Molly Ball

Yes, we're going over the cliff. Yes, there's probably going to be a bipartisan deal. No, you shouldn't freak out. Now go ahead and have some champagne. More »

The National Rifle Association came out swinging in its first comments since the Newtown shooting, a sign the group sees a tough fight ahead. More »

Is a deal still possible? Can John Boehner survive as speaker? Why did he try this Plan B idea, anyway? A guide to what to expect in the weeks ahead. More »

Once a major thorn in the side of House Speaker John Boehner, the majority leader has fallen into line after a struggle for dominance. More »

There's more passion behind the prospect of new gun-control legislation than advocates have seen in a decade -- but they still don't have the votes. More »

In signing anti-union legislation, Michigan's moderate Republican governor inflamed the left and damaged himself politically. Was he really painted into a corner? More »

How activists rewrote the political playbook, reversed decades of defeat, and finally won over voters. More »

Liberals are fired up about Obama's second term and Elizabeth Warren's election. They're about to be disappointed. More »

Much as they decried the Supreme Court's campaign-finance decision, progressive groups may have exploited it most in this year's election. More »

As Republicans regroup from electoral disaster, some -- including a rising star in the Senate -- insist conservatism was not to blame. More »

Americans want a deal that reduces the deficit, raises taxes on the wealthy, and doesn't cut entitlement benefits. But most of all, they want compromise. More »

Beyond Democrats' incremental gains in numbers, a new crop of sympathetic faces in the House and Senate has given liberals reason to cheer. More »

The GOP establishment has long wanted to pass comprehensive immigration reform but been cowed by its activist base. Tuesday's election gave them an opening. More »

The president stakes out a tough position to open negotiations on the looming set of fiscal deadlines facing Congress. More »

The victories went beyond four gay-marriage ballot initiatives and represent what one advocate calls "a breathtaking leap forward." More »

How Republicans regroup after Tuesday's losses will shape American politics in the coming months and years. Here's how one sees the party's future. More »

From landmark victories for marijuana and same-sex marriage to picking up seats in the Senate, the left gained much more than the presidency Tuesday. More »

After a year and a half of campaigning by Obama and Romney, it all gets decided Tuesday -- or at least that's what we hope. More »

How organized labor has helped the president build his Rust Belt firewall -- and what they hope to gain if he's reelected More »

Voters in America's most significant swing state are ready for the presidential race to be over -- but the candidates won't leave them alone. More »