Reid says Obamacare just a step toward eventual single-payer system  —  In just about seven weeks, people will be able to start buying Obamacare-approved insurance plans through the new health care exchanges.  —  But already, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is predicting those plans …

Death Panels and the Apparatchik Mindset  —  Aaron Carroll reads the Wall Street Journal, which is outraged, outraged, at the prospect that Oregon's Medicaid system might seek to limit spending on treatments with low effectiveness and/or patients who aren't going to live much longer in any case.

Fox May Produce Clinton Biopic Reviled by G.O.P.  —  The script for the proposed mini-series on the life of the possible presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton hasn't even been written but we may already have a plot twist.  —  While NBC has come under heavy fire, especially from Republican critics …

Hopeful's Connections Jolt Bitter Virginia Race  —  McLEAN, Va. — Frustrated by government red tape slowing his electric car company, Terry McAuliffe repeatedly sought a meeting at the Department of Homeland Security.  —  He and his lawyers sent a stream of e-mails to a senior official …

Statement from Julian Assange in response to President Obama's plans to reform America's global surveillance program  —  Today the President of the United States validated Edward Snowden's role as a whistleblower by announcing plans to reform America's global surveillance program.

Russia not homophobic, it's homorealistic - expert  —  The new Russian law that prohibits promotion of homosexual relations and non-traditional sexual relations among minors has sparked a lot of international condemnation.  It has led to the so-called vodka protests, and to calls for a boycott of the 2014 Russian Olympics.

In Leaked Audio, Cuccinelli Affirms Support For E.W. Jackson  —  Ken Cuccinelli, the attorney general and Republican nominee for governor in Virginia, told supporters recently they should have no question about his support for E.W. Jackson, the GOP's polarizing nominee for lieutenant governor in that state.

President Obama weighs in on information-gathering  —  EVER SINCE Edward Snowden leaked a series of documents on the National Security Agency (NSA) information-gathering programs, President Obama has praised the notion of more debate on what information — and when — the government can collect about Americans.

Cleta Mitchell: The IRS scandals, part 3  —  Cleta Mitchell is the prominent Washington attorney whose practice has given her a front row seat on the IRS scandals.  On the just completed NR cruise Cleta gave one of the most compelling presentations involving topical matters of current interest.

Oprah Winfrey's brush with racism in Swiss boutique sparks international uproar after employee refused to show her $38K bag  —  European nation's tourism board, Trois Pommes store owner apologize to star of ‘Lee Daniels’ The Butler' over handbag ‘misunderstanding’

More On The Disappearance Of Milton Friedman  —  It seems that many people misunderstood my post on Milton Friedman.  It was not intended as Friedman-bashing, as a claim that MF was a bad economist; in fact, I'm on record declaring Friedman a “great economists' economist”.

Detroit's misplaced $1M check bares inefficiency  —  In late February, cash-strapped Detroit received a $1 million check from the local school system that wasn't deposited.  The routine payment wound up in a city hall desk drawer, where it was found a month later.

Jay Leno's Last ‘Tonight Show’ to Air Feb. 6  —  NBC to pull latenight host on the eve of Olympics coverage  —  Jay Leno's last “Tonight Show” on NBC will air Feb. 6, sources confirm to Variety.  —  “Tonight Show” exec producer Debbie Vickers made the announcement today to employees of the show …