Biden: Tea partiers like ‘terrorists’  —  Vice President Joe Biden joined House Democrats in lashing tea party Republicans Monday, accusing them of having “acted like terrorists” in the fight over raising the nation's debt limit.  —  Biden was agreeing with a line of argument made by Rep. Mike Doyle …

Giffords's Return Marks Moment of Unity in Divided House  —  The clock was running down, and the debt ceiling compromise did not yet have enough ayes to pass.  Then, slowly, applause started trickling through the House chamber.  The clapping grew over the next half minute, until finally …

Most of Newt Gingrich's Twitter Followers Are Fake  —  Yesterday Newt Gingrich laid out a new argument for why he should be the GOP presidential nominee: He's got the most Twitter followers.  But according to a former Gingrich staffer, he bought them.  —  Gingrich complained yesterday …

The collapse of America's middle class  —  People seem to act irrationally when they have nothing to lose.  Often we observe in wars that the losing side expends more blood and treasure after its position becomes hopeless.  —  The American South sustained most of its casualties in the Civil War …

The real story of the US debt deal is not the triumph of the Tea Party but the death of the Socialist Left  —  For British conservatives, the US debt deal is a thing of beauty.  Under the terms of the deal, the federal government will cut spending by $2.4 trillion over the next 10 years …

Boehner: I got 98 percent of what I wanted  —  CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley sat down with Speaker of the House John Boehner in his office at the Capitol on Monday.  —  With a brutal partisan fight over the debt ceiling drawing to an apparent close, Boehner said he understands …

We The Stupid  —  I stand here in abject stupefaction.  The so-called “right” or “Tea Party” in this republic is being so thoroughly rolled and defeated that I am struggling to come up with an adequate violent submission metaphor that does not involve prison rape . . . and they honesty think that they're “winning.”

Putin says U.S. is “parasite” on global economy  —  (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin accused the United States Monday of living beyond its means “like a parasite” on the global economy and said dollar dominance was a threat to the financial markets.

Matt Damon weighs in on the debt ceiling  —  Last week, Ben Affleck briefly became part of the conversation about the debt ceiling.  And now his longtime buddy and fellow actor Matt Damon has weighed in on the debate.  —  “I'm so disgusted man. ...  I don't know what you do in the face of that kind of intransigence.

The Winner of the Power Line Prize Is...  “The Spending Is Nuts,” by Justin Folk:  —  “Squirrels,” as we call it informally, is a beautiful piece of work.  (View it on YouTube in HD here.)  We asked Justin to share his thoughts on the contest and his video:

The red and the black  —  Where federal taxes are raised and spent  —  SOME American states receive more in federal spending than they pay in federal taxes; others receive less.  Over twenty years these fiscal transfers can add up to a sizeable sum.  From 1990 to 2009 …

What we wish Obama had said  —  Does anyone else have a sick sense of déjà vu this morning?  —  After months of slow-motion capitulation, President Obama has cut an eleventh-hour deal with Republican leaders to raise the debt ceiling.  After vowing to heed the public outcry …

Who gains from debt deal?  The Pentagon, for one  —  WASHINGTON — The last-minute deal that Congress is considering to raise the federal debt limit probably will mean trillions of dollars in government spending reductions for most agencies.  But one department stands to gain: the Pentagon.

Whiteboard Archives  —  I'VE BEEN WORKING ON A DEBT DEAL: President Obama shifts his focus to labor Tuesday morning as he meets privately in the East Room with the executive committee of the AFL-CIO.  In guidance to reporters, the White House said Obama will “discuss issues important to working families …

Egyptians Turn Against Liberal Protesters  —  CAIRO—Mobs of ordinary Egyptians joined with soldiers to drive pro-democracy protesters from their encampment in Tahrir Square here Monday, showing how far the uprising's early heroes have fallen in the eyes of the public.

Union chief warns of job losses from debt-ceiling deal  —  The agreement to lift the debt ceiling will lead to job losses, according to the president of the nation's main public workers union.  —  Gerry McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees …

It's Public Opinion, Stupid  —  Jared Bernstein praises the president with faint damns: … I think this is roughly correct.  Public opinion is everything.  Ronald Reagan was successful because public opinion supported him: he wanted to cut taxes and raise defense spending and so did big chunks of the public.

Obama to head home for 50th birthday fundraiser  —  The sound of helicopters over the Chicago lakefront today signaled the practice drills that accompany a presidential visit.  And with Congress poised to act on a deal to raise the federal debt ceiling, President Barack Obama's plans to return …

GOP Rep. Lamborn: Associating With Obama Is Like ‘Touching A Tar Baby’  —  Appearing on the Caplis and Silverman radio show last Friday, Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) said, “Now I don't even want to have to be associated with [Obama], it's like touching a tar baby and you're stuck, you're part of the problem now.

Two Things About Huntsman's Mail Piece  —  Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman returns to New Hampshire this week hoping to try again after a campaign launch that appeared to have more buzz before than after.  —  In the last two weeks, his campaign manager and longtime friend have now left the campaign.