Bait and Switch?  —  Walker's budget plans don't fix what he says is the crisis.  —  Republican Gov. Scott Walker has kicked off a firestorm with his budget proposals, but his most controversial plans wouldn't address this fiscal year's shortfall.  —  Why now?

Peru cuts ties with Libya and condemns violence  —  President Garcia wants a no-fly zone over Libya  —  Peru says it has suspended diplomatic relations with Libya over the use of force against civilians there.  —  It is the first country to take such a step since the anti-government protests erupted in Libya last week.

Emanuel Triumphs in Chicago Mayoral Race  —  CHICAGO — Rahm Emanuel, a former congressman who worked for two presidents, was elected mayor of Chicago on Tuesday, a victory that marks a new path for a city that has, for 22 years, been led by a singular, powerful force, Richard M. Daley.

Wonkbook: Will Wisconsin spread?  —  A few days ago, Gov. Scott Walker's effort to end collective bargaining for state employees looked almost certain to spread to other GOP-led states.  And there has been some interest, notably from Ohio's John Kasich and New Jersey's Chris Christie.

Newt Gingrich confronted over affair  —  PHILADELPHIA — Newt Gingrich's speech at the University of Pennsylvania Tuesday night quickly took a turn for the dramatic when the first student to question him brought up his admitted extra-marital affair and accused him of being “hypocritical” for espousing moral values.

Federal Judge In D.C. Upholds Health Care Reform, Says Some Arguments ‘Ignore Reality’  —  A federal judge on Tuesday upheld the health care reform law signed last year by President Barack Obama and found that Congress had the clear authority to regulate health insurance under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution.

WikiLeaks Cables Detail Qaddafi Family's Exploits  —  WASHINGTON — After New Year's Day 2009, Western media reported that Seif al-Islam el-Qaddafi, a son of the Libyan leader Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, had paid Mariah Carey $1 million to sing just four songs at a bash on the Caribbean island of St. Barts.

The Scrubbing has Begun...  Today the state of Wisconsin Department of Regulation and Licensing, announced that it would begin “looking into accusations that a number of local doctors provided the notes for protesters who missed work during the week...the department will review complaints …

D.C., Hawaii Still Most Approving of Obama; All States Decline  —  Approval is higher than average in 12 states plus D.C., lower than average in 18 states  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Residents of Hawaii gave native son President Barack Obama the highest average 2010 job approval rating (66%) …

Our World: Obama's devastatingly mixed signals  —  By adopting a policy it openly hated and then condemning its own behavior, the US essentially told Israel, America is not a credible partner.  —  Talkbacks (82)  —  For better or worse, each passing day the Middle East is becoming more unstable.

Limbaugh stirs up a food fight about the first lady  —  Rush Limbaugh is taking heat for his comments about first lady Michelle Obama's weight, but the conservative radio host is hardly repentant.  —  “There were highly civil comments, for crying out loud,” Limbaugh said on his show yesterday.

Providence plans to pink slip all teachers  —  PROVIDENCE — The school district plans to send out dismissal notices to every one of its 1,926 teachers, an unprecedented move that has union leaders up in arms.  —  In a letter sent to all teachers Tuesday, Supt.

Report: Ex-minister says Gadhafi ordered Lockerbie  —  STOCKHOLM — Swedish tabloid Expressen says Libya's ex-justice minister claims Moammar Gadhafi personally ordered the Lockerbie bombing that killed 270 people in 1988.  —  Expressen on Wednesday quoted Mustafa Abdel-Jalil as telling …

Why Cuts Don't Bring Prosperity  —  Remember the German economic boom of 2010?  —  Germany's economic growth surged in the middle of last year, causing commentators both there and here to proclaim that American stimulus had failed and German austerity had worked.

Harry Reid's prostitution lecture bombs  —  The most powerful man in the United States Senate, addressing the legislature of his home state at a time of fiscal chaos and potential government shutdown, had something he wanted to talk about Tuesday: hookers.  —  But Senate Majority Leader …