President Delivers a New Offer on the Fiscal Crisis to Boehner  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama delivered Speaker John A. Boehner a new offer on Monday to resolve the pending fiscal crisis — and what may be close to a final deal, which would raise revenues by $1.2 trillion over the next decade …

Cerberus Capital Management Statement Regarding Freedom Group, Inc.  —  We were shocked and deeply saddened by the events that took place at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT on December 14, 2012.  We cannot comprehend the losses suffered by the families and friends of those killed …

Thoughts on the Chained CPI, Social Security, and the Budget  —  According to reliable sources, the Obama administration is seriously contemplating a deal under which the annual cost of living adjustment for Social Security benefits would be indexed to the chained consumer price index rather …

Instagram says it now has the right to sell your photos  —  In its first big policy shift since Facebook bought the photo-sharing site, Instagram claims the right to sell users' photos without payment or notification.  Oh, and there's no way to opt out.  —  Instagram said today …

Richard Engel and NBC News team freed from captors in Syria  —  Updated at 8:15 a.m. ET: NBC News' Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and members of his network production team were freed from captors in Syria after a firefight at a checkpoint on Monday, five days after they were taken prisoner, NBC News said early Tuesday.

South Carolina Lawmakers Propose 5-Year Jail Sentence for ‘Obamacare’ Implementation  —  Federal officials could face fines and jail terms under proposed legislation  —  Nullification is yet again picking up steam in Dixie.  —  Pursuing an archaic legal theory that punctuated pre-Civil War disputes between …

Daniel K. Inouye, U.S. senator, dies at 88  —  Sen. Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, a highly decorated World War II combat veteran who used his status as one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington and the second-longest-serving senator in history to send billions of dollars to his home islands …

Clinton And Kerry Get A Free Ride From The Press  —  Politics: Diplomacy involves considerable travel.  What it shouldn't include is free rides from both the media and political establishment.  But Hillary Clinton and John Kerry are getting just that as the guard changes at State.

Rhode Island prof demands NRA chief's “head on a stick”  —  Erik Loomis is an assistant professor of American history at the University of Rhode Island.  He also blogs at “Lawyers Guns and Money” blog.  —  In reaction to the murders in Connecticut, Loomis tweeted that he had never …

FTC to Study Data Broker Industry's Collection and Use of Consumer Data  —  Commission Issues Nine Orders for Information to Analyze Industry's Privacy Practices  —  The Federal Trade Commission issued orders requiring nine data brokerage companies to provide the agency with information …

Swift Boat Veterans Set To Give John Kerry A Pass  —  The group that helped sink his 2004 campaign grumbles, quietly.  “I was hoping that Ms. Rice would get the nomination,” says a Swiftboater.  —  Image by Joshua Roberts / Reuters  —  Leading figures in the controversial conservative group …

Pressure Mounts To Appoint The First Female Secretary Of Defense  —  Obama's flirts with a trio of white guys for the top posts.  “If he wants smooth sailing, send us [Michelle] Flournoy,” says a Senate Republican staffer.  —  Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy testifies …

Snyder's popularity plummets  —  Just last month when we took a first look at the 2014 landscape we talked about how much Rick Snyder had improved his popularity during his second year in office and how he led a generic Democrat for reelection by 6 points, even as Barack Obama won the state comfortably.

Booker Leaning Toward Senate Run  —  Popular Mayor Is Looking to Take Aim at Lautenberg Seat Instead of Challenging Gov. Chris Christie  —  Newark Mayor Cory Booker is leaning against jumping into next year's race for New Jersey governor and instead is having serious discussions about running …