reported recently that China trimmed its holdings of U.S. debt for the fifth consecutive month, putting further pressure on the U.S. economy that was "supposed" to have a blanket windfall from lower oil prices.

China and Japan are now neck-and-neck as the largest holders of U.S. debt ($1.2391T and $1.2386T, respectively).

Rand Paul (R-Ky.) supporters, there was likely a brief surge of excitement when headlines appeared on Google News that the senator was officially running in the 2016 presidential race based off what looked like a candidate filing with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

MSNBC town hall in February, President Barack Obama expressed bewilderment over why Americans did not participate in the 2014 midterm elections. Now, the AP reports that the president says it may be time to pass mandatory voting laws (compulsory voting).

WASHINGTON, DC -- The FCC's net neutrality ruling has many politicians up in arms.

shows nearly 200,000 voters participated in Senate Districts 7, 21, and 37 by mail or at the polls.

Special elections are known for low voter turnout and these were no exception -- turnout is expected to be under 25 percent across the state.

Despite popular belief, the state of Israel did not form out of an emergency effort after WWII.

The Zionist Congress came out of Russia in the late 1800s as a small number of Jewish people banded together to return to Zion -- the biblical land of Israel. From its inception, the Zionist movement was decried by some Jewish rabbis as a move that would bring danger to all Jewish people.

The number of political independents has certainly ballooned. Indeed, the dissatisfaction with political parties has reached unprecedented levels, and it is not uncommon to read jeremiads decrying the abuses of political parties or to come across comments that question their necessity altogether.

The AP reported Wednesday that for the second consecutive year the Obama administration more often than ever censored or denied access to government files under the Freedom of Information Act. Not only that, but when the government did follow through with FOIA requests, it took longer to turn over the files.

However, a group of nearly 50 former elected and appointed officials is trying to change this.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Oral argument in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals was heard Tuesday morning in the case, Balsam, et al. v. Guadagno (New Jersey Secretary of State).