Our Banana Republic  —  In my reporting, I regularly travel to banana republics notorious for their inequality.  In some of these plutocracies, the richest 1 percent of the population gobbles up 20 percent of the national pie.  —  But guess what?  You no longer need to travel to distant …

Assessing midterm losses, Democrats ask whether Obama's White House fully grasped voters' fears  —  President Obama's failure to channel the anxieties of ordinary voters has shaken the faith that many Democrats once had in his political gifts and his team's political skill.

G.O.P. Plans to Use Purse Strings to Fight Health Law  —  WASHINGTON — As they seek to make good on their campaign promise to roll back President Obama's health care overhaul, the incoming Republican leaders in the House say they intend to use their new muscle to cut off money for the law …

US senator sees ‘confrontation’ with China, war with Iran  —  HALIFAX, Canada — The United States faces a possible war with Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions and a “period of confrontation” with China over its currency, a top US lawmaker warned Saturday.  —  Republican Senator Lindsey Graham …

Would we be better off under a President Hillary Clinton?  —  As I sat in the East Room last week watching a forlorn President Obama account for his shellacking, I listened with concern as he described the presidency as a “growth process” and suggested that the midterm setback was somehow inevitable.

While Warning About Fat, U.S. Pushes Cheese Sales  —  Domino's Pizza was hurting early last year.  Domestic sales had fallen, and a survey of big pizza chain customers left the company tied for the worst tasting pies.  —  Then help arrived from an organization called Dairy Management.

John Boehner and the Politics of Crying  —  WASHINGTON — A presumptive new speaker of the House; so much to consider.  Where will John Boehner stand on energy policy?  Will he be able to manage Michele Bachmann?  And how often will he weep?  —  Much hay has been made over Mr. Boehner …

Van Hollen: Democrats hit by ‘Category 3 political hurricane’ on Election Day  —  The outgoing chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee acknowledged Sunday that his party was hit by a “Category 3 political hurricane” on Election Day.  —  Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) …

Barack Obama, Phone Home  —  AFTER his “shellacking,” President Obama had to do something.  But who had the bright idea of scheduling his visit to India for right after this election?  The Democrats' failure to create jobs was at the heart of the shellacking.

Estate Tax Issue Offers Quick Test for Congress  —  AFTER their election victory on Tuesday, Republican leaders in the House promised progress on many fronts, including a turn toward more fiscal discipline and less economic uncertainty.  —  They have a chance to start work on these goals almost immediately …

How The Founding Fathers Taxed The Country (and/or I Would Seriously Have Ben Franklin's Baby)  —  I've been too slow to post these last couple of days.  The Olberman fiasco is getting its dues, and I've nothing to add there.  DougJ and ABL have masterly handled the white bigot/self delusion-defeat theme, and so on.

Republicans won the midterm elections.  Now can they survive?  —  The United States has just witnessed its third straight rubber band election.  Once again, Americans had their patience stretched, fired a Washington run amok and now want their new leaders to snap back to attention.

U.N. Gives Obama a New ‘Shellacking’ — Over Human Rights!  —  The Obama administration got a new “shellacking” this morning, this one entirely voluntary.  In the name of improving America's image abroad, it sent three top officials from the State Department to Geneva's U.N. Human Rights Council …