Mr. Romney's Financial Black Hole  —  Paying taxes forthrightly has long been a matter of civic pride for most American politicians, a demonstration of honesty and of a willingness to share in society's burdens.  Since the Watergate era, presidential candidates have released several years of tax returns …

Sarah Palin: Mitt Romney needs to set ‘hair on fire’  —  Sarah Palin warned Tuesday that Mitt Romney must do more to energize conservatives before Election Day, saying the Republican presidential candidate should light the base's “hair on fire.”  —  “Romney, he has said before that he doesn't want to have to light his hair on fire.

DNA from Sarah Fox Murder Scene Linked to Chain Used in Occupy Wall Street Protest  —  DNA evidence collected from the murder scene of Sarah Fox in 2004 has just been linked to DNA off a chain left behind by Occupy Wall Street protesters at a subway station in March

Jesse Jackson Jr. mystery deepens  —  The mystery surrounding Democratic Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. deepened on Tuesday as speculation swirled around the Illinois Democrat's health and political future.  —  Democratic sources say Jackson — who has not been on Capitol Hill since June 10 …

San Bernardino seeks bankruptcy protection  —  San Bernardino, facing the possibility of missing payroll, becomes California's third city in weeks to authorize a bankruptcy filing.  —  San Bernardino is the third California city to seek bankruptcy protection in recent weeks.

High-powered lesbians launch first-of-its-kind super PAC to champion women's, gay rights  —  SAN FRANCISCO — As a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, her politically active family's sole Democrat, and a sister with three brothers, Laura Ricketts is comfortable being the odd woman out.

Poll data shows ad strategy is working, super PAC says  —  (CNN) - A major super PAC supporting President Barack Obama's reelection argues in a campaign memorandum released Wednesday that recent polling shows their advertising strategies are working.  —  Priorities USA Action …

Closure of Border Patrol stations across four states triggers alarm  —  The Obama administration is moving to shut down nine Border Patrol stations across four states, triggering a backlash from local law enforcement, members of Congress and Border Patrol agents themselves.

NAACP Requires Photo I.D. to See Holder Speak in State Being Sued Over Voter ID  —  Earlier today, Attorney General Eric Holder addressed the NAACP Nation Convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.  What did media need in order to attend?

Marco Rubio: Obama ‘naive’ about Chavez  —  Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) issued a harsh statement on Wednesday condemning comments that President Barack Obama made about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as “alarmingly naïve.”  —  In an interview at the White House on Monday …

In 2009, Americans paid lowest tax rates in 30 years to federal government  —  Americans paid the lowest tax rates in 30 years to the federal government in 2009, in part because of tax cuts President Obama sought to combat the Great Recession, congressional budget analysts said Tuesday.

Crossdressing, Compression and Colliders: The First Photo on the Web  —  The first photographic image ever uploaded to the Web was a Photoshop disaster.  It was created to sell something, and featured attractive women in a come-hither pose.  —  In short, photo-uploading was born …

Air Conditioning, Blessed Invention  —  Willis Carrier changed the world for the better—though making Washington, D.C. livable in summer doesn't help the cause of limited government.  —  Many people claim to disdain technology, but in last week's deadly heat wave they were probably doing their disdaining in an air-conditioned room.

Americans' Confidence in Television News Drops to New Low  —  Liberals' and moderates' views are now similar to conservatives'  —  WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans' confidence in television news is at a new low by one percentage point, with 21% of adults expressing a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in it.

Bush Speechwriter Gerson Unable to Read Speeches  —  Michael Gerson is a former speechwriter for George W. Bush turned Washington Post columnist, from which perch he has spent the entirety of the Obama administration gleefully predicting a downward spiral into ruin and dysfunction reminiscent of, well, George W. Bush.

House GOP set for health care law repeal vote, but offering no alternatives  —  (CBS/AP) WASHINGTON - House Republicans generally avoided talk of replacement measures on Tuesday as they mobilized for an election-season vote to repeal the health care law that stands as President Barack Obama's signature domestic accomplishment.

EXCLUSIVE: Jon Voight defends Brad Pitt's mom after she gets death threats for penning anti-Obama letter to the editor  —  LOS ANGELES - You can always count on family.  —  Last week, Brad Pitt's mother Jane Pitt hit headlines after penning a response letter-to-the-editor of her local newspaper …

The other foreclosure crisis: Losing a home for $400 in back taxes  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — People are losing their homes over unpaid tax bills that, in some cases, add up to just a few hundred dollars.  —  Outdated state laws that allow local governments to sell tax liens on delinquent properties …

The Distribution of Household Income and Federal Taxes, 2008 and 2009  —  The recent recession has had a substantial impact on income, the amount of taxes owed, and average tax rates.  Changes in households' before-tax income and average tax rates in 2008 and 2009 were substantial and differed markedly across the income distribution.

Exclusive: Romney to host fundraiser in Jerusalem  —  Republican candidate to arrive in Israel July 29, present Mideast policy at conference in J'lem.  —  Presumed Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will host a fundraising event in Jerusalem at $60,000 or more per plate on July 29, The Jerusalem Post learned on Wednesday.

On Obama Adviser's Disclosure Form: ‘Bermuda’  —  A lot of attention has been focused lately on Mitt Romney's offshore finances in places like the Cayman Islands and Bermuda.  —  But the word Bermuda pops up on the financial disclosure forms of one of President Obama's top advisers too.

Exclusive: Iowa futures broker forged bank records for years - source  —  (Reuters) - Russell Wasendorf Sr., the sole owner and chairman of stricken futures broker Peregrine Financial Group, Inc., intercepted and forged bank documents for more than two years to cover up hundreds of millions …

Obama the Socialist?  Not Even Close  —  WHEN I was asked to direct “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,” my friends warned me not to go anywhere near it.  —  The story is so American, they argued, that I, an immigrant fresh off the boat, could not do it justice.  They were surprised when I explained why I wanted to make the film.