Betty Ford Passes Away At 93

Elizabeth Anne “Betty” Bloomer Ford, wife of the late President Gerald Ford, passed away on Friday.

“It is with great sadness that we inform you that our beloved mother Betty Ford has passed away at 93 years of age. She died peacefully today at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif.,” Ford’s surviving family said in a statement provided on BettyFordMemorial.com.

Obama Steps Up Deficit Talks, But Can There Be ‘A Grand Bargain’?

In a press briefing today, President Barack Obama announced that he will meet with Congressional leaders again today, and every following day, until an agreement on the debt and deficit can be reached. The President continued to express optimism, saying,not only will a deal be reached by the Aug. 2 deadline, but also that the resulting deal will be large.

Bachmann Vs. Pawlenty

On Sunday, the two Republican Presidential candidates hailing from Minnesota took jabs at one another. First, on NBC’s Meet the Press, Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said of Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.): “her record of accomplishment in Congress is nonexistent. It’s nonexistent.”

Dems, GOP Make Little Progress In Debt Ceiling Talks

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been meeting frequently to discuss the debt ceiling, but thus far no end to the debate is in sight.

Chicago City Council Approves Restrictive Gun Range Measure

The Chicago City Council recently approved a measure that would allow gun ranges to operate in the Windy City.

Senators Introduce Legislation To Remove Tax Burden On Gold And Silver Coins

On June 28, Senators Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) introduced the Sound Money Promotion Act, which would allow legal tender gold and silver coins to be considered in the same manner as United States currency for taxation purposes.

Judicial Watch Accuses Obama Of Violating ACORN Fund Ban

Government watchdog Judicial Watch recently released a statement claiming that President Barack Obama has issued a $79,819 grant to Affordable Housing Centers of America (AHCOA), an offshoot of ACORN, through the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Researchers Discover Factors That Contribute To Weight Gain

The Harvard School of Public Health conducted three studies and found that modest lifestyle and diet changes can lead to long-term weight gain. The study aimed to determine what factors contribute to long-term weight gain.

NASA’s Last Shuttle Voyage Lifts Off

For what will be the last time, a space shuttle lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., at 11:29 a.m. today. Atlantis, carrying four astronauts, is conducting the 135th and final shuttle mission, in which it will deliver supplies to the International Space Station. The shuttle is scheduled to return on June 20.

Obama Adviser: ‘The Average American’ Vote Not Based On Unemployment Numbers

One of President Barack Obama’s senior advisers, David Plouffe, said Wednesday that the state of unemployment will not affect the way individual Americans vote in 2012. “The average American does not view the economy through the prism of GDP or unemployment rates or even monthly jobs numbers,” Plouffe, who ran Obama’s 2008 election, told Bloomberg.