively.

The new oppo research: Spotting the labels on the wine on the politician's restaurant table.  —  Some busybody business professor named Susan Feinberg pulled this trick on Paul Ryan and Talking Points Memo is lapping it up: … So, Feinberg was appalled, stunned, and outraged.  That's got to hurt.

After Years of Struggle, South Sudan Becomes a New Nation  —  JUBA, South Sudan — The celebrations erupted at midnight.  Thousands of revelers poured into Juba's steamy streets in the predawn hours on Saturday, hoisting enormous flags, singing, dancing and leaping on the back of cars.

A real problem vs. an imaginary one  —  After the release of the June job numbers, there were plenty of worthwhile charts and graphs making the rounds, but this one from Paul Krugman was especially helpful.  —  In case it's a little hard to see, that red line is the unemployment rate …

Clueless about jobs  —  America's economy grew by a minus cule 18,000 jobs in June, and unem ployment rose to an eye-popping 9.2 percent.  Since April, the economy has produced a mere 43,000 new jobs.  —  Responded President Obama yesterday: “We still have a long way to go and a lot of work …

Sheila Bair's Bank Shot  —  'They should have let Bear Stearns fail," Sheila Bair said.  —  It was midmorning on a crisp June day, and Bair, the 57-year-old outgoing chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation — the federal agency that insures bank deposits and winds down failing banks …

China vs. America: Which Is the Developing Country?  —  From new roads to wise leadership, sound financials and five-year plans, Beijing has the winning approach.  —  Recently I flew from Los Angeles to China to attend a corporate board-of-directors meeting in Shanghai, as well as customer and government visits there and in Beijing.

Sixteen Senators Ask DOJ To Investigate Potentially Illegal State Voter Disenfranchisement Laws  —  Sixteen senators led by Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) submitted a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder last week asking him to examine whether the Voting Rights Act's prohibitions …

Trailing G.O.P. With Cameras, Seeking Gaffes  —  AMHERST, N.H. — Aaron Fielding quietly stalks his prey — Republicans — with his video camera, patiently waiting for a political moment worthy of YouTube.  —  At 27, he is a full-time “tracker” for American Bridge 21st Century …

The Trouble With Approval Ratings  —  They provide only a very fuzzy picture of the electorate's attitudes.  —  Political observers love presidential approval ratings, which seem to make elections predictable, at least in those years when an incumbent is running.