The Uncertainty Meme  —  Why does the economy continue to suck?  The LA Times is hosting a symposium on the topic today, and USC business professor Ayse Imrohoroglu says the answer is uncertainty: … OK, let's take these one by one:  — Interest rates will remain very low for a very long time.

Paul Krugman Recommends ‘Death Panels’ to Help Balance Budget  —  Although he was likely taking a swipe at former governor Sarah Palin with the reference, Paul Krugman on Sunday recommended “death panels” as a means of helping to balance the federal budget.  —  In a Roundtable discussion on ABC's …

‘Soul-searching’ Obama aides: Democrats' midterm election losses a wake-up call  —  After nearly two weeks of introspection, President Obama's top advisers have concluded that the “shellacking” Democrats took on Election Day was caused in large part by their own failure to live …

Tea Party irks new members with tactic to promote its event  —  A Tea Party tactic to pressure new lawmakers not to attend a privately sponsored orientation event in D.C. this weekend was unwarranted, according to frustrated incoming GOP House members.  —  Competing freshmen lawmaker orientation events …

BUSH: ‘CLINTON AND I ARE BUDDIES’  —  Despite their political differences, the Bush family has really taken to Bill Clinton.  (Clinton has worked with both the 41st and 43rd presidents on humanitarian efforts.)  —  And CNN's Candy Crowley, during her Sunday interview with George W. Bush and his brother …

Obama to Redouble Effort on Core Principles  —  From Tahman Bradley:  —  En route back to Washington after a 10-day trip overseas, President Obama was introspective about his first two years in office.  The president told reporters aboard Air Force One that he had an “obsessive focus” …

McCain Moves The Goal Posts Again On DADT, Now Claiming The Pentagon Study Isn't Good Enough  —  This week, Cindy McCain caused a stir when she seemingly broke with her husband, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), on the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT) policy when she appeared in an ad calling for repealing the ban on gays serving openly.

Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco  —  We here at TLC realize that our fabulous new hit series Sarah Palin's Alaska may not appeal to all our viewers.  We understand that a substantial segment of the population has no interest in watching Sarah Palin or taking a tour of Alaska.

TSA encounter at SAN  —  [These events took place roughly between 5:30 and 6:30 AM, November 13th in Terminal 2 of the San Diego International Airport.  I'm writing this approximately 2 1/2 hours after the events transpired, and they are correct to the best of my recollection.

Heath Shuler Says He'll Challenge Nancy Pelosi for Democratic Leader Post … North Carolina Rep. Heath Shuler said Sunday he would challenge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for the leadership of the Democratic minority in the next Congress although he acknowledged that he does not have the votes to win.

For energy chief, race is on to find fuel alternatives  —  It's a stunning fall morning in Washington, and Energy Secretary Steven Chu, clad in bike shorts and a snug Stanford University biking shirt, climbs onto his Colnago bicycle and rolls down his leafy street and onto the Capital Crescent Trail.

Daily Kos: The American Dream Is a Virus Like AIDS, and Rick Perry is Satan  —  How much do the bloggers of the Daily Kos hate conservatism and the limited-government ideas that informed America's founding?  They associate them with Satan...and with disease.