GOP should take on Palin  —  Republicans have a problem.  The most-talked-about figure in the GOP is a reality show star who cannot be elected.  And yet the same leaders who fret that Sarah Palin could devastate their party in 2012 are too scared to say in public what they all complain about in private.

Mullen Endorses Working Group's Report  —  The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today fully endorsed the report of the working group that assessed the impact of a possible repeal of the law that bans gay men and women from serving openly in the military. ...

Where we and Democrats can work together  —  When congressional leaders of both parties meet at the White House today, all of us will have an opportunity to show the American people that we got the message of the elections earlier this month.  —  Republicans heard the voters loud and clear.

Hot mic picks up discussion on Senate floor: 'It's all rigged'  —  A hot mic left on during a Senate vote Tuesday morning on the Food Safety Act caught a senator complaining that process of setting the agenda during the lame-duck session is “rigged.”  —  “It's all rigged.

Boehner and Cantor to Smithsonian: Pull Exhibit Featuring Ant-Covered Jesus or Else  —  (CNSNews.com) — House Speaker-to-be John Boehner (R-Ohio) is telling the Smithsonian Institution to pull an exhibit that features images of an ant-covered Christ or else face tough scrutiny …

In slideshow, Rep. Joe Barton declares war on the Obama administration  —  If the Obama administration was hoping to see hints of bipartisanship from the Hill, it might want to skip over the House Energy and Commerce Committee.  —  The committee's ranking Republican, Rep. Joe L. Barton …

Senate votes down ban on earmarks  —  The Senate on Tuesday morning defeated a proposal from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) to ban congressional earmarks.  —  In a 39-56 vote, members defeated a temporary ban on the appropriations procedure.  The moratorium was offered as an amendment …

OFA Asks Supporters to Write a “Letter to the Editor” Praising Federal Worker Pay Freeze  —  We've officially gone around the bend.  —  OFA, the organizing arm of the DNC, originally began its life as an organization trying to get someone elected on the platform of hope, change, and progressive policies.

Tea Party Nation President Says It ‘Makes A Lot Of Sense’ To Restrict Voting Only To Property Owners  —  Every week, the Tea Party Nation hosts a weekly radio program, calling itself a “home for conservatives.”  Two weeks ago, Tea Party Nation President Judson Phillips hosted the program …

Fiscal commission to vote Friday on final report  —  President Obama's fiscal commission will vote Friday on recommendations to slash the U.S. deficits and debt.  —  The co-chairmen of the group Obama established earlier this year to examine the U.S. fiscal situation promised to come …

Where Anonymity Breeds Contempt  —  THERE you are, peacefully reading an article or watching a video on the Internet.  You finish, find it thought-provoking, and scroll down to the comments section to see what other people thought.  And there, lurking among dozens of well-intentioned opinions, is a troll.

Family: New Jersey man serving 7 years for guns he owned legally  —  EVERYTHING Brian Aitken was or had worked for was wiped away one winter afternoon after his mother called the police on him.  —  Separated from his wife, the entrepreneur and media consultant, now 27 …

Republican Calls Obama ‘Very, Very Urban’ On House Floor (VIDEO)  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … Rep. Steve King, a Republican from Iowa, referred to President Obama as “very, very urban,” while charging that as a senator he gave special favor to African American farmers who were victims of government discrimination.

Items Stolen John Conyers' Government-Registered Cadillac  —  Vehicle driven by Congressman's 20-year-old son  —  DETROIT (WJBK) - The son of Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., says items were stolen out of the government vehicle he was driving last Wednesday in downtown Detroit, FOX 2's Simon Shaykhet reports.

Celebrating Secession Without the Slaves  —  ATLANTA — The Civil War, the most wrenching and bloody episode in American history, may not seem like much of a cause for celebration, especially in the South.  —  And yet, as the 150th anniversary of the four-year conflict gets under way …

Senate to vote on jobless benefits bill  —  Senate Democratic leaders will try to push through a one-year extension of federal unemployment benefits sometime Tuesday, although they are still expected to lapse at the end of the day, sources told The Hill.  —  Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus …

THE GOP PRIMARIES OF 12 WILL BE HELD ON FOX NEWS  —  The Republican nominating process of 2012 will be totally different from that of other years.  In fact, it will be the opposite of what we are used to.  —  Since the procedural reforms initiated by Democrat George McGovern …

Suspect in sex assault case won pardon in 2008  —  Cleared by a panel that included Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Jeremy Giefer is now accused of assaulting a second girl hundreds of times before and after he received his pardon.  —  Two years ago, Gov. Tim Pawlenty and two other officials pardoned Jeremy Giefer …

Senate Passes Overhaul of Food Safety Regulations  —  WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday passed a sweeping overhaul of the nation's food-safety system, after recalls of tainted eggs, peanut butter and spinach sickened thousands and led major food makers to join consumer advocates in demanding stronger government oversight.