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The 2012 presidential election was certainly the most expensive in American history. President Obama's re-election effort cost $1.1 billion, including nearly $700 million spent directly by his campaign. Mitt Romney's campaign spent over $400 million, but he received almost $800 million in additional outside help. The cost of the 2016 presidential election, however, is expected to surpass these figures. One estimate reaches as high as $5 billion, and Hillary Clinton's campaign might spend as muc

Wisconsin lawmakers recently approved a new law that will eliminate the state's 48-hour waiting period to purchase a handgun, which has been in place since 1976. Reports indicate that Governor Scott Walker (R) is expected to sign the bill without hesitation. From the Sun Times: said Chris W. Cox Opponents of the bill stress that the two-day "cooling off" period is important because it can prevent crimes of passion, using heated domestic disputes as an example. Read the full story here.

The House of Representatives voted last week to pass H.R. 1735, also known as the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) -- 269 in favor to 161 opposed. The vote came over the concerns of several dozen members of Congress who urged the lower chamber to debate and vote on authorizing the use of military force against ISIS before the vote on the NDAA. In a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and 28 co-signers argued: "We are deeply concerned that eig

Since U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I - Vt.) announced his campaign for the presidency, considerable attention has been paid to his avowed socialism. On the Sunday after his announcement, he appeared on ABC's This Week, where the host, George Stephanopoulos, asked, "Is it really possible for someone who calls himself a socialist to be elected president of the United States?" On the whole, the American electorate has a largely negative impression of socialism. According to a survey conducted by R

It can be hard to keep super PAC names straight. For example, there is Right to Rise, the committee supporting a presidential run by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and there is America Rising, another PAC designated to raise and spend unlimited sums of money in hopes of defeating Hillary Clinton in 2016. You may also have heard of Our American Revival (supporting Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker), America Leads (New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie), and Pursuing America's Greatness (former Arkansas G

Reports over the weekend indicate that Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is expected to announce on April 13 that he will run for president in 2016. However, a number of obstacles will likely face the first-term senator. National Journal reports that although Rubio has low polling numbers, it is actually a familiar role for him: "This time six years ago, Rubio was an afterthought in a US Senate race that appeared destined to belong to Gov. Charlie Crist and the GOP establishment. It didn't take l

Solar power has arrived. With the average price of solar cells down by 60 percent since 2010, the industry is responding to market demand. According to a study from researchers at Cambridge University, photovoltaics will soon out compete fossil fuel energy even if oil prices drop to $10 a barrel. Needless to say, the major utility companies are not happy. Utility companies, in their current form, are facing what is becoming a struggle for survival. Consumers and businesses are choosing solar p

Over the past month or so, several media outlets have made a big deal about the fact that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's education does not include a bachelor's degree, and have speculated on how this could affect a potential 2016 presidential run. Some have taken to the media to defend him, claiming that "many college degrees don't signify much besides a limited ability to show up on time," or that having a degree does not "necessarily even produce a leg up economically." Vox stated that

NATIONAL -- At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) straw poll, Kentucky's Rand Paul emerged on top, followed closely by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush rounding out the top five. The conference discussions centered around a range of issues affecting the government, including immigration and funding the Department of Homeland Security. A new poll released Thursday by the Pew Research Ce

Last week, the Boston Globe reported that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush smoked marijuana as a teenager at prep school. The report resulted in Sen. Rand Paul, a potential presidential rival to Bush, replying, "This is a guy who now admits he smoked marijuana but he wants to put people in jail who do." The exchange may indicate more than a moment of intra-party politics, but a potential opening to alter the coalitions of both parties. Following the 2012 elections, stories circulated about wha