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Mitch McConnell Just Proposed the “Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011″ — Editor's note: I decided to make the title less incendiary. — Consider the Associated Press's headline right now: “GOP Leader McConnell proposes giving Obama new power for automatic debt limit increase”
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Obama says he cannot guarantee Social Security checks will go out on August 3 — President Obama on Tuesday said he cannot guarantee that retirees will receive their Social Security checks August 3 if Democrats and Republicans in Washington do not reach an agreement on reducing the deficit in the coming weeks.
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Debt-Limit Harakiri — Mitch McConnell isn't selling out Republicans. — Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said yesterday he's concluded that no deal to raise the debt ceiling in return for serious spending restraint is possible with President Obama, and who can blame him?
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The Lonely Conservative, Hot Air and National Review


Senate GOP mulls new debt strategy — Trying to get out of the political box which they have helped to create, Senate Republicans are actively discussing a new plan under which the debt ceiling would grow in three increments over the remainder of this Congress unless lawmakers approve a veto proof resolution of disapproval.
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The Big Blink? McConnell Proposes Giving Obama Authority To Raise Debt Limit Alone — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has proposed creating an escape hatch for Congressional Republicans, who have put themselves in a box by threatening not to raise the national debt limit …


Another mortifying McConnell head-banging-against-the-wall moment — Longtime readers are familiar with our time-honored tradition of marking inevitable Senate GOP sellout moments with the head-banging-against-the-wall animated gif. — Well, it is time to resurrect it again …

U.S. Debt Ceiling Increase Remains Unpopular With Americans — More are concerned about higher level of spending than risk of economic crisis — PRINCETON, NJ — Despite agreement among leaders of both sides of the political aisle in Washington that raising the U.S. debt ceiling is necessary …
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McConnell outlines new proposal on debt ceiling — McConnell was quickly excoriated online by tea party bloggers, with Erick Erickson of the Web site RedState.com blasting the plan as “the Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011.” — Still, with less than three weeks left until …


Republicans Introduce Plan, Go On Offensive — Senate Republicans mounted a bold offensive today against President Obama's effort to force them to accept a tax hike as part of a bipartisan agreement to raise the debt limit. — The Republican plan would, in effect, end the talks at the White House on a deal.
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Norquist: Time to Force Obama's Hand
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Judo Flip! Boehner Agrees With McConnell That Dems Should Not Be Allowed To Take Debt Limit Hostage
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Craven Reign — I just finished explaining that Mitch McConnell …
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Daily Kos

EXCLUSIVE: McConnell to Obama: Eat your own darn peas
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BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL — Why McConnell's debt limit proposal is a bad idea
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McConnell outlines new proposal on debt ceiling
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New McConnell Plan: We Get Everything We Want On Debt Ceiling, Plus 12 Opportunities To Bash Obama
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McConnell's debt disapproval plan
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McConnell fallback plan would leave debt-ceiling hikes to Obama
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Dem strategist: Obama should invoke 14th Amendment powers to raise debt limit
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McConnell Outlines Three-Step Debt Contingency Plan
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McConnell Proposal Gives Obama Power to Increase Debt Limit
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Mitch McConnell to Obama: You want debt ceiling raised? Then raise it yourself!
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Politics Aside at Betty Ford Funeral: Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush Share Intent Conversation — ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf (@zbyronwolf) reports: — Nancy Reagan and Michelle Obama stared quietly ahead before the funeral of Betty Ford in Palm Desert, California.
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How Can We Not Love Obama? — Because like it or not, he is all of us — Before the fall brings us down, before the election season begins in earnest with all its nastiness and vulgarity, before the next batch of stupid scandals and gaffes, before Sarah Palin tries to convert her movie …
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Light bulb bill goes dark in House — House lawmakers Tuesday stymied an initial effort by Republicans to put an end to infamous light bulb efficiency standards. — The bill from Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) to repeal part of a 2007 energy law requiring traditional incandescent light bulbs …
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Lightbulb bill likely headed for defeat in House
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Sweetness & Light and Hot Air


APNewsBreak: Romney rejects gay marriage pledge — DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign said Tuesday that he will not sign a conservative Iowa Christian group's far-reaching pledge opposing gay marriage, making him the first Republican presidential candidate to reject it.
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Sarah Palin Evokes Strong Emotions Among Republicans
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Fan Who Caught Jeter's 3,000th Hit May Owe IRS Thousands — The tax man may be on the hunt for the super fan who caught Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit. — Christian Lopez, 23, recovered the prized ball his father fumbled after The Captain hammered it into their section of the stands …
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NOT GUILTY!... SEIU Thugs Cleared in Brutal Gladney Beatdown! ... Update: Gladney Reaction (Video) — NOT GUILTY- SEIU GOONS CLEARED IN GLADNEY BEATING! — I just spoke with Kenneth Gladney and his wife outside the courtroom. Here is their first reaction— “I couldn't beat them; I didn't have the resources they had.
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Two charged in scuffle at St. Louis County meeting found not guilty
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Ron Paul won't seek congressional term in 2012 — LAKE JACKSON — After serving almost 24 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Ron Paul told The Facts this morning he will not be seeking another term for the District 14 seat. — Paul, 75, will instead focus on his quest for the presidency in 2012.
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State Supreme Court justices rule not to force recusals — By Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel — Madison - State Supreme Court justices can't kick each other off cases for alleged bias, the court ruled Tuesday in a bitterly divided decision along now-familiar 4-3 lines.
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Althouse

Time is of the essence, any US budget deal will do — As the debt negotiators square off in Congress, much attention will focus on the size of the 10-year budget deal they come up with. As almost everyone agrees, there is much more risk of doing too little than too much given the scale of America's fiscal challenge.