Could this time have been different?  —  (KEVIN LAMARQUE - REUTERS) Christina Romer had traveled to Chicago to perform an unpleasant task: she needed to scare her new boss.  David Axelrod, Barack Obama's top political adviser, had been very clear about that.

Secret U.S. Memo Made Legal Case to Kill a Citizen  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration's secret legal memorandum that opened the door to the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-born radical Muslim cleric hiding in Yemen, found that it would be lawful only if it were not feasible to take him alive …

Brown signs California Dream Act  —  The law grants illegal immigrants access to state aid at public universities and colleges.  It is one of 50 education-related bills weighed by the governor.  —  Reporting from Sacramento— Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday granted illegal immigrants access …

Perry's immigration problem  —  It's safe to say Rick Perry has given up his perch as the Republican presidential frontrunner.  In fact, the apparent collapse happened rather suddenly, with a debate in Florida marking the pivot point.  Almost immediately, the question in GOP circles went from …

Fast and Furious weapons were found in Mexico cartel enforcer's home  —  Guns illegally purchased under the ATF operation were found in April hidden in violence-plagued Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, court records show.  —  Reporting from Washington— High-powered assault weapons illegally purchased under …

American Spectator Editor Admits to Being Agent Provocateur at D.C. Museum  —  The following photograph taken by opednews.com shows a confrontation in the lobby of the National Air and Space Museum between two individuals and an officer shortly before video shows officers …

200 suicide bombers ‘planning attacks in UK’  —  At least 200 potential terrorists are actively planning suicide attacks while living freely in Britain, intelligence chiefs have warned ministers.  —  Court artist's impression of Irfan Nasser, left, and Irfan Khalid, right, who were arrested over an alleged UK suicide bombing plot

Values Voter straw poll organizers suggest a fix in Ron Paul's win  —  Rep. Ron Paul scored a decisive victory Saturday in a mock presidential election at the Values Voter Summit, trouncing fellow Texan, Gov. Rick Perry, but an organizer of the straw poll suggested ballot-stuffing may have skewed the results.

What to do with a ‘top-tier’ candidate  —  Republican Herman Cain boasted the other day that he's a “top-tier” presidential candidate, and the rest of the GOP field is afraid “that this long shot may not be a long shot any longer.”  —  At a certain level, I suppose there's some truth to this.

Eco-friendly festival can't sustain itself  —  The New World Festival of Eco-Friendly Science and Technology in Santa Monica shuts down after lackluster attendance.  Vendors are worried they won't get paid.  —  It was the first New World Festival of Eco-Friendly Science and Technology and quite possibly the last.

An Ugly Forecast That's Been Right Before  —  LET'S face it: economic forecasting is an act of sheer hubris.  Which, of course, only incites people to do it.  —  Multimedia  —  The stock market offers its predictions, and, occasionally, it's even right.

The Depression: If Only Things Were That Good  —  David Leonhardt is The New York Times Washington bureau chief.  —  UNDERNEATH the misery of the Great Depression, the United States economy was quietly making enormous strides during the 1930s.  Television and nylon stockings were invented.

Santorum Lags in Fund-Raising  —  Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said his campaign raised less than $1 million during the three-month fund-raising period that ended Sept. 30, in the latest sign that his campaign is failing to catch fire with conservatives.

Wall Street Protest Spurs Online Dialogue on Inequity  —  What began as a small group of protesters expressing their grievances about economic inequities last month from a park in New York City has evolved into an online conversation that is spreading across the country on social media platforms.