The Protester  —  Once upon a time, when major news events were chronicled strictly by professionals and printed on paper or transmitted through the air by the few for the masses, protesters were prime makers of history.  Back then, when citizen multitudes took to the streets without weapons …

Christine O'Donnell: I like Mitt Romney's flip  —  Talk about a backhanded compliment.  —  Christine O'Donnell, who has endorsed Mitt Romney, appeared on CNN Wednesday and inadvertently drew attention to one of the charges against the former Massachusetts governor from his critics - flip-flopping.

Newt Gingrich commits a capital crime  —  Newt Gingrich — the friend of his detractors, to whom he offers serial vindications — provided on Monday redundant evidence for the proposition that he is the least conservative candidate seeking the Republican presidential nomination: He faulted Mitt Romney for committing acts of capitalism.

Mickey Mouse, Adolf Hitler Allowed On Wis. Recall Petitions  —  GAB Rules Address, Date More Important Than Names  —  MADISON, Wis. — The signatures of Mickey Mouse and Adolf Hitler will be counted on recall petitions targeting Gov. Scott Walker as long as they are properly dated and include …

Boehner gets tough with Senate: Time to act on House payroll tax extension  —  Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Wednesday implored the Senate to act on the House-passed payroll-tax bill, making a bid to wrap up Congress's work for the year and head home for the holidays.

2.5 Million Young Adults Gain Health Insurance Due to the Affordable Care Act  —  This Issue Brief is available on the Internet at:  —  Printer Friendly version in PDF format (2 pages)  —  [Free PDF reader ]  —  How to Obtain a Printed Copy  —  Results released today [12/14/11] …

This slump won't end until 2031  —  Commentary: Our predicament parallels the Long Depression of 1870s  —  LONDON (MarketWatch) — In retrospect, it wasn't hard to see that the markets were becoming dangerously unstable.  Germany had just adopted a new monetary system, and Europe was being flooded with cheap German money.

Realtors: We Overcounted Home Sales for Five Years  —  Data on sales of previously owned U.S. homes from 2007 through October this year will be revised down next week because of double counting, indicating a much weaker housing market than previously thought.

Inside Wukan: the Chinese village that fought back  —  Something extraordinary has happened in the Chinese village of Wukan.  —  Thousands of Wukan's residents gathered for a second day in front of a triple-roofed pagoda that serves as the village hall  —  For the first time on record …

Holder's Voting Rights Speech Part II: Real Legislation To Fight Real Election Fraud  —  This post is the second in a three-part series on last night's voting rights speech by Attorney General Eric Holder.  Part I is here.  —  Republicans justify their vote suppressing “voter ID” …

A First Iowa Forecast: Race Is Still Wide Open  —  We're a few days away from releasing the official version of our polling-based forecasts for the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.  But the statistical work behind the model is done, so I can give you a preview of what the forecasts will look like.

My Tim Tebow Problem  —  I've got a Tim Tebow problem.  —  I want to root for the guy, but I'm afraid of what will happen if the hulky Denver Bronco quarterback continues to pull off what is fast becoming the Greatest Gridiron Story Ever Told.  Since taking over as starting quarterback earlier this season …

Ryan to Gingrich: ‘This Is Not the 1990s’  —  Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the influential Budget Committee chairman, has kept his distance from the GOP primary.  But after reading Newt Gingrich's latest comments about entitlement reform, he says the contenders must seriously address the debt crisis, not play political games.

U.S. Mint halts production of $1 coins — no one wants them  —  The U.S. government, its vaults stuffed with 1.4 billion one-dollar coins bearing the likenesses of dead presidents, has had enough of them.  It is going to curtail production.  —  “Nobody wants them,” Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday.

Immigration Crackdown Also Snares Americans  —  A growing number of United States citizens have been detained under Obama administration programs intended to detect illegal immigrants who are arrested by local police.  —  In a spate of recent cases across the country, American citizens …

Mueller unsatisfied with detainee legislation  —  FBI Director Robert Mueller said Wednesday said that he remains concerned that a defense bill containing provisions about military custody for terrorism suspects could interfere with the FBI's ability to investigate terrorist incidents and interrogate those believed responsible.

Democratic balanced budget amendment fails in Senate vote, 21 to 79  —  A balanced budget amendment sponsored by Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) has failed in the Senate by a vote of 21 to 79.  —  Just as the Senate started voting on the Democratic version of a balanced budget amendment Wednesday …

The (Real) Governator  —  Nope, not Ah-nold.  On January 1, 2011, Andrew Cuomo rolled into the perpetually dysfunctional city of Albany, New York, and did something truly shocking: He delivered on his campaign promises.  Here, in his first major interview since taking office …