Top Items:
Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
Swindle of the year — Barack Obama won the great tax-cut showdown of 2010 - and House Democrats don't have a clue that he did. In the deal struck this week, the president negotiated the biggest stimulus in American history, larger than his $814 billion 2009 stimulus package.
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Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Obama's Hostage Deal — I've spent the past couple of days trying to make my peace with the Obama-McConnell tax-cut deal. President Obama did, after all, extract more concessions than most of us expected. — Yet I remain deeply uneasy — not because I'm one of those “purists” …
Discussion:
Firedoglake, Lawyers, Guns & Money, TPMCafe, Questions and Observations, Dennis the Peasant, Prairie Weather, NPR and Daily Kos
Jackie Calmes / New York Times:
Obama Weighs Tax Overhaul in Bid to Address Debt — WASHINGTON — President Obama is considering whether to push early next year for an overhaul of the income tax code to lower rates and raise revenues in what would be his first major effort to begin addressing the long-term growth of the national debt.
Discussion:
Ezra Klein, The Politico, Power Line, The Hill, Law Blog, Bloomberg, International Liberty, Sky Dancing, JustOneMinute, TPMDC and Washington Post
Fox News:
Senate Tax Cut Package Filled With Sweeteners, Obama Predicts Passage — The sweeping tax cut bill introduced Thursday night by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is chock-full of sweeteners which could serve as a legislative pacifier for Democrats outraged over the concessions President Obama has handed to Republicans.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit
Washington Wire:
The Number: $858 Billion — The Obama-McConnell tax compromise will cost $858 billion over the next 10 years, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office. — In other words, the Republican-backed tax plan will cost more than the stimulus bill, which priced out at $787 billion.
Discussion:
Dennis the Peasant
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Reid unveils tax plan with green provisions to win liberal support
Reid unveils tax plan with green provisions to win liberal support
Discussion:
National Review
Scott Horsley / NPR:
Obama ‘Confident’ Congress Will Pass Tax Deal
Obama ‘Confident’ Congress Will Pass Tax Deal
Discussion:
Washington Wire, CNN, Guardian, Online NewsHour and Parker Spitzer
Glenn Thrush / The Politico:
Chuck Schumer vs. President Obama — It wasn't on the White House's official schedule, but on Nov. 22 Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) quietly slipped into the Oval Office on a self-appointed mission to steel Barack Obama for the tax cut fight. — Schumer, the newly anointed message guru …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, The New Republic, JustOneMinute, RedState, The Foundry and Daily Kos
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Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Snowe, Collins pledge support for New START
Snowe, Collins pledge support for New START
Discussion:
The Politico, The Note and Washington Monthly
Washington Post:
Senate delivers potentially fatal blow to 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal efforts
Senate delivers potentially fatal blow to 'don't ask, don't tell' repeal efforts
Discussion:
New York Times, AMERICAblog Gay, Law Blog, Wall Street Journal, PostPartisan and The Plum Line
Adam Serwer / American Prospect:
DADT Repeal Fails.
DADT Repeal Fails.
Discussion:
CBS News, The Huffington Post, The Confluence, AMERICAblog Gay and The Hill
Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:
Why Harry Reid decided to move foward with DADT vote
Why Harry Reid decided to move foward with DADT vote
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Roll Call, Ezra Klein, Federal Eye, The Politico, The White House, Mother Jones, Sky Dancing, The Other McCain, AMERICAblog Gay, TPMDC, The New Republic, A plain blog about politics, VetVoice, Close Read, Crooks and Liars, ThinkProgress, The Gavel, Washington Post, Hot Air, The Hill, msnbc.com, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Towleroad News #gay, The Moderate Voice and The Daily Dish
Byron York / Washington Examiner:
BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL — Obama honors Nobel winner with statement about himself — There was an extraordinary scene at the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo Friday morning. The prize went to imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, who was barred by the Chinese government from attending the ceremony.
Discussion:
Shot in the Dark, Commentary and JammieWearingFool
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Washington Post:
Liu Xiaobo, jailed in China, honored in absentia by Nobel committee
Liu Xiaobo, jailed in China, honored in absentia by Nobel committee
Discussion:
Online NewsHour, The Reaction and China Digital Times
New York Times:
At Peace Prize Ceremony, Winner's Chair Stays Empty
At Peace Prize Ceremony, Winner's Chair Stays Empty
Discussion:
Politics Daily, Patterico's Pontifications, Wonk Room and The Lede
Patrick O'Connor / Washington Wire:
Pelosi Attends Nobel Ceremony for Jailed Chinese Peace Price Winner
Anna Palmer / Roll Call:
Profanity, Anger Spill Over in House Democratic Caucus Meeting — The frustration with President Barack Obama over his tax cut compromise was palpable and even profane at Thursday's House Democratic Caucus meeting. — One unidentified lawmaker went so far as to mutter “f— the president” …
Discussion:
Michelle Malkin, Scared Monkeys, Outside the Beltway, Wonkette, Right Turn, Hot Air, iowahawk, Patterico's Pontifications, Weasel Zippers, The Reid Report, JustOneMinute, The Daily Caller, iOwnTheWorld.com, South Capitol Street, Mediaite, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Gateway Pundit, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Pajamas Media and Ace of Spades HQ
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Noel Sheppard / NewsBusters.org:
Fineman To Olbermann: Democrats Said of Tax Plan 'F the President …
Fineman To Olbermann: Democrats Said of Tax Plan 'F the President …
Discussion:
Big Government and Weasel Zippers
Bloomberg:
Americans in Poll Want Deficit Cut With Entitlements Secured — Americans want Congress to bring down a federal budget deficit that many believe is “dangerously out of control,” only under two conditions: minimize the pain and make the rich pay. — The public wants Congress to keep …
Discussion:
The Note, Capital Gains and Games blogs and Paul Krugman
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John McCormick / Bloomberg:
Democrats Beat Republicans in Poll With Opposition to Government Shutdown
Democrats Beat Republicans in Poll With Opposition to Government Shutdown
Discussion:
Taegan Goddard's …
ABCNEWS:
Assange Lawyers Prepare for U.S. Spying Indictment — Attorney Says American Indictment Related to Espionage Act Imminent for Wikileaks Founder — Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, the man behind the publication of more than a 250,000 classified U.S. diplomatic cables …
Discussion:
Foreign Policy, Clusterstock, Guardian, The Nation, News: News blog, Mediaite, Raw Story, Boing Boing and The Agonist
Sarah Palin / Wall Street Journal:
Why I Support the Ryan Roadmap — Let's not settle for the big-government status quo, which is what the president's deficit commission offers. — The publication of the findings of the president's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform was indeed, as the report was titled, “A Moment of Truth.”
Discussion:
CNN, Hot Air, James Pethokoukis, The Page, iOwnTheWorld.com, GOP 12, AmSpecBlog, Conservatives4Palin.com, The Gateway Pundit and Israpundit
Cubachi:
Richard Wolffe mocks Palin and C.S. Lewis as just “a children's author” — I don't know if I should expect any better from ignoramuses from MSNBC, but this is supposedly a “respectable news organization” with shallow and arrogant individuals who only live to ridicule and belittle without thinking.
Discussion:
Liberty Pundits Blog
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Victoria King / BBC:
Could Charles and Camilla have been better protected? — A small group of protesters surrounded the car and threw paint at it — The image of the Duchess of Cornwall open-mouthed in shock as her car came under attack has already come to define the tuition fees protests.
Discussion:
The Agonist
Wall Street Journal:
Big Patent Firm Sues Nine Tech Firms — Technology companies on Wednesday received troubling news that some had feared for years: Intellectual Ventures LLC has started suing. — The secretive firm co-founded by former Microsoft Corp. Chief Technology Officer Nathan Myhrvold has raised $5 billion …
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Yglesias and Felix Salmon
Matea Gold / Los Angeles Times:
Obama's tax-cut deal upsets many major donors — Some say they will withhold funds for the next election. Even if they come around before the campaign kicks into gear, the initial backlash could hurt early Democratic efforts to counter GOP-allied groups. — Reporting from Washington …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Taylor Marsh, Clusterstock and National Review
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Democrat: ‘Obamanomics’ like ‘Reaganomics’ — President Obama's economic plans seem too similar to President Reagan's, a Democratic critic of the president charged Friday. — Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) criticized Obama's plan to extend all tax rates for two years as following in the vein of …
Discussion:
The Politico and JammieWearingFool
Susan Crabtree / The Hill:
Dems show signs of abandoning Obama elsewhere after frustration with tax deal — Incensed over President Obama's tax compromise, House Democratic leaders are showing signs of abandoning the administration and going their own way on critical issues such as national security.
Discussion:
Hot Air
Tom Foreman / CNN:
Foreman: Could it happen here? — Washington (CNN) — In case you didn't notice, London is on fire. Rioters are setting blazes, hurling stones, beating up famous statues and some of them kicked Prince Charles' car. Which is a little like beating up a statue, but still...
Steve Green / Las Vegas Sun:
Drudge Report owner sued by Righthaven — Las Vegas copyright enforcement company Righthaven LLC on Wednesday filed its second copyright infringement lawsuit over Denver Post material, this time suing a big target: Drudge Report operator Matt Drudge. — The suit, filed in U.S. District Court …
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog and The Latest Word, more at Mediagazer »
Ed Barnes / Fox News:
Stuxnet Worm Still Out of Control at Iran's Nuclear Sites, Experts Say — Aug 21: The first fuel is loaded into the reactor building at the Russian-built Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran. — EXCLUSIVE: Iran's nuclear program is still in chaos despite its leaders' adamant claim …
Discussion:
Yglesias, YID With LID, Hot Air and Israel Matzav
Pam Spaulding / Pam's House Blend:
A New Year's wish for the community: Joe Solmonese's resignation — I'm sure you know that's been my position for some time, but in harmony with Autumn's post last night that summarized the complete Senate legislative fail yesterday, it's simply too easy to point the finger at just Harry Reid …
Discussion:
Towleroad News #gay
The Politico:
The dirtiest word in politics: Has Barack Obama been caught triangulating? — The naughty word is “triangulation,” and it does indeed sound like something that in some conservative locales might still be against the law, even if rarely prosecuted when practiced by consenting adults.
Discussion:
Politics Daily
Karen Tumulty / Washington Post:
Santorum: A 2012 long shot tests the water — GOFFSTOWN, N.H. - It was pushing 10 p.m., and Rick Santorum was sitting at the corner table in a near-empty Dunkin' Donuts. The garishly lit scene might have been lifted straight from the movie “Primary Colors.”
David Brooks / New York Times:
Obama's Very Good Week — Over the past week we've seen the big differences between cluster liberals and network liberals. Cluster liberals (like cluster conservatives) view politics as a battle between implacable opponents. As a result, they believe victory is achieved through maximum unity.
Discussion:
Sister Toldjah
Associated Press:
Cablevision, Netflix, others added to S&P 500 — NEW YORK (AP) — Standard & Poor's on Thursday announced several changes to three of its indices. — The changes to the S&P 500, S&P MidCap 400 and SmallCap 600 will take affect after the close of trading on Dec. 17, the company said.
Amy Merrick / Wall Street Journal:
States Get Their Way and Lose Rail Money — Gov.-elect Scott Walker in Wisconsin and Gov.-elect John Kasich in Ohio campaigned on pledges to stop passenger-rail projects in their states. On Thursday, they got their wish. — U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood rescinded nearly $1.2 billion …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Foundry and Albany Times Union
Kevin Gosztola's Open Salon Blog:
The Irony of Lieberman's Devotion to Prosecuting WikiLeaks — Senator Joe Lieberman's (I-CT) Official Federal Portrait by U.S. Government — I previously wrote about Senator Joseph Lieberman's (I-CT) appearance on Fox News on Tuesday, December 7th, where he suggested that New York Times …
Discussion:
The Agitator
Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Obama lights the National Christmas Tree, says ‘Merry Christmas’ three times — President Obama's words at lighting of National Christmas Tree, as provided by the White House — THE PRESIDENT: Merry Christmas, everybody! — AUDIENCE: Merry Christmas! — THE PRESIDENT: Happy holidays.
Discussion:
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