Republicans for Snowden  —  A left-right House coalition rushes to stop metadata collection.  —  Few things are more dangerous than Congress in heat, and so it is this week as a libertarian-left wing coalition in the House of Representatives is rushing to neuter one of the National Security Agency's antiterror surveillance programs.

Meet President Obama's new economic message.  Same as his old economic message.  —  You could be forgiven if you thought you had heard President Obama's speech on the economy today before.  Because you have.  For most of the 2012 campaign.  (Don't trust us, read Obama's 2012 acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.)

Many New York Women Are Baffled at Loyalty Shown by Weiner's Wife  —  Sipping sparkling water by the bustling patios of Bryant Park on Wednesday afternoon, the young women touched on the usual topics of lunchtime gossip: men, work, relationships.  —  Then the discussion turned …

What's the Matter With North Carolina?  —  The state went from beacon of tolerance to bastion of voter suppression in a month.  —  North Carolina is proving itself to be the poster child for all that is wrong with modern American democracy and—with thanks to Moral Mondays—also highlighting all that may someday save it.

The Inequality President  —  The rich have done fine under Obamanomics, not so the middle class.  —  President Obama made his fourth or fifth, or maybe it's the seventh or eighth, pivot to the economy on Wednesday, and a revealing speech it was.  We counted four mentions of “growth” but “inequality” got five.

McCain, McConnell heading for spell of rocky relations  —  The relationship between Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is going to be awkward in the coming months.  —  McConnell finds himself increasingly constrained by both his new primary challenger …

Thank you, Ray Kelly  —  President Obama shouldn't nominate Ray Kelly to be secretary of homeland security.  He should give the New York City police chief a stern talking to.  He should invite him to examine his conscience and consider the error of his ways.  Failing that, he should hold him up to national obloquy.

A Cut Above: President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush Join Patrick's Pals  —  Our little guy received some high-powered support this week when President George Bush 41 volunteered to shave his head to show his support for Patrick and Patrick's Pals.  —  Members of his Secret Service detail …

‘Obamacare’ National Marketing Campaign To Cost Nearly $700 Million  —  CHICAGO (AP) — It will make you stronger.  It will give you peace of mind and make you feel like a winner.  Health insurance is what the whole country has been talking about, so don't be left out.  —  Sound like a sales pitch?

Senate bill shields Exxon pipeline spill payments from taxes  —  Arkansas' bipartisan Senate duo hopes to ensure people affected by the roughly 5,000 barrel oil spill from an ExxonMobil pipeline in March won't be taxed on disaster compensation they receive from the company.

Mother of Golf Prodigy in Hazing Death Defied by FratPAC  —  Harrison Kowiak was 19 years old when he died after schoolmates pummeled him on a pitch-black field in Hickory, North Carolina.  It was part of a fraternity hazing.  —  Determined to protect other students, Kowiak's mother Lianne devoted herself to fighting hazing.

Senate approves deal on student loan rates  —  The Senate voted 81-18 Wednesday for legislation on student loan rates, splitting Democrats in the chamber.  —  Seventeen Democrats voted against the bipartisan bill that would cap most student loan rates at 8.25 percent.

CBS News poll finds more Americans than ever want Obamacare repealed  —  (CBS News) A new CBS News poll finds more Americans than ever want the Affordable Care Act repealed.  —  According to the poll, 36 percent of Americans want Congress to expand or keep the health care law while 39 percent …