White House, Egypt Discuss Plan for Mubarak's Exit  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is discussing with Egyptian officials a proposal for President Hosni Mubarak to resign immediately, turning over power to a transitional government headed by Vice President Omar Suleiman with the support …

Abandoning allies and consciences  —  A popular budget cut is an oxymoron.  —  Every government program has its constituencies and supporters.  No reduction in spending, no matter how basic, goes without objection.  But in this time of necessary budgetary soul searching …

Obama's Approval Ratings More Polarized in Year 2 Than Year 1  —  Ranks as fourth-most-polarized year for a president since 1953  —  PRINCETON, NJ — President Barack Obama's job approval ratings were even more polarized during his second year in office than during his first …

Congressman Hinojosa files for bankruptcy  —  WASHINGTON — An eight-term Texas congressman who serves on the House Financial Services Committee has filed for personal bankruptcy and is blaming his family meat company for his problems.  —  According to federal bankruptcy court documents …

ObamaCare's Repeal Has Begun  —  This week's Senate vote to scrap an IRS reporting requirement is the start of a piece by piece approach.  —  Mark this date: On Feb. 2, 2011, a Democratic Senate killed the first piece of the health-care law it passed less than a year ago.

Gallup Finds U.S. Unemployment Up Slightly in January to 9.8%  —  Underemployment at 18.9%, compared with 19.0% at the end of December  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, increased to 9.8% at the end of January — up from 9.6% at the end of December, but down from 10.9% a year ago.

Gabrielle Giffords's husband Mark Kelly will command final shuttle flight  —  Mark Kelly, husband of wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, will fly the space shuttle Endeavour's final mission in April, according to a source familiar with the decision.  —  Kelly and NASA are expected to make an announcement at a press conference Friday.

Report: Political Correctness Prevented FBI, DoD from Stopping Maj. Hasan  —  Today the Senate Homeland Security Committee released an independent report on the Ft. Hood shootings.  The 91 page report is titled A Ticking Time Bomb: Counterterrorism Lessons from the US Government's Failure to Prevent the Fort Hood Attack.

Pics of the Day: Homemade Helmets in Egypt...  Pick your favorite. … My personal favorite.

Learning To Walk: Fear, Shame And Your Underwater Mortgage … WASHINGTON — Nearly one in every four homeowners across the country owe more on their home than it's worth.  Once a month, those 10.8 million are faced with a question that cuts to the core of the American Dream and offers …

Why Sarah Palin keeps skipping CPAC  —  Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin today turned down an invitation to speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference even after being offered the plum keynote speaking spot, the fourth year in a row she's turned down an offer to speak at the event.

U.S. Pressure on Mubarak Opens a Rift With Arab Allies  —  WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama's attempt to abruptly push aside Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in favor of a transition government has sparked a rift with key Arab allies Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates …

Housing finance changes likely to mean less government backing for some buyers  —  The Obama administration is likely to recommend reducing the size of mortgages eligible for government backing, according to current and former officials, a move that could make getting a home loan in high-priced areas …

Finger-pointing begins on Egypt  —  The debate over who “lost” Egypt seems to have begun.  —  Critics are openly questioning the quality of information and analysis given to President Barack Obama by U.S. intelligence agencies in the days leading up to the dramatic uprising against Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

White House e-mail blackout  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) -The White House learned an important lesson Thursday: the most powerful place in the world is not immune to some of the technical glitches that drive most Americans crazy.  —  Shortly before 8 a.m. the unclassified e-mail system that top advisers …

Cops Charge 7-Year-Old for Bringing Toy Gun to Class  —  Kid charged with possession of a fake firearm after shooting Nerf-style gun  —  A 7-year-old child allegedly shot a Nerf-style toy gun in his Hammonton, N.J., school Jan. 18.  No one was hurt, but the pint-size softshooter now faces misdemeanor criminal charges.

‘String Him Up’  —  Racist and eliminationist rhetoric at a Common Cause rally.  —  The website of Common Cause describes the group as “a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to restoring the core values of American democracy, reinventing an open, honest and accountable government …

Ex-U.S. Rep. Foley returns to GOP scene, four years after grounding in scandal  —  Former Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, a pariah with many in the GOP after he abruptly resigned in a 2006 Internet sex scandal, is slowly regaining acceptance with some local Republicans.