New polls confirm Obama's Democratic base crumbles  —  With all of the spotlights on the high-stakes debt maneuverings by President Obama and Speaker John Boehner the last few days, few people noticed what Vermont's Sen. Bernie Sanders said:  —  “I think it would be a good idea if President Obama faced some primary opposition.”

Wealth Gaps Rise to Record Highs Between Whites, Blacks and Hispanics  —  Twenty-to-One  —  By Rakesh Kochhar, Richard Fry and Paul Taylor, Pew Research Center's Social & Demographic Trends  —  The median wealth of white households is 20 times that of black households and 18 times …

Krauthammer on Obama's Address: “I Thought I Was Cynical Until I Heard That Speech” (Video)  —  Charles Krauthammer unloaded on Obama tonight after his stale poll-driven speech to the nation.  Obama still has no plan.  —  “I thought I was cynical until I heard that speech.  It was purely partisan.

The Help-Wanted Sign Comes With a Frustrating Asterisk  —  The unemployed need not apply.  —  That is the message being broadcast by many of the nation's employers, making it even more difficult for 14 million jobless Americans to get back to work.  —  A recent review of job vacancy postings …

Soros to End Hedge-Fund Career, Return Money  —  George Soros, the billionaire best known for breaking the Bank of England, is returning money to outside investors in his $25.5 billion firm, ending a career as hedge-fund manager that spanned more than four decades.

Bachmann walks away from WQAD  —  Davenport, Iowa— Michele Bachmann made a visit to the Quad Cities last night to speak with supporters and give interviews to the local television media, that is, with one exception.  Despite promises to WQAD for a one-on-one interview the Congresswoman's managers openly …

Norway killer Anders Behring Breivik had extensive links to English Defence League  —  Anders Behring Breivik had extensive links to the far-Right English Defence League, senior members of the group have admitted.  —  Anders Behring Breivik leaves court on Monday

Gingrich regrets 2008 climate ad with Pelosi  —  Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) said Tuesday that he regrets making a commercial with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on the need to address climate change.  —  Gingrich, who partnered with Pelosi while she was Speaker for the 2008 ad …

Baby Talk  —  I was struck by these sentences in President Obama's speech: … Consider the condescension implicit in the president's statement—"a term that most people outside of Washington have probably never heard of before."  These “people outside of Washington” are not little children …

Mike Lee: I Want America's ‘House To Come Down’ Unless Congress Votes To Rewrite Constitution  —  In an interview on MSNBC's Hardball this evening, tenther Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) admitted that he is using the threat of a catastrophic default to extort the nation into rewriting the Constitution …

Black Student Can't Be Valedictorian  —  PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AR) - A high school southeast of Little Rock would not let a black student be valedictorian though she had the highest grade-point average, and wouldn't let her mom speak to the school board about it until graduation had passed, the graduate claims in Federal Court.

The Absolution I Cannot Give  —  In the past 48 hours I have had call after call after call from members of the United States Congress.  They've read what I've written.  They agree.  But they feel the hour is short and the end is nigh.  —  So some are calling looking for alternatives.