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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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.

Guns Are Different  —  It's safe to say that we've had more of a national discussion about guns in the last four days than we've had in the last 15 years.  The particular measures to address gun violence that are now in the offing run from those that are well-intended but likely to be ineffectual …

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 …

International models  —  All major police forces in Europe, as well as the US, Canada and Australia routinely carry firearms, says Prof Peter Waddington.  The exceptions are Britain, the Irish Republic, and New Zealand.  In Norway officers carry arms in their cars but not on their person, he says.

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 …

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 …

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 …

TEAM RICE WANTS OBAMA TO NIX KERRY  —  While the rumor mill buzzes with reports that President Barack Obama will name Massachusetts Democratic Sen. John Kerry to be the nation's next Secretary of State, United Nations ambassador Susan Rice's team appears to be taking one last shot at Rice's detractors …

Guns, Mental Illness and Newtown  —  There were 18 random mass shootings in the 1980s, 54 in the 1990s, and 87 in the 2000s.  —  Has the rate of random mass shootings in the United States increased?  Over the past 30 years, the answer is definitely yes.  It is also true that the total U …

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 …