White House gun plan: An end run around the NRA  —  President Barack Obama is trying an end run around the NRA — rallying groups as varied as churches, medical organizations, retailers and the Rotary Club to build support for new gun regulations.  —  It's an unusual strategy …

West Virginia Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller won't run in 2014  —  Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller will not run for reelection in 2014, passing up a bid for a sixth term and putting in play a Senate seat in deep red West Virginia.  —  In an interview with POLITICO, Rockefeller …

Unhinged Tactical Response CEO Threatens to ‘Start Killing People’ Over Obama's Gun Control … Warning: Language NSFW.  —  The CEO of a Tennessee company that specializes in weapons and tactical training is threatening to “start killing people” if President Barack Obama moves forward with gun control measures.

Bachmann still hasn't paid presidential campaign staffers  —  Five Iowa staffers say they've waited 375 days for payment, but refuse to sign the gag order the campaign demands  —  Over a year after she dropped out, Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann has refused to pay five staffers …

Coins Against Crazies  —  So, have you heard the one about the trillion-dollar coin?  It may sound like a joke.  But if we aren't ready to mint that coin or take some equivalent action, the joke will be on us — and a very sick joke it will be, too.  —  Let's talk for a minute …

Lesbian couple: Restaurant owner hands them letter condemning homosexuality  —  NEW BERN -  —  A lesbian couple said an owner of a restaurant handed them a letter condemning homosexuality as they were walking out of the building.  —  Ariel and Shawnee McPhail said they went into The Stingray Café …

Teen shoots high school student before being disarmed by teacher  —  A 16-year-old is in critical but stable condition in shooting at Taft Union High School southwest of Bakersfield.  'There's blood everywhere,' a student told her mother.  —  Tyler Smith, 18, left, weeps after reuniting …

Hagel's hopes hinge on Schumer  —  Chuck Schumer is quietly letting out the word: He's far from sold that Chuck Hagel will be a staunch advocate of Israel.  —  And it's his vote that counts.  —  Schumer, the most powerful Jewish Democrat in Congress, has been noncommittal in his public statements on Hagel's nomination.

Perry: New York governor envies Texas economy  —  Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday that many of the nation's 49 other governors — including New York's Andrew Cuomo — would love to be able to boast of the kind of employment and economic success found in Texas.

Eric Bolling: Schools ‘pushing the liberal agenda’ by teaching algebra  —  Fox News host Eric Bolling on Wednesday accused some schools of “pushing the liberal agenda” for teaching an algebra lesson about the distributive property.  —  During a segment about “indoctrination in schools,” …

Gov. Bobby Jindal calls for elimination of all Louisiana income and corporate taxes  —  Gov. Bobby Jindal is proposing to eliminate Louisiana's income and corporate taxes and pay for those cuts with increased sales taxes, the governor's office confirmed Thursday.  The governor's office has not yet provided the details of the plan.

New York City to Restrict Prescription Painkillers in Public Hospitals' Emergency Rooms  —  Some of the most common and most powerful prescription painkillers on the market will be restricted sharply in the emergency rooms at New York City's 11 public hospitals, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg …

Men armed with rifles walk through Portland to ‘educate’  —  Two men carrying assault rifles on their backs said they were simply exercising their Second Amendment right, but police said they scared plenty of people.  —  Calls started coming in to 911 dispatchers shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Tax reform in 2013?  Forget about it  —  This is supposed to be the year that Washington finally locks arms and tidies up the littered Tax Code.  —  Don't count on it.  —  In a perfectly divided Washington, a mix of politics, policy and personality has made a comprehensive rewrite …