All the President's Captors  —  THOSE desperate to decipher the baffling Obama presidency could do worse than consult an article titled “Understanding Stockholm Syndrome” in the online archive of The F.B.I. Law Enforcement Bulletin.  It explains that hostage takers are most successful …

Expressing gratitude  —  This is Israel's hour of need and nations across the world did not disappoint.  —  Talkbacks (9)  — Facebook  — Twitter  —  Over these last few painful, shocking days, there has been a shining light through the dark, ashfilled skies elicited by the rampant fires …

State Department To Columbia University Students: DO NOT Discuss WikiLeaks On Facebook, Twitter  —  WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? … Talking about WikiLeaks on Facebook or Twitter could endanger your job prospects, a State Department official warned students at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs this week.

Mounting State Debts Stoke Fears of a Looming Crisis  —  The State of Illinois is still paying off billions in bills that it got from schools and social service providers last year.  Arizona recently stopped paying for certain organ transplants for people in its Medicaid program.

What if the Secrets Stayed Secret?  —  I READ the Monday New York Times with what can only be described as a sinking feeling.  —  Here on display, based on yet another WikiLeaks release, was the breathtaking disclosure of American diplomats' highly sensitive internal communications about friends and enemies.

McConnell says deal likely over tax cuts and jobless benefits  —  Washington (CNN) - The top Republican in the U.S. Senate said Sunday that a deal is likely on extending Bush-era tax cuts for everyone, along with unemployment benefits that have expired.  —  However, Senate Minority Leader …

Dem: We could have let economy fall and been in majority for 40 years  —  Retiring Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.) said that Democrats wisely passed the 2008 financial rescue bill, but it cost them politically.  —  Addressing the economic collapse of 2008 and the subsequent passage …

It's the Big Questions That Slow Growth  —  UNCERTAINTY is frequently blamed for the sorry state of the economy — for why businesses are not investing strongly in new equipment or hiring more workers, and for why consumers are not spending freely.  On Wall Street, it's even said that government meddling …

What Else Would $60 Billion Buy?  —  $60 Billion: The approximate amount that extending the Bush tax cuts on income above $250,000 a year — which Congress seems on the verge of doing — will cost a year, in inflation-adjusted terms.  On average, the affluent households that benefit from these cuts will save $25,000 annually.

SREC Member: “I got into politics to put Christian conservatives into office.”  —  When emails first appeared calling for dumping current Speaker Joe Straus in favor of “Christian conservative” leadership, Straus' more visible opponents initially dismissed accusations of anti-Jewish/pro-Christian bias.

Once a goalie, Tim Pawlenty plays offense  —  ST. PAUL, Minn.—Tim Pawlenty waved a red pen in the air at the 2008 Republican state convention, saying he had just used his “friend” to veto a record-setting 34th bill in one legislative session.  —  “I have strapped on the political goalie equipment,” he declared to delegates.

Now it's all or nothing on tax cuts  —  Senate Republicans blocked two Democratic measures Saturday that would have eliminated the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy, forcing both parties back to the negotiating table if they want to avert a tax hike next year for all Americans.