Senators unveil deal on background checks  —  Sens. Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey unveiled a bipartisan deal to expand background checks for commercial gun purchases — including those at gun shows and online — Wednesday morning, opening a pathway for the biggest change in U.S. gun laws in nearly two decades.

Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin's Post-Scandal Playbook  —  One day in early February, I met Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin for breakfast at the Gramercy Park Hotel, one of their regular joints, just a few blocks from their apartment on Park Avenue South.  The first thing Weiner said when I sat …

Obama to unveil $3.77 trillion spending plan  —  President Obama plans Wednesday to unveil a $3.77 trillion spending plan that proposes modest new investments in infrastructure and education, major new taxes for the wealthy and significant reforms aimed at reducing the cost of Social Security and Medicare.

The GOP's Gun Control Misfire  —  The filibuster threat is giving political cover to Senate Democrats.  —  'This is about these families and families all across the country who are saying, 'Let's make it a little harder for our kids to get gunned down,'" President Obama declared Monday …

Photos: Bachmann aides hustle her out of Medicaid press conference  —  Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and State Senator Sean Nienow (R-Cambridge) held a joing news conference to discuss problems with Medicaid reimbursement rates paid to doctors in Minnesota.  Both are introducing legislation increasing accountability and transparency.

The Republican Party and the African-American Vote  —  A speech at Howard University.  —  The following is the text of a speech delivered by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) at Howard University on April 10, 2013.  —  I'd like to thank President Ribeau, the Howard University faculty, and students for having me today.

Republican Congressman Cites Biblical Great Flood To Say Climate Change Isn't Man-Made  —  “If you believe in the Bible, one would have to say the Great Flood is an example of climate change.  That certainly wasn't because man had overdeveloped hydrocarbon energy.”  —  View Video ›

Cheney to GOP leaders: 'We're in deep doo doo' on North Korea  —  (CNN) - Republican leaders in Congress received a dire warning on Tuesday from former Vice President Dick Cheney on the ongoing crisis in North Korea.  —  “We're in deep doo doo,” Cheney told lawmakers, according to a GOP leadership aide.

Was the Iraq Invasion Worthwhile?  Ask an Iraqi  —  In a recent interview with the New York Times, the writer Toni Morrison said, “I dare you to tell me a sane reason we went to Iraq.”  —  Her request is not unreasonable.  We've heard similar arguments a lot over the past few weeks, as we marked the 10th anniversary of the war.

New Documents Suggest IRS Reads Emails Without a Warrant  —  Everyone knows the IRS is our nation's tax collector, but it is also a law enforcement organization tasked with investigating criminal violations of the tax laws.  New documents released to the ACLU under the Freedom of Information Act reveal …

Mark Levin goes NUCLEAR: An up and down vote on the 2nd amendment is UNCONSTITUTIONAL!  —  Mark Levin says that on Thursday the Senate intends to vote to change the 2nd amendment without any pretense of going through the amendment process, on a bill that hasn't even been written yet.