Let's Not Make a Deal  —  Back in 2001, former President George W. Bush pulled a fast one.  He wanted to enact an irresponsible tax cut, largely for the benefit of the wealthiest Americans.  But there were Senate rules in place designed to prevent that kind of irresponsibility.

Mike Huckabee wants some respect  —  Dial down the deafening Sarah Palin buzz for just a moment: The most consequential decision in the 2012 Republican presidential sweepstakes could be whether Mike Huckabee decides to run again - and associates say the former Arkansas governor may well take the plunge.

List of facilities ‘vital to US security’ leaked  —  Ningbo port in south-eastern China, one of the facilities on the US list  —  A long list of key facilities around the world that the US describes as vital to its national security has been released by Wikileaks.

Dems aim for 100+ bills in 1 swoop  —  Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Environment and Public Worls Committee has threatened to block swift approval of a land and water omnibus bill if it includes, for example, the version of the Chesapeake Bay protection bill that passed …

Saudi women's veil versus modernity  —  Husband has not seen wife's face despite 10 years of marriage  —  After nearly 10 years of marriage that produced five children, Mufleh Mohammed of Saudi Arabia still has not seen his wife's face.  —  Mohammed Hilal, another Saudi husband …

In Interview, Bernanke Backs Tax Code Shift  —  WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, said in an interview broadcast on Sunday evening that rising inequality was eroding social cohesion and that Congress could help economic growth by making the tax code more efficient.

The Fed Has a $110 Billion Problem with New Benjamins  —  A significant production problem with new high-tech $100 bills has caused government printers to shut down production of the new notes and to quarantine more than one billion of the bills in huge vaults in Fort Worth, Texas and Washington, DC, CNBC has learned.

Short goodnight expected for the DREAM Act during lame duck  —  The DREAM Act — a priority of Democrats in both Congress and the White House — faces a difficult future in the lame duck.  —  Even as Democrats in both chambers prepare to consider the measure this week …

Exclusive: Gen. Petraeus Not ‘Sure’ Victory in Afghanistan by 2014  —  In my exclusive interview with General David Petraeus he was encouraged by the progress made since President Obama's surge of forces into Afghanistan, but is he confident that the Afghan army can take the lead from U.S. forces by NATO's 2014 deadline?

David Frum, Speech Policeman  —  Last week, the distinguished liberal thinker and activist William Galston, along with an equally distinguished conservative counterpart, David Frum, announced in the Washington Post the forthcoming founding of a new organization called “No Labels.”

Noah's Ark, the Theme Park  —  Facing a rising tide of joblessness, the governor of Kentucky has found one solution: build an ark.  —  The state has promised generous tax incentives to a group of entrepreneurs who plan to construct a full-size replica of Noah's ark, load it with animals and actors …

Despite losses, DCCC promotes staffer to top job  —  Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.) promoted an internal candidate to be the new executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.  —  Israel, the new DCCC chairman, announced Monday that Robby Mook would be the committee's next top staffer.

Unusual methods helped ICE break deportation record, e-mails and interviews show  —  For much of this year, the Obama administration touted its tougher-than-ever approach to immigration enforcement, culminating in a record number of deportations.  —  But in reaching 392,862 deportations …

Talks begin on Iran's nuclear program  —  Western officials see the Geneva meetings as a test of whether Iran is more willing to bend to international pressure.  —  Jacques Audibert, general and strategic affairs director of France, third from left, talks to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov …