Don't topple economy by rejecting tax deal, Obama tells the Dems  —  President Obama warned his fellow Democrats on Wednesday that they risk plunging the country into a double-dip recession if they reject his tax-cut deal with Republicans.  —  As the White House intensified pressure …

LEAKED EMAIL: Fox boss caught slanting news reporting  —  At the height of the health care reform debate last fall, Bill Sammon, Fox News' controversial Washington managing editor, sent a memo directing his network's journalists not to use the phrase “public option.”

Palin in Progress: What Does She Want?  —  For the longest time, Sarah Palin was leery of Facebook.  Some of the comments left on her page during the 2008 vice-presidential campaign were so withering and unpleasant that it took months of coaxing by her staff and her daughters Bristol and Willow …

Most Americans Say They're Worse Off Under Obama: Poll  —  More than 50 percent of Americans say they are worse off now than they were two years ago when President Barack Obama took office, and two-thirds believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, a Bloomberg National Poll shows.

December 2011  —  On the straight economics, the tax deal is worth doing.  But the history of the past two years drives home, if anyone doubted it, that economic policy must be considered from a political economy point of view; that you have to think ahead to how current policies affect …

Sarah Palin's Reading List: Political Star Insists She's Well-Informed  —  Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is the only person to make the Most Fascinating list three consecutive years in a row.  Palin tells Walters that she is seriously considering a run for the White House and believes she can beat President Obama in 2012.

Exclusive: Sarah Palin Under Cyber-Attack from Wikileaks Supporters in 'Operation Payback'*  —  The website and personal credit card information of former Gov. Sarah Palin were cyber-attacked today by Wikileaks supporters, the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate tells ABC News in an email.

The end of the settlement freeze gimmick is not the end of the world, or the possibility of peace  —  For many months now I have been in predicting that the US would probably be able to secure a three or four-month settlement freeze extension, allowing for the resumption of direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

House passes DREAM Act, but bill faces tough Senate vote Thursday  —  House lawmakers on Wednesday passed legislation allowing illegal immigrant students to remain permanently and legally in the United States.  —  The DREAM Act — a top priority of Democrats in both Congress and the White House …

The night Chris Matthews told the truth  —  I was watching Hardball tonight and came up with this when Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer said Republicans are for the “wealthy rich,” as opposed — I suppose — to the wealthy poor.  —  I hope you like it.  The transcript follows:

GOP gets queasy over earmark ban  —  After agreeing to kill earmarks, some of the most conservative GOP lawmakers are already starting to ask themselves: What have we done?  —  Indeed, many Republicans are now worried that the bridges in their districts won't be fixed …

Iran Placing Medium-Range Missiles in Venezuela; Can Reach the U.S.  —  Iran is planning to place medium-range missiles on Venezuelan soil, based on western information sources[1], according to an article in the German daily, Die Welt, of November 25, 2010.  According to the article …

Westboro Baptist Church says it will picket Elizabeth Edwards' funeral  —  (CNN) - Members of the Westboro Baptist Church announced Thursday plans to picket Saturday's funeral for Elizabeth Edwards in Raleigh, North Carolina.  —  The Kansas-based Church - monitored by anti-hate groups …

US Treasuries hit by biggest sell-off in two years  —  By Richard Milne in London and Michael Mackenzie in New York  —  US Treasuries suffered their biggest two-day sell-off since the collapse of Lehman Brothers, following a torrid month that has seen borrowing costs for western governments soar.

New York taxi advocate suggests drivers use race profiling  —  (Reuters) - The head of a New York taxi driver organization came under fire on Wednesday for suggesting that cab drivers should racially profile passengers before picking them up to help avoid getting attacked.

Rep. Weiner: Obama More ‘Negotiator-in-Chief’ Than ‘Leader of Our Country’  —  After his behind closed doors sparring match with Vice President Biden last night, Congressman Anthony Weiner still had some fight in him this morning on “GMA.”  —  “Unfortunately I think that President Obama sees …

No Deficit of Courage  —  IS it, in fact, 1994-95 all over again?  The atmospherics are certainly familiar.  We have a Democratic president who appears to be tacking to the center to work with Republicans after being battered in the midterms.  Jilted liberals, meanwhile …

The tax deal in one graph  —  From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:  —  Or maybe you prefer bar graphs?