Rush Limbaugh mocks GOP establishment  —  Rush Limbaugh mocked the Republican establishment on his radio show Wednesday for being “shocked” by Rick Santorum's three-state win, saying, “I can't believe how insulated they are.”  —  “They're literally shocked.  The Republican establishment had no idea this was percolating out there.

Why White House sees political opportunity in the contraception battle  —  (Public Religion Research Institute) The controversy over the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation's decision to eliminate funding to Planned Parenthood—and subsequent reversal— continues.

Senate Democrats Say Obama ‘Reinforced’ His Stance on Contraception Mandate at Democratic Retreat  —  President Obama “reinforced” his stance on the controversial contraception mandate while speaking at the Democrats' annual retreat at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. today, Senate Democrats said.

Congress' Job Approval at New Low of 10%  —  Republicans and Democrats equally negative  —  PRINCETON, NJ — A record-low 10% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, down from 13% in January and the previous low of 11%, recorded in December 2011.

CNN's Roland Martin suspended for homophobic tweets  —  On Super Bowl Sunday, Roland Martin of CNN issued some homophobic tweets that got him in trouble with gay organizations and this blog.  CNN stayed silent on the matter, until just moments ago, when it issued this statement:

Foster Friess, a Santorum Supporter With Deep Pockets  —  Mitt Romney and Foster Friess, a wealthy donor to conservative causes, were walking out of an event together a few months ago when Mr. Friess broke the news: After backing Mr. Romney for president four years ago, he was getting behind Rick Santorum this time around.

States Negotiate $26 Billion Deal for Homeowners  —  After months of painstaking talks, government authorities and five of the nation's biggest banks have agreed to a $26 billion settlement that could provide relief to nearly two million current and former American homeowners harmed by the bursting …

Video shows officers beating motorist in diabetic shock  —  Loading the player...  Adam Greene is on his stomach as a pack of police officers pile on him, driving their knees into his back and wrenching his arms and legs.  One officer knees him in the ribs; another kicks him in the face.

Cardinal Edward Egan Just Withdrew His Apology For The Catholic Sex-Abuse Scandal  —  St. John Chrysostom, once said “The road to hell is paved with the skulls of bishops.”  —  Here's proof that he was right.  —  In an interview this week with Connecticut Magazine, Cardinal Edward Egan …

Drilling Reaches Lake Vostok, Long Trapped Under Antarctic Ice Sheet  —  MOSCOW — In the coldest spot on the earth's coldest continent, Russian scientists have reached a freshwater lake the size of Lake Ontario after spending a decade drilling through more than two miles of solid ice, the scientists said on Wednesday.

The making of gay marriage's top foe  —  Salon exclusive: How Maggie Gallagher's college pregnancy made her a single mom, and a traditional marriage zealot  —  In September 1978, Yale freshmen would not have voted Maggie Gallagher the member of the Class of 1982 most likely to get pregnant before graduation.

Don't Forgive Path, the Creepy iPhone Company that Misled Us Once Already  —  The tech world has been consumed today with news the app Path quietly uploaded users' iPhone address books without permission.  Path, in an increasingly common Silicon Valley ritual, apologized and promised it wouldn't happen again.

Republican Enthusiasm Issue is Real  —  The paltry turnout in the Republican Presidential contests over the last week reflects what we've seen in our recent national polling: Democrats are now more excited about voting this fall than Republicans are, reversing the enthusiasm gap that plagued the party in 2010.

Asia's mountains ‘lost no ice in 10 years’  —  Meltwater from Asia's peaks is much less then previously estimated, but lead scientist says the loss of ice caps and glaciers around the world remains a serious concern  —  • In pictures: the best images of the earth from space

Senate GOP pushes to shield faith groups from birth-control ruling  —  Senate Republicans are pushing legislation to overturn the Obama administration's decision that the health plans of faith-based organizations must cover contraception if they serve people of various religious backgrounds.

Divided court rejects Proposition 8  —  The 9th Circuit panel declares that California's gay-marriage ban is unconstitutional.  —  Opponents of Proposition 8 celebrate outside the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a three-judge panel ruled that the measure violates the civil rights of gays and lesbians.

The 2012 Index of Dependence on Government  —  Abstract: The great and calamitous fiscal trends of our time—dependence on government by an increasing portion of the American population, and soaring debt that threatens the financial integrity of the economy—worsened yet again in 2010 and 2011.

Six Republican Senators — Including Snowe And Collins — Co-Sponsored Federal Contraception Mandate In 2001  —  Republicans have gone to war against President Obama's regulation requiring employers and insurers to provide contraception coverage, portraying the measure as a “government takeover” …