House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) suffered a political setback on Thursday night when after passing the first of two bills known as "Plan B," he was unable to muster enough votes from members of his own party for the second portion of the plan. It is unclear where this leaves the discussion between the White House and House Republicans.

"The House did not take up the tax measure today because it did not have sufficient support from our members to pass," Boehner said in a statement. "Now it is up to the president to work with Senator Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff."

Frustrated with the lack of process in his talks with President Obama, Boehner came up with a plan that would allow a tax increase but only on those making $1 million of more annually. The bill that passed would avoid deep defense cuts that would occur if the sequester takes place. more >>

The current method of calculating electoral college votes in most states gives Democrats an edge in presidential races. Republicans operatives are working to undo that edge, not by supporting a popular vote, though, as most Americans would prefer, but by supporting changes that would give Republicans an edge.

In all but two states, Maine and Nebraska, the candidate who wins the majority of votes in the state receives all the electors for that state. In Maine and Nebraska, electors are assigned by congressional district. A candidate gets one elector for each congressional district they win and two more electors if they win the popular vote in the state.

Republican operatives are working to cherry pick a few select states to change the system to one like Maine and Nebraska in order to pick up a few more electors in the next presidential election. more >>

Conservative leader David Barton told "The Glenn Beck Show" Tuesday night that citizens have "the biblical right of self-defense." His comments run contrary to President Obama who on Wednesday created a gun task force designed to review existing gun laws in light of recent shootings, including the one in Newtown, Conn., last week.

"In the case of the Second Amendment, the founding fathers didn't call it the right to keep and bear arms the way it is written, they called it the biblical right of self-defense," said Barton. "So the ultimate goal of the Second Amendment is to make sure you can defend yourself against any kind of illegal force that comes against you, whether that is from a neighbor, whether that is from an outsider or whether that is from your own government."

This is not the first time Barton, who leads the group WallBuilders, will collide with liberals. He maintains a strict view of the U.S. Constitution and feels strongly that the Founding Fathers intended the nation be based on Judeo-Christian principles and that liberals and the courts often misunderstand the separation of church and state. Nonetheless, he is a popular and sought-after speaker. more >>

Media reports early Monday morning suggest South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley will appoint Rep. Tim Scott (R) to succeed the retiring Sen. Jim DeMint who is leaving to head up The Heritage Foundation. Scott would be the first black senator to represent the southern state since Reconstruction and only the sixth black Republican to serve in the nation's upper chamber.

Haley will make the official announcement at noon on Monday.

DeMint, who was the head of Tea Party types in the Senate, surprised even the most ardent political followers last week in announcing that he is resigning in January to lead one of the nation's most conservative leaning think tanks. Then pundits immediately focused on Haley and what type of person she would appoint to replace DeMint. more >>

WASHINGTON – It isn't often that President Obama and the Tea Party agree, but both are predicting that House Speaker John Boehner will convince his troops to go along with raising taxes on America's most productive households – namely those making over $250,000 annually.

"I'm pretty confident that Republicans would not hold middle class taxes hostage to trying to protect tax cuts for high-income individuals," Obama said Tuesday in an interview with ABC News' Barbara Walters.

Joining the president in predicting – at least in part – to how Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) will fall when the dust settles is Tea Party Nation leader Judson Phillips. more >>

In light of the losses in this year's election, some Republicans are arguing that their party needs to develop messages and policies that speak to the concerns of working class Americans.

"The future of the Republican Party is a party that understands that just saying 'limited government' and 'free markets' is not enough," Rick Santorum said in a Sunday interview on NBC's "Meet the Press's Press Pass." "We have to have a message that says how does that work for you."

Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, came the closest to denying Mitt Romney the Republican presidential nomination this year. He noted that his campaign designed policies geared specifically to the concerns of working class Americans. During the nomination contests, Santorum got much of his support from those making less than $90,000 per year while Romney did better among wealthier Americans. more >>