‘Jewish’ Bachmann is costing Romney  —  Funny, she doesn't look Jewish.  —  Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is facing a new challenge: He's having trouble raising money from some Jewish donors who mistakenly believe one of his opponents, Michele Bachmann, is Jewish.

White House Issues Guides on Sept. 11 Observances  —  WASHINGTON — The White House has issued detailed guidelines to government officials on how to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, with instructions to honor the memory of those who died on American soil but also to recall …

The Case Against a Payroll Tax Cut  —  Bruce Bartlett held senior policy roles in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations and served on the staffs of Representatives Jack Kemp and Ron Paul.  —  It's rare for Republicans to find a tax cut they don't support, but last week …

Gunwalker scandal: ATF director out of top job  —  ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson is being moved out of the top job at the Bureau, ATF Special Agents in Charge announced during a conference call with reporters today.  He will transfer to the Justice Department and assume the position of senior advisor, Office of Legal Programs.

Why Dick Cheney Left Office Unpopular and Reviled  —  As the former vice president releases his memoir, it's useful to recall the many reasons why the vast majority of Americans disapproved of his tenure  —  When Vice President Dick Cheney left office, his approval rating stood at a staggeringly low 13 percent.

Christine O'Donnell Won't Appear After All at Tea Party Rally  —  UPDATE: Former U.S. Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell will not speak at a tea party event featuring former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in Indianola, Iowa, this weekend, an organizer told Washington Wire.

President Obama's uncle had Social Security ID  —  President Obama's accused drunken-driving uncle — who was busted after a near collision with a Framingham cop — has had a valid Social Security number for at least 19 years, despite being an illegal immigrant ordered to be deported back to Kenya, the Herald has learned.

Developments in Financial Markets and the Federal Reserve's Balance Sheet  —  The Manager of the System Open Market Account (SOMA) reported on developments in domestic and foreign financial markets during the period since the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) met on June 21-22, 2011.

How Bill O'Reilly Tried to Get His Wife's Boyfriend Investigated By the Cops  —  Last summer, Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly came to believe that his wife was romantically involved with another man.  Not just any man, but a police detective in the Long Island community they call home.

Fischer: Make Homosexuality “A Criminal Offense”  —  On his radio show Focal Point yesterday, American Family Association spokesman Bryan Fischer called on all fifty states to criminalize homosexuality.  In 2003, the Supreme Court's decision in Lawrence v. Texas overturned anti-sodomy laws …

Republicans to Unveil Bill to Force Major Changes at the UN  —  House Republicans are planning to introduce today legislation that seeks to force major changes at the United Nations, using as leverage the U.S.'s 22 percent contribution to the world body's operating budget.

Justice Ginsburg: If I Were Nominated Today, My Women's Rights Work For The ACLU Would Probably Disqualify Me  —  Justice Ginsburg During Her Time As Director of the ACLU Women's Rights Project  —  In a speech yesterday at Southern Methodist University law school, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg offered …

Parts of Britain suffer coldest summer for nearly two decades  —  Much of Britain suffered the coldest summer for almost two decades, Met Office statistics show.  —  As Britons return to work today after a soggy Bank Holiday weekend, official weather data reveals that average temperatures were significantly down on recent years.

About Edward Glaeser  —  Refinancing Mortgages Won't Fix Housing Market: Edward Glaeser  —  The New York Times reported last week that the Obama administration was considering a proposal to “allow millions of homeowners with government-backed mortgages to refinance them at today's lower interest rates, about 4 percent.”

Health care fraud prosecutions on pace to rise 85%  —  WASHINGTON - New government statistics show federal health care fraud prosecutions in the first eight months of 2011 are on pace to rise 85% over last year due in large part to ramped-up enforcement efforts under the Obama administration.

The Gibson Guitar Saga Gets Steadily Curiouser  —  These days, you can't keep up with all the news.  There is just too much going on.  So inevitably, there are interesting stories that you have to catch up with when you can, like a moving train.  The Justice Department's raid on four Gibson guitar factories is in that category.

Obama tells young reporters: Climate change a top challenge for young people  —  Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing young people, President Obama said in a recent interview with young reporters from Scholastic News.  —  “Another big challenge that your generation …

New CBO Report Finds Up to 2.9 Million People Owe Their Jobs to the Recovery Act  —  A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report estimates that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) increased the number of people employed by between 1.0 million and 2.9 million jobs as of June.  [1]

The Mystery of Steve Jobs's Public Giving  —  Steve Jobs is a genius.  He is an innovator.  A visionary.  He is perhaps the most beloved billionaire in the world.  —  Surprisingly, there is one thing that Mr. Jobs is not, at least not yet: a prominent philanthropist.

Perry at the VFW  —  Texas Gov. Rick Perry had not planned on going to the Texas meeting of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.  Then on Aug. 22 a press release appeared on the group's Web site, criticizing the president for not attending.  It also included this blast at Perry: