1. Obama's recess appointment challenge [2] (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 [3] (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 [4] (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 [5] (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 [6] (Chicago Tribune)

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

6. Election officers who block the vote [7] (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 [8] (Washington Times)

This editorial discusses why transportation policies are increasing government dependency.

8. Catnip from the progressive egotists [9] (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 [10] (Washington Post)

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

10. Bain, Barack and Jobs [11] (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.