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Panel Weighs Deep Cuts in Tax Breaks and Spending — WASHINGTON — A draft proposal released Wednesday by the chairmen of President Obama's bipartisan commission on reducing the federal debt calls for deep cuts in domestic and military spending starting in 2012, and an overhaul of the tax code to raise revenue.
Discussion:
The Politico, Wall Street Journal, ABCNEWS, Firedoglake, Outside the Beltway, Politics Daily, Danger Room, The Hill, Bloomberg, The Confluence, Marginal Revolution, Pajamas Media, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/*, Suburban Guerrilla, ECHIDNE of the snakes, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, msnbc.com, Online NewsHour, EconLog, Calculated Risk, Gawker and New York Magazine
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Paul Krugman:
Unserious People — OK, let's say goodbye to the deficit commission. If you're sincerely worried about the US fiscal future — and there's good reason to be — you don't propose a plan that involves large cuts in income taxes. Even if those cuts are offset by supposed elimination of tax breaks elsewhere …
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Daily Kos, Swampland, Raw Story, The Politico and AMERICAblog News
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There is no report from the fiscal commission — Here is the most important fact about the proposal released by the co-chairmen of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform: It is not the commission's report. And here is the second most important fact to remember …
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U.S. Debt Proposal Would Cut Social Security, Medicare — The co-chairmen of President Barack Obama's debt-reduction commission will propose cuts to Social Security and Medicare, as well as reductions in income tax rates in exchange for curbing tax breaks, according to a Republican aide who attended the meeting.
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Fiscal Commission Co-Chairs Simpson And Bowles Release Eye-Popping Recommendations — The White House's fiscal commission's co-chairs, Erskine Bowles and former-Sen. Alan Simpson today released their draft recommendations on how to reduce the country's budget deficit.
Speaker Pelosi / The Gavel:
On the Proposal Released by Co-Chairs of the Fiscal Commission
On the Proposal Released by Co-Chairs of the Fiscal Commission
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The Politico, The Hill, Opinion L.A., NPR Topics and Flypaper
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Drop Everything: The Simpson-Bowles Breakthrough
Drop Everything: The Simpson-Bowles Breakthrough
Discussion:
msnbc.com
Evan McMorris-Santoro / TPMDC:
Poll: Voters Would Rather Tax The Wealthy Than Cut Social Security
Poll: Voters Would Rather Tax The Wealthy Than Cut Social Security
Discussion:
Firedoglake, The Huffington Post, Booman Tribune and Daily Kos
Lori Montgomery / Washington Post:
Deficit panel leaders propose curbs on Social Security, major cuts …
Deficit panel leaders propose curbs on Social Security, major cuts …
Discussion:
Swampland, Wall Street Journal, National Review and The Plum Line
The Huffington Post:
Fiscal Commission Chairs Gave Members Little To No Warning About Announcement
Fiscal Commission Chairs Gave Members Little To No Warning About Announcement
Discussion:
Wonk Room and Brilliant at Breakfast
Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
Drop Everything: The Simpson-Bowles Reax
Drop Everything: The Simpson-Bowles Reax
Discussion:
Grasping Reality …, The New Republic and Balloon Juice
Jeffrey M. Jones / Gallup:
Boehner's Image Improves, Reid's Does Not After Midterms — Four in 10 still unfamiliar with House Republican leader — PRINCETON, NJ — Americans' opinions of House Republican Leader John Boehner, who is in line to be the speaker of the House in the new Congress, improved after the midterm elections.
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John Boehner to fly commercial as speaker — House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Wednesday he intends to take commercial flights home when he moves up to speaker in the new Congress. — “Over the last 20 years, I have flown back and forth to my district on commercial aircraft …
Discussion:
The Hill, Fox News, Don Surber, CNN, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Note and Washington Post
Charles Babington / Associated Press:
AP-GfK Poll: Palin most polarizing of 2012 crowd
AP-GfK Poll: Palin most polarizing of 2012 crowd
Discussion:
Ballot Box and GOP 12
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
House Republican: Bush ‘destroyed GOP’ — Former President George W. Bush is no “class act,” a Republican lawmaker insisted Wednesday. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) said Bush had “destroyed” the GOP during his eight years in office in a blunt shot at the former Republican president …
Discussion:
Politics Daily, USA Today, Weasel Zippers and Raw Story
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Geoffrey Dickens / NewsBusters.org blogs:
George W. Bush Delivers a Basic Economics Lesson to Matt Lauer — In a follow-up interview to his prime time special with George W. Bush, NBC's Matt Lauer invited the former president on Wednesday's Today show and in the process got an education on how tax cuts can create jobs.
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit
Andy Barr / The Politico:
Bush camp attacks ‘ridiculous’ story
Bush camp attacks ‘ridiculous’ story
Discussion:
Indecision Forever, Hot Air, Gawker, Right Wing News, New York Magazine and Washington Wire
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More federal workers' pay tops $150,000 — The number of federal workers earning $150,000 or more a year has soared tenfold in the past five years and doubled since President Obama took office, a USA TODAY analysis finds. — The fast-growing pay of federal employees has captured the attention …
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Patricia Murphy / Politics Daily:
John Boehner Skipping Military Jets, Will Fly Commercial
John Boehner Skipping Military Jets, Will Fly Commercial
Discussion:
HotAirPundit
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‘The Onion’ Strikes Comic Gold With Biden Spoofs — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. has never smashed a Whac-A-Mole game in a drunken fit. He has never invoked Freedom of Information laws to find out a female federal employee's work schedule. And to the best of anyone's knowledge …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online and The Awl, more at Mediagazer »
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Write-in counting begins — Counting ballots in Juneau today. — There have been questions from the ballot observers about the criteria Division of Elections Director Gail Fenumiai is using to rule on the Miller campaign challenges of Murkowski ballots. — Here's what Fenumiai told me:
Discussion:
Weigel, Patterico's Pontifications, Associated Press, Hot Air and NPR Topics
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Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Miller: We Can Assume All Poor Spellers Support Me
Miller: We Can Assume All Poor Spellers Support Me
Discussion:
American Prospect, Associated Press, Salon, Wonkette, No More Mister Nice Blog and FrumForum
MIke Lillis / The Hill:
New GOP chief of staff calls Pelosi ‘garbage’ — A newly named GOP chief of staff called the outgoing Democratic majority — and in particular Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) — “garbage.” — Joyce Kaufman, the incoming chief of staff to Rep.-elect Allen West (R-Fla.), said …
Discussion:
Reuters, Guardian, Washington Post, Weasel Zippers, TPMDC, ThinkProgress, Florida Independent, Politics Daily and Page2Live.com
Jan Crawford / CBS News:
Bush: “The Wolves of Washington” and the Roberts/Miers/Alito Nominations — In his new book “Decision Points,” former President George W. Bush offers some fascinating tidbits about what could be his most lasting legacy: the nominations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.
Discussion:
New York Times, Wonk Room, Law Blog, Althouse and The Volokh Conspiracy
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Lee Fang / ThinkProgress:
Exclusive: Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito Dismisses His Profligate …
Exclusive: Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito Dismisses His Profligate …
Discussion:
Raw Story
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28-Year Democrat Rep. Ortiz Loses, But Keeps ‘Finding’ Ballots in Recount — What we're witnessing in the south Texas (TX-27 - Corpus Christi and Brownsville) Congressional recount that followed the race is a dramatic interpretation of the old Rocky and Bullwinkle magic act.
Discussion:
Gateway Pundit, Hot Air and Brownsville Herald
RELATED:
Paul J. Weber / Associated Press:
Texas Democratic Rep. Ortiz files for re-count
Texas Democratic Rep. Ortiz files for re-count
Discussion:
Ballot Box
Kennebec Journal:
DAVID B. OFFER: Collins optimistic that moderation is key to success by Congress — The votes were barely counted last week before national columnists and pundits began analyzing the impact of the Republican victories. Many predicted more gridlock. — “Moderate Republicans will be less likely …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Hill, The Fix, Taylor Marsh, Weasel Zippers, Collins Watch, Balloon Juice and FrumForum
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Eric Kleefeld / TPMDC:
GOP Sen. Collins: Palin ‘Likes Being A Celebrity Commentator’ Instead Of Governing
GOP Sen. Collins: Palin ‘Likes Being A Celebrity Commentator’ Instead Of Governing
Discussion:
Opinion L.A., Donkeylicious and Washington Post
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Mea Culpa: I Put Keith Olbermann on National TV — This YouTube video reminded me that I was the person who introduced Keith Olbermann to America. — Keith was a sportscaster at the local CBS affiliate in Los Angeles at the same time I was doing a talk show for that network.
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Other McCain, Mediaite and TVNewser
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Controversy over Palin's cookie comments at Pa. school — sarah palin, tea party, bucks county, pennsylvania, inside politics — Call it “Cookiegate”. Sarah Palin is baking up a little controversy in Pennsylvania. She was the guest speaker last night at a fundraiser at Plumstead Christian School in Plumstead Township.
Discussion:
theblogprof, The Politico and Daily Kos
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Gov. Christie says he's skeptical that global warming is caused by humans — TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie says he's skeptical that humans are responsible for global warming. — The governor, a new darling of the Republican Party, made the remark at a town hall meeting he hosted in Toms River Tuesday afternoon.
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Rick Santorum: No real tea party candidates in 2012 mix — Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum says none of the GOP presidential hopefuls can truly be called tea party candidates — but he and Gary Johnson come close. — “There isn't a single candidate running for president who can claim …
Discussion:
CNN, Taegan Goddard's … and GOP 12
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The Reign of Right-Wing Primetime … I'll name a hit TV show, and you guess if it's more popular among Republicans or Democrats. — First, NCIS — investigating military crimes on CBS. Safe bet conservatives love it, right? — How about ABC's Desperate Housewives — a racy soap, female audience.
Discussion:
Pirate's Cove, Gawker, Big Hollywood and Weigel
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Carlson sent fake ‘Olbermann’ emails to Philly columnist — Tucker Carlson boasted in July that his site, the Daily Caller, had bought the domain name for liberal MSNBC host Keith Olbermann. Carlson, a conservative journalist and pundit, even said he would start using the email address keith@keitholbermann.com as a gag.
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Dire Consequences of NIH Cuts — I'm pretty sure the new House majority will succeed in enacting pretty severe cuts to means-tested programs that benefit poor people. But any talk of sweeping budget cuts is going to keep running into stories like this one:
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Center for American Progress, National Review, Dennis the Peasant and The Other McCain
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LaHood Threatens to Take High Speed Rail Stimulus from OH, WI — My favorite cabinet secretary is the one who knows how to play hardball with Republican obstructionists, who knows the leverage he holds and is not afraid to use it. I guess that's because he's the only Republican in the cabinet*.
Discussion:
CNN, Dennis the Peasant and pandagon.net
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Video: Christie names names in fight against inflated education salaries — “The new poster boy for all that's wrong with the public-school system...” — As part of his efforts to reform public school systems in New Jersey and apply resources more directly to students …
Discussion:
NewsReal Blog and Balloon Juice
fda.gov:
Proposed Cigarette Product Warning Labels — Overview — The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) requires that cigarette packages and advertisements have larger and more visible graphic health warnings. — FDA issued a proposed rule …
Gschwarzcnn / CNN:
Government asks Supreme Court to keep 'don't ask, don't tell' for now — WASHINGTON (CNN) - The federal government on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to back an appellate panel's ruling that would allow the military to temporarily continue enforcing its “don't ask, don't tell” policy that bans openly gay and lesbian soldiers.
Discussion:
The Politico and The Note