Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) was detained on Monday by the Transportation Security Administration in Nashville, Tennessee, after refusing a full body pat-down.

Paul spokesperson Moira Bagley confirmed that he was being detained, stating:

“I spoke with him five minutes ago and he was being detained indefinitely. The image scan went off; he refused patdown.”

Meanwhile, Rand's father, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) posted on Twitter about the incident, saying that there'd been an "anomaly" with a body scanner:

“My son @SenRandPaul being detained by TSA for refusing full body pat-down after anomaly in body scanner in Nashville. More details coming.”

Rand Paul was traveling to Washington D.C. when he was detained. He had been slated to speak at the March for Life.

Paul's spokesperson was the first to report that he'd been detained, posting on Twitter:

“Just got a call from @senrandpaul. He’s currently being detained by TSA in Nashville,."

Paul has been a fierce critic of TSA's pat-downs of passengers at airports, something he views as government overreach.

President Barack Obama is expected to use a stop in Cleveland on Wednesday to announce that he's bypassing the Senate to install former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray as the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Speaking on a condition of anonymity, a White House official revealed reporters:

“With Cordray in place, the CFPB will now be able to exercise its full ability to protect consumers and middle class families allowed under the law. "

According to prepared remarks released by the administration official, Obama will say:

"Every day that Richard waits to be confirmed is another day when millions of Americans are left unprotected. Without a director in place, the consumer watchdog agency we’ve set up is left without the tools it needs to prevent dishonest mortgage brokers, payday lenders and debt collectors from taking advantage of consumers. That’s inexcusable. It’s wrong. And I refuse to take “no” for an answer.”

In a move designed to appeal to voters, President Barack Obama will propose a "Buffett Tax" on individuals making more than $1 million a year as a part of his deficit recommendations to Congress on Monday.

The proposal, which is one of many suggestions being given to a congressional Super Committee that is expected to see up to $3 trillion in deficit savings over the course of 10 years, would appeal to Obama's Democratic base ahead of the 2012 presidential election. However, it would not raise much in revenues.

According to White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer, the tax would act as "a kind of AMT" (Alternative Minimum Tax) that aims to ensure millionaires pay at least as much tax as middle-class families.

The name "Buffett Tax" refers to billionaire investor Warren Buffett. Earlier this year, Buffett wrote that rich people like him often pay less tax than those who actually work for them because of tax loopholes. And he says that they can afford to pay more.

Obama will give his suggestions, but Congress can choose to ignore them if they like. Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, have already said that they will not agree to tax increases.

I never heard of Republican Hill staff veteran Mike Lofgren, retired this summer after 30 years, until he published on Saturday what I believe will be required reading in textbooks someday - a forensic indictment dismantling his own Republican Party so thoroughly, I thought I was reading the boiled resin of every blog post I've ever written in my seven years as a loud mouthed left wing liberal blogger.

Take note what a Republican Hill staffer of 30 years will have been part of. Mike Lofgren was at the highest levels of GOP legislating for George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and two years of Barack Obama. Lofgren helped legislate into law the Contract with America under Speaker Newt Gingrich. He is no passer by, no bystander, not merely rank and file, not even a fleeting member of Congress. Mike Lofrgren was embedded into the very pinnacle of Republican power, for multiple presidencies.

This week, Mike Lofgren wrote that his Republican Party has gone completely mad. And in order to write this, he retired from government. I saw his first appearance on Hardball tonight, and Lofgren looks in equal measure relieved, freed, and yet, terrified. Lofgren appears a bookish, geeky, middle-aged technocrat with a look in his eyes of a canary just released from a coal mine, begging you to listen to his warning.

Today, United States Postal Service officials are expected to tell senators that the organization will go into default, perhaps as early as this coming winter, unless Congress takes action to prevent that from happening. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe would like to lay off a minimum of 120,000 workers, as well as take other drastic measures to close a budget gap projected to reach $9 billion this year.

The U.S. Postal Service says that it is unable to make a $5.5 billion retiree healthcare payment this month. The USPS also expects to run out of money to pay workers and other expenses early next year.

Representative Anthony Weiner has told friends that he is planning to resign from his seat in Congress, as pressure mounts from his Democratic colleagues to leave the House.

The decision to leave comes after his lewd online exchanges with various women came to light, and as Democratic leaders prepare to hold a meeting on Thursday to discuss the idea of stripping Weiner of his committee assignments.

Weiner, 46, concluded that he could no longer serve after long discussions with his wife, Huma Abedin. The two talked extensively after she returned from travelling abroad with her supervisor, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Top Democrats, including Nancy Pelosi, urged Weiner to resign and spare himself, his family and his party further public humiliation.

The House ethics committee has also opened up a formal inquiry into Weiner's conduct. With his decision to resign, the sanctions and formal charges he was expected to face will now go away as the committee only has jurisdiction of members of Congress.

The CIA informed two Senate committees - the Senate Intelligence Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee - that their members may view post-mortem photos of Osama bin Laden, if they wish.

Members of the two committees are invited to make an appointment with the intelligence agency to have a look at the photos.

Last week, President Barack Obama decided that the photos would not be made available for public viewing because he thought it could incite violence and be used by al Qaeda as a propaganda tool.

One week ago, Bin Laden was surprised at his compound in Pakinstan and killed by a U.S. strike team. He was quickly buried at sea.

Due to population losses and redistricting, Dennis Kucinich's congressional seat is likely to be eliminated. The Cleveland congressman, however, has made it pretty clear that he's not getting shoved out of Congress without a fight, and will run somewhere else. Now, Kucinich is fanning rumors that he could run in Washington state in 2012.

According to the Seattle Times, Kucinich has made a series of appearances in Washington state recently. He led a May Day march in Seattle for immigrants' rights, and over the weekend he spoke to audiences in Tacoma and Bainbridge Island. Back in February, Kucinich addressed a large union rally in Olympia.

Democrats have begun speculating that Kucinich is eying up a couple possible 2012 openings in Washington state. If Rep. Jay Inslee (D) runs for governor as is expected, there's room for Kucinich to run in that seat, or there's also the possibility that he could go for the yet-to-be-drawn new 10th Congressional District.

Republican House members were pleased to announce that they had done away with environmentally friendly, green initiatives at House cafeterias, bringing back styrofoam and ending a composting program. Democrat Nancy Pelosi had previously introduced biodegradable food containers and utensils to the cafeterias.

The chair of the House administration committee said that the composting program was done away with because it costs $475,000 per year, and is "neither cost-effective nor energy efficient."

An anonymous Congressional staffer sent photos of the waste generated during lunch on Tuesday, and noted that cafeteria workers had to empty cans about every 10 minutes.

Nancy Pelosi took to Twitter to discuss the matter, tweeting:

"#SoBeIt GOP brings back Styrofoam & ends composting—House will send 535 more tons to landfills #TalkAboutGovtWaste"

One month after being shot in the head, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) has started speaking again. Upon receiving breakfast on Monday, Giffords is said to have asked for toast at the Houston hospital where she is undergoing rehabilitation.

This is the first instance in which she has reportedly spoken since being seriously injured when alleged gunman Jared Lee Loughner opened fire at her meet and greet event in Tucson, Arizona at a grocery store on January 8. Six people were killed and 13 others were injured in the shooting rampage.

Last month Giffords' doctors said that they planed to insert a speaking valve into her breathing tube that would allow her to communicate.

The fact that she is speaking is yet another sign that she is "recovering at lightning speed" and displaying "encouraging signs everyday", said her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, on Tuesday.

Kelly wrote on Giffords' Facebook page:

"It is hard to believe that only one month has passed since Gabrielle was shot. The doctors say she is recovering at lightning speed considering her injury but they aren't kidding when they say this is a marathon process."

There are encouraging signs everyday though. Gabby's appetite is back and -- … even though it's hospital food -- she's enjoying three meals a day."