Top Items:
The Politico:
Now it's all or nothing on tax cuts — Democrats failed to break a Republican filibuster Saturday of two measures that would have ended Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, forcing both parties back to the negotiating table if they want to avert a tax hike next year for most Americans.
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Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Graham: GOP ‘made some pretty poor choices’ for Senate candidates this fall — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said that Republicans “made some pretty poor choices” in choosing their Senate candidates this fall. — Graham, in a Senate floor speech on Saturday, made an aside comment underscoring …
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys and Weasel Zippers
J. Taylor Rushing / The Hill:
Senate rejects million-dollar tax-cut compromise in Saturday session — United Senate Republicans joined a small handful of Democrats on Saturday to defeat a pair of proposals to extend some of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts signed into law by President George W. Bush.
Discussion:
Sky Dancing, Outside the Beltway and Booman Tribune
David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:
Senate Rejects Obama's Tax Plan, Setting Stage for Deal — WASHINGTON — The Senate on Saturday rejected President Obama's proposal to end the Bush-era tax breaks on income above $250,000 for couples and $200,000 for individuals, a triumph for Republicans who have long called for continuing the income tax cuts for everyone.
Discussion:
RedState
The Politico:
Now it's all or nothing on tax cuts — “It became apparent the second time we met that actually there weren't going to be any bipartisan negotiations to reach a decision until there had been a political catharsis on the Democratic side,” said Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), who was tapped for a bipartisan working group led by the administration.
Discussion:
Power Line and Outside the Beltway
Patricia Murphy / Politics Daily:
Senate Blocks Democrats on Middle Class Tax Cut; Obama Still Confident of Deal
Discussion:
ThinkProgress
Washington Post:
Hollywood myth-making on Valerie Plame controversy — WE'RE NOT in the habit of writing movie reviews. But the recently released film “Fair Game” - which covers a poisonous Washington controversy during the war in Iraq - deserves some editorial page comment, if only because of what its promoters are saying about it.
Discussion:
Wonk Room, Pajamas Media, Balloon Juice, TBogg, NO QUARTER and Grasping Reality …
Daily Mail:
Narnia fans' fury after Liam Neeson claims Aslan - the symbol of Christ - could also be Mohammed — The much-loved children's stories have an unapologetic Christian message. — C. S. Lewis was clear that the character of Aslan in his Chronicles of Narnia is based on Christ.
Discussion:
Big Hollywood, Jihad Watch and Right Wing News
Charles M. Blow / New York Times:
She Who Must Not Be Named — This is it. This is the last time I'm going to write the name Sarah Palin until she does something truly newsworthy, like declare herself a candidate for the presidency. Until then, I will no longer take part in the left's obsessive-compulsive fascination with her …
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
WHY COMPROMISE WITH THESE GUYS IS IMPOSSIBLE, PART MCCXVII.... I can only hope folks in the West Wing take a moment to consider what incoming House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told Slate's John Dickerson the other day. … Ryan went on to say Republicans sent some letters …
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
Michael Lerner / Washington Post:
Save Obama - by running against him — People who used to say, “Give President Obama more time” when the president was criticized for capitulating to the right, or who argued that Obama must have a plan to turn things around, are now largely depressed and angry.
Discussion:
Sky Dancing, Eunomia and Vox Popoli
Reuters:
Clinton charm falls flat with Iranian minister — (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton lost him at “hello.” — The Secretary of State had a rare chance to interact with Iran's foreign minister at a Bahrain security conference, where Clinton urged Tehran to engage with the international community …
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and The Hill
New York Times:
Cables Discuss Vast Hacking by a China That Fears the Web — As China ratcheted up the pressure on Google to censor its Internet searches last year, the American Embassy sent a secret cable to Washington detailing one reason top Chinese leaders had become so obsessed with the Internet search company: they were Googling themselves.
Discussion:
The Peking Duck, more at Techmeme »
J. Taylor Rushing / The Hill:
Reid on schedule: No Christmas work — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Saturday said Democrats plan to move forward next week on several votes including the DREAM act to establish U.S. citizenship for children of illegal immigrants. — Speaking midway through …
Discussion:
The Politico
Damian Carrington / Guardian:
WikiLeaks cables reveal how US manipulated climate accord — Embassy dispatches show America used spying, threats and promises of aid to get support for Copenhagen accord — WikiLeaks cables: Cancún climate talks doomed to fail, says EU president — Cancún climate change summit: Week one in pictures
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, LewRockwell.com Blog and Dot Earth
Shane D'Aprile / The Hill:
Dem congressman: Afghanistan conflict ‘not a winnable war’ — With President Obama on the ground in Afghanistan Friday, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) declared the U.S.-led war in that country unwinnable. — In an appearance on MSNBC's “Hardball” with Chris Matthews, the Democrat said the war …
Discussion:
theblogprof, Weasel Zippers and The Other McCain
The Huffington Post:
Obama Issues First Pardons Of His Presidency — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … WASHINGTON — President Obama, who had gone nearly 700 days without using his clemency power, finally issued nine pardons on Friday afternoon to a very minor rogue's gallery of small-time felons who long ago did their time, if they did any at all.
Shane D'Aprile / The Hill:
Obama signs stopgap measure to keep government running for another 15 days — President Obama signed a short-term stopgap measure into law Saturday that will keep the federal government operating through Dec. 18. — It was passed by the House Wednesday and cleared by the Senate Thursday night …
Discussion:
Politics Daily
Paul Krugman:
Class And Social Security — Digby sounds the warning: a fair number of “centrist” Democrats - probably including the Incredible Shrinking President — seem willing, even eager, to join up with Republicans in cutting Social Security benefits and raising the retirement age.
Discussion:
AMERICAblog News and Modeled Behavior
Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Was President Obama endangered by premature news reports of his arrival in Afghan warzone? — A growing flap — and concerns — over President Obama's personal safety and security in the Afghan war zone tonight, given that some American news outlets reported he was there nearly a half-hour before Air Force One actually landed.
Discussion:
JustOneMinute and New York Times
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