Toward a 21st-Century Regulatory System  —  If the FDA deems saccharin safe enough for coffee, then the EPA should not treat it as hazardous waste.  —  For two centuries, America's free market has not only been the source of dazzling ideas and path-breaking products, it has also been the greatest force …

Moving past right-wing rhetoric  —  We get it, Sarah Palin.  You're not morally culpable for the tragic shooting in Tucson, Ariz. All of us around the “Morning Joe” table agree, even if we were stunned that you would whine about yourself on Facebook as a shattered family prepared to bury their 9-year-old girl.

Government finds up to half of Americans under 65 have preexisting conditions  —  As many as 129 million Americans under age 65 have medical problems that are red flags for health insurers, according to an analysis that marks the government's first attempt to quantify the number of people …

Kent Conrad to retire in 2012  —  North Dakota Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad is retiring.  Photo by Melina Mara/The Washington Post  —  North Dakota Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad announced today that he will not seek reelection, creating a potentially prime pickup opportunity for Republicans in a GOP-leaning state.

Gov.-elect Robert Bentley intends to be governor over all, but says only Christians are his ‘brothers and sisters’  —  MONTGOMERY — Gov.-elect Robert Bentley in a speech at a Baptist church this afternoon said he plans to be the governor of all Alabamians and be color-blind …

Why Does Roger Ailes Hate America?  —  An exclusive and unbiased investigation into the highly paid operative of a foreign-born tycoon, a man who reengineered political and media culture and fomented a revolt that threatens the very stability of our country  —  Today, here at Esquire …

Bill Frist: Health Care Is ‘Law Of The Land,’ GOP Should Drop Repeal And Build On It … WASHINGTON — As congressional Republicans ready themselves for a largely symbolic effort to repeal President Obama's health care reform law, at least one former GOP leader is urging them to drop the charade and build on the legislation instead.

Bysiewicz declares for U.S. Senate  —  Susan Bysiewicz today declared herself a candidate for U.S. Senate, trying to put the disasters of 2010 behind her by getting an early jump on 2012, when U.S. Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman is up for re-election.  —  Bysiewicz, 49, a Democrat whose career derailed …

Experts doubt GOP claim that health care law's a ‘job killer’  —  WASHINGTON — Despite what Republicans say, the 2010 health care law isn't necessarily a job killer.  —  Republicans have titled their effort to overturn the law the “Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act,” and that's their favorite talking point against it.

China-style dictatorship of climatologists  —  NASA's Hansen prefers rule by decree to fight ‘global warming’  —  November's election made it quite clear that the people of the United States do not want to radically change our society in the name of global warming.

Study: Many college students not learning to think critically  —  NEW YORK — An unprecedented study that followed several thousand undergraduates through four years of college found that large numbers didn't learn the critical thinking, complex reasoning and written communication skills …

Comcast-NBC Deal Wins Federal Approval  —  Updated The proposed combination of Comcast and NBC Universal was approved by the Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department on Tuesday, smoothing the way for the deal to close by the end of January.  —  As expected, the approvals came with significant conditions attached.

Amy Chua Is a Wimp  —  Sometime early last week, a large slice of educated America decided that Amy Chua is a menace to society.  Chua, as you probably know, is the Yale professor who has written a bracing critique of what she considers the weak, cuddling American parenting style.

What Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill could teach Washington today  —  A vigorous debate over the role of government is always at the heart of our democracy.  Since the shootings in Arizona, however, many have said that our partisan ferocity is unhealthy.  —  So it seems like a good time to reflect on Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill.

Court rejects appeal over DC gay marriage law  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from opponents of same-sex marriage who want to overturn the District of Columbia's gay marriage law.  —  The court did not comment Tuesday in turning away a challenge from a Maryland pastor …

Obama Approval Rises, But Hazards Remain  —  Obama's Job Approval Has Matched his Highest in More Than a Year  —  Aided by his response to the Tucson shootings, popular lame-duck legislation and a hint of economic relief, Barack Obama has matched his highest job approval rating in more than a year …

Seymour Hersh unleashed  —  DOHA, Qatar—David Remnick, call your office.  —  In a speech billed as a discussion of the Bush and Obama eras, New Yorker journalist Seymour Hersh delivered a rambling, conspiracy-laden diatribe here Monday expressing his disappointment with President Barack Obama …

The vindication of Dick Cheney  —  In the early months of Obama's presidency, the American Right did to him what they do to every Democratic politician: they accused him of being soft of defense (specifically “soft on Terror") and leaving the nation weak and vulnerable to attack.