President Obama and John Boehner nominally close to a deal on the debt ceiling, but politically still far apart (Washington Post)

NFL enters accelerated schedule as lockout ends (USA Today)

Mike Huckabee will testify before the Ways and Means Committee on the Fair Tax

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont wants President Obama primaried (Fox News)

George Soros ends his hedge fund because of Dodd-Frank Act (Bloomberg)

Tim Pawlenty hits Obama once again:

Confronting an Unrepentant North Korea by Doug Bandow: Another day, another North Korean threat.

The GOP’S Reykjavik Moment, by Jeffrey Lord: A lesson for the debt ceiling battle.

Earning Their Apples, by RiShawn Biddle: With teacher unions on the decline, merit pay will be the norm in the next decade.

Obama’s Favorite Union Heavies, by Ivan Osorio & Adam Michel: The Service Employees International lives to intimidate in the workplace.

Baby Blues, by Paul Schwennesen: Giving birth is wonderful — but at what price?

The New York Times Finds Its Poster Boy for Hate, by Aaron Goldstein: So now the Norway terrorist was a “right-wing, Christian” extremist?

Blueberry Economics, by Ralph R. Reiland: The road to automated harvesting equipment.