Obama joins Wisconsin's budget battle, opposing Republican anti-union bill  —  MADISON, WIS. - President Obama thrust himself and his political operation this week into Wisconsin's broiling budget battle, mobilizing opposition Thursday to a Republican bill that would curb public-worker benefits …

Jeff Bingaman to retire  —  New Mexico Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman is expected to announce his retirement today, according to a source close to the decision, a move that further complicates his party's efforts to hold their Senate majority in 2012.  —  Bingaman had been mulling whether …

Bahrain troops ‘fire on crowds’  —  Bahraini security forces have opened fire on anti-government protesters, witnesses and opposition activists say.  —  The protesters were fired on after they had streamed into the centre of the capital Manama from the funerals of protesters killed in a security crackdown earlier this week.

Firefighter refused call to Tucson shooting spree scene  —  A veteran city firefighter's refusal to respond to the Jan. 8 shooting spree, citing “political bantering,” may have slowed his Tucson Fire Department unit's response to the incident that left six dead and 13 wounded, city memos show.

Willie Sutton Wept  —  There are three things you need to know about the current budget debate.  First, it's essentially fraudulent.  Second, most people posing as deficit hawks are faking it.  Third, while President Obama hasn't fully avoided the fraudulence, he's less bad than his opponents …

House Dem reveals abortion on the House floor  —  Strong stuff from Dem Rep. Jackie Speier of California, who delivered an emotional speech on the House floor last night, revealing she had an abortion as she dressed down a Republican colleague for trivialing the decisionmaking that goes into deciding whether to undergo the procedure:

Ont. couple's appeal to bring baby home dismissed  —  A Superior Court judge has dismissed a Windsor couple's appeal of a decision to have their dying baby's breathing tube removed in hospital.  In this undated handout photo, Joseph Maraachli, a one-year-old boy from Windsor, Ont. …

House Passes Amendment to Block Funds for Net Neutrality Order  —  The House passed an amendment Thursday that would bar the Federal Communications Commission from using any funding to implement the network-neutrality order it approved in December.  —  The amendment, approved on a 244-181 vote …

Nancy Pelosi aide says a government shutdown is likely  —  A high-ranking aide to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told Democratic chiefs of staff that a government shutdown is more likely than not, according to attendees.  —  Speaking at a regular meeting of the top aides to House Democrats …

Administration asks judge to tell the states that healthcare law isn't optional  —  The Obama administration is asking a federal judge who struck down the healthcare reform law to clarify that states must still implement the overhaul as the appeals process plays out.

Democrat suggests ‘ObamaCare’ rhetoric should be banned from House floor  —  House Republicans and Democrats started Friday morning's debate over whether to defund last year's healthcare law, and as part of this debate sparred over whether members should be allowed to call that law “ObamaCare.”

Tomorrow Never Comes  —  Jonathan Alter wrote a book about Barack Obama's first year in office called “The Promise.”  That's a great title because it works on so many levels.  For example, over the past four years, Obama's career has been marked by a constant promise: He has continually …

Obama administration replaces controversial ‘conscience’ regulation for health-care workers  —  The Obama administration rescinded most of a federal regulation Friday designed to protect health workers who refuse to provide care they find objectionable on personal or religious grounds.

Who's Polarizing America?  —  American politics just keeps getting more polarized.  Be assured that Obama wants it that way.  I argue in Radical-in-Chief that Obama's long-term hope is to divide America along class lines (roughly speaking, tax payers versus tax beneficiaries).

Unions badgering Wisconsin's finances?  —  Co-director, Center for Economic and Policy Research :  —  You have to give Gov. Walker and his wealthy patrons credit.  Here we have a situation where Wall Street fat cats wrecked the economy - people like Richard Fuld, Robert Rubin, and Angelo Mozilo …