Weekend Round Up: In The NY Times Mark Leibovich interviews Senator Tom Coburn about power in Washington; On Quartz, Matt Philips wonders if Russia is messing with the Fed.

Politics and Government

In The NY Times, Mark Leibovich interviews Senator Tom Coburn.

“Las Vegas takes advantage of every weakness that we have. That’s what power in Washington does. Power is a tool. And how you use it is a discerning attribute of your character.”

At Forbes.com, Ralph Benko  channels former Seal Team Six members to discern what “peace through strength” and “power to the edge” really looks like.

From Quartz, Matt Phillips wonders if Russia is messing with the Fed.

In FT, Michael Mackenzie states a plunge in treasury holdings triggers speculation of Russia switch.

Monetary Reform

In The WSJ, David Malpass writes the Fed’s taper is already paying off.

From Forbes.com, Michael Moran previews Janet Yellen’s upcoming FOMC meeting.

At TGSN, Ralph Benko details the largest gold statue in the world; Kathleen Packard writes Bernanke’s legacy is playing Chinese checkers.

Spending

From Investors Business Daily, Stephen Moore says a $1.2 trillion corporate welfare state lurks in the U.S. budget.

In International Liberty, Dan Mitchell believes the government won’t help workers by making them more expensive.