Rep. Ryan: Rick Perry is right on Social Security  —  The Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee on Tuesday drew fire from Democrats for backing Texas Gov. Rick Perry's description of Social Security as a “Ponzi scheme.”  —  Social Security fits the technical definition of a Ponzi scheme …

FACT CHECK: Are rich taxed less than secretaries?  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama makes it sound as if there are millionaires all over America paying taxes at lower rates than their secretaries.  —  “Middle-class families shouldn't pay higher taxes than millionaires and billionaires,” Obama said Monday.

Rick Santorum contacted Google, says company spreads ‘filth’  —  A Google search for Santorum has generated some inappropriate results since gay columnist Dan Savage organized an online campaign to link graphic sexual terms to the socially conservative senator's name.

Poll finds Obama losing ground to Republicans  —  WASHINGTON — Look out President Barack Obama.  Even Sarah Palin's gaining on you.  —  A new McClatchy-Marist poll finds that Obama looks increasingly vulnerable in next year's election, with a majority of voters believing he'll lose to any Republican …

Gary Johnson's Big Breakthrough  —  The former New Mexico governor has just landed a spot in the next presidential debate Thursday night.  Howard Kurtz on why that could take the heat off Perry and Romney.

Reid warns shutdown is possible  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday there is a chance that the government could shutter at the end of this month.  —  Criticizing House Republicans for the disaster relief provisions in their budget bill, Reid told reporters, “We're not going to cave on this.”

Centrist Dems Already Trying To Put The Brakes On Obama's Tax Increases  —  President Obama's deficit-reduction plan—complete with tax increases on the wealthiest Americans—won high marks from his liberal base encouraged to see Obama back in fighting mode, but the plan is set to hit …

Texas GOP Rep On Cuts To Family Planning: ‘Of Course This Is A War On Birth Control’  —  The GOP's concerted campaign against women's health has resulted in about 1,000 anti-abortion bills in state legislatures across the country and numerous federal attempts to eradicate a woman's right to choose.

Alter vs. Suskind: Not longing for Clinton  —  On MSNBC, Jonathan Alter — the author of a more sympathetic book on Obama's first year than Ron Suskind's — offers a different theory of the White House:  —  ANCHOR: What about the claim he makes about Peter Orzag and Larry Summers saying they were “home alone” in the White House.

$16 Muffins Found at U.S. Meetings  —  U.S. Justice Department agencies spent too much for food at conferences, in one case serving $16 muffins and in another dishing out beef Wellington appetizers that cost $7.32 per serving, an audit found.  —  “Some conferences featured costly meals …

Bill Clinton scorches GOP field on climate change  —  Bill Clinton turned up the heat on the leading Republican presidential contenders Tuesday, saying their opposition to acknowledging climate change makes the country “look like a joke.”  —  “If you're an American, the best thing …

U.S. Alleges Full Tilt Poker Was Ponzi Scheme  —  The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday accused poker celebrities Howard Lederer and Christopher Ferguson among other executives of a major poker website of defrauding poker players out of more than $300 million.

Cleve Foster Case: U.S. Supreme Court Halts Texas Execution … HUNTSVILLE, Texas — A former Army recruiter who for the third time this year was hours away from his scheduled execution for the rape-slaying of a woman in Fort Worth nearly 10 years ago was granted yet another reprieve by the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Warren takes lead on Brown  —  Elizabeth Warren has had an incredibly successful launch to her Senate campaign and actually leads Scott Brown now by a 46-44 margin, erasing what was a 15 point deficit the last time we polled the state in early June.  —  Warren's gone from 38% name recognition …

Solyndra execs will decline to testify at hearing  —  Solyndra LLC's chief executive and chief financial officer will invoke their Fifth Amendment rights and decline to answer any questions put to them at a Congressional hearing on Friday, according to letters from their attorneys obtained by Reuters.

Americans Favor Jobs Plan Proposals, Including Taxing Rich  —  Majority say Obama's jobs plan will help economy at least “a little”  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Americans generally favor raising taxes on higher-income Americans and eliminating tax deductions for some corporations as ways of paying for President Obama's proposed jobs plan.

‘Just go be Joe’: Obama lets Biden loose on the campaign trail  —  Vice President Biden has been unleashed on the campaign trail, he said Tuesday night, telling a crowd at a Chicago fundraiser “we are going to win this race.”  —  Biden joins President Obama in the new phase of the 2012 reelection campaign …

Dean: Employers will drop coverage under Obamacare  —  Former Democratic National Committee Chairman, and doctor, Howard Dean backed a McKinsey & Co. survey today that found that almost a third of private-sector employers will drop their employee health insurance coverage …

Schweddy Balls Make AFA Squirm  —  The American Family Association affiliate OneMillionMoms is calling on activists to boycott Ben & Jerry's because of the company's new Schweddy Balls ice cream.  In an email, the group describes the legendary Saturday Night Live skit featuring People …

‘Palestinians need just two more Security Council votes in bid for statehood’  —  Palestinian Foreign Minister says attempts underway to win over Gabon, Nigeria and Bosnia-Herzegovina, in quest for UNSC majority; U.S. has vowed to veto the proposal if it cannot garner a blocking majority.

HHS spending bill stuck in impasse  —  Two conservative Republicans are holding up the Health and Human Services spending bill.  —  Two conservative Republicans are holding up the Health and Human Services spending bill.  —  The two lawmakers, Reps. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Cynthia Lummis …

Troy Davis and the Reality of Doubt  —  By moving ahead with Davis's execution, Georgia's justice system is signaling that it cares little for either evidence or experts  —  A protester prays with others during a vigil outside the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles while a clemency hearing …