So, what does everyone think are the big stories today? Let me know in the comments and check back later for today's Outlook and Underbuzzed.
TODAY
- Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) officially leaves the Congress.
- Leon Panetta's confirmation vote as defense secretary.
BUDGET
- Debt-reduction talks speed up, without bringing a resolution any closer.
- House Republicans signal openness to raising tax revenues; Senate Republicans do not.
- Rating agency warns US it will downgrade its credit if the US defaults.
- GOP congressman tries to end aid for US workers impacted by free-trade agreements.
- Analysis: For the last 60 years, lower top tax rates have coincided with low growth.
- Chart: Which tax rates have coincided with strong GDP? Not the ones the GOP claims.
- VIDEO: Economics genius Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) claims Boeing has a high tax rate. Not a high effective tax rate.
CLASS WARFARE
- Debtors' prison: American woman jailed for failing to pay traffic fines.
- Man robs bank to get health care.
UNIONS
- A move to ease elections on unionization draws fire from the right.
- Where is the White House on the Wal-Mart ruling?
- The administration says companies should release more info about their union busters.
AFGHANISTAN
- Pres. Obama tomorrow night will announce plans for bringing troops home.
- US expected to bring 10,000 troops home by the end of the year.
LIBYA
- Eugene Robinson goes after the president's Libya policy.
- Pressure on Speaker Boehner mounts on both sides over Libya.
SECURITY STATE
- Senate committee to investigate claims Bush administration targeted critic.
- US Conference of Mayors calls on US to bring the troops home.
COMMODITY PRICES
- Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) revealed that the FTC is investigating the role of speculators in gas prices.
- Goldman Sachs is under investigation after Coca-Cola accused GS of hoarding aluminum.
- Why is it that it's a UK exchange, rather than UK or US regulators...slapping Goldman Sachs for causing gas-prices spikes?
ENVIRONMENT
- Republican cuts to the EPA hurt the states, not DC.
- Ocean species on brink of worst mass extinction in millions of years.
EDUCATION
- Only two Miss USA contestants accept the fact of evolution.
HEALTH CARE
- The AMA reaffirms its support for the individual mandate.
LATINOPHOBIA
- VIDEO: Sen. McCain doubled down on his scapegoating of illegal immigrants for wildfires.
WISCONSIN
- Gov. Walker hosted Squawk Box.
- Gov. Walker's gotten his way...so where are the jobs?
- Gov. Walker to gut Medicaid.
OBAMA 2012
- Critics say White House meeting was a fundraiser.
- Duane Reade selling anti-Obama greeting cards.
MICHELE BACHMAN
- Rep. Bachmann actually loves government pork.
- Bachmann also loves stimulus; she cites Canada as an economic model.
JON HUNTSMAN
- Huntsman makes his formal announcement.
- Huntsman winks the "un-American" code.
CHRIS CHRISTIE
- Poll: Christie's approval continues to slide in NJ.
- Poll says NJers don't think Christie would be a good VP.
- Bill curtailing bargaining rights goes to the state Senate.
- NJ unions split with Democrats over their capitulation to Christie.
RAND PAUL
- PICTURE: Sen. Paul (R-KY) was spotted using SOCIALIST transportation.
(What I'm reading: Greg Sargent's Plum Line, Think Progress, Matt Yglesias, The Wonk Room, Talking Points Memo, TPMDC, Taegan Goddard's Political Wire, the Washington Monthly, the National Journal, Ezra Klein, Politico's Playbook and Huddle, Dave Weigel, Wonkette, Firedoglake, the NYT Caucus, Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars. What Pandora has me listening to: True Dreams of Wichita by Soul Coughing.)
Follow Senior Producer Jonathan Larsen (@jtlarsen) on Twitter