Caught on Tape: What Mitch McConnell Complained About to a Roomful of Billionaires (Exclusive)  —  At a secret meeting of elite donors convened by the Koch brothers, McConnell laid out his plan for shrinking the federal government and whined about having to vote on minimum wage bills.

An Update to the Budget and Economic Outlook: 2014 to 2024  —  The federal budget deficit has fallen sharply during the past few years, and it is on a path to decline further this year and next year.  However, later in the coming decade, if current laws governing federal taxes …

Steve King: Fall budget battle hinges on immigration  —  Congressman Steve King said today the threat of another government shutdown could be Republicans' leverage to pass border security and immigration legislation this fall.  —  Congress must act before the end of September to either approve …

Ben Stein: Michael Brown Was ‘Armed With His Incredibly Strong, Scary Self’  —  Conservative pundit Ben Stein appeared on Newsmax on Tuesday to discuss the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and challenged the use of the term “unarmed” to describe Brown.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: ‘I Will Help Hillary Get Elected’  —  Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand isn't positive Hillary Clinton will run for president, but the woman who took Clinton's former New York Senate seat would like to think so.  —  “In my mind, she's definitely running,” Gillibrand tells PEOPLE.

WATCH: The Jon Stewart Ferguson Segment You've Been Waiting For  —  “The Daily Show” returned from hiatus Tuesday night and Jon Stewart finally tackled the situation in Ferguson, Mo., directing the brunt of his criticism at what he saw as Fox News' misplaced outrage over the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager.

Michael Brown's Mom Laid Flowers Where He Was Shot—and Police Crushed Them  —  New details emerge about callous tactics that fueled anger in Ferguson.  —  As darkness fell on Canfield Drive on August 9, a makeshift memorial sprang up in the middle of the street where Michael Brown's body …

Everyday Economics: Don't Want Me to Recline My Airline Seat?  You Can Pay Me  —  Don't Want Me to Recline My Airline Seat?  You Can Pay Me  —  I fly a lot.  When I fly, I recline.  I don't feel guilty about it.  And I'm going to keep doing it, unless you pay me to stop.

FBI Examining Whether Russia Is Tied to JPMorgan Hacking  —  Russian hackers attacked the U.S. financial system in mid-August, infiltrating and stealing data from JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and at least one other bank, an incident the FBI is investigating as a possible retaliation …

Attorney: East Point police fired Taser at man 13 times before death  —  EAST POINT, Ga. —  Only Channel 2 Action News has learned that police Tased a man in handcuffs up to 13 times before he died.  —  We're learning about the department policies the officers allegedly violated during this deadly encounter.

McConnell to CNN: Obama would have ‘a lot of congressional support’ for action against ISIS  —  Nicholasville, Kentucky (CNN) - Sen. Mitch McConnell knew how surprising it was going to sound to room full of Kentucky voters that he backs President Barack Obama on something.

Ukraine Says Russian Forces Lead Major New Offensive in East  —  NOVOAZOVSK, Ukraine — Tanks, artillery and infantry have crossed from Russia into an unbreached part of eastern Ukraine in recent days, attacking Ukrainian forces and causing panic and wholesale retreat not only in this small border town …

Burger King Says It's Not Trying to Dodge Taxes by Moving to Canada.  Is It Telling the Truth?  —  Burger King swears it's not moving to Canada for the taxes.  —  Jordan Weissmann is Slate's senior business and economics correspondent.  —  The fast food chain is officially set to purchase Tim Hortons …

Why America's Workers Need Faster Wage Growth—And What We Can Do About It  —  The last year has been a poor one for American workers' wages.  Comparing the first half of 2014 with the first half of 2013, real (inflation-adjusted) hourly wages fell for workers in nearly every decile—even for those with a bachelor's or advanced degree.

The Expanding World of Poverty Capitalism  —  In Orange County, Calif., the probation department's “supervised electronic confinement program,” which monitors the movements of low-risk offenders, has been outsourced to a private company, Sentinel Offender Services.

Former Iowa State Senator Pleads Guilty to Concealing Federal Campaign Expenditures  —  A former Iowa State Senator pleaded guilty today to concealing payments he received from a presidential campaign in exchange for switching his support and services from one candidate to another and to obstructing …

ESPN says it regrets Michael Sam shower report that drew criticism  —  After it found itself at the epicenter of a storm of criticism over a report on the shower habits of Michael Sam, the first openly gay player on an NFL roster, and his teammates, ESPN responded Wednesday morning with a further statement on the report.