House Republicans appear to be rallying behind $85 billion budget deal  —  House Republicans appeared Wednesday to be rallying around an $85 billion deal to avert ­another government shutdown, brushing off complaints from their right wing that the effort would trade immediate spending cuts for less-certain long-term savings.

The story behind “that selfie”  —  So here's the photo, my photo, which quickly lit up the world's social networks and news websites.  The “selfie” of three world leaders who, during South Africa's farewell to Nelson Mandela, were messing about like kids instead of behaving with the mournful gravitas one might expect.

With Charges Dropped, George Zimmerman Can Get All Of His Guns Back  —  On Wednesday, Florida state prosecution dropped the domestic violence charges against George Zimmerman from a November dispute with his girlfriend Samantha Scheibe.  —  Because the charges were dropped …

Senate pulls an all-nighter, approves federal appeals court nominee  —  (CNN) — Frustrated Republicans are retaliating for a Democratic power play to weaken their hand in opposing presidential nominations by forcing an all-night session.  —  Votes on judicial and other appointments were set …

Interpreter for Mandela Event: I Was Hallucinating  —  The man accused of faking sign interpretation while standing alongside world leaders like U.S. President Barack Obama at Nelson Mandela's memorial service said Thursday he saw “angels” at the event, has been violent in the past and suffers from schizophrenia.

Meet the littlest casualty in the war on men.  —  Hunter Yelton of Cañon City, Colo., is accused of sexual harassment.  Hunter Yelton is 6 years old and in the first grade.  “He has a crush on a girl at school, who likes him back,” reports Colorado Springs' KRDO-TV.

Juking the ObamaCare Stats  —  HHS won't disclose the enrollment data that really matter.  —  Most of Washington seems to have bought the White House claim that the 36 federal exchanges are finally working, and glory, glory, hallelujah.  But if that's really true, then what explains the ongoing secrecy and evasion?

GOP dislikes sitting congressman, eyes DWI pol with secret family  —  Republicans are so nervous about Staten Island Rep. Michael Grimm's re-election chances that they've quietly reached out to former GOP Congressman Vito Fossella — who quit five years ago after confessing to having a secret second family …

Obama's Orwellian Image Control  —  THE Internet has been abuzz over the spectacle of President Obama and the prime ministers of Britain and Denmark snapping a photo of themselves — a “selfie,” to use the mot du jour — with a smartphone at the memorial service for Nelson Mandela in South Africa on Tuesday.

Oregon signs up just 44 people for Obamacare despite spending $300 million  —  BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL OBAMACARE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OREGON HEALTHCARE.GOV TECHNOLOGY HEALTH CARE EXCHANGES  —  Oregon, once touted as a model for President Obama's health care law, signed up just 44 people …

Republicans Running in Reverse  —  Let's hear it for women in high places.  —  This week in Detroit, Mary Barra took over General Motors.  In Washington, Senator Patty Murray made headlines when she worked out a deal with Representative Paul Ryan to keep the government funded for the next two years.

Minn. Nat.  Guard Member Charged with Stealing IDs for Militia  —  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A member of the Minnesota National Guard and self-described commander of a militia group was charged Wednesday with stealing names, Social Security numbers and security clearance levels of roughly 400 members …

Obama Needs to Fire Some People  —  When the Barack Obama administration realized that its HealthCare.gov website was fundamentally broken rather than merely glitchy, aides called former management consultant Jeff Zients to fix it.  —  When the White House realized restive congressional Democrats posed …

Obama's tardy epiphany about government's flaws  —  The education of Barack Obama is a protracted process as he repeatedly alights upon the obvious with a sense of original discovery.  In a recent MSNBC interview, he restocked his pantry of excuses for his disappointing results, announcing that …