Approval of Affordable Care Act Inches Up  —  More Democrats now approve of the law, while most Republicans still disapprove  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Despite the highly publicized technical issues that have plagued the government's health insurance exchange website that went live on Oct. 1 …

Frustrated Dems lament damage from website bugs … WASHINGTON (AP) — Frustrated Democrats lamented Wednesday that persistent problems with new health care exchanges have inflicted damage on the public's perception of the already unpopular “Obamacare” — with some lawmakers insisting President Barack Obama …

HealthCare.gov pricing feature can be off the mark  —  (CBS News) CBS News has uncovered a serious pricing problem with HealthCare.gov. It stems from the Obama administration's efforts to improve its health care website.  A new online feature can dramatically underestimate the cost of insurance.

Texas Voter ID Law Discriminates Against Women, Students and Minorities  —  Texas's new voter ID law got off to a rocky start this week as early voting began for state constitutional amendments.  The law was previously blocked as discriminatory by the federal courts under the Voting Rights Act in 2012 …

The Cry of the True Republican  —  I AM a genetic Republican.  —  Five generations of Tafts have served our nation as unwaveringly stalwart Republicans, from Alphonso Taft, who served as attorney general in the late 19th century, through William Howard Taft, who not only was the only person …

Saudi Arabia severs diplomatic ties with US over response to conflict in Syria  — Saudi diplomats now promise a ‘major shift’ in relations with the U.S. over inaction in the conflict in Syria  — Secretary of State John Kerry says he is committed to keeping a good relationship with the Saudis

Why Not Medicaid For All?  —  My Sunday column on the potential consequences of Obamacare's botched rollout ended by sketching a scenario in which the program's Medicaid expansion is deemed a success while its reform of the individual market leads to much-higher-than-expected costs and much-lower-than-expected participation rates.

Manchin Working On Bill To Delay Obamacare Individual Mandate  —  Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is working on legislation to effectively delay Obamacare's individual mandate for one year, his office told TPM on Wednesday.  —  His spokesman, Jonathan Kott, said Manchin opposes a bill proposed by Sen. Marco Rubio …

The hidden room inside Mitt Romney's new Utah house  —  Holladay » The front door of Mitt Romney's soon-to-be-constructed Holladay house opens to a massive living room, and to your left, around the fireplace, lies a study.  —  If you look closely at the bookshelves there, you find something interesting: a secret door.

Arkansas Poll  —  Update: Results from the 2013 Arkansas Poll have been released.  —  Summary Report  —  Survey Questions  —  Arkansas Poll Track Record  —  The mission of the Arkansas Poll is to supply timely, accurate, and impartial public opinion information on matters of policy …

‘HealthCare.gov is in de facto shutdown’  —  Robert Laszewski is president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates, a policy and marketplace consulting firm that has him working closely with many in the heath industry as they try to navigate the Affordable Care Act, as well as the author …

14-year-old student held without bail in slaying of Danvers High teacher  —  A 24-year-old Danvers High School teacher has been found dead, and a 14-year-old boy is being held without bail on a charge of murdering her.  —  Math teacher Colleen Ritzer's body was found in the woods behind the school …

GOP Senate Candidate Addressed Conference Hosted by Neo-Confederate Group That Promotes Secessionism  —  Mississippi Republican Chris McDaniel, who is challenging Sen. Thad Cochran and backed by the Senate Conservatives Fund and the Club for Growth, took the stage with a historian who says Lincoln was a Marxist.

Seven ‘Solutions’ That Won't Save Obamacare  —  With Nov. 1 storming toward us and the health insurance exchanges still not working, we face the daunting possibility that people may not be able to sign up for January, or maybe even for 2014.  The possibility of a total breakdown …

What Kind of Problem is the ACA Rollout for Liberalism?  —  “This massive IT launch sure came in on time, under budget, and without headaches” is a statement that nobody has ever said.  But even controlling for that, Healthcare.gov looks to be having a disastrous launch.

Marianne Williamson Announces Run for Congress … Marianne Williamson announced her run for Congress at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, CA on October 20th, 2013.  She is running for the U.S House of Representatives, California District 33.  Photo courtesy of Marianne Williamson for Congress.