Cruz to House Conservatives: Oppose Boehner  —  On a Thursday conference call, a group of House conservatives consulted with Senator Ted Cruz of Texas about how to respond to the leadership's fiscal strategy.  Sources who were on the call say Cruz strongly advised them to oppose it, and hours later, Speaker John Boehner's plan fizzled.

Obamacare fight reenergizes tea party movement  —  The clash in Congress over efforts to derail President Obama's health-care law has lit up tea party groups across the country, reenergizing activists who had drifted away from the movement while intensifying the divisions tearing at the Republican Party.

Obama defends Obamacare, warns GOP against shutdown in weekly address  —  Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama in his weekly Saturday address praised his signature health care legislation while lashing out at congressional Republicans who would seek to defund it.

Reid's parting shot to Boehner: Pass our bill, or it's a shutdown  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Friday that the Senate is done acting on legislation to avert a government shutdown and that House Republicans have no choice but to pass the Senate's bill if they want to keep the government open.

Why Senate Republicans Hate Ted Cruz  —  There's more than one reason they despise the junior senator from Texas.  —  At one point in the tense back and forth between Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Bob Corker this week, the Senate's presiding officer, Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin …

Who Are the Real Suicide Bombers?  —  This is really too easy: President Obama is willing to negotiate with Iran, but not with the House of Representatives.  Commentators have been all over it, and I don't really have much to add.  Except to note that not only has Obama refused to negotiate with the House …