Karl Rove sticks a fork in Herman Cain  —  The Republican super-strategist pulls out a whiteboard on Fox News to tick off Herman Cain's self-destructive mistakes, concluding: “I think it has created an image of him as not being up to this task.  That's really deadly.”  —  More on POLITICO

Medical help for illegal immigrants could haunt Mitt Romney  —  On the Republican campaign trail, he derides any such public aid.  But the healthcare law he signed as Massachusetts governor allows it.  —  Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney sharply criticizes public aid for illegal immigrants.

Santorum: Because Of Obama, We've ‘Lost The War In Iraq’  —  Last Friday, President Obama announced a total troop withdrawal from Iraq at the end of year to signify that “after nine years, America's war in Iraq will be over.”  Naturally, the 2012 GOP presidential field took this historic opportunity …

Wall Street discontent high but Occupy Wall Street largely unknown  —  (CNN) - Although most Americans don't trust Wall Street, that hasn't translated into full support -or understanding- of the Occupy Wall Street movement.  Despite large majorities who think that Wall Street bankers are greedy …

Cain, Gingrich Set to Spar  —  A group of tea-party activists in Texas will host a “modified Lincoln-Douglas debate” between Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich next month.  —  Bill O'Sullivan, the treasurer of Texas Tea Party Patriots, tells National Review Online that both candidates have confirmed …

Yes, the GOP Just Might Nominate a Candidate Patently Unqualified to Be President  —  Herman Cain's recent stumbles over substantive issues have a way of making Rick Perry seem like the Stephen Hawking of politics.  In the midst of a softball CNN interview last week, he appeared to abandon his no-exceptions anti-abortion stance.

Chemical bomb tossed into Occupy Maine encampment  —  PORTLAND — Portland police are looking for the person who threw a chemical bomb at the Occupy Maine encampment in Portland during the early morning hours today.  —  Sgt. Glen McGary said police responded around 4 a.m. today to an explosion …

The Outsider  —  In an exclusive interview, Raj Rajaratnam reveals his surprising motivations—and the reasons he didn't take a plea that could have saved him from 11 years in jail.  —  It was 6 a.m. on Oct. 16, 2009, and Raj Rajaratnam, head of the Galleon Group hedge fund …

Obama to announce actions on housing, student loans  —  (Reuters) - President Barack Obama this week will announce a series of actions to help the economy that will not require congressional approval, including an initiative to make it easier for homeowners to refinance their mortgages, according to a White House official.

Bachmann's ex-NH staff releases scathing letter about campaign  —  A backbiting joint letter from presidential contender Michele Bachmann's former New Hampshire staff spells out how frustration with the Minnesota Republican's national staff led the entire team to jump ship.

Americans Would Swap Electoral College for Popular Vote  —  Majority of Republicans now agree with most Democrats that Constitution should be amended  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Nearly 11 years after the 2000 presidential election brought the idiosyncrasies of the United States' Electoral College into full view …

State mum on Libya's Sharia law  —  The Obama administration on Monday treaded carefully around the announcement that Sharia law will be enforced in post-Muammar Qadhafi Libya, refraining from expressing disapproval of Islamic law as the foundation of the country's new legal system.

Lieberman Irks Democrats Before Race for His Senate Seat  —  WASHINGTON — A few months ago, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut who is allied with the Democratic majority in the Senate, had a surprising guest at his office: Linda E. McMahon, the former wrestling mogul …

At Zuccotti Park, Love Under the Tarps … Occupy Wall Street is an experiment in communal living, with basic human needs on public display.  Even, at times, very intimate human needs.  —  Outdoor sex has been a topic of discussion at quality-of-life meetings held each afternoon inside Zuccotti Park.

The Romney Economy  —  At Bain Capital, Romney remade one American business after another, overhauling management and directing vast sums of money to the top of the labor pyramid.  The results made him a fortune.  They also changed the world we live in.  —  One day early this August …

Natalia on Your tax dollars at work.  — Natalia on The Pervocracy nails it on misguided critiques of sex-positive feminism  — Hot Chicks, Cold Sexists and Occupy Wall Street |  POLITICAL MOSAIC on Steven Greenstreet proves he's definitely not a misogynist by making rape jokes.

Vatican calls for global authority on economy, raps “idolatry of the market”  —  The Vatican called on Monday for the establishment of a “global public authority” and a “central world bank” to rule over financial institutions that have become outdated and often ineffective in dealing fairly with crises.

Michele Bachmann, Husband Marcus Defend Characterizing Being Gay As ‘Personal Enslavement’ … 2012 Elections , Michele Bachmann , Republican Candidates , Elections 2012 , Gay Marriage , Gay Rights , Michele Bachmann 2012 , Republican Primary , Same-Sex Marriage , Video , Bachmann …

Obama campaign brings on ex-lobbyist as senior adviser  —  President Obama's reelection campaign has hired a former lobbyist to serve as a senior adviser to the 2012 team.  —  The Obama campaign announced Monday the hiring of Broderick Johnson, a veteran of the Clinton White House and Sen. John Kerry's …

Perry shuffles campaign team  —  The web site politicalwire.com reports today that the Perry campaign has added three veteran Republican operatives to its campaign team: Curt Anderson, Nelson Warfield, and Tony Fabrizio.  An advisor to Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) tells [Politico's] …

Fed could target housing to help economy: Dudley  —  (Reuters) - The weak housing sector continues to pose a strong headwind to the U.S. economic recovery, and the Federal Reserve could potentially do more to drive down mortgage rates to support the sector, a top Federal Reserve official said on Monday.

What to expect from a Romney budget  —  When Mitt Romney sat down with the Las Vegas Review-Journal last week, he made quite a bit of news.  It was in that interview, for example, that Romney announced his opposition to protecting homeowners from foreclosures, and signaled support for Medicare vouchers.

Optional flat tax will launch recovery  —  The coming economic boom will begin the minute the television networks announce the defeat of President Obama's reelection bid on Election Day 2012.  —  Every single American worker, entrepreneur, and small business owner will finally know that their taxes …