1. Obama's recess appointment challenge (Los Angeles Times)

This editorial argues that the appointment of Richard Cordray pushes the edge of the constitutional envelope. But it's a rational response to an increasingly gridlocked Congress.

2. Washington Isn't Spending Too Much (Wall Street Journal) ($)

It's normal for deficits to rise during a downturn.The real fiscal challenge is decades down the road, Austan Goolsbee argues.

3. The Affordable Care Act, helping Americans curb health-care costs (Washington Post)

If health-care costs continue to rise unchecked, they will threaten America's ability to compete and will become unaffordable for most families, writes Kathleen Sebelius.

4. Positively Newt (New York Times)

Gingrich tried it for a while. So did John McCain. Will a presidential candidate ever be able to forego negative campaigning? Dan Schnur explores.

5. Reining in those pesky protesters (Chicago Tribune)

Marilyn Katz looks at the ironies of history and lessons for the future.

6. Election officers who block the vote (Politico)

Many secretaries of state used their office last year to throw doubt on the election system, Robert M. Brandon looks at why.

7. Moving America toward Europe's excess (Washington Times)

This editorial discusses why transportation policies are increasing government dependency.

8. Catnip from the progressive egotists (Washington Examiner)

An underlying theme of our times that has gone unperceived by the high and mighty in media, writes Emmett Tyrrell.

9. One war at a time (Washington Post)

Michael O'Hanlon explores why a one-war posture for the U.S. military will work.

10. Bain, Barack and Jobs (New York Times)

Mitt Romney says that President Obama has been a job destroyer, while he was a job-creating businessman. But those claims border on dishonesty, Paul Krugman writes.