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.

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.

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” …

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.

The Senate Stands for Injustice  —  On one of the most shameful days in the modern history of the Senate, the Republican minority on Thursday prevented a vote to allow gay and lesbian soldiers to serve openly in the military of the United States.  They chose to filibuster a vital defense bill …

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 …

MAKING THE RANK-AND-FILE LOOK REASONABLE BY COMPARISON.... Jay Bookman notes a couple of interesting poll results this week, measuring Republican voters' attitudes on some key issues.  —  Gallup, for example, found that almost half of the country's GOP voters support repealing the existing “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” policy.

Labor Wars  —  It's hard to overstate the severity of the break in New York's labor movement over news that Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council, is teaming up with business and real etsate interests to form new committee that will back Governor-elect Andrew Cuomo's war with the public sector unions.

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.

Dismantling The safety Net, One Program At A Time  —  Peter Orszag really has it in for the social security program.  We already know that he's selling the ridiculous idea that if the Democrats agree to cut social security they will be rewarded for doing it.

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 …

The Great College Degree Scam  —  With the help of a small army of researchers and associates (most importantly, Chris Matgouranis, Jonathan Robe, and Chris Denhart) and starting with help from Douglas Himes of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Center for College Affordability and Productivity …

Daniels Backs Off Moratorium On Social Issue Legislation  —  Abortion, Same-Sex Marriage Expected To Be Raised Next Year  —  INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Mitch Daniels has backed down on his request for a moratorium on social issues in the upcoming legislative session.

Introducing “The Cannabis Closet”  —  Longtime Dishheads will remember that rather extraordinary reader email thread that had to do with secret middle-class, mainstream marijuana use - for medical and non-medical reasons.  The thread “The Cannabis Closet” began with one reader email in March 2009 …

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.”

Cornyn: Alaskans Deserve Full Representation  —  An Alaska state court judge is expected to make a ruling on the Senate race by Friday, but with an appeal to the state Supreme Court likely, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn said he hopes the court process concludes soon.

Companies Cling to Cash  —  Coffers Swell to 51-year high as Cautious Firms Put Off Investing in Growth  —  Corporate America's cash pile has hit its highest level in half a century.  —  Rather than pouring their money into building plants or hiring workers, nonfinancial companies in the U.S …

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 …

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.

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 …