Perry says Texans willing to suffer blackouts to keep feds out of power market  —  WASHINGTON - Former Texas governor Rick Perry suggests that going days without power is a sacrifice Texans should be willing to make if it means keeping federal regulators out of the state's power grid.

Rush Limbaugh, conservative radio provocateur and cultural phenomenon, dies at 70  —  Rush Limbaugh, who deployed comic bombast and relentless bashing of liberals, feminists and environmentalists to become the nation's most popular radio talk-show host and lead the Republican Party into a politics …

Cuomo said ‘he can destroy me’: NY assemblyman alleges governor threatened him over nursing homes scandal  —  (CNN)New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been pleading with lawmakers for support and even threatening political retribution against Democrats who have criticized him in an aggressive effort …

Promotions for Female Generals Were Delayed Over Fears of Trump's Reaction  —  Under a Biden administration, the nominations are expected to go from the Pentagon to the White House within weeks and then to the Senate for approval.  —  WASHINGTON — Last fall, the Pentagon's most senior leaders agreed …

Ben Rhodes cites ‘very aggressive, pro-Likud media’ in the U.S. for intensity on Israel  —  PODCAST PLAYBACK  —  Rhodes joined Peter Beinart on his podcast, Occupied Thoughts  —  Peter Beinart, a fellow at the Foundation for Middle East Peace and editor-at-large of Jewish Currents …

Watch the Trump Era in Atlantic City End With 3,000 Sticks of Dynamite  —  The implosion of Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, the last vestige of the former president's once-dominant brand in Atlantic City, N.J., took place Wednesday morning.  —  ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — It was not the biggest or the best implosion ever.

Changes to Sharing and Viewing News on Facebook in Australia  —  In response to Australia's proposed new Media Bargaining law, Facebook will restrict publishers and people in Australia from sharing or viewing Australian and international news content.  —  The proposed law fundamentally misunderstands …

'I wouldn't be complaining.' Gov. DeSantis threatens to pull coronavirus vaccine from communities that criticize distribution  —  Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested Wednesday that he would divert COVID-19 vaccines from communities that criticize his distribution methods, sparking complaints that he is playing politics with lifesaving medicine.

Spare us: After Trump, seven Republican lectures Democrats never need to hear again  —  It probably would be easier to list what Republicans are still qualified to pontificate on.  Why the federal deficit is a huge problem?  Hmmm.  Never mind.  —  There's nothing like a new Democratic administration …

How Democrats can ensure Trump never runs again  —  The second impeachment of former President Donald Trump ended as predictably as the first: an acquittal based on evidence that was never actually presented.  Even when their eyes were riveted to the grotesque footage of armed insurrectionists invading …

“Politically isolating”: White House issues obstruction warning to GOP  —  Mike Donilon, senior adviser to President Biden, argues in a memo to White House senior staff that GOP opposition to the COVID rescue package would shrink the party's already declining national support.

News Analysis: The tragedy of Dianne Feinstein  —  If Dianne Feinstein hadn't lived the life she had, her story might be the product of a screenwriter's over-fertile imagination.  —  The synopsis: After surviving an abusive childhood, Feinstein overcomes personal loss — she is widowed at age 45 …

Half Of Americans Approve Of The Job President Biden Is Doing, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Most Say Conspiracy Theories In The U.S. Are Out Of Control  —  Four weeks after being sworn into office, President Joe Biden receives a positive job approval rating as Americans approve 50 …

Millions of jobs probably aren't coming back, even after the pandemic ends  —  The United States needs to invest more in retraining workers, economists warn.  —  Millions of jobs that have been shortchanged or wiped out entirely by the coronavirus pandemic are unlikely to come back …

Crenshaw Reloaded  —  The Texas Congressman wants it both ways  —  Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw has some deep thoughts about what ails right-wing politics these days.  —  There is, he says, way too much “performance,” rather than persuasion.  Too much much grift; too much talking about …

Universal Basic Income Could Be Coming for Kids  —  Tax-credit proposals would send almost every parent $250 or more a month  —  Entrepreneurs, intellectuals and presidential candidates have in recent years touted “universal basic income,” a cash stipend to everyone with no strings attached …

Behind Disney's Firing of ‘Mandalorian’ Star Gina Carano  —  The ouster of Carano from the show draws the ire of the political right-wing and marks an inflection point for Lucasfilm, whose star was warned repeatedly about her social posts.  —  It's a plot twist that no studio relishes …

The Crisis Candidate Maya Wiley believes she can be a better progressive mayor for our traumatized city than her former boss Bill de Blasio.  —  Maya Wiley's parents, both activists, raised her and her brother, Dan, to be resilient.  In 1973, when Maya was 9 and her brother 10, their father, George Wiley, bought a small boat.

Department of Homeland Security Confirms Neo-Nazi Leader Used to Work For It  —  The leader of terror group the Base once worked for an agency tasked with coordinating the U.S. government's counterterrorism efforts.  —  Ben Makuch  —  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) …

COVID-19 Cases Are Dropping Fast.  Why?  —  Editor's Note: The Atlantic is making vital coverage of the coronavirus available to all readers.  Find the collection here.  —  One month ago, the CDC published the results of more than 20 pandemic forecasting models.