Today's Top News from The Washington Times

		Monday, August 22, 2011 Must Read Stories Today
Gadhafi's fate in question; sons detained Libyan rebels captured Moammar Gadhafi's second-oldest son, and another son surrendered Sunday after the rebels stormed Tripoli, sparking massive celebrations in the Libyan capital. Local schools kick off year under new leadership As another school year begins across the region, the District and Montgomery County open their doors Monday under new leadership and with widely contrasting academic and socioeconomic challenges. GOP field likely to get more crowded Rick Perry's splashy entrance into the GOP presidential race was supposed to turn the contest into a showdown between the Texas governor and front-runner Mitt Romney. GOP rivals say Obama faltered on Assad Republican White House hopefuls are attacking President's Obama's response to Syrian dictator Bashar Assad's bloody, five-month crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators, saying the commander in chief wasted valuable time in mulling the situation. Desmond's blast sets stage for dramatic win These Nationals aren't going to win the National League East or being playing in October. September could be a showcase for Stephen Strasburg on the comeback trail from Tommy John surgery. 'Supercommittee' members get plenty of funds from lobbyists When congressional leaders earlier this month named six lawmakers from each party to a debt reduction "supercommittee," investing unprecedented power in a tiny cadre to slash funding, they set off a wild scramble among special interest groups to gain access and protect their interests. Virginia, Maryland leaders divided by more than just a river Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley sparred Sunday for the first time as leaders of their respective parties' governors associations, drawing clear lines in the sand on federal spending, job growth and President Obama's performance on the economy. Huntsman: GOP rivals have 'zero substance' Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., looking to jump-start a slumbering presidential campaign, ripped into his Republican rivals Sunday, saying the field has "zero substance" and saving his harshest comments for front-runners Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry. Democrats' on-air strikes defend Obama Several top Democrats and White House aides took to the airwaves Sunday to defend the vacationing president and offer a preview of the "jobs" speech President Obama has promised to deliver when he and Congress return to Washington. Full-contact jousting draws crowds The clanging of armored knights atop thundering horses can still be heard in Maryland on most weekends, as jousting draws hundreds of spectators and preserves its position as the state's official sport. Undersecretary nominee in State Dept. returns to revolving door For those seeking an example of the revolving door between government and the private sector at the State Department, one need look no further than President Obama's recent nominee for the position of undersecretary for political affairs. CURL: Taking vacation from Obama recession Unemployment is at 9.1 percent. Economic growth is anemic. America's credit rating has been downgraded for the first time in history. The stock market hits new lows almost every day. And where is President Obama? Tropical Storm Irene barreling toward Puerto Rico Tropical Storm Irene lashed the Caribbean's Leeward Islands early Sunday with heavy rains and winds that closed airports, flooded roads, downed trees and temporarily knocked out power to thousands. 2 shot in San Francisco parking lot after Raiders-49ers game A man wearing a shirt slamming the San Francisco 49ers was seriously wounded as gunfire erupted in the parking lot after the team's NFL preseason game, while another man sustained lesser injuries in an earlier shooting, police said. Norway remembers 77 killed in massacre Flags flew at half-staff as people lay flowers and children blew soap bubbles outside the cathedral in Norway's capital Sunday to pay tribute to the 77 people killed in last month's bombing and shooting massacre by a right-wing extremist. Iran: Lawyer for 2 U.S. hikers will appeal verdict The lawyer for two American men arrested more than two years ago in Iran and convicted on charges that include espionage said Sunday he will appeal the verdict and his clients' eight-year prison sentences. Commentary MILLER: Obamacare: Doing more harm than good With the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently finding the individual mandate portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) unconstitutional, the goals of health care reform are making headlines once again. MILLER: The partier in chief President Obama is chilling out at the beach while the country's economic engine is headed for a deep freeze. Those lucky enough to have a job will slug it out at work Monday while Mr. Obama parties with the rich and powerful. EDITORIAL: The California cut Nobody can reasonably question Gov. Jerry Brown's liberal credentials. While at the helm of the Golden State in the 1970s, Mr. Brown sabotaged the death penalty and pushed special privileges for homosexuals. He expanded benefits for union bosses and ran for the Democratic presidential nod three times. Now that he's back in charge of America's largest and most indebted state, Mr. Brown has actually cut spending. Why can't President Obama do the same? PRELL: Obama made them hate us A new Zogby poll, "Arab Attitudes, 2011," has revealed that President Obama's charm offensive in the Arab world has failed. After he promised to restore America's international reputation, not only does the Arab world hate America more under Mr. Obama than it did under President George W. Bush, it even hates Mr. Obama - personally - more than it detested the swaggering unilateralist cowboy from Texas. WILLIAMS: Tax zombie that refuses to die Washington is famous for budget trickery, and the practice of base-line budgeting is one of its most cynical traditions. Base-line budgeting makes an increase in funding appear as a cut. For example, according to Dan Mitchell at the Cato Institute, "The 'cuts' in the [debt ceiling] deal are only cuts from the [Congressional Budget Office's] 'baseline,' which is a Washington construct of ever-rising spending. And even these 'cuts' from the baseline include $156 billion of interest savings, which are imaginary because the underlying cuts are imaginary." An egregious example of such base-line budgeting is the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF). 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