Pro-gun lawmakers signal that they’re open to limits on high-capacity magazines, the kind used in several of the mass shootings we’ve seen recently, including in Newtown, CT. There’s also growing support for universal background checks and a cut-down on straw purchases. But an all-out ban on assault weapons doesn’t look to be in the cards.
Cyber-war: A Chinese army unit is seen as being tied to hacking against the United States. According to a new report by an American computer security firm, an overwhelming percentage of hack attacks on U.S. companies and government agencies have been tracked to a Shanghai building that serves as the headquarters of People’s Liberation Army Unit 61398. The New York Times report is chilling.
President Obama is charging that Republicans are trying to protect tax cuts for the wealthy and for oil and gas companies, and they’re willing to sacrifice investments in education, health care and national defense to protect their own interests. It’s an argument the president essentially won when he won re-election — but can he win the battle now?
Can You Rig It: Pennsylvania Republicans are still pushing a plan to change the way the state allocates its electoral votes, even after Republicans in several other states abandoned similar vote-rigging efforts.
How’s that Makeover Going? Check out the speakers list at the Conservative Political Action Committee conference — it’s the same old cast of characters, including Sarah Palin. Hasn’t anything changed for this crowd?
Finally, meet Guy Cecil, the man who saved the Senate for the Democrats.
Hardball staff