Hiding senators held in contempt; layoff notices to go out today  —  By Patrick Marley and Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel  —  Madison — Pressure ratcheted up on absent Senate Democrats on Thursday, as they were found in contempt by GOP senators and Gov. Scott Walker …

State says damage to marble at Capitol could hit $7.5 million  —  Madison - State officials said Thursday that damage to the marble inside and out the State Capitol would cost an estimated $7.5 million.  —  Cari Anne Renlund, chief legal counsel for the state Department of Administration …

A New Strategy for Wisconsin  —  On February 17, the 14 Democratic members of the Wisconsin senate fled across the state line to the Best Western Clock Tower Resort in Rockford, Ill., the city in which I grew up.  They were denying Republicans a three-fifths quorum on a bill that would restrict public unions in Wisconsin.

Agent: I was ordered to let U.S. guns into Mexico  —  ATF agent says “Fast and Furious” program let guns “walk” into hands of Mexican drug cartels with aim of tracking and breaking a big case  —  WASHINGTON - Federal agent John Dodson says what he was asked to do was beyond belief.

GOP Aims to Tame Benefits Programs  —  Boehner Promises Entitlement Review  —  WASHINGTON—House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday that he's determined to offer a budget this spring that curbs Social Security and Medicare, despite the political risks, and that Republicans will try to persuade voters that sacrifices are needed.

Judge Stays Own Ruling Against Health Care Law  —  A federal judge in Florida on Thursday issued a stay of his own ruling against the Obama health care act, allowing the law to remain fully in effect while being appealed, eventually to the Supreme Court.  —  The Florida case …

Sununu: I'll Work Against Huntsman  —  HAMPTON FALLS, N.H. — Former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu is no fan of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and intends to work against him in the Granite State's Republican presidential primary if he decides to launch a bid for the White House this cycle.

PFC Manning Forced to Strip Naked  —  Last night, PFC Manning was inexplicably stripped of all clothing by the Quantico Brig. He remained in his cell, naked, for the next seven hours.  At 5:00 a.m., the Brig sounded the wake-up call for the detainees.  At this point, PFC Manning was forced to stand naked at the front of his cell.

Sam Arora's disgraceful wavering on marriage equality in Maryland  —  Around 9:00 a.m. Thursday, Maryland House Del. Sam Arora (D-Montgomery County) — who raised a ton of cash from the gay community and progressives based on his stance on marriage equality and who is a co-sponsor …

Why Washington Doesn't Care About Jobs  —  This article appeared in the March 21, 2011 edition of The Nation.  —  Recommended by  —  Remember when everyone agreed that what the American people wanted from Washington was, in John Boehner's words, a “relentless focus on creating jobs”?

Demonstrators suddenly enter Capitol  —  By Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel  —  Madison — A group of perhaps one hundred protesters has entered the previously restricted and quiet Capitol and is now chanting, “Our house, our house.”  —  David Noyce of Madison said that he entered …

Firefighters denied access to Capitol during emergency call  —  By Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel  —  Madison — Security is so restrictive at the state Capitol that firefighters were denied access to the building during an emergency call Tuesday, one of the firefighters said Thursday.

Gunning for Eliot  —  Eliot Spitzer's resurrection — from the disgraced gov ernor better known as Cli ent 9 to CNN talk-show host — has the political class buzzing about him running for mayor in 2013.  Wilder still, one of his former targets is talking about running against him.

Fewer Are Angry at Government, But Discontent Remains High  —  Republicans, Tea Party Supporters More Mellow  —  The public remains deeply frustrated with the federal government, but fewer Americans say they are angry at government than did so last fall.  Overall, the percentage saying …

Huckabee Attacks Natalie Portman For Glamorizing “Out Of Wedlock Births”  —  In a radio appearance on Monday, Mike Huckabee attacked actress Natalie Portman for having a child “out of wedlock.”  Huckabee said that it's “troubling” to see people like “Natalie Portman or some other Hollywood starlet …

Public Broadcasting Should Go Private  —  If these outfits can afford to pay lavish salaries to their heads, they don't need taxpayer help.  —  When presidents of government-funded broadcasting are making more than the president of the United States, it's time to get the government out of public broadcasting.

Uncloudy day on the budget front  —  John's post on Secretary LaHood's testimony before the Senate Budget Committee reminded me of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's testimony to the same committee on February 17 regarding the president's budget.  The president's plan accumulates $13 trillion …

Obama weaker than 2008 but still solid in Wisconsin  —  Wisconsin is one state where Barack Obama definitely seems to be weaker than he was in 2008, but he would still win it comfortably if he had to stand for election today if not quite by the lofty margin he did last time around.

Obama administration prepares for possibility of new post-revolt Islamist regimes  —  The Obama administration is preparing for the prospect that Islamist governments will take hold in North Africa and the Middle East, acknowledging that the popular revolutions there will bring a more religious cast to the region's politics.

Last WWI vet likely not to have Capitol Rotunda honor  —  Washington (CNN) - The last living U.S. World War I veteran, who passed away this week, will receive an honors burial at Arlington National Ceremony, but he likely will not be honored in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda as many had hoped.

China Increases Military Spending by 12.7 Percent  —  BEIJING — China's military spending will rise 12.7 percent in 2011 to about $91.5 billion, a parliamentary spokesman said on Friday, resuming a long string of double-digit annual increases after an unexpected slowdown in 2010.

Ohio Senate Votes to Deny Collective-Bargaining Rights to Most Public-College Professors  —  A bill narrowly approved by the Ohio Senate on Wednesday contains even worse news for public colleges' labor unions than they had feared: In addition to scaling back the collective-bargaining rights …