SEIU Chief: If Dems Pass Scaled-Down Health Bill, Labor Will Have Trouble Staying “Focused On National Politics”  —  SEIU chief Andy Stern took a hard shot at Dem leaders just now for considering a scaled-down health care bill, strongly hinting that labor might not work as hard for Dem candidates …

In U.S., Majority Favors Suspending Work on Healthcare Bill  —  Seven in 10 say Massachusetts election result reflects frustrations shared by Americans  —  PRINCETON, NJ — In the wake of Republican Scott Brown's victory in Tuesday's U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts, the majority of Americans …

The Court's Blow to Democracy  —  With a single, disastrous 5-to-4 ruling, the Supreme Court has thrust politics back to the robber-baron era of the 19th century.  Disingenuously waving the flag of the First Amendment, the court's conservative majority has paved the way for corporations …

Getting It Done: The Year In Obama-Led Health Care Reform (VIDEO)  —  Well folks, it's been one year since President Barack Obama took office.  And he spent a lot of that year working on health care reform.  —  But with the future of reform uncertain at best in the wake of the special election …

Filibuster reform bill headed for Senate floor, faces uphill battle  —  Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) intends to introduce legislation that would take away the minority's power to filibuster legislation.  —  Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) intends in the next few weeks to introduce legislation …

NOW: ‘Kill the Senate health bill entirely’  —  Share on Facebook Stumble This!  —  Group laments ‘fierce anti-abortion language,’ cites ‘male-dominated’ Democratic Party in Coakley loss  —  WASHINGTON — As Democrats weigh options for health reform following a major setback …

Obama has suspicious number of letter-writing fans named ‘Ellie Light’  —  Ellie Light sure gets around.  —  In recent weeks, Light has published virtually identical “Letters to the Editor” in support of President Barack Obama in more than a dozen newspapers.Every letter claimed …

UK terror threat level ‘severe’  —  The UK terror threat level is being raised from “substantial” to “severe”, the Home Office has said.  —  The new alert level means a terrorist attack is considered “highly likely”.  It had stood at substantial since July.

2012 Presidential Poll  —  For the first time in one of our monthly polls looking ahead to the 2012 Presidential election Barack Obama trails one of his hypothetical opponents, albeit by the smallest of margins.  —  Mike Huckabee has a 45-44 advantage over Obama, aided largely by a 44-38 lead with independents.

Opposition Grows Against Second Term for Bernanke  —  The confirmation of Ben S. Bernanke to a second four-year term as chairman of the Federal Reserve ran into further trouble on Friday as two more Democratic senators said they would vote against him.  —  The White House came to Mr. Bernanke's defense …

Obama Seen as Anti-Business by 77% of U.S. Investors  —  Buzz up!  —  Jan. 22 (Bloomberg) — U.S. investors overwhelmingly see President Barack Obama as anti-business and question his ability to manage a financial crisis, according to a Bloomberg survey.  —  The global quarterly poll …

No Love Lost  —  At 9:45 this morning, George H.W. Bush will open up his West Houston home to the press to make what is, for the octogenarian former president, a rare overtly political announcement: In the intra-Republican party fight for Texas governor, 41 has chosen U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison over Gov. Rick Perry.

Jon Stewart Mocks Keith Olbermann Over Scott Brown Attacks  —  Jon Stewart mocks Keith Olbermann for his attacks on Scott Brown and other conservatives, including Rush Limbaugh and Michelle Malkin.  —  To comment on this video or click the “Comments” link below.

Senate Rankings: Post-Masspocalypse Edition  —  We are transitioning, a little earlier than I'd planned, into a more or less fully automated version of our Senate race rankings.  From now until November, our rankings will be based entirely on polling and other objective variables …

Ayla Brown acknowledges it: She voted for Kerry  —  (NECN: Boston) - Her father is the talk of Washington Republicans, but Ayla Brown says she has an independent streak - and a voting record to prove it.  In an interview with Beth Shelburne of New England Cable News Friday, Ayla Brown …

Now Fight!  —  The seismic events of the last few days ends, in some respects, the phony war of the first year of Obama's presidency.  As is the case in truly fracturing democracies, the opposition simply does not and cannot accept the fact that it is out of power.

On bombing suspect, tough questions for Eric Holder  —  It seems like a pretty simple question.  Who made the decision to charge Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the accused terrorist arrested for trying to blow up a Northwest Airlines jet on Christmas Day, as an everyday criminal, as opposed to an enemy combatant?