Assault weapons ban loses steam  —  Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said on Monday that a controversial assault weapons ban will not be part of a Democratic gun bill that was expected to reach the Senate floor next month.  —  After a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) …

The Last Letter  —  A Letter to George W. Bush and Dick Cheney From a Dying Veteran  —  I write this letter on the 10th anniversary of the Iraq War on behalf of my fellow Iraq War veterans.  I write this letter on behalf of the 4,488 soldiers and Marines who died in Iraq.

Cyprus Rejects Bank Deposit Tax, Scuttling Bailout Deal  —  NICOSIA — The Cypriot Parliament rejected an international bailout package on Tuesday that had sought to tax bank depositors to pay a big part of the bill, despite a revision that would have exempted small bank accounts from the levies.

Erica Werner of the Associated Press Reads More Into Rand Paul's Speech Than is There  —  Erica Werner of the Associated Press gives us a textbook example of why talking about immigration in the United States is so hard.  She reads into statements things that are not there.

The GOP Faces 2 Stark Choices: Change or Go Over the Cliff  —  As they head into the future, Republicans need to decide whether they will follow the path of hope or the road to ruin.  —  The past 96 hours should provide thinking Republicans both hope and despair about their party's future.

Is the House in Play?  A District-by-District Assessment  —  Three weeks ago, I discussed whether the House is likely to flip control next year by looking at historical trends and “big picture” questions.  Those trends show that the Democrats' task is a challenging one.

The Progressive Shift  —  There is a statue outside the Department of Labor of a powerful, rambunctious horse being reined in by an extremely muscular man.  This used to be a metaphor for liberalism.  The horse was capitalism.  The man was government, which was needed sometimes to restrain capitalism's excesses.

GOP catfight: Michael Steele calls Reince Priebus ‘numb nuts’ … The catfight between former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele and his replacement, Reince Priebus, has reached screech level, with Steele belittling the party's new focus on minorities as old news.

What ‘Lean In’ Misunderstands About Gender Differences  —  There is much to admire in Sheryl Sandberg's book, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.  It is full of funny stories about her brilliant career and helpful advice for workplace success.  As former chief of staff …

CNN Poll: Most say Israel a friend  —  Washington (CNN) - As President Barack Obama makes his first visit to Israel since winning the White House more than four years ago, with anything but a warm relationship with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, a new national poll indicates that nearly half …

Paul Ryan's Ax Isn't Sharp Enough  —  THE latest budget proposal by Representative Paul D. Ryan, called “The Path to Prosperity,” is anything but.  It fails to seriously address runaway government spending, the most pressing problem facing our nation.  I cannot vote for something that would trick …

NEWS/Singer Michelle Shocked Goes on Anti-Gay Rant During San Francisco Show, Cancellations Follow  —  Michelle Shocked stunned last night in San Francisco—and not at all in a good way.  —  “I live in fear that the world will be destroyed if gays are allowed to marry,” …

Bloggers may face libel fines under press regulation deal  —  Websites could have to pay exemplary damages if they don't sign up to new regulator, claim opponents of Leveson deal  —  Bloggers could face high fines for libel under the new Leveson deal with exemplary damages imposed …

Houston-Area Tea Party Leader Had Ties to Fascist Party … As recently as 2003, the president of the Greater Fort Bend County Tea Party had a very different title: director of propaganda for the American Fascist Party.  —  James Ives, a prominent Tea Party activist who has hosted statewide rallies …

Scott trails Crist by 12 points  —  Rick Scott's approval numbers have seen no improvement over the last two months, even after his decision to allow Medicaid expansion in Florida.  33% of voters continue to approve of the job he's doing to 57% who disapprove.

Staffers Told Washington Examiner Will Cease Daily Publication  —  Today's layoffs at the Washington Examiner extend beyond the Local section.  Staffers are being told that the paper will cease daily publication in June to become a weekly political magazine and website, according to two sources who attended a meeting about the change.

7 Marines killed during explosion at Nevada's Hawthorne Army Depot  —  An explosion at a military ammunition storage facility in Nevada during a Marine Corps training exercise killed seven U.S. Marines and wounded several others, military officials said.  —  The North Carolina-based soldiers …