Rebel Yell  —  A close aide to Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) who co-wrote the senator's 2011 book spent years working as a pro-secessionist radio pundit and neo-Confederate activist, raising questions about whether Paul will be able to transcend the same fringe-figure associations that dogged his father's political career.

Kill the Bill  —  We are conservatives who have differed in the past on immigration reform, with Kristol favorably disposed toward it and Lowry skeptical.  But the Gang of Eight has brought us into full agreement: Their bill, passed out of the Senate, is a comprehensive mistake.

Democrats Plan Challenge to G.O.P.'s Filibuster Use  —  WASHINGTON — In a move that could bring to a head six months of smoldering tensions over a Republican blockade of certain presidential nominees, Senate Democrats are preparing to force confirmation votes on a series of President Obama's …

Will Eliot Spitzer Even Get On The Ballot?  —  A disjointed campaign operation and tight deadline means collecting 3,750 signatures by Thursday could be a challenge.  “I can't give you specifics, but believe that it is well in hand.”  —  Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer collects signatures …

WATCH AND WEEP: HERE'S A VIDEO OF PEOPLE SIGNING A PETITION TO REPEAL THE BILL OF RIGHTS  —  Author and activist Mark Dice on Monday released what may very well be the most depressing “man on the street” video for 2013 (possibly beating “College Kids Who Don't Know U.S. History").

White House Has Known For Months Obamacare Implementation Wouldn't Work  —  Last week, it scaled back several required provisions.  They aren't the first.  And probably won't be the last.  —  If you've been reading all the Obamacare stories lately, you might get the impression …

Vital Statistics on Congress  —  Data on the U.S. Congress - A Joint Effort from Brookings and the American Enterprise Institute  —  For more than three decades, Vital Statistics on Congress, a joint effort undertaken by Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute and Tom Mann of Brookings …

Florida Accidentally Banned All Computers, Smart Phones In The State Through Internet Cafe Ban: Lawsuit  —  When Florida lawmakers recently voted to ban all Internet cafes, they worded the bill so poorly that they effectively outlawed every computer in the state, according to a recent lawsuit.

After 12-plus years, Texas gets a new governor  —  Gov. Rick Perry kisses his wife, Anita, before announcing that he will not run for re-election.  —  By some historical measures, the office of Texas governor is older than the United States, dating to the 17th or even 16th century.

The Secular Society  —  I might as well tell you upfront that this column is a book report.  Since 2007, when it was published, academics have been raving to me about Charles Taylor's “A Secular Age.”  Courses, conferences and symposia have been organized around it, but it is almost invisible outside …

Intimacy in an Iron Lung  —  The developing status of sexual surrogates for the disabled, as part of a right to health and well-being: So wrong?  —  “As my father lay dying and his private nurses washed him, made him comfortable and gave him his medication, they also lingered gently over his private parts as they sponged him.

30,000 California prisoners refuse meals in apparent hunger strike  —  Protesting California prison policies of indefinite isolation, inmates signal beginning of a hunger strike by refusing meals.  —  John A. Imani, seen right, joins about 75 demonstrators in front of the Ronald Reagan State …

Rent-a-Paramilitaries Freak Out Wisconsin  —  Here's a fascinating little story.  There's been a battle royale up in Wisconsin over an effort to establish a big iron mining operation near Lake Superior, to be owned and operated by a company called Gogebic Taconite.

Wall Street Journal Op-Ed: Homeless Shelter Volunteers Are The Real Cause Of Homelessness  —  According to a hedge fund manager writing in the Wall Street Journal, homelessness isn't caused by deep-seated inequities in society, but rather by people like his teenage son who volunteer at homeless shelters.

SC Gov. Nikki Haley says she was abused as a child  —  GREENVILLE, SC — SC Gov. Nikki Haley on Monday said she was physically abused as a girl by a child-care provider, offering a rare, personal disclosure that she said was meant to underscore the challenge any community faces in protecting its children.

Eric Cantor plans anti-IRS push  —  House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) on Tuesday will tell House Republicans that he plans floor votes before the August recess on a slew of bills in response to the IRS controversies.  —  The most intriguing: a bill to allow Americans …

Dems pitch national park on the moon  —  Two House Democrats have proposed legislation that would establish a national historical park on the surface of the moon to mark where the Apollo missions landed between 1969 and 1972.  —  The bill from Reps. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) and Eddie Bernice Johnson …

Rubio Is Losing Support Among Republican Voters  —  Until recently, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida had occupied something of a sweet spot in Republican politics: a favorite of the Tea Party but also trusted by the establishment wing of the G.O.P.  —  Mr. Rubio's embrace of comprehensive immigration reform …

Botching Immigration Again  —  As the son of immigrants to this country, and as a student of American history, I'm an unapologetic advocate for immigration.  I believe immigration is crucial for the health and growth of our nation.  That's why it's so troublesome to see Washington in the process …

Lawrence O'Donnell outraged to read story that isn't about him  —  Our piece on the media's response to the IRS story gets one MSNBC host fired up, inexplicably  —  Alex Seitz-Wald wrote a piece Monday showing how the political press blew the IRS “scandal” out of proportion by immediately treating it as a massive scandal.

Largest building in the world opens in China  —  Chengdu's New Century Global Centre has its own beach resort, cinemas, shops - and a replica Mediterranean village  —  Beneath smoggy clouds in the Chinese mega-city of Chengdu, waves lap against sandy shores and a salty breeze blows across the beach.