CPAC muddle mirrors GOP mess  —  It's not hard to make fun of CPAC.  From the presence of Donald Trump to a meaningless straw poll to a cavalcade of fringe-dwelling book merchants, the event has become more carnival than conservative salon.  —  What is more notable about this year's rendition …

Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll resigns  —  Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll has resigned.  —  The resignation comes two days after Florida Department of Law Enforcement officers interviewed Carroll about her involvement with Allied Veterans of the World, a non-profit that operates internet cafes in Florida.

Obama's approval drops as Americans take a dimmer view of his economic policies  —  The afterglow of President Obama's reelection and inauguration appears to have vanished as increasingly negative views among Americans about his stewardship of the economy have forced his public approval rating …

The New Pope: Bergoglio of Argentina  —  VATICAN CITY — With a puff of white smoke from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and to the cheers of thousands of rain-soaked faithful, a gathering of Catholic cardinals picked a new pope from among their midst on Wednesday — choosing the cardinal from Argentina …

Transcript: President Obama's Exclusive Interview With George Stephanopoulos  —  GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS:  —  Mr. President, thank you for doing this.  —  PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:  —  It's great to be here.  —  GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS:  —  So, you've done all meetings on Capitol Hill …

How Bill Clinton Inspired The 47 Percent Filmmaker  —  WASHINGTON — Bill Clinton won the presidential election for Barack Obama.  But it wasn't his masterful Democratic National Convention speech or the advice he offered the president's reelection campaign.

Police ID fatal shooting suspect as Kurt Myers of Mohawk  —  Mohawk police have identified the man suspected of fatally shooting six and wounding two others as 64-year-old Kurt Myers of Mohawk.  —  Police have not yet apprehended Myers.  State police expect to hold a news conference at the Herkimer barracks within the hour.

Alleged North Korean propaganda video: ‘This is how Americans live today’  —  A new video has been posted to the Live Leak site that claims to be a North Korean propaganda video showing a dystopian American society.  —  It's unclear if the translation is accurate, and whether the video did in fact originate in North Korea.

Why I'm more worried than Paul Krugman about the U.S. debt burden  —  I have been writing recently ([1], [2]) about my paper Crunch Time: Fiscal Crises and the Role of Monetary Policy, co-authored with David Greenlaw (Managing Director and Chief U.S. Fixed Income Economist for Morgan Stanley) …

NJ MOTHER PRESSURED TO TURN OVER HER GUNS, CHARGED WITH ‘TERRORISTIC THREATS’ AFTER READING THE CONSTITUTION AT TAX DISPUTE ASSEMBLY  —  Key Points:  — Eileen Hart objected to a mandatory re-evaluation of her property value that would drastically increase her tax rates

Senate Dems Weigh Consequences For GOP Filibusters Of Key Nominees  —  Senate Democratic leaders have engaged in preliminary discussions about how to address Republican procedural obstruction, according to a senior Democratic aide, reflecting an awareness that key administration …

Source: Keith Olbermann Settling $50 Million Current TV Lawsuit (Exclusive)  —  A deal is said to have been reached during a private mediation session in San Francisco on Tuesday.  Terms will not be released.  —  Keith Olbermann  —  Keith Olbermann has resolved the $50 million legal dispute …

Why Aren't More Americans Fired Up About Inequality?  —  With news of record corporate profits and increased bonuses for those at the top of the financial heap — and on-going income stagnation, job loss, and rising poverty for those in the middle and bottom of the ladder …