Liz Cheney Joins The Michael Steele Should Resign Chorus  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  Another prominent neoconservative has called for RNC Chairman Michael Steele to resign in the wake of his calling the Afghanistan war a largely un-winnable conflict of President Obama's choosing.

Biden Visits Iraq, Offering Diplomacy Amid Impasse  —  BAGHDAD — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. landed here on Saturday evening for a visit that signaled a desire by the United States to step deeper into a four-month political stalemate that has become a backdrop to the drawdown of American forces this summer.

Illinois Stops Paying Its Bills, but Can't Stop Digging Hole  —  CHICAGO — Even by the standards of this deficit-ridden state, Illinois's comptroller, Daniel W. Hynes, faces an ugly balance sheet.  Precisely how ugly becomes clear when he beckons you into his office to examine his daily briefing memo.

Jefferson changed ‘subjects’ to ‘citizens’ in Declaration of Independence  —  “Subjects.”  —  That's what Thomas Jefferson first wrote in an early draft of the Declaration of Independence to describe the people of the 13 colonies.  —  But in a moment when history took a sharp turn …

Live Chat: Blue America Welcomes State Senator Jim Wilson (D-OK)  —  A labor union president once told me that the worst Democrat in Congress, at least from the point of view of ordinary working families, is Oklahoma reactionary Dan Boren.  I've never been able to find anyone to persuade me that he was wrong.

Spend or Scrimp?  Two Sides in White House Debate  —  WASHINGTON — Not since the first years of the Clinton administration has a White House had to debate whether to give precedence to stimulating the economy or reducing budget deficits.  Now, as the recovery shows signs of faltering …

An Apology to Maradona, a Rollicking Genius  —  Dear Diego: It is high time that we critics say sorry, and thank you.  —  We misjudged your appointment as coach.  We believed that Julio Grondona, the 78-year-old president of Argentina's soccer federation, had lost all sense of reason in asking you …

West Va. Secretary of State pushes for Senate special election change  —  West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie Tennant (D) is calling on Gov. Joe Manchin (D) and the state Legislature to decide in a special session whether West Virginia law allows for the special election to succeed …

Gates Tightens Rules for Military and the Press  —  WASHINGTON — Nine days after a four-star general was relieved of command for comments made to Rolling Stone magazine, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates issued orders on Friday tightening the reins on officials dealing with the news media.

Congo: UN says at least 220 dead in oil explosion  —  KINSHASA, Congo - A fuel tanker overturned and burst into flames in eastern Congo, sparking a massive fire that killed at least 220 villagers and wounded more than 200 — some of whom had rushed to siphon leaking liquid from the vehicle illegally …

Clinton announces U.S. pledge of $15M for Auschwitz preservation  —  The Obama administration has pledged $15 million to the foundation created to preserve the Auschwitz concentration camp.  —  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the grant Saturday that will go to the Auschwitz …

Moynihan, as Nixon aide, warned of global warming  —  YORBA LINDA, Calif. — Documents released Friday by the Nixon Presidential Library show members of President Richard Nixon's inner circle discussing the possibilities of global warming more than 30 years ago.

Following up on ‘the first female president’  —  In the days since I suggested that President Obama's rhetorical style mimics feminine tropes, I've been informed of the following:  —  One, a black man cannot show anger in public lest he be considered an Angry Black Man.

29% Say Stimulus Plan Helped the Economy, 43% Say It Hurt  —  Just 25% of voters nationwide believe the economic stimulus package created jobs and voters are counting on decisions made by business owners more than government officials to create the jobs needed by the nation.

Impossible Immigration Swap  —  Will Wilkinson offers the provocative suggestion that ending birthright citizenship might be beneficial from a cosmopolitan point of view since it might make people more open to higher levels of labor market integration.  His model is the European Union:

Economy lags as job growth remains weak  —  The economic expansion is sputtering.  —  Private employers added only 83,000 jobs in June, the government said Friday, too few to keep up with growth in the working-age population.  And the unemployment rate fell to 9.5 percent from 9.7 percent …

Petraeus Assumes Command of Coalition Forces in Afghanistan  —  On Deadly Day in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus Arrives in Kabul to Take Control of War  —  As Gen. David Petraeus arrived in Kabul today to take control of the long Afghanistan war, a pre-dawn attack on an American aid organization …