Allen West tirade: Wasserman Schultz ‘vile...despicable...not a Lady’  —  Florida GOP Congressman Allen West this afternoon dispatched a scathing personal email to Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, calling her “vile, unprofessional ,and despicable,” “a coward …

Reporter Accosted After Bachmann Comments on Migraines  —  It's not easy to get to Michele Bachmann.  Her appearance at a rally on Tuesday in Aiken, South Carolina, attended by perhaps 150 people, featured three uniformed police officers and two body guards in plain clothes.

Two House lawmakers call for vote on Gang of Six plan  —  A House Republican and a member of the New Democrat coalition are jointly calling on Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to bring the Senate's “Gang of Six” deficit-reduction proposal to a House vote alongside an increase in the debt ceiling.

Obama to Back Repeal of Law Restricting Marriage  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama will endorse a bill to repeal the law that limits the legal definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman, the White House said Tuesday, taking another step in support of gay rights.

What should taxpayers think about the “Gang of Six” announcement today?  —  Americans for Tax Reform today released the following statement from Grover Norquist, president of the group:  —  “What should taxpayers think about the ‘Gang of Six’ announcement today?

Is Obama Against Romney a Toss-Up?  —  Looking at head-to-head polls can be treacherous so far in advance of a presidential election.  Instead, I'd suggest that you devote most of your attention to President Obama's approval ratings and perhaps the favorability ratings of the Republican candidates …

ABC News/Washington Post Poll: Dissatisfaction With Washington Hits 19-Year High  —  Analysis by ABC News' Pollster Gary Langer (@LangerResearch):  —  Discontent with Washington's budget battles has spurred public dissatisfaction with the federal government to its highest level in nearly 20 years …

At this Point, Anyone with an Obama 2012 Bumper Sticker is a Threat to the Gene Pool  —  Greetings to our constituents, fellow Floridians, and all Americans, here we are for another weekly update.  There is only one word that describes the past week: appalling.

Birth control coverage proposed for most health insurance plans  —  Virtually all health insurance plans could soon be required to offer female patients free coverage of prescription birth control, breast-pump rentals, counseling for domestic violence, and annual wellness exams and HIV tests …

Feds: Harvard fellow hacked millions of papers … BOSTON (AP) — A Harvard University fellow who was studying ethics was charged with hacking into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's computer network to steal nearly 5 million academic articles.  —  Aaron Swartz, 24, of Cambridge …

Apple Reports Third Quarter Results  —  All-Time Record Revenue and Earnings  —  iPhone Sales Grow 142 Percent; iPad Sales Grow 183 Percent  —  Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2011 third quarter ended June 25, 2011.  The Company posted record quarterly revenue …

Ninth Circuit Panel Reverses Conviction for Allegedly Threatening to Kill Then-Candidate Obama  —  The case is this morning's United States v. Bagdasarian (decided by a 2-to-1 vote). … Bagdasarian was convicted, but the panel majority reversed the conviction.  —  To understand the legal question, we need a bit of background.

A Dodd-Frank Retreat Deserves a Veto  —  Only six congressional Republicans crossed the aisle to support reform one year ago.  The GOP is still working to thwart change.  —  Two and a half years ago, with our country on the edge of a second Great Depression, we met with the president …

Pakistan's Military Plotted to Tilt U.S. Policy, F.B.I. Says  —  WASHINGTON — Pakistan's military, including its powerful spy agency, has spent $4 million over two decades in a covert attempt to tilt American policy against India's control of much of Kashmir — including funneling campaign donations …

MPs publish report on unauthorised tapping or hacking of mobile communications  —  The Commons Home Affairs Committee “deplores” News International's attempt to “deliberately thwart” the original investigation into phone hacking in 2005-06 but also states that the police set aside a huge amount …

Cost-Cutters, Except When the Spending Is Back Home  —  WASHINGTON — Freshman House Republicans who rode a wave of voter discontent into office last year vowed to stop out-of-control spending, but that has not stopped several of them from quietly trying to funnel millions of federal dollars into projects back home.