Politics

“A growing number of conservatives, and especially tea partyers and libertarian-leaning Americans, have decided that their commitment is more to ideology than political party,” said Merrill Matthews of IPI. “And while they will likely vote Republican in most elections, they have become dissatisfied with the Republican label because they don’t think it stands for — or too often strays from — principled conservatism.”

The GOP has an 83 percent chance or better of winning the presidency in 2016.

The Clintons are trying to create the impression that Hillary has the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination sewn up. A more realistic analysis would recognize that she has a lot of baggage in a general election that will stress image, competency and honesty. Hillary is challenged on all three.

Among the disappointing lessons of the budget deal: More spending makes politicians on both sides of the aisle a little more merry.

We’re being told the agreement with Iran is a historic step forward. But will we learn in a few weeks, perhaps through leaked emails or documents, that there are caveats that neither Obama nor Kerry are telling us that dramatically undermines all the happy talk?

Polls regularly put Kennedy in the top 10 U.S. presidents and a recent Politico poll ranking the best presidents since 1950 has him in first place. Like another more-recent, young, telegenic, liberal presidential candidate, JFK may have brought new hope and promise to the White House, but not much more.

Had Obamacare kicked in last year, there’s a good chance that dissatisfied voters would have given the president and some Democrats the boot. Now that the public knows the truth, Democrats are getting increasingly, and justifiably, nervous about 2014. 

Craig Zucker did every thing he was supposed to ensure the public safety of his product Buckyballs—except kowtow to the Obama administration. And now Team Obama wants to teach him a lesson.

House Speaker John Boehner's public image has been badly tarnished. It's mostly been by his own doing.

If Republicans can’t defund Obamacare and can’t eliminate the mandate, they can try to do the next best thing: eliminate the penalties. Or force Democrats to explain why they want to fine the American people.