Bobby Jindal speaking truth to GOP power  —  Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal will deliver a forceful denunciation of his party's Washington-centric focus in a speech to the Republican National Committee on Thursday evening, arguing that the GOP is fighting the wrong fight as it seeks to rebuild from losses at the ballot box last November.

Bipartisan Filibuster Deal Is Taking Shape in the Senate  —  WASHINGTON — Senate Democratic and Republican leaders are nearing an agreement on new limits to the filibuster, an effort to speed action in the often-clogged chamber by prohibiting senators from using a common tactic to slow the legislative process.

Democrats launch plan to turn Texas blue  —  National Democrats are taking steps to create a large-scale independent group aimed at turning traditionally conservative Texas into a prime electoral battleground, crafting a new initiative to identify and mobilize progressive voters in the rapidly-changing state …

Feinstein revives assault-weapons ban  —  Bill faces tough going in the Republican-controlled House. … WASHINGTON — California Democrat Dianne Feinstein will begin her fourth full term as a U.S. senator much as she started her Senate career: fighting for a ban on assault weapons.

UPDATED: Virginia Republican State Senator Declines To Back GOP Electoral College Rigging Scheme … In a subcommittee vote Wednesday, Virginia State Sen. and former Republican National Committee Chief Counsel Jill Holtzman Vogel (R) abstained on a key vote on a bill to rig the state's electoral college vote.

Boehner, Ryan gamble on pledge to balance the budget in 10 years  —  Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) pledge to back a Republican budget that balances within 10 years raises the political stakes for his party and sets up another major test of his leadership.  —  Democrats eyeing a takeover …

In malpractice case, Catholic hospital argues fetuses aren't people  —  Lori Stodghill was 31-years old, seven-months pregnant with twin boys and feeling sick when she arrived at St. Thomas More hospital in Cañon City on New Year's Day 2006.  She was vomiting and short of breath …

Mark Zuckerberg Will Hold Fundraiser For Chris Christie  —  The tech mogul and his wife “admire [Christie's] leadership on education reform and other issues and look forward to continuing their important work together on behalf of Newark's schoolchildren,” a spokesperson tells BuzzFeed.

New Mexico Bill Would Criminalize Abortions After Rape As ‘Tampering With Evidence’  —  FOLLOW:  —  Video, Abortion Tampering With Evidence, Cathrynn Brown Abortion Bill, New Mexico Abortion Bill, New Mexico Abortion Evidence, New Mexico Abortion Law, New Mexico Rape Abortion, Politics News

Democratic Senators Face Gun Owners Roused by Talk of New Laws  —  BECKLEY, W.Va. — Talk of stricter gun control has stirred up a lot of unease here, a place where hunters vie for top prize (a 26-inch LED television) in the Big Buck Photo Contest, and ads for a gun-simulator game ask, “Feel like shooting something today?”

North Korea to target U.S. with nuclear, rocket tests  —  (Reuters) - North Korea said on Thursday it would carry out further rocket launches and a nuclear test that would target the United States, dramatically stepping up its threats against a country it called its “sworn enemy”.

Final election count: Right bloc 61, Center-Left 59 seats  —  After the last vote is counted, officials say Ahmad Tibi's party Raam-Taal drops from five seats to four, while Naftali Bennett's party gains one, Kadima party makes it over the threshold with two mandates.

The “acting alone” fallacy  —  President Obama said this in his 2nd inaugural address: … I object to this move, which seems to have become popular with Democrats in the past couple years, of equating “doing things together” with government.  To suggest that anyone who'd like to see less …

Learning to love grains, potatoes was key to the evolution of dogs  —  You know that dog biscuit shaped like a bone but made mostly of wheat?  Your dog's willingness to eat that treat, instead of going for a bone in your thigh, helps explain how its ancestors evolved from wolves into house pets.

Gov. Sam Brownback Seeks to End Kansas' Income Tax  —  TOPEKA, Kan. — President Obama stood on the steps of the Capitol in Washington on Monday afternoon and laid out an expansive liberal agenda for the nation.  Inside the Kansas State Capitol here this week, Gov. Sam Brownback …

Obama Picks Mary Jo White to Lead SEC  —  President Barack Obama will nominate Mary Jo White to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission, tapping an attorney with broad experience in prosecuting white-collar crimes to lead an agency that has a central role in implementing Wall Street reform.