Immigration provision has Hispanic Caucus threatening ‘no’ health vote  —  A group of Hispanic lawmakers on Thursday will tell President Barack Obama that they may not vote for healthcare reform unless changes are made to the bill's immigration provisions.  —  The scheduled meeting comes …

GOP Ups Ante on Earmarks  —  A day after House Democrats announced a ban on earmarks for private companies, their Republican counterparts hope to dramatically up the ante with a unilateral prohibition on all targeted spending projects.  —  If approved, the Republican policy would restrict GOP lawmakers …

Nancy Pelosi's office was told of concerns about Eric Massa  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office was notified in October by then-Rep. Eric Massa's top aide of concerns about the New York Democrat's behavior, two congressional sources familiar with the matter said Wednesday night.

More Messages Link Senator to Job Effort  —  WASHINGTON — Previously undisclosed e-mail messages turned over to the F.B.I. and Senate ethics investigators provide new evidence about Senator John Ensign's efforts to steer lobbying work to the embittered husband of his former mistress and could deepen his legal and political troubles.

Miss. prom canceled after lesbian's date request  —  JACKSON, Miss. — A Mississippi county school board announced Wednesday it would cancel its upcoming prom after a gay student petitioned to bring a same-sex date to the event.  —  “Due to the distractions to the educational process caused …

Democrats, White House close in on health bill  —  WASHINGTON — A final agreement nearly in hand, President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders are about to embark on one last sales job that will determine the outcome of the president's signature health care overhaul.

Americans' Global Warming Concerns Continue to Drop  —  Multiple indicators show less concern, more feelings that global warming is exaggerated  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Gallup's annual update on Americans' attitudes toward the environment shows a public that over the last two years …

Chefs Call Proposed New York Salt Ban ‘Absurd’  —  MYFOXNY.COM - Some New York City chefs and restaurant owners are taking aim at a bill introduced in the New York Legislature that, if passed, would ban the use of salt in restaurant cooking.  —  “No owner or operator of a restaurant …

Patrick Kennedy: Media Doing “Despicable” Job Covering Afghanistan  —  Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) railed against the Washington press corps today on the House floor for paying more attention to the likes of scandal-ridden Eric Massa than the war in Afghanistan.

Hillary Rodham Clinton widens her circle at the State Department  —  Hillary Rodham Clinton ran a presidential campaign notoriously insular and unhappy, managing a group of egos and backstabbers whose dysfunction may have cost her the White House.  Understandably, people wondered what kind …

House liberal leader says Obama's stumping not changing many healthcare votes  —  President Barack Obama's stumping for healthcare isn't changing many — if any — votes in the House, a top liberal lawmaker said Wednesday night.  —  Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.), the co-chairwoman …

Glenn Beck on Massa: ‘I Almost Threw Him Out of the Studio’  —  On his radio show today, Glenn Beck lit into former Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) for his disastrous, rambling appearance on the Tuesday episode of Beck's Fox News Show.  —  “America, have you ever heard of a 50-year old man having a tickle-fight …

Romney tops bestseller list  —  Mitt Romney's new book, “No Apology: The Case for American Greatness,” will debut on top of the New York Times bestseller list due out March 21, a source tells me.  —  Romney's book tour has, so far, attracted pretty large crowds, serving — along with the book sales …

What I Learned at the Tea Parties  —  Both the media and many high profile politicos still seem to be flailing around trying to find some way to label, quantify and pigeonhole the myriad tea party groups which are springing up all around the country.  Even Karl Rove, during a stop to promote his new book …

Health Care Reform As Poker  —  A few years ago, Tom Edsall wrote a great Diarist for TNR arguing, based on his years of playing poker in Washington, that Republicans are better players than Democrats: … But their latest tactic is so obvious I wonder how it could possibly work.

Obama's liberal base ‘disengaged’  —  WASHINGTON — Is President Obama losing his base?  —  Liberal and progressive organizations that helped propel him to the White House are turning on him now, little more than a year after he took office.  Their collective discontent …

White House Vs. Supreme Court: It's Getting Ridiculous  —  For the life of me, I just don't get why the White House continues to try to pick a fight with the Supreme Court.  I've suggested before that perhaps it's a sign President Obama intends to tap an outsider when John Paul Stevens retires …

Senate Banking chairman Dodd to go it alone on financial overhaul  —  Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) on Monday will unveil financial overhaul legislation without a firm bipartisan deal.  —  Dodd and Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) have spent weeks trying to hammer …

As a progressive, Obama hews to the Wilsonian tradition  —  There are legislative miles to go before the government will be emancipated from its health-care myopia, but it is not too soon for a summing-up.  Whether all or nothing of the legislation becomes law, Barack Obama has refuted critics who call him a radical.

NYC judge: Govt must stop blocking money to ACORN  —  NEW YORK — A federal judge who found it unconstitutional that Congress tried to cut funding to the activist group ACORN has rejected a government request to change her mind and has ordered government agencies to make it clear the funding isn't blocked.

Unions taking on Dems who don't toe labor line  —  Frustrated at seeing their legislative agenda stymied, unions are becoming increasingly active in competitive Democratic Senate primaries.  —  Across the country, labor groups are using their organizational muscle early against candidates whom …

Leading Senator Wants New Fed Governors Committed To Full Transparency, Consumer Protection (LETTER)  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?  —  The chair of a Senate panel overseeing the Federal Reserve wants the Obama administration to appoint Fed officials committed to transparency …