Midday Blog Roundup

FROM THE BLOGS:
The lean, green fighting machine - Mark Thompson, Swampland
Tax hikes not needed to balance budget - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Health insurers back secretive attack group - Susie Madrak, Crooks & Liars
Rahm's rough weekend, continued - Michelle Malkin
O'Donnell: 'I'm not a witch...I'm you' - Barbara Morrill, Daily Kos
Watchdogs ask IRS to probe Rove-backed group - M. Luo, The Caucus
Colbert takes another shot at Tea Party - Matthew Philbin, Newsbusters
Dems have momentum (well, a little bit) - Jonathan Chait
Principles for newly-elected Republicans - John Hawkins, Right Wing News
Infrastructure spending now - Matthew Yglesias
WH agrees to install solar panels - A. Restuccia, Washington Independent
Boxer shouldn't breathe too easily - Jim Geraghty, The Campaign Spot
Remember this Cantor quote next year - Steve Benen, Political Animal
What kind of politician lies turn you off? - Nick Gillespie, Hit & Run
Banks bailed out by Treasury not doing so well - Chris in Paris, AMERICAblog

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Centrist Dems may reign in House next year - The Hill
Jill Biden keeps her day job - Washington Post
Rep. Cao 'hurt' by Obama's ad for challenger - Fox News

FROM THE BLOGS:
'One Nation' versus 'Restoring Honor' - Daniel Foster, The Corner
Trump: It wasn't me - Christian Heinze, GOP12
Tom Friedman, Naderite? - Ezra Klein
The coming administrative presidency - Jamelle Bouie, TAPPED
Sad tales of Sanchez and O'Keefe - Kathleen McKinley, Right Wing News
Gillibrand could lose - Daniel Halper, TWS
Bennet in trouble, Hickenlooper in command - DavidNYC, Swing State Project
Larry Kudlow needs a hug - Steven Benen, Political Animal
Rahm's first meet-and-greet - Michelle Malkin
Dems getting spin ready for mid-term debacle - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Grayson explains foreclosure fraud crisis - Joan McCarter, Daily Kos
Angle's controversial meeting - Eric Kleefeld, TPMDC
The tragedy of government health advice - Matthew Yglesias
Obama experts v. rule of law - Conn Carroll, The Foundry
Republican optimism - Weigel 

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Cantor: Race for Congress will tighten - The Hill
Inside the Senate's battle over climate change - New Yorker
Some Jewish voters at odds with Rahm - Chicago Tribune

FROM THE BLOGS:
Lungren says Roadmap is way to 'save' entitlements - Heather, Crooks & Liars
Fast food = heroin and other junk ad campaigns - K. Mangu-Ward, Hit & Run
GDP revised upward, but still weak - Meteor Blades, Daily Kos
The nightmares in Colorado remain - Erick Erickson, RedState
It's not just the filibuster - Steve Benen, Political Animal
Border burden - Chris Field, Townhall
In defense of 'Waiting for Superman' - Jonathan Chait
Cato gives Pawlenty and Jindal A's - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Charts and graphs that will finally make it clear - Ezra Klein
Alan Grayson gets the Alan Grayson treatment - Doug Powers, (Michelle Malkin)
Ending prohibition in Mississippi - Matthew Yglesias
No recess appointments this recess - John Steele Gordon, contentions
Growing chasm between citizen and soldier - Mark Thompson, Swampland
SCOTUS considers Confrontation Clause again - Erin Miller, SCOTUSblog
Palladino should consider decaf - FamousDC

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Obama to meet with Dem leaders before they leave - The Hill
AIG agrees with gov't on exit plan - New York Times
Heavy rains hit DC - Washington Post

FROM THE BLOGS:
The big picture (Senate side) - Josh Marshall, TalkingPointsMemo
State/local budget crises, real and imagined - Matthew Yglesias
Gallup: Americans really distrust the media - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Baucus wants to probe advocacy groups - W. Teach, Right Wing News
'Off the wall' - Steve Benen, Political Animal
Could Obama have done more to change Washington? - Ezra Klein
GOP sees three Va. challengers leading - Jim Geraghty, Campaign Spot
Protectionist threat of another Great Depression - Conn Carroll, The Foundry
Fine-tuning the message - Big Tent Democrat, TalkLeft
Our plan in Georgia - Bruce Dixon, Open Left
Today in wonkery - Matthew Continetti, Weekly Standard
More free NBC publicity for Obama - Mark Finkelstein, Newsbusters
Gulf scientists slowedl by lack of funds - Chris in Paris, AMERICAblog
Pawlenty preps for 2012 with speaking tour - Christian Heinze, GOP12
Meek goes for Crist's jugular - Jeremy Jacobs, Hotline OnCall

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Without Emanuel, who's going to send the dead fish? - The Hill
Likely loss of House seats in Midwest stirs partisan feuds - New York Times
CIA steps up drone attacks in Pakistan - Washington Post

FROM THE BLOGS:
Next step in HCR (just maybe) - Anne Laurie, Balloon Juice
Thune: Iowa caucuses fit my style - Christian Heinze, GOP12
The disillusionment of David Axelrod - Ezra Klein
Senate Dems to donors: House is lost already - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Poor people are much poorer than you think - Matthew Yglesias
Unlike 1994, they saw this year coming - Erick Erickson, RedState
Coalition of Dems push for tax vote - Jed Lewison, Daily Kos
Former SEIU prez under investigation - Michelle Malkin
Obama's scolding Dems strategy - Big Tent Democrat, TalkLeft
Raese 48, Manchin 46 - Jillian Bandes, Townhall
Unilateral decision to end legislating in the Senate - S. Benen, Political Animal
J Street's dead end - Jennifer Rubin, contentions
Consumer confidence dives in September - Daniel Indiviglio, The Atlantic
DSCC launches ad in West Virginia - Jeremy Jacobs, Hotline OnCall
The White House, Rouse-style - Marc Ambinder, The Atlantic

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Obama admin asks for more funds for spending measure - The Hill
Medvedev fires Moscow mayor in escalating feud - New York Times
Biden warned Obama to not become 'locked in' - Washington Post

FROM THE BLOGS:

Rot at the DOJ - Daniel Halper, The Weekly Standard
Support Russ Feingold - Paul Rosenberg, Open Left
'I'm rich, tax me more' - Dante Atkins, Daily Kos
Drugs, gangs and public schools - Colette Caprara, The Foundry
Yes they did - Andrew Sullivan, The Daily Dish
A grieving America's invitation to Colbert - Michelle Malkin
Big movement - David Kurtz, TPM
More on the wealthy poor and a 'fair' society - James Fallows
Feds frustrated with their inability to wiretap ... - Peter Suderman, Hit & Run
Raese blames volcanos for global warming - Think Progress
Video: worst political ad ever? - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
The long wait - Michael Crowley, Swampland
Rand Paul, the AAPS, and the National ... - Crooks & Liars
Secret holds jeopardize federal judiciary - Elijah Sweete, The Moderate Voice
This big house - Matthew Yglesias

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:

New redistricting data suggests Republicans could gain ground - The Hill
Dem whip: GOP majority will issue birther subpoenas ... - The Hill
Mideast talks teeter as settlement agreement expires - New York Times
Military resisted Obama's call for war exit plan - Washington Post

FROM THE BLOGS:
Iconography of the pledge - Matthew Yglesias
CO-Sen: Buck tries to hide his extremism - Joan McCarter, Daily Kos
Qualifying the enthusiasm gap - Steve Benen, Political Animal
Vote on tax cuts delayed until after the election - Chris in Paris, AMERICAblog
Why does Malthus appeal to novelists? - Ezra Klein
Matt Bai needs new economics advisers - masaccio, firedoglake
How House might still vote on tax cuts - Brian Beutler, TPMDC
Why Senate Dems are afraid of tax cuts - Derek Thompson, The Atlantic
Colbert before Congress, in character - Guy Benson, Townhall
'Salvage operation' for NY Dems? - Jim Geraghty, The Campaign Spot
Waiting for crazy - Conn Carroll, The Foundry
Ayers denied emeritus professorship - Michelle Malkin
Six months of Obamacare - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Maturity is... - Morgan Freeberg, Right Wing News
Independents are the Dems' undoing - Jennifer Rubin, contentions

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Rep. Frank: Economy 'ready to take off' - The Hill
GOP hopefuls in California take different paths - New York Times
China vies to shape foreign policy - Washington Post

FROM THE BLOGS:
Palin would run in 2012 if no one steps up - T. Diemer, Politics Daily
Do we really not know Obama? - Ta-Nehisi Coates
GOP's fiscal fraudulence - Andrew Sullivan, Daily Dish
Dispatches from alternate America - Jamelle Bouie, TAPPED
Obama a one-trick pony? - Paul Rosenberg, Open Left
Democrats look to punt on tax cut debate - Ryan Grim, Huffington Post
Top 10 failures of Obamanomics - Vince Haley, Big Government
GOP's Empire State of mind - Jim Geraghty, Campaign Spot
Basics on GOP's "Pledge" - Mary Katherine Ham, TWS
DREAM Act won't die - Michelle Malkin
Six months closer to repeal - Conn Carroll, The Foundry
Judiciary taking up controversial bench nominees - E. Morrissey, Hot Air
John Boehner was born orange - Riley Waggaman, Wonkette
Cuomo leads Paladino - Jillian Rayfield, TPMDC
Paul Ryan takes his responsibilities seriously - Matthew Yglesias

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
GOP leaves Beltway to unveil 'Pledge' - The Hill
President Obama to address U.N. - Washington Post
For many, healthcare relief begins today - New York Times

FROM THE BLOGS:
Summers to leave the government - Megan McArdle
Blumenthal flip-flopping on cap-and-trade? - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
Koch Industries among hosts for Fiorina fundraiser - Christina Bellantoni, TPMDC
Woodward shows Obama's weakness on national security - Lisa Curtis, The Foundry
Why Democrats outperform the generic ballot - Jonathan Chait, TNR
'D' could also mean 'deeper,' Mr. President - Jim Geraghty, Campaign Spot
When you have no ideas, simply steal - David Sirota, Open Left
Mean old man McCain - John Cole, Balloon Juice
Michael Steele: On the bus or off the bus? - Paul West, Maryland Politics
The American capacity to 'absorb' adversity - Steve Benen, Political Animal
The illusion with America - Erick Erickson, Red State
The problematics of efficient stimulus - Matthew Yglesias
More people watched Fox News than Obama event - Noel Sheppard, NewsBusters
The irresponsible commander-in-chief - Jennifer Rubin, contentions
Found: A Democrat actually running on healthcare - Weigel

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
White House: New Woodward book shows 'decisive' president - The Hill
Michelle Obama gets political - Washington Post
Chief of staff pick would offer view on Obama's strategy - New York Times

FROM THE BLOGS:
Tea Party Patriots get $1M to local groups - Weigel
Harry Reid thinks Kirsten Gillibrand is so hot - Dan Amira, Daily Intel
The lean years - Annie Lowrey, TWI
A libertarian who understands liberals - Jonathan Chait, TNR
Rage - Atrios, Eschaton
House won't adjourn early - Brian Beutler, TPMDC
In the money - Steve Benen, Political Animal
Doesn't everything? - Matthew Yglesias
Bush tax cuts and 9/11 - Ezra Klein
Harry Reid: Strongly opposed to illegal immigration? - Katie Pavlich, Townhall
Want immediate certainty? Give me $700B - Rick Richman, contentions
Constitutional gov't threatened by consumer czar - Tom Fitton, Big Government
Murkowski on ballot would not threaten Miller - Neil Stevens, RedState
Har, har ... oh wait - Jonah Goldberg, The Corner
Reid's new pet? - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
Democratic leader says House will stay in session next week - The Hill
Will Bush tax cut expiration help? - Washington Post
Move to repeal military's gay ban faces filibuster - New York Times