DAY'S END ROUNDUP

FROM THE BLOGS:

What if it's not really about the sequester?
Hot Air's Ed Morrissey wonders whether or not the so-called sequester spending cuts and tax increases is really just unnecessary hysteria.

The GOP's steep descent into extreme politics and doctrine
The Daily Beast's Peter Beinart writes that the Republican Party has become "a parody of its former self" in the face of issues involving Israel and the confirmation process for now-Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel.

It's time for you to lead, John Boehner
Slate.com's Matthew Yglesias argues that Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), and not President Obama, should be doing more to find a compromise on sequestration.

Movement conservatism's misinformation problem
Daniel Larison at The American Conservative contends that movement conservatism won't become successful until it stops relying on bad assumptions of policy.

OTHER NEWS SOURCES

GOP puts a hold on gun bill
Senate Republicans delayed a markup of gun legislation for more bargaining time, according to The Hill's Alexander Bolton.

Women and the sequester
The Hill's Mike Lillis reports that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif) and female Democrats are warning about sequestration's effect on issues involving women.