Bombing the Moon  —  Following up on my GOP mind games post, Ezra Klein makes a smart observation in this morning's Wonkbook on how the GOP transformed tax increases from a important, necessary option in the deficit debate into something evil and extremist.  To prove his point …

Pair of votes shows House divided on Libya  —  The House delivered a surprising split decision on Libya Friday: Voting against authorizing the use of American forces there and then, an hour later, refusing to limit funding for the mission.  —  In essence, the House decided …

Consensus Reached on Religious Exemptions in Gay Marriage Bill  —  ALBANY — The Cuomo administration and legislative leaders have reached agreement on language to protect religious institutions from obligations to recognize same-sex marriage, two people involved in the negotiations said on Friday afternoon …

Seized Phone Offers Clues to Bin Laden's Pakistani Links  —  ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The cellphone of Osama bin Laden's trusted courier, which was recovered in the raid that killed both men in Pakistan last month, contained contacts to a militant group that is a longtime asset …

Plurality of Americans love Gadaffi  —  Hillary Clinton, yesterday, when asked about those questioning the Libya War: … Gallup, yesterday (click image to enlarge):  —  It's not only a plurality of Americans who are “on Gaddafi's side,” but also the head of the Arab League …

Fighting Words: DeMint Warns Republicans They May Be ‘Gone’ if They Support Debt Ceiling Increase  —  Conservative firebrand Sen. Jim DeMint has a message to fellow Republicans in Congress: If you support increasing the debt ceiling without first passing a balanced budget amendment …

New Jersey Lawmakers Approve Benefits Rollback for Work Force  —  TRENTON — New Jersey lawmakers on Thursday approved a broad rollback of benefits for 750,000 government workers and retirees, the deepest cut in state and local costs in memory, in a major victory for Gov. Chris Christie …

Romney dominates GOP cash dash  —  Everyone knows Mitt Romney is going to outpace the GOP presidential field when next month's fundraising reports come out.  But the scale of his money advantage is finally coming into shape: the rest of the field is going to be eating his dust.

Exclusive: Top U.S. admiral admits we are trying to kill Qaddafi  —  The top U.S. admiral involved in the Libya war admitted to a U.S. congressman that NATO forces are trying to kill Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi.  The same admiral also said he anticipated the need for ground troops …

Romney Goes Classic  —  Clicking around on In These Times (!), I noticed this ad directing me to Mitt Romney's campaign site.  —  Those people aren't dressed like Americans in the year 2011, are they?  No. That's because this is copied from (or lovingly designed in tribute to!) …

‘Columbo’ star Peter Falk dies at 83  —  Veteran actor own five Emmys, four for popular detective role  —  Peter Falk, the Emmy- and Tony-winning stage, screen and TV actor, best known to world audiences as the always-underestimated police detective in the long-running telepic series …

Scott Walker To Sign Budget Bill At Business Of Convicted Tax Felon  —  This Sunday, Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) will be signing into law his budget bill at an event at a local Wisconsin business.  The budget radically reshapes Wisconsin's priorities, slashing investments in Main Street Wisconsin …

Commander In Chief Misspeaks About Soldier Killed in Afghanistan  —  During his remarks to troops at Fort Drum today, the President was reminiscing about the times he has spent with the US Army's 10th Mountain Division, when he got something wrong. … The problem is, Jared Monti was killed in action in Afghanistan, on June 21, 2006.

Johnson proves to be a big spender - and taker: Firm pays him $10 million  —  After dropping nearly $9 million from his own pocket to win a seat in the U.S. Senate, Ron Johnson didn't have to feel the pain for very long.  —  Johnson's plastics company paid him $10 million in deferred compensation shortly …

Iran giving out condoms for criminals to rape us, say jailed activists  —  Smuggled letters allege authorities are using mass rape as a weapon inside Iran's most notorious prisons  —  Prison guards in Iran are giving condoms to criminals and encouraging them to systematically rape young …

Ex-media mogul Conrad Black sent back to prison  —  (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Friday ordered former media baron Conrad Black to serve 13 more months in prison for his fraud and obstruction of justice conviction.  —  Judge Amy St. Eve of U.S. District Court, who sentenced Black …

The Busts Keep Getting Bigger: Why?  —  Paul Krugman and Robin Wells  —  Age of Greed: The Triumph of Finance and the Decline of America, 1970 to the Present  —  Knopf, 464 pp., $30.00  —  Suppose we describe the following situation: major US financial institutions have badly overreached.

Can liberals start their own tea party?  —  Van Jones is hoping to rival the tea party movement.  (Carlos Osorio - AP Photo)  —  At last weekend's Netroots Nation gathering in Minneapolis, liberal activists expressed frustration that they lacked the political power or media focus given to the conservative tea-party movement.