WATCH: Rand Paul Says Jimmy Carter Was Better on the Budget Than Ronald Reagan  —  The Kentucky senator has been hailing Reagan lately.  But a few years ago, Paul routinely knocked the Republican icon as a fiscal failure.  —  As Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) ponders a presidential bid …

Poll Shows Tight Senate Races in Four Southern States  —  Four Senate races in the South that will most likely determine control of Congress appear very close, with Republicans benefiting from more partisan intensity but a Democratic incumbent, once seen as highly vulnerable, holding a surprising edge …

An Orwellian dissent from a muddled ruling.  —  You might have heard that the Supreme Court ruled 6-2 today that states have the right to ban racial preferences, euphemistically known as “affirmative action,” in public-university admission, but that's not quite right.

D'Souza Case Is Political, Lawyer Says  —  When the conservative author and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza was charged in January with illegally using straw donors to contribute to a 2012 New York Republican Senate campaign, his lawyer denied that he had acted with any corrupt or criminal intent.

She Can See This Disaster From Her House  —  If Republicans lose the Alaska Senate race, they'll have Sarah Palin to thank.  —  Begich spoke on Feb. 3, ostensibly on the subject of new business opportunities in technology.  As he was being introduced, his darting eyes and scratches …

Jeb Bush: I'm ‘thinking about’ 2016 run  —  Jeb Bush on Wednesday was the most vocal he's been about considering a run for the White House in 2016.  —  The Republican told a crowd of about 200 people at a Catholic Charities fundraiser in New York that he is “thinking about running for president,” according to an attendee.

Photo Of Obama In Conservative Attack Ad Is Photoshopped From Hospital Trip After Aurora Shooting  —  Conservative group Americans For Prosperity cut out the hospital and the governor of Colorado to show President Obama and Democratic Sen. Mark Udall looking sad together for a negative campaign ad.

Meet The Militia Rushing To Cliven Bundy's Defense  —  James Yeager is calling from Cliven Bundy's front yard, where he's one of several (he won't say how many) providing 24-hour security to the Bundy family.  He and his friend packed up “a full medical kit and a camera” …

Up in Arms: Georgia Governor To Sign Controversial Gun Bill Wednesday  —  Opponents, like Stephanie Stone of Atlanta, argue the law misinterprets the Second Amendment and will promote a culture of guns.  —  “I think this bill is reckless,” she said.  “I think it's dangerous and irresponsible.”

Thomas Piketty Is Right  —  Everything you need to know about ‘Capital in the Twenty-First Century’  —  Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty, translated by Arthur Goldhammer (Belknap Press)  —  Income inequality in the United States and elsewhere has been worsening since the 1970s.

New Records: IRS Targeted Progressive Groups More Extensively Than Tea Party  —  A series of IRS documents, provided to ThinkProgress under the Freedom of Information Act, appears to contradict the claims by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and his House Oversight and Government Reform Committee …

How Lindsey Graham outmaneuvered the tea party  —  Part of an occasional series on the hottest races of the 2014 midterm election.  —  SUMMERVILLE, S.C. — Sen. Lindsey Graham recognized the threat years before it had a chance to form — and knew immediately what he had to do.

Keystone Uncensored  —  A labor leader calls the Administration ‘gutless,’ ‘dirty’ and more.  —  Republicans are denouncing President Obama's latest delay on the Keystone XL pipeline, six long years after it was proposed.  But for cold political fury they have nothing on Terry O'Sullivan …

Missouri legislature will begin impeachment proceedings against governor  —  A Missouri state House committee will hold hearings Wednesday into three proposed articles of impeachment against Gov. Jay Nixon (D), whom some Republicans say has committed offenses worthy of being removed from office.

Energy Plant in Oregon Burning Aborted Babies From Canada to Generate Electricity  —  An energy plant in Oregon is reportedly burning aborted babies from Canada to generate electricity.  —  The British Columbia Catholic Herald newspaper reported in its edition this week that the remains …

Latta council votes to block Mayor from hiring police chief replacement  —  The Latta Town Council voted unanimously in two key measures Tuesday night in support of fired Police Chief Crystal Moore.  —  The council was having an emergency meeting to address the firing of Moore last week by Mayor Earl Bullard.

Lupita Nyong'o Is PEOPLE's Most Beautiful  —  She may have won an Oscar for her role as the slave Patsey in Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave and recently landed a contract with Lancome Paris, but Lupita Nyong'o “never dreamed” she would be touted as “Most Beautiful” for all the world to see.

No contestant on Jeopardy remembers Herman Cain [VIDEO]  —  No one remembers Herman Cain anymore.  At least on Jeopardy.  —  During the gameshow's airing on Tuesday night, none of the contestants attempted to answer the clue, “This pizza magnate and 2012 presidential candidate was a math major …