Killer's Mother, His First Victim, Was a Gun Enthusiast, Friends Say  —  NEWTOWN, Conn. — She was “a big, big gun fan” who went target shooting with her children, according to friends.  She enjoyed craft beers, jazz and landscaping.  She was generous to strangers, but also high-strung, as if she were holding herself together.

Thinking the Unthinkable  —  In the wake of another horrific national tragedy, it's easy to talk about guns.  But it's time to talk about mental illness.  —  Three days before 20 year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother, then opened fire on a classroom full of Connecticut kindergartners …

Fiscal cliff talks: Speaker John Boehner pitches millionaire tax hike  —  Speaker John Boehner has proposed allowing tax rates to rise for the wealthiest Americans if President Barack Obama agrees to major entitlement cuts, according to several sources close to the talks.

Democratic Senator Will Introduce New Assault Weapons Ban In January  —  Feinstein says she believes Obama will support it.  —  Source: youtube.com  —  WASHINGTON — Democratic Senator Diane Feinstein said Sunday that she will introduce a new ban on assault weapons when the new Congress convenes next year …

Justice Dept. Studied and Shelved Ideas to Bolster Gun Database  —  WASHINGTON — After the shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona and others in early 2011, the Justice Department drew up a detailed list of steps the government could take to expand the background-check system …

John Kerry to Be Nominated to Be Secretary of State, Sources Say  —  Sources tell ABC News that President Obama has decided that he will nominate Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to be secretary of state.  —  For a variety of reasons including the finalization of the process, other pending Cabinet decisions …

The Hagel Thesis  —  As we go to press on Friday, December 14, former Republican senator Chuck Hagel appears to be the leading candidate to become the next secretary of defense.  Anti-Israel propagandists are thrilled.  Stephen Walt, junior partner of the better-known Israel-hater John Mearsheimer …

Egyptians narrowly back constitution, say rival camps  —  (Reuters) - Egyptians voted narrowly in favor of a constitution shaped by Islamists but opposed by other groups who fear it will divide the Arab world's biggest nation, officials in rival camps said on Sunday after the first round of a two-stage referendum.

True Stories in Gun Control  —  After Operation Desert Shield and Storm, I was stationed at Camp Blackhorse in Doha Kuwait with the 11th ACR.  We were an Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR), which basically means we were a self contained unit.  For each squdron, we had 3 Cav troops- Alpha …