Why they want to go over the cliff  —  Washington's Democratic and Republican power brokers have sent the message to the nation that going over the fiscal cliff is a worst-case scenario.  But they're not acting that way, not at all.  —  Instead, many of them have calculated that it's better …

AP SOURCE: RETIRED GEN. NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF DIES  —  You are here  —  Home » Norman Schwarzkopf » AP source: Retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf dies  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, who topped an illustrious military career by commanding …

NRA Has 54% Favorable Image in U.S.  —  Republicans most positive about NRA; Democrats most negative  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Fifty-four percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of the National Rifle Association, while 38% have an unfavorable opinion.  The public's ratings of the NRA …

US Rep. Markey to run in Senate special election  —  US Representative Edward Markey, dean of the state's Washington delegation, will run in 2013 for the US Senate seat expected to open with the nomination of US Senator John Kerry to head the State Department.

‘Die painfully’: 50 soulless degenerates who can't wait for George H.W. Bush to die  —  Former President George H.W. Bush is surrounded by family in the ICU of Houston's Methodist Hospital as he fights a “stubborn fever.”  Doctors are “cautiously optimistic,” but the 88-year-old “remains in guarded condition.”

Acting EPA chief among most likely to succeed Jackson  —  The looming departure of Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson is yielding quick speculation about who will replace her, and might touch off a brutal Senate confirmation fight to lead a department that has faced constant GOP criticism.

New Hawaii senator pledges to tackle climate change  —  The replacement for the late Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye (D) said Wednesday that climate change is at the top of his legislative agenda.  —  “For me, personally, I believe global climate change is real and it is the most urgent challenge …

Summoned Back to Work, Senators Chafe at Inaction  —  WASHINGTON — Senators bid hasty goodbyes to families, donned ties and pantsuits in lieu of sweat pants and Christmas sweaters and one by one returned to the Capitol on Thursday to begin the business of doing nothing in particular.

Folks freak at size of tax hikes if fiscal cliff isn't averted in the coming days  —  They're ready to jump off a real cliff.  —  New Yorkers of all income levels got a rude awakening yesterday when they saw in The Post how much more they will pay in taxes next year without a fiscal-cliff deal by Jan. 1.

Democrats Seek the Holy Grail of Gun Control  —  Dianne Feinstein has announced that she will introduce sweeping gun control legislation in the Senate.  Under her bill, countless standard handguns apparently would now be banned, and for the first time a federal register that may include …

Media disdain for the David Gregory story  —  Some political and media types weren't impressed by headlines this week reporting that D.C. police are investigating the alleged display of a gun magazine on NBC's Meet the Press.  They took to the Internet with their disdain for the story.