News Items

Obama Arrives in Israel for 'Unbreakable Alliance' Tour

JERUSALEM, Israel -- President Obama is in Israel Wednesday on his first visit to the country since first taking the oath of office four years ago. Air Force One touched down at Ben-Gurion Airport at about 6:20 a.m.

The visit is dubbed "Unbreakable Alliance." Some have called it a charm offensive. According to polls, many Israelis don't trust Obama. But Obama said it's his chance to connect with the Israeli people.

"It could just be for the better to come and feel how Israel really is and to be friends with us," one Israeli named...

Dem Budget Would Raise $1.2 Trillion in Taxes

House Democrats have put together a budget for the government that raises $1.2 trillion in new taxes over the next 10 years, according to The Hill.

The plan would bring in the money by getting rid of tax breaks for businesses and individuals.

Democrats say their budget focuses on strengthening the economy and growing jobs.

But House Republicans say the plan isn't serious. The GOP says their plan would get rid of the federal deficit within a decade.

Substance or Flash? Obama Leaves for Israel

President Obama leaves Tuesday for Israel. It's his first time visiting America's closest ally in the Middle East -- and Israelis have noticed.

According to one Israeli newspaper poll, nearly 70 percent of Israelis have an unfavorable or even hostile attitude toward the president.

Meanwhile, a Gallup poll shows American sympathy for Israel is at its highest level in more than two decades.

"If you're Benjamin Netanyahu, what do you want to talk to President Obama about," CBN News's Jennifer Wishon asked the...

Gov. Bryant Signs Bill Allowing Student-led Prayer

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant has signed a bill that allows prayers led by students over school intercoms, at graduations, or at sporting events.

The new law says all Mississippi school districts must adopt a policy that lets students express their religious beliefs at various school events.

"We believe that we're on firm ground here with our opportunity for religious expression in a limited forum within public schools," Bryant said Thursday. "That does not mean that they won't file a lawsuit, and we'll see how that comes out for us...

Speaker Boehner: No More Tax Increases to Cut Deficit

House Speaker John Boehner said Republicans won't go along with any plans to raise taxes to help cut the federal deficit.

He said President Obama already got his tax hikes in the deal on the fiscal cliff and now it's time to talk about cutting spending.

"The American people know you can't continue to spend money that you don't have and that's what the president wants to do," Boehner said.

"The president also said in that interview that his goal wasn't merely to balance the budget," he contineud. "He talks about a...

Government Can't Force Domino's to Offer Contraception

A judge blocked the federal government from forcing Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino's Pizza, to follow the contraception mandate in Obamacare.

Monaghan is a Roman Catholic who disagrees with contraception on religious grounds. His pizza chain offers health insurance that excludes contraception and abortion for employees.

"The HHS mandate forces our clients to provide abortion-causing drugs to their employees when doing so is a direct violation of the teachings of the Catholic Church and our clients' sincerely held...

Sens. Rubio, Paul Pull No Punches at CPAC

Thousands are gathered Friday for the second day of the Conservative Political Action Conference to plot the way forward for the Republican Party.

Former presidential contender Mitt Romney is scheduled to speak before the CPAC crowd.

On Thursday, they heard from potential 2016 candidates, like Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

In his speech, Rubio talked about the need to work together with people you disagree with.

"In order to work together with people you disagree with, there has to be mutual respect," he said. "That means I respect people that disagree with me on certain things. But they have to respect me, too."

...
Netanyahu Forms New Gov't ahead of Obama Visit

JERUSALEM, Israel -- While the world watched for the white smoke that would signal a new pope, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his new government this week.

The news comes six weeks after Israelis voted in general elections. Netanyahu's two main partners are political newcomers while his former allies, the ultra-Orthodox religious parties, are out.

"It's now an opportunity to make major changes," Isi Liebler, Jerusalem Post political columnist, said.

Two factions of the coalition want...

Critics Say Democrats' Budget Doesn't Address Waste

Democrats in the Senate have finally put together their first budget in four years.

The Hill reports it includes nearly $1 trillion in new taxes, but it still doesn't balance the budget.

Meanwhile, conservative media outlets continue to find examples of government waste.

CNSNews.com reports the National Institutes of Health has given grants of $1.5 million to find out why three quarters of lesbians are obese, but gay males are not.

According to the Washington Times,...

Argentine Jorge Bergoglio Elected Pope

VATICAN CITY -- Argentine Jorge Bergoglio has been elected pope, the first ever from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium. He has chosen the name Pope Francis.

After just two days of voting, white smoke emanated from the chimney of Sistine Chapel Wednesday, signaling 157 cardinals had selected a new pope.

Earlier in the day, excitement filled the air as at least 50,000 people filled St. Peter's Square, eagerly awaiting the appearance of the Catholic Church's new leader.

"I can't explain how happy I am right down," Ben Canete, a 32-year-old Filipino, exclaimed.

Many Catholics, however, are more concerned...

House Takes Up Vote to Prevent Welfare Waivers

The House is voting on a bill to prevent welfare waivers. The bill would block the Obama administration from waiving any work requirements in the 1996 welfare reform law.

House Republicans say President Obama is trying to gut those requirements.

"The only reason you'd need a waiver would be to lessen the work requirement," said Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

"The issue is the precedent," he continued. "It would weaken an integral part of the welfare reform bill. If you're...

Obama Job Approval Rating Takes a Tumble

Fewer Americans are impressed with President Obama's job performance, according to a new McClatchy-Marist poll.

The survey shows his approval rating has dropped to its lowest level in more than a year. The measure of how much people like him has also fallen.

The poll found 45 percent of voters approve of the way the president is handling his job and 48 percent disapprove.

Analysts say some of...

Rep. Paul Ryan's Budget Would Repeal Obamacare

House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., said his new budget includes a repeal of President Obama's health care law.

"We owe the American people a balanced budget," Ryan told "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace.

The former GOP vice presidential candidate said repealing the plan, which he says is harmful to American's health, would help save money.

"We believe that Obamacare is a program that will not work," Ryan said. "We believe Obamacare will actually lead to hospitals and doctors and health care providers turning people away."

"It's a program that basically puts Medicare under the control of 15 people on a board that will...

Bill Clinton Urges High Court to Overturn DOMA

Former President Bill Clinton says the U.S. Supreme Court should overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, the measure he signed into law in 1996.

DOMA defines marriage as being between one man and one woman. That means a state where same-sex marriage is illegal doesn't have to recognize same-sex marriage from another state.

It also means same-sex couples don't receive federal benefits.

Clinton said he now believes that the law is unconstitutional.

"When I signed the bill, I included a...

Paul Delays Brennan Vote with Marathon Filibuster

Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul tied up the Senate for 13 hours Wednesday as he filibustered a vote on the president's pick to head the CIA.

The old-fashioned filibuster allows a Senate member to keep the body from voting by holding the floor as long as he can keep speaking.
    
Paul was protesting U.S. policy regarding the use of unmanned drones. He said he wants written assurance they won't be used to kill American terror suspects in the United States.

The Kentucky lawmakers ended his talk at 1 a.m., long enough to delay the vote on...

Feds Continue to Hire Despite Sequestration

The sequester cuts may be in place, but many federal agencies appear to still be hiring.

At a time when furloughs are on the table, by Monday at 6 p.m., more than 400 government job ads were posted.

Experts question the move and say it could shed light on just how these federal agencies will proceed in increasing their savings, either by attrition or letting people go.

"Every position you don't fill that isn't absolutely necessary is one less person that needs to be furloughed," Steve Ellis, vice president at Taxpayers for Common Sense...

House GOP Bill Aims to Soften Sequester Blow

House Republicans have introduced a measure to soften the potential damage of those across-the-board spending cuts.

The move would give the Pentagon funding for readiness and ease the pain felt by agencies like the FBI and the U.S. Border Patrol.

The measure would leave keep automatic cuts of 5 percent to domestic agencies and 7.8 percent to the Pentagon, but then award the Department of Defense its detailed 2013 budget.  Other agencies would be frozen in place at 2012 levels.

The GOP funding measure is set to advance through the...

GOP Sens.: 'No Benghazi Answers, No Brennan Vote'

Two top Republican senators are warning they may oppose Chief Counterterrorism Advisor John Brennan as President Obama's pick to head the CIA.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., are demanding answers from the Obama administration over the Sept. 11 attack on U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Graham said Sunday he and McCain "are hell-bent on making sure the American people understand" how four Americans could have been murdered at the consulate.

"I'm trying to find out what happened on...

Obama Asks High Court to Overturn Gay Marriage Ban

President Obama is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage.

His administration submitted a brief Thursday against Proposition 8, the California law approved by more than 7 million residents.

They also called for the high court to take the same step in seven other states that already allow special rights for homosexuals, like civil unions. The president personally signed off on the move.

The Obama administration argues that states like Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, and...

Obama Tones Down Sequester Rhetoric amid Criticism

Weeks of Washington hype about looming budget cuts may have finally peaked. The president is now softening his tone as Republicans have been pushing back.

At stake is $85 billion in cuts set to kick in Friday at midnight unless last-minute action is taken.

At a meeting with business leaders Wednesday, President Obama suggested the impact may not be felt immediately. Still, he warned the economy will still take a big hit.

"It means that you have fewer customers with money in their pockets ready to buy your goods...