Right-wing nutjobs' last stand: The debt limit endgame arrives  —  The fight over the debt limit is now eclipsing the ongoing government shutdown fight, and the way things are going, it almost seems like Republicans will grudgingly agree to avoid default so long as they don't have to simultaneously give …

8 lawmakers arrested at immigration rally  —  Nationwide demonstrations calling for comprehensive immigration reform culminated with a rally in Washington on Tuesday to forcefully press lawmakers to overhaul the nation's immigration laws this year.  —  In an attempt to ramp up the heat …

What's happening in the Treasury bill market today should terrify you  —  This is likely the scariest graph you will see today.  It shows the interest rate for the Treasury bill maturing on Oct. 31.  It has spiked dramatically in the last 48 hours.  —  A lot of the market indicators …

Obama meets with Krauthammer, Gigot  —  President Obama held an off-the-record meeting with five conservative journalists on Tuesday afternoon.  —  Present at the meeting were Charles Krauthammer, the Washington Post columnist and Fox News contributor; Paul Gigot, the Wall Street Journal …

GOP shutdown shenanigans giving Dems a big recruiting boost?  —  Rep. Steve Israel, who is in charge of winning House races for Democrats, told Dem lawmakers at a closed door meeting today that GOP shutdown shenanigans were giving Dems a big recruiting boost, by prompting reluctant Dem candidates …

‘Gestapo’ tactics meet senior citizens at Yellowstone  —  NEWBURYPORT — Pat Vaillancourt went on a trip last week that was intended to showcase some of America's greatest treasures.  Instead, the Salisbury resident said she and others on her tour bus witnessed an ugly spectacle that made her embarrassed, a

Applying government shutdown logic to the baseball playoffs  —  Braves fan Paul Kaplan was quite upset that the Braves lost in the NLDS last night.  So upset that he wrote his congressman about it.  —  I have to say, I never would have considered this, but if this logic applies in baseball …

The Latest Voter Suppression Fad: Two Tiers  —  Remember this phrase: two-tier voting.  You may be hearing more about it.  —  Officials in Arizona and Kansas are making preparations for elections with two categories of voters.  There will be those who provided proof of citizenship …

No healthcare questions at Obama presser  —  President Barack Obama sustained an hour-long press conference today without a single question about his signature healthcare law and the glitches that continue to plague the insurance exchanges — a point that frustrated several conservatives.

Obama to Pick Yellen as Leader of Fed, Officials Say  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama will nominate Janet L. Yellen as chairwoman of the Federal Reserve on Wednesday, administration officials said Tuesday night, ending an unusually public search to fill one of the most important economic policy-making jobs in the world.

Obama cousin makes Sen. Roberts primary challenge official  —  Milton Wolf, a distant cousin of President Obama, on Tuesday made his primary challenge to Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kans.) official.  —  Wolf alerted press on Monday to his planned announcement, and on Tuesday evening confirmed expectations …

A Married Mom and Dad Really Do Matter: New Evidence from Canada  —  There is a new and significant piece of evidence in the social science debate about gay parenting and the unique contributions that mothers and fathers make to their children's flourishing.

Here's How We Can End This Stalemate  —  Both Reagan and Clinton negotiated debt-ceiling deals with their opponents.  We're ready to negotiate.  —  The president is giving Congress the silent treatment.  He's refusing to talk, even though the federal government is about to hit the debt ceiling.

U.S. to halt Egypt aid after coup, turmoil  —  Clashes in Egypt  —  Washington (CNN) — The United States will cut off aid to Egypt in the wake of the July coup against President Mohamed Morsy and the turmoil that has followed, a U.S. official said Tuesday.  —  The Obama administration withheld some military aid to Egypt in August.

FULL TRANSCRIPT: President Obama's Oct. 8 news conference on the shutdown and debt limit  —  President Obama delivered a statement and took questions from reporters on the partial government shutdown and the looming fight over reaising the federal debt ceiling on Oct. 8 at the White House.

The risk to the GOP House majority  —  In the current shutdown, John Boehner might be acting out of fear of losing his position.  If he doesn't appease the hardliners who are willing to take the government and economy over the brink for their goals, he could be ejected from the Speaker's seat.