Swing states poll: Health care law hurts Obama in 2012  —  WASHINGTON - The health care overhaul that President Obama intended to be the signature achievement of his first term instead has become a significant problem in his bid for a second one, uniting Republicans in opposition and eroding his standing among independents.

1 student killed, several hurt in shooting at Chardon High School; suspect in custody  —  One student died after the shooting this morning at Chardon High School, police said.  —  Police are not releasing names.  But Junior Nate Mueller, who said his ear was grazed by a bullet, identified the shooter as T. J. Lane.

Bob Kerrey changes his mind, will run for Senate, source says  —  Former senator Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.) has changed his mind and plans to run for the open Senate seat in Nebraska, according to a senior Democratic aide.  —  The aide said Kerrey has called Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to inform him of his plans.

2012 or Never  —  Republicans are worried this election could be their last chance to stop history.  This is fear talking.  But not paranoia.  —  Of the various expressions of right-wing hysteria that have flowered over the past three years—goldbuggery, birtherism, death panels at home …

Romney: Not a NASCAR fan, but friends are owners  —  Mitt Romney went to the races today, and instead of putting his pedal to the metal, seems to have put his foot in his mouth.  —  Asked by a reporter from the Associated Press about whether or not he follows NASCAR, Romney reportedly responded …

Why Are People So Averse To Jury Duty? … - Why Has the Syrian Uprising Been Such a Dud on Facebook and Twitter?  - Finally, New Laws That Give Nannies and Maids Real Legal Rights - The Best Acceptance Speech From Last Night's Oscars - Cash Is Inconvenient, Dirty, and Covered With Germs.

Louis Farrakhan warns of racial hatred that could lead to attempts to kill President Obama  —  Nation of Islam leader in Chicago to speak at annual event  —  In a fiery lecture to thousands of followers of the Nation of Islam on Sunday in Chicago, Minister Louis Farrakhan warned that racial hatred …

Santorum Makes Case for Religion in Public Sphere  —  TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — With two days left before the high-stakes Republican primaries in Arizona and Michigan, Rick Santorum delivered a full-throated defense of religion in public life on Sunday, appealing to the social conservatives who have revived his presidential campaign.

Free speech issue bypassed  —  Government employees who get into trouble for disobeying a superior's plea to file a report that the employee thinks is false and believes will contribute to covering up misconduct will get no legal guidance on their plight from the Supreme Court …

What are you going to give up this Lent?  —  The Lenten rules about fasting from food and abstaining from meat have been considerably reduced in the last forty years, but reminders of them remain in the fast days on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and in the abstinence from meat on all the Fridays of Lent.

The odious ‘Israel first’ libel  —  Attacks against AIPAC are a disgrace  —  The author says that it is deeply reprehensible to suggest that American Jews are more loyal to Israel than to the U.S.  —  It's the kind of virulent hate speech you'd expect to find on a neo-Nazi website …

TransCanada Corp. to begin construction of Keystone pipeline  —  TransCanada Corp. said Monday it plans to begin building a major portion of the Keystone XL oil sands pipeline despite the Obama administration's decision to reject a key permit for the project.

Blurred Line Between Espionage and Truth  —  Last Wednesday in the White House briefing room, the administration's press secretary, Jay Carney, opened on a somber note, citing the deaths of Marie Colvin and Anthony Shadid, two reporters who had died “in order to bring truth” while reporting in Syria.