Today’s edition of quick hits:
* In case there were any doubts, the Obama White House really doesn’t like “Cut, Cap, and Balance,” which comes to the House floor tomorrow. The administration announced a formal veto threat this afternoon.
* House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor had a private chat with President Obama — many believe smaller groups of players can be more productive — but no word on progress.
* Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced this morning the Senate will remain in session, every day, until the debt-ceiling issue is resolved. This includes weekends.
* Murdoch media scandal: “Britain’s top police official resigned on Sunday, the latest casualty of the phone-hacking scandal engulfing British public life, just hours after Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive of Rupert Murdoch’s News International, was arrested on suspicion of illegally intercepting phone calls and bribing the police.”
* Joe Nocera explains how and why the Wall Street Journal has been “Fox-ified.”
* Mike Konczal asked for a D&D alignment chart for all of the debt-ceiling positions. Gerry Canavan is up to the task, with a clever submission.
* Interesting: “The former staff director of the House Ethics Committee accused two top committee lawyers last year of secretly communicating with Republicans on the panel regarding the investigations of Democratic Reps. Maxine Waters and Charles Rangel, raising concerns over whether the long-running inquiries were compromised by key staffers.”
* Ask congressional Republicans why there’s a jobs crisis and they’ll say employers are holding back because of “uncertainty,” fueled by Democrats. Ask those who know what they’re talking about, and you’ll hear something very different.
* The motivation for this crime remains unclear: “U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell scuffled with an armed intruder at his southern Iowa farmhouse late Saturday night before his grandson pointed a gun at the intruder, who then fled, Boswell’s staff said.”
* The right would us have believe violence in U.S. communities along the Mexican border is rampant. The rhetoric has it backwards: “U.S. border cities were statistically safer on average than other cities in their states. Those border cities, big and small, have maintained lower crime rates than the national average, which itself has been falling.”
* Daniel Luzer: “Despite increasing criticism about their economic model, and simple reason, the law school racket continues to grow.”
* And congratulations to Suzy Khimm, Sarah Kliff, and Brad Plumer, three terrific reporters who are joining Ezra Klein’s team at the Washington Post.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
