Romney: Individual mandate “is a tax”  —  (CBS News) Two days after his top adviser insisted otherwise, Mitt Romney on Wednesday told CBS News chief political correspondent Jan Crawford that President Obama's individual mandate - upheld last week by the Supreme Court - is “a tax.”

Hallandale Beach lifeguard fired after participating in beach rescue  —  As lifeguards are paid and trained to do, Tomas Lopez rushed down the beach to rescue a drowning man — and then got fired for it.  —  The problem: Lopez stepped out of the beach zone his company is paid to patrol, a supervisor said Tuesday.

America-Hating Patriots and Other Mysteries of the 4th  —  I'm always at a bit of a loss as to what to say on this big patriotic occasion.  I'm as “American” in background, outlook, and life-experiences as anyone you'd meet.  I belong to a distinctly American religious community, born on the Kentucky frontier long after Independence.

The Downside of Liberty  —  THIS spring I was on a panel at the Woodstock Writers Festival.  An audience member asked a question: Why had the revolution dreamed up in the late 1960s mostly been won on the social and cultural fronts — women's rights, gay rights, black president, ecology …

Mystery Bermuda-based company and other undisclosed Romney assets hint at larger wealth  —  Paul Sancya/file/Associated Press - FILE — In an Oct. 10, 2006 file photo Mitt Romney speaks at the Leadership Summit on Race in Detroit.  For nearly 15 years, Republican presidential candidate Mitt …

Founding fathers quotes you probably haven't heard, by @DavidOAtkins  —  Founding fathers quotes you probably haven't heard  —  On July 4th, enjoy some of the less famous quotes from the founders of our country.  —  Thomas Paine: … James Madison: … Benjamin Franklin: … Benjamin Franklin again:

TPM2012  —  Jonathan Krohn Laughs Off Bitter Conservative Reprisals  —  Jonathan Krohn, the teen conservative idol turned liberal heretic, is on the receiving end of a world of abuse from right wing pundits this week.  Fine by him.  But please folks, lay off his mom.

Rep. Charles Rangel urges supporters to have faith in Board of Elections in wake of Adriano Espaillat's legal challenge  —  Congressman preaches calm during rally in Harlem after his chief opponent in the 13th Congressional District primary made accusations of voter suppression

Physicists Find Elusive Particle Seen as Key to the Universe  —  ASPEN, Colo. — Signaling a likely end to one of the longest, most expensive searches in the history of science, physicists said Wednesday that they had discovered a new subatomic particle that looks for all the world like the Higgs boson …

The Declaration of Independence Annotated  —  [From the next edition of my casebook, Constitutional Law: Cases in Context:]  —  When reading the Declaration, it is worth keeping in mind two very important facts.  The Declaration constituted high treason against the Crown and every person …

Billy Baldwin: Alec may run for mayor  —  Alec Baldwin's flirtation with a possible run for New York mayor may not be just for show.  —  That's according to his little brother Billy, who said in an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan on Tuesday night that the “30 Rock” star's …