McConnell Outlines GOP's Wish List to Avoid Cliff  —  WASHINGTON—Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said he wanted changes to safety-net programs that focus on altering eligibility requirements, and suggested that if Democrats agreed both sides could move closer to a budget deal to avert the fiscal cliff.

Exclusive: The Internal Polls That Made Mitt Romney Think He'd Win  —  It's no secret that the Romney campaign believed it was headed for victory on Election Day.  A handful of outlets have reported that Team Romney's internal polling showed North Carolina, Florida, and Virginia moving safely …

No action on same-sex marriage  —  The Supreme Court, after taking most of the day to prepare new orders, took no action Friday on the ten same-sex marriage pleas now on the docket.  It did agree to rule on whether taking a human gene out of the body for research is a process that can be patented.

Noonan: The Drawn-Out Crisis—It's the Obama Way  —  The president seems to prefer frustration to good-faith negotiation.  —  The president's inviting Mitt Romney for lunch is a small thing but a brilliant move.  It makes Mr. Obama look big, gracious.  It implies the weakened …

Self-Awareness Matters  —  In politics, self-awareness matters.  It does.  When I was a political consultant, I told my clients my first two rules.  The first was to know when you were in the minority, even when you thought you were right.  The second was to know yourself as others see you.

Complaints Aside, Most Face Lower Tax Burden Than in the Reagan '80s  —  What Is Fair?:  —  BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Alan Hicks divides long days between the insurance business he started in the late 1970s and the barbecue restaurant he opened with his sons three years ago.

Down and Out With Ted Cruz and the GOP  —  As Republicans regroup from electoral disaster, some — including a rising star in the Senate — insist conservatism was not to blame.  —  Associated Press  —  Why did Republicans lose the 2012 election?  Ask Ted Cruz, the newly elected Republican senator from Texas.

For Secretary of State, G.O.P. Pushes Old Hand  —  WASHINGTON — As President Obama's potential nominee for secretary of state, Susan E. Rice, comes under increasing fire, Congressional Republicans appear to be coalescing around a familiar name as an alternative candidate …

Class Wars of 2012  —  On Election Day, The Boston Globe reported, Logan International Airport in Boston was running short of parking spaces.  Not for cars — for private jets.  Big donors were flooding into the city to attend Mitt Romney's victory party.  —  They were, it turned out, misinformed about political reality.

Pot legalization support hits record high, poll shows  —  Support for marijuana legalization has edged up recently and is now tied with the oppposition, according to a CBS poll released Friday — the first time since that survey started keeping track of the issue.

Congress looks at doing away with the $1 bill  —  Congressional auditors say doing away with dollar bills entirely ...more  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — American consumers have shown about as much appetite for the $1 coin as kids do their spinach.  They may not know what's best for them either.

Obama asks GOP to keep middle-class taxes low for Christmas  —  The president presses his case for raising taxes on the wealthiest.  —  HATFIELD, Pa. - President Obama cast himself in the role of Santa Claus during a visit to a toy factory Friday, suggesting that Republican lawmakers …

Costco's Dividend Tax Epiphany  —  Obama's fans in the 1% vote to beat Obama's tax increase.  —  When President Obama needed a business executive to come to his campaign defense, Jim Sinegal was there.  The Costco co-founder, director and former CEO even made a prime-time speech at the Democratic Party convention in Charlotte.

High stakes in Google outcome - Today: House votes on STEM bill - W.H. circulating draft executive cyber order - Addressing the labor shortage in STEM fields - Tech groups cheer ECPA decision  —  With help from Alex Byers, Eliza Krigman, Tony Romm and Steve Friess

New ethanol blend could damage vehicles and void warranties, AAA warns  —  The AAA says the Environmental Protection Agency and gasoline retailers should halt the sale of E15, a new ethanol blend that could damage millions of vehicles and void car warranties.

Pat Robertson challenges creationism  —  Washington (CNN) - Televangelist Pat Robertson challenged the idea that Earth is 6,000 years old this week, saying the man who many credit with conceiving the idea, former Archbishop of Ireland James Ussher, “wasn't inspired by the Lord when he said that it all took 6,000 years.”