JAMES TARANTO: A Crisis of Authority: The deeper meaning of the Obama scandals. “Democracy is in peril: That is an emerging theme of the liberal left’s response to the Obama scandals. The argument misses the point, no doubt deliberately. What we are witnessing now is not a crisis of democracy but a crisis of authority. The administrative state, in thrall to a decadent cultural elite, has lost the consent of the governed. . . . The IRS scandal was a subversion of democracy on a massive scale. The most fearsome and coercive arm of the administrative state embarked on a systematic effort to suppress citizen dissent against the party in power. Thomas Friedman is famous for musing that he wishes America could be China for a day. It turns out we’ve been China for a while.”

CHANGE: Turning Publishing Upside Down.

POLITICO: Scandal-shocked House Democrats fear for 2014.

FAST AND FURIOUS UPDATE: Watchdog report says DOJ official retaliated against ‘Furious’ whistle-blower, lied about it. “The former U.S. Attorney for Arizona could be disbarred, after an investigation found he lied to the Justice Department about his role in trying to discredit the federal whistle-blower who exposed the botched gun-running scheme known as Fast and Furious. An Office of Inspector General report showed that Dennis Burke — the former chief of staff for Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano appointed as U.S. Attorney for Arizona by President Obama in September 2009 — lied when asked if he leaked sensitive documents to the press meant to undermine the credibility of ATF whistle-blower John Dodson.”

Background: Agent: I was ordered to let U.S. guns into Mexico.

IT’S COME TO THIS: Introducing The “Fatkini.”

HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE, LEGAL EDUCATION EDITION: Law Schools Turn to Non-J.D. Students to Make Up for Enrollment Shortfall.

CULTURE OF CORRUPTION: Dems With Campaign Time Rewarded With Prime State Department Spots.

MOTHER OF THE WEEK: Mom Tries To Unload Toddler On Craigslist.

AT AMAZON, coupons galore in Nutrition & Wellness.

ABC NEWS TEAM SHADOWED BY ARMED GUARDS: Has An Iron Curtain Descended On The Cincinnati IRS Office?

A NOVEL DISASTER RELIEF ORGANIZATION: Operation BBQ Relief. Thanks to reader Eric Cowperthwaite for the tip.

CULTURE OF CORRUPTION: Embattled IRS official Lois Lerner’s husband’s law firm has strong Obama connections.

UPDATE: At OverLawyered, The Daily Caller fires a blank at Lois Lerner. “I consulted the Open Secrets database and found that in the last election cycle the firm’s lawyers donated $41,700 to Mitt Romney and $35,413 to Barack Obama. In Congressional races, the firm’s lawyers donated $38,040 to Republican candidates and $25,350 to Democrats. The biggest recipient by far in the Congressional races? Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who got $16,250 from Sutherland lawyers. Overall, these figures would rank Sutherland as not a particularly heavy hitter among law firms in federal donations. Twenty other law firms’ attorneys gave upwards of $1.2 million in the last election cycle, mostly leaning much more toward the Democratic side than did the donations from Sutherland’s attorneys.”

RUMSFELD ON BENGHAZI: ‘There were forces that could’ve done something.’ Plus: “When you have people that are being attacked, and everyone knew that there were al Qaeda-related organizations threatening Western facilities in Benghazi, the standard procedure is to try to protect your people. If you can’t protect them, you pull them out.”

IF YOU STRIKE ME DOWN, I SHALL ONLY BECOME MORE POWERFUL: CNN Poll: Tea Party Approval Rating Jumps To One Point Shy Of All-Time High In Wake Of IRS Scandal.

POLITICO: The White House’s Shifting IRS Story. “Monday’s revelation amounts to the fifth iteration of the Obama administration’s account of events, after initially saying that the White House had first learned of the controversy from the press. Republicans said they were on the lookout for the next installment in the White House’s ever-shifting narrative.”

On the bright side, they haven’t blamed a YouTube video. Yet.

UGH: Monster Oklahoma Tornado Kills 51. “A massive, mile-wide tornado with winds up to 200 mph killed at least 51 people Monday afternoon during 40 terrifying minutes of destruction across southern Oklahoma City and its suburbs.”

OH, GOOD GRIEF: Police Say Student, Failing Class, Faked Kidnapping. “Authorities say that a student at Georgia Gwinnett College faked his kidnapping because he didn’t want to tell his parents that he had failed English for the second time.”

PETER INGEMI: Hey, has the IRS made this the perfect time for business & donors to be giving to Conservatives?

DALE AMON: New Space Is Taking Over.

All is proceeding as I have foreseen.

IT’S LIKE ROLLING STONE IS SOME KIND OF LAME FRAUD OR SOMETHING: Katy Perry Rolling Stone Photoshop: when Beauty isn’t Perfect enough. I like the mysteriously-appearing fake fingers.

MY USA TODAY COLUMN FOR TOMORROW: LOOKING AHEAD TO A BRIGHT FUTURE.

It’s on Jim Bennett and Michael Lotus’s America 3.0.

FORBES: 6 Questions Everyone Should Ask The IRS.

MEANWHILE, IN MANHATTAN: Mayor Bloomberg privately fuming over snooping scandal. “Mayor Bloomberg is privately fuming at the data breach that has imperiled the reputation of his global media company, according to sources.” Arrogance trickles down.

WHICH IS, OF COURSE, THE GOAL: Michael Barone: Obama’s IRS and AP scandals cast Big Chill on free speech.

AMY ALKON: On this show, exercise trainer and rehab expert Fred Hahn explains why slow-speed strength training, for just a few minutes a week, will make you healthier than a fitness fanatic.