LegalNewsLine: A federal appeals court has sided with 26 states in their challenge to President Barack Obama’s health care reform. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled Friday that a provision of the law that requires individuals to purchase health insurance or face an annual penalty is unconstitutional. The ruling affirmed an earlier decision by U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson of northern Florida.

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road? A: You got me. But if it has anything to do with Ron Paul being bugfuck crazy, I’d totally sympathize.

Carter Country, redux! Confidence among U.S. consumers plunged in August to the lowest level since May 1980, adding to concern that weak employment gains and volatility in the stock market will prompt households to retrench. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary index of consumer sentiment slumped to 54.9 from 63.7 the prior month. The gauge was projected to decline to 62, according to the median forecast in a Bloomberg News

I have to say that Romney handled the few digs aimed his well quite deftly. As I noted in an earlier comment, he’s polished and slick, and he’s got the political game down. He’s also been forced to move to the right. But when he sticks in bits like investing in “human capital,” I hear “compassionate conservatism” and I think of spending deals cut with Democrats. Perry is going to