This week from the @valeofinancial Twitter feed 

Federal Government Spending

• What if the Federal Government Did Not Borrow to Help Fund Obligations? Valeo Financial Advisors
• The widening gap between federal spending and federal revenue. Picture: Valeo Financial Advisors
• The government sends out a few hundred million checks a month. Washington Post
• What should Congress do on debt crisis? Raise revenue? Cut spending? Plot your thought on the New York Times Debt Matrix. New York Times

U.S. Economy

• Dissecting the “Slow Growth Economy” Valeo Financial Advisors
• Q2 2011 GDP growth 1.3%. Economic Growth Tepid During the First Half of 2011. Chart: Valeo Financial Advisors
• New Jobless Claims Dip Below 400,000 NPR
• Durable goods -2.1% v. expectations of +0.3%, Ex transportation 0.1% v. expectations of +0.5%
• Home ownership Falls to Lowest Since 1998 Bloomberg

The Debt Ceiling 

• Everything you need to know about the debt ceiling in one post Washington Post
• What Washington has that the NFL and NBA doesn’t – Elections FT Alphaville

The United States Credit Rating

• Should the US fear a credit downgrade? The case of Japan Wall Street Journal 
• Might bond yields fall? The Economist

Other

• Brand sentiment showdown Flowing Data