Romney: The Price of Failed Leadership  —  The President's failure to act when action was possible has diminished respect for the U.S. and made troubles worse.

Crimea secedes.  So what?  —  Residents of Crimea voted over the weekend on whether they would remain an autonomous region of Ukraine or join the Russian Federation.  In so doing, they joined a number of countries and regions — including recently Scotland, Catalonia and Venice …

The kids are all right.  ObamaCare's not so hot.  —  What's the matter with kids today?  Dana Milbank, a grumpy old man at the Washington Post, would like to know.  He's not literally talking about kids, but about voting age adults—the “army of 15 million voters under 30” who “swept …

The rich strike back  —  NEW YORK — Just a few months ago, it looked like 2014 would be the year of the populist, with Democrats running on economic inequality, tea party Republicans bashing banks and newly minted New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio pledging to soak the rich with higher taxes.

Defying West, Putin Signs Treaty to Annex Crimea  —  MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin claimed Crimea as a part of Russia on Tuesday, reversing what he described as a historical mistake made by the Soviet Union 60 years ago and brushing aside international condemnation that could leave Russia deeply isolated for years to come.

24 Mind-Blowing Facts About Marijuana Production in America  —  The only thing green about that bud is its chlorophyll.  —  You thought your pot came from environmentally conscious hippies?  Think again.  The way marijuana is grown in America, it turns out, is anything but sustainable and organic.

Out of Control  —  WASHINGTON — WHEN mass murderers took over the cockpits of four American airliners on Sept. 11, 2001, one of the first things they did was turn off the transponders, so the planes would not register properly on civilian radar.  —  A few months later …

Stephens: How Obama ‘Gets Things Done’  —  We need a president who rarely thinks and never speaks about how he looks in jeans.  —  Maybe Barack Obama should have given Zach Galifianakis an off-ramp, like the one he keeps trying to offer Vladimir Putin.  Those were some pretty barbed lines …

New bridge scandal emails bring in key Christie political strategist  —  TRENTON — Records released today by a legislative panel investigating the George Washington Bridge lane closings link Gov. Chris Christie's chief political strategist to discussions about fallout from the scandal …

Bill de Blasio's war for poverty  —  This year, many on the left are celebrating 50 years since President Lyndon Johnson declared his War on Poverty — an era that saw the creation of massive new government programs that liberals proclaimed would raise living standards for the poor.

Wendy Davis Is One Step Closer To Turning Texas Purple  —  A new poll shows Wendy Davis within single digits of her Republican opponent—one more sign that Texas's voters are no longer reliably red.  —  Let's start by stating the obvious: It is hard for a Democrat to win statewide office in Texas today.

RNC Chair: ‘Tsunami’ Election Coming, Especially In The Senate  —  The way Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus sees it, 2014 won't be an average election for the party out of power.  It'll be a “tsunami” wave election.  —  At a Christian Science Monitor Breakfast …

GOP blinders on civil rights  —  Rep. Gregg Harper, a Republican from Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District, is standing near the blood stained driveway in Jackson where civil rights activist Medgar Evers was assassinated as he fought for black voting rights in 1963.

A Campaign Inquiry in Utah Is the Watchdogs' Worst Case  —  It is the nightmare scenario for those who worry that the modern campaign finance system has opened up new frontiers of political corruption: A candidate colludes with wealthy corporate backers and promises to defend their interests if elected.

2 die in news helicopter crash at KOMO-TV  —  Firefighters stand next to the site where a KOMO TV helicopter fell to the ground during take-off this morning (Photo by Brian Rosenthal / The Seattle Times)  —  At least two people died this morning when a KOMO-TV helicopter crashed on the street outside Fisher Plaza.