NRA airs new TV ad criticizing Obama on eve of White House gun announcement  —  Washington (CNN) - The National Rifle Association released a new television commercial Tuesday night charging President Barack Obama of hypocrisy for being “skeptical” about placing armed guards at schools …

Obama Gun Proposal to Look Beyond Mass Shootings  —  A new federal assault weapons ban and background checks of all gun buyers, which President Obama is expected to propose on Wednesday, might have done little to prevent the massacre in Newtown, Conn., last month.

Why President Obama's gun plan may be doomed  —  Before President Barack Obama can even launch his campaign-style blitz for new gun control measures, there are strong indications that any comprehensive legislation restricting weapons and ammunition won't even see a vote on the House floor.

New York passes major gun control law — first since Newtown massacre  —  New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed what many consider to be the toughest gun control legislation in the country, expanding an existing assault weapons ban and limiting gun magazine capacity to seven rounds.  NBC's Ron Allen reports.

How 19-year-old activist Zack Kopplin is making life hell for Louisiana's creationists  —  For Zack Kopplin, it all started back in 2008 with the passing of the Louisiana Science Education Act.  The bill made it considerably easier for teachers to introduce creationist textbooks into the classroom.

Bush Speechwriter Michael Gerson Exposes Obama's Sinister Being-Reasonable Ploy  —  It's a trick.  A very complicated one.  —  The Obama presidency has been an agonizing time for those few remaining moderate Republicans.  They fully oppose their party's extremism, but the gravitational loyalty …

Why We're Raising the Signature Threshold for We the People  —  When we launched We the People, none of us knew how popular it would be, but it's exceeded our wildest expectations.  Through the past year, interest in We the People exploded and we're closing in on 10 million signatures.

Why debt limit must be used to force a balanced budget  —  This Monday, President Obama again asserted that the country would “default” if Congress did not raise the debt limit.  “The full and faith and credit of the United States is not a bargaining chip,” he said at a press conference.

U.S.-China deficit may be lower than thought  —  Stephan Savoia/AP - In this 2012 file photo, a container is loaded onto a ship from China at Massport's Conley Terminal in the port of Boston.  In releasing the study on the U.S. trade deficit with China, the WTO and OECD highlighted how the data could influence the world trade agenda.

WB redrafting Reddit-borne time-travel pic  —  Brian Miller hired to write fresh take on ‘Rome, Sweet Rome’  —  Warner Bros. has tapped “Apollo 18” scribe Brian Miller to take a crack at “Rome, Sweet Rome,” a high-concept time travel story that originated from the website Reddit.com.

Public Option Resurfaced By House Democrats As Deficit Reduction Measure  —  FOLLOW:  —  Debt Ceiling, Deficit, Health Care, Health Care Reform, Public Option, Video, Business News, Debt Limit, Health Care Public Option, Politics News, Obamacare, Obamacare Public Option, Politics News

Another GOP Senator recognizes the inevitable  —  Reality seems to be enjoying a sudden burst of momentum this afternoon, as more Republicans and conservatives are coming out and acknowledging the debt ceiling will have to be raised.  The latest: GOP Senator Susan Collins.  —  Collins spokesman Kevin Kelley emails me:

Obama runs afoul of Dem base  —  The nomination of former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) to head the Pentagon disappointed liberals and women's groups hoping for the first female Defense secretary.  —  It was also a double blow, of sorts, as Obama picked a fight with Republicans over Hagel …

Lawmakers slam DOJ prosecution of Swartz as ‘ridiculous, absurd’  —  House lawmakers blasted federal prosecutors on Tuesday for pushing aggressive hacking charges against Internet activist Aaron Swartz, who killed himself on Friday.  —  Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) says his Oversight panel …

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to leave cabinet position in March  —  WASHINGTON — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will step down from his cabinet position in the Obama administration and return to Colorado to spend time with his family, his office has confirmed to The Denver Post.

Kerry's investments scrutinized  —  Panel considers steps to prevent conflicts for secretary of state  —  You are reading this article for FREE courtesy of BostonGlobe.com.  Get unlimited access.  —  WASHINGTON — Senator John F. Kerry and his wife hold an array of international investments …

Bill Clinton jests: I'm Hillary Clinton's first husband  —  Bill Clinton joked Tuesday that Hillary calls him “her first husband” — because he thinks she's so healthy that she'll live to be 120 years old and remarry.  —  “She's always been very, very healthy and she has very low blood pressure, very low standing heartbeat.

Republicans push alternative to default in debt-ceiling battle  —  (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers are preparing to introduce legislation to direct the U.S. Treasury to make interest payments on U.S. bonds first and then prioritize other government outlays in case Congress does not raise the debt ceiling.