The D.C. Dubstep  —  On July 26, 2011, Jack Lew, then the White House budget director, went to Harry Reid's office for a budget strategy session.  According to Bob Woodward's book, “The Price of Politics,” Lew told the Senate majority leader that they had come up with a trigger idea to force a budget deal.

As Sequester Deadline Looms, Little Support for Cutting Most Programs  —  OVERVIEW  —  As the March 1 deadline for a possible budget sequester approaches, a new national survey finds limited public support for reducing spending for a range of specific programs, including defense, entitlements, education and health care.

Is Senator Ted Cruz our new McCarthy?  —  Last week, Texas Senator Ted Cruz's prosecutorial style of questioning Chuck Hagel, President Obama's nominee for Defense Secretary, came so close to innuendo that it raised eyebrows in Congress, even among his Republican colleagues.

Ann Coulter Battles Stossel, Calls Libertarians ‘Pussies,’ And Gets Booed By Room Full Of Students  —  What do you get when you invite outspoken conservative firebrand Ann Coulter to debate outspoken libertarian John Stossel in front of an audience of 1,000+ libertarian students?  —  Fireworks, that's what.

Oscar Predictions, Election-Style  —  Twice before, in 2009 and 2011, I sought to predict the Academy Award winners in six major categories based on a mix of statistical factors.  My track record?  Nine correct picks in 12 tries, for a 75 percent success rate.

Why your boss is dumping your wife  —  Companies are dropping health coverage for spouses to cut costs … Companies have a new solution to rising health-insurance costs: Break up their employees' marriages.  —  By denying coverage to spouses, employers not only save the annual premiums …

The Republican Party needs a reality check  —  In the summer of 1999, George W. Bush chose the first major policy speech of his presidential campaign to pick a fight with Grover Norquist.  Bush flatly rejected the “destructive” view “that if government would only get out of our way …

Fairfax County's Nightmare Is Over!!!  —  Great news breaking in Fairfax County this morning.  Electoral Boards are split 2-1 in Virginia, one Republican, one Democrat and one member of the Governor's party.  When Bob McDonnell was elected, the Fairfax GOP placed noted voter-fraud conspiracy …

Emanuel's poll rating turns negative  —  Burdened by a wave of murders, dissension over proposed school closings and perhaps his own hard-ball image, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's job-approval rating has taken a big hit in recent months, according to a new Crain's/Ipsos Illinois Poll.

The Sequester Is Terrible For Traffic  —  Editors despair, but we can't stop writing about it.  Desperation breeds Kate Upton, cute animals, and the “spendocalypse.”  —  Traffic for a recent BuzzFeed story on the sequester.  —  Not since Mitt Romney ran for president has a national political story …

Noonan: Government by Freakout  —  Obama's scare tactics aren't much of a long-term strategy.  —  The president's sequester strategy is like Howard Beale in “Network”: “Woe is us. . . . And woe is us!  We're in a lot of trouble!”  —  It is always cliffs, ceilings and looming catastrophes with Barack Obama.

Democrats lose supermajority as Fresno senator resigns  —  Sen. Michael Rubio, D-Shafter, cited the need to spend time with his family in a statement announcing his resignation.  —  “My wife and I have been blessed with two beautiful daughters, from whom we have learned a great deal,” said Rubio in a written statement.

Today is ‘Gun Owners Support Starbucks Day,’ for Virginians who openly carry guns in public  —  The challenge coin minted by Ed Levine alters the Starbucks logo to declare the holder's support for, well, guns and coffee.  A national day of support for Starbucks, and its willingness …

See Cartoon Instructions For How To Stone Adulterers  —  122 Facebook likes, 500 Facebook shares.  A very sanitized treatment of a bloody practice.  (Updated)  —  WASHINGTON — An Islamist Facebook page uploaded a cartoon explaining how to stone adulterers on Wednesday that is getting …

In First Big Speech, Kerry Sounds Like A Climate Hawk With The Courage To Reject Keystone XL Pipeline  —  A month ago I wrote that the “confirmation of climate hawk Kerry as Secretary Of State may doom dirty Keystone XL Pipeline.”  —  Now John Kerry has delivered his first big foreign policy speech …

Can Democrats Mess With Texas in 2016?  —  AUSTIN, Texas — From its modest headquarters on the first floor of a local union building about five miles from the State Capitol, the Democratic Party of Texas is trying to turn demographics into destiny.  —  With white, non-Hispanic voters …

Teddy Turner: Jane Fonda Turned My Dad Into a Liberal  —  More ways to share...  Mixx  —  Stumbled  —  LinkedIn  —  Vine  —  Buzzflash  —  Newstrust  —  Technocrati  —  Forward Article  —  Ted Turner was transformed from a staunch conservative into a bleeding-heart liberal …

DISTURBING REPORT: VETERANS ARE RECEIVING LETTERS FROM VA PROHIBITING THE OWNERSHIP OR PURCHASE OF FIREARMS... DEVELOPING...  Written By Constitutional Attorney Michael Connelly, J.D.  —  How would you feel if you received a letter from the U.S. Government informing you that because of a physical …

Colbert hopes jokes don't ‘sully’ sister's congressional bid  —  Comedian Stephen Colbert said Thursday that he hopes his late-night television persona parodying conservative talk-show hosts doesn't “sully” his sister's congressional bid in South Carolina's first district.