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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Chris Christie makes point on Obamacare  —  Republican Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday that he doesn't like Obamacare but that he found a way to deal with it in New Jersey, another signal that he sees the government shutdown as an opportunity to contrast himself with feuding parties in Washington.

‘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

White House Nears Yellen Nomination as Fed Chief  —  President Barack Obama is preparing to announce that he will nominate Federal Reserve Vice Chairwoman Janet Yellen to become the central bank's new leader in coming days, perhaps as soon as Wednesday.  —  The nomination would conclude …

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 …

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.

Liberal Intolerance: You Believe What?  —  I was at a dinner recently where I happened to be seated at a table with new acquaintances of the liberal political persuasion.  —  We went around the table introducing ourselves.  As I said that I work for a “conservative website,” …

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 …

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 …

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.

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.

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.

Obamacare Marketplace: Personal Data Can Be Used For ‘Law Enforcement and Audit Activities’  —  Maryland's Health Connection, the state's Obamacare marketplace, has been plagued by delays in the first days of open enrollment.  If users are able to endure long page-loading delays …

Four Reasons Debt Ceiling Breach Means Default  —  A new idea is taking hold among House Republicans that perhaps breaching the debt ceiling isn't such a terrible idea after all.  One form this takes is the patently absurd remarks of Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) who muses that “I think, personally …

U.S. Adults Fare Poorly in a Study of Skills  —  American adults lag well behind their counterparts in most other developed countries in the mathematical and technical skills needed for a modern workplace, according to a study released Tuesday.  —  The study, perhaps the most detailed of its kind …

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.