While there is some optimism in Republican circles about knocking off longtime U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, Repubs simply have not been able to bank enough money so far to knock off the Democratic incumbent.

Congressman Allen Boyd faces a host of challengers -- including a serious threat in the Democratic primary from Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson of Tallahassee. Lawson and the Republicans are factors in this race, but Boyd has one huge advantage -- money.

With no Democratic opponent and ahead of his rivals in funds, U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, a Republican, appears in solid shape to win another term. Miller has spent most of the more than $370,000 that he has raised but his team has almost $56,000 left in the bank.

WASHINGTON -- When H.L. Mencken said that Puritanism was "the haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy," he was barely grazing the iceberg of the titanic fundamentalism to come.

WASHINGTON -- In the political marketplace, there's now a run on Obama shares. The left is disappointed with the president. Independents are abandoning him in droves. And the right is already dancing on his political grave, salivating about November when, his own press secretary admitted Sunday, Democrats might lose the House.

Last week's Medicare Fraud Summit in Miami was reinforced by a record takedown of scam artists who were allegedly bilking the federal health-care program.

The U.S. House of Representatives spent much of the first week back from its weeklong Fourth of July recess watching the U.S. Senate. The U.S. Senate spent much of its first week back watching the West Virginia state Legislature.Those who were taught back-in-the-day that a watched pot never boils might want to read on.