Government

Curious about whether your neighbor is armed? Wondering if local officials are illegally doling out gun permits to convicted felons? It may be impossible to find out, unless you live in one of a small and shrinking group of states. Lawmakers in most states sealed such records in past years. This year, many others are rushing to join those ranks, spurred by a suburban New York newspaper’s publication of names and addresses of handgun permit holders. more »

Fed Governor Sarah Bloom Raskin: "Many of the darkest manifestations of the financial crisis have finally begun to diminish: the boarded-up homes with overgrown lawns, the half-built skyscrapers, the 'We Buy Houses Cheap' signs planted at exit ramps, the eviction notices nailed to front doors. But even as the economy comes back to life, our memory of these events is still sharp and the reputational damage suffered by US financial institutions during the crisis endures." more »

Editor's Note: The audience was surprised to see the First Lady (appropriately dressed in a silvery gown by Naeem Khan) present the Best Picture Oscar to Argo, appearing via satellite from the White House last night. This morning we viewed her on C-Span addressing the nation's governors about a much different and very important subject: more »

Aside from the Senate passing VAWA, these some congressional bills introduced last week: Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), placing limitations on the possession and sale of a firearm by persons convicted of misdemeanor sex offenses against children; Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), prohibiting taking minors across state lines in circumvention of laws requiring the involvement of parents in abortion decisions; Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE), ensuring women seeking an abortion are fully informed regarding the pain experienced by their unborn child. more »