The GOP's bizarre attack on Susan Rice  —  SINCE THE Senate is solely responsible for the confirmation of Cabinet officers, it's not often that members of the House of Representatives jump into a debate about the nomination of a secretary of state — particularly before there has been a nomination.

GOP Senator: ‘I Care More About My Country Than I Do About A 20-Year-Old Tax Pledge’  —  Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) said that fixing the nation's debt problem may require breaking Grover Norquist's anti-tax pledge, telling a Georgia television station Wednesday that “I care more about my country than I do about a 20-year-old pledge.”

Who's Really to Blame for the Wal-Mart Strikes?  The American Consumer  —  The Wal-Mart workers threatening to walk off the job on Black Friday aren't just fighting their employer.  They're fighting a whole system.  —  Forget the stampeding shoppers, the half-priced waffle irons …

President Morsi in Egypt Seizes New Powers  —  CAIRO — With a constitutional assembly on the brink of collapse and protesters battling the police in the streets over the slow pace of change, President Mohamed Morsi issued a decree on Thursday granting himself broad powers above any court …

Jeb Bush in 2016?  Not Too Early for Chatter  —  CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Now that the Obama and Romney campaigns have closed their headquarters in Chicago and Boston, the attention of the political world is shifting to an office suite tucked behind the colonnades of the Biltmore Hotel complex here.

Letter: Employers using loopholes in ACA  —  When my better half told me that her boss was thinking about cutting all full-time employees to part time in order to avoid the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act insurance requirements (for full-time employees), my initial response was …

One-Party Control Opens States to Partisan Rush  —  CHICAGO — Come January, more than two-thirds of the states will be under single-party control, raising the prospect that bold partisan agendas — on both ends of the political spectrum — will flourish over the next couple of years.

The GOP Turnout Myth  —  To win future elections, Republicans will need more than better get-out-the-vote software.  —  To win the next presidential race, the GOP will have to understand what went wrong in 2012.  To do that, they've got to come to grips with what did, and did not, happen with turnout.

GOP Plan B on taxes: Protect business owners  —  It may be time to add another phrase to the fiscal cliff lexicon: carve-out.  —  Republicans in the Senate are brainstorming ways to shield small businesses from tax hikes should they be unable to persuade President Barack Obama to extend the Bush tax rate cuts for everyone.

Obama Thanksgiving address: Calls to unite behind WH, doesn't thank God  —  During his fourth Thanksgiving presidential address, President Barack Obama referenced the recent, long and bruising campaign season, urged the country to unite behind his administration and, for the fourth year running, neglected to offer verbal thanks to God.

Black Friday Live Blog: 400 picket, leaflet, mic check, and sing in Maryland (Updated 12:30 PM)  —  Check this space for updates throughout the day, and please send tips to jeidelson at gmail dot com.  —  12:30 PM: HANOVER and SEVERN, MD - 400-some activists, union members …

@Karoli: Weiner Truther?  And Other Questions of Remaining Interest … Two days ago, I called attention to an article by Karoli, a Crooks and Liars contributor, who wrote an article in defense of Neal Rauhauser and Brett Kimberlin.  I made this point:  —  Karoli's excuse-making amounts …