Six hostages, 8 kidnappers killed in Algeria siege; 7 still held  —  (Reuters) - Six foreign hostages and eight of their captors were killed when Algerian forces fired on a vehicle being used by besieged gunmen at a gas plant in the remote Algerian desert on Thursday, a local source told Reuters.

President Barack Obama: Now is the time  —  As a society, our first task must be to care for our children — to shield them from harm and give them the tools they need not only to pursue their dreams, but to help build this country.  That is how we will be judged.

Republicans worry they'll lose the House to Dems if they botch fiscal talks  —  Even as Republican officials maintain the GOP majority is safe, several lawmakers and longtime activists warn of far-reaching political ramifications.

Franken undecided on assault weapons ban  —  On the day that President Obama proposed a sweeping package of gun-control measures, U.S. Sen. Al Franken signaled his support for several components of Obama's plan.  —  Franken, speaking during a press event in Rochester, said he supports limits …

How Gun Culture Won Over Liberals  —  The new “gun nuts”: media elites, locavores, and hipster hunters.  —  On a Sunday morning a couple years ago, Brooklyn journalist Foster Kamer and a few of his “particularly liberal” blogger friends decided to skip brunch and hit the shooting range instead.

Why President Obama might choose to lose on guns  —  President Barack Obama — hardheaded architect of many grand but flawed compromises in his first term — has always preferred winning ugly to losing nobly.  —  Over the years, Democrats have jokingly referred to what they call the …

Ryan: House GOP discussing short-term hike to debt ceiling  —  WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - House Republicans are discussing a short-term debt ceiling increase to buy time for broader deficit reduction negotiations with Democrats, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told reporters Thursday.

Republicans Brag They Won House Majority Because Of Gerrymandering  —  In a classic Kinsley gaffe, the Republican State Leadership Committee released a report boasting that the only reason the GOP controls the House of Representatives is because they gerrymandered congressional districts in blue states.

Idaho lawmaker compares abortion and prostitution  —  BOISE — A lawmaker from northern Idaho drew audible gasps Wednesday morning when he asked representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union-Idaho if their pro-abortion rights stance also means that they support prostitution.

An Update on Political Polarization through the 112th Congress  —  The 112th Congress closed unceremoniously this month with a series of votes (by the House and Senate) to avert the “fiscal cliff”.  With this data, we can now analyze roll call voting in the 112th Congress in its entirety …

White House Takes Down Petition Calling For Beyoncé To Be “Disinvited” From Inauguration Due To PepsiCo Deal  —  White House spokesman says removal of petition from ‘We the People’ site has nothing to do with controversy...But East Wing doesn't want to discuss the optics problem for Let's Move! campaign...

I Went After Guns.  Obama Can, Too.  —  IT is for Americans and their elected representatives to determine the right response to President Obama's proposals on gun control.  I wouldn't presume to lecture Americans on the subject.  I can, however, describe what I, as prime minister of Australia …

Glenn Beck And The Price Of Independence  —  It's kinda hard to knock Glenn Beck's hustle.  Since leaving Fox News in June of 2011, Beck has kept himself busy with projects like starting a jeans label and relaunching The Blaze as a libertarian online network.

Obama campaign arm begins gun control push  —  Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama's political operation began asking its wide network of backers Thursday to voice their support for the president's gun violence proposals, the first step in Obama for America's post-campaign iteration.

Other Tyrants Who Have Used Children As Props  —  Infowars.com  —  Obama's shameless exploitation of children as set pieces is hardly new or original.  In fact, tyrants and dictators have used kids as props down through the ages.  —  Here are a few more recent examples:  —  The Soviet Union's Joseph Stalin

What Is Driving Growth in Government Spending?  —  It's one of the most fundamental political questions of our time: What's driving the growth in government spending?  And it has a relatively straightforward answer: first and foremost, spending on health care through Medicare and Medicaid …

As manufacturing bounces back from recession, unions are left behind  —  Last July was a good month for factory workers in Anderson, Ind., where a Honda parts supplier announced plans to build a new plant and create up to 325 jobs.  But it was a grim month in the Cleveland suburbs …

Recreational assault weapons fire riddles Ohio home, narrowly misses officer  —  Two men were arrested in Ohio on Wednesday after their target practice with an AK-47 assault rifle accidentally shot up a woman's home and nearly hit a officer who was responding to reports of gunfire.