Republicans Balk at White House Plan to Avert Fiscal Crisis  —  WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner presented the House speaker, John A. Boehner, a detailed proposal on Thursday to avert the year-end fiscal crisis with $1.6 trillion in tax increases over 10 years …

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 …

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.

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 …

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.

Ted Cruz speech stokes 2016 speculation  —  Texas Sen.-elect Ted Cruz advised the Republican Party to rebrand itself under a banner of “Opportunity Conservatism” during a sweeping speech Thursday night that will only stoke speculation about a 2016 presidential run.

Inside the talks: Fiscal framework emerges  —  Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told “Morning Joe” on Tuesday that he could see $400 billion in entitlement cuts.  That's the floor, according to Democratic aides, and it could go higher in the final give and take.  The vast majority of the savings …

General Assembly Grants Palestine Upgraded Status in U.N.  —  UNITED NATIONS — More than 130 countries voted on Thursday to grant Palestine the upgraded status of nonmember observer state in the United Nations, a stinging defeat for Israel and the United States and a boost for President Mahmoud Abbas …

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.

Federal Judge Rules Nevada Can Ban Same-Sex Couples From Marriage  —  Ruling comes on eve of Supreme Court conference to decide whether it will hear any cases dealing with same-sex couples' marriage rights in the coming year.  —  Marriage equality advocates cheer during a rally in San Francisco, Feb. 7, 2012.

Steve King: Democrats Will Win Over Hispanics By Giving Them ‘A Great Big Check’  —  Since President Obama's re-election and Mitt Romney's poor performance among Hispanic voters, a number of prominent conservative lawmakers and commentators have come out in favor of immigration reform.

Huntsman: GOP should avoid social, ‘fringe’ issues  —  Former Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman said Friday that the Republican Party should stress its “libertarian roots” rather than “fringe” social issues as it evaluates its election losses.  —  “I think the deliberation …

Susan Rice's Enrichment Program  —  U.N. ambassador has investments in companies doing business with Iran, disclosure forms show  —  The portfolio of embattled United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice includes investments of hundreds of thousands of dollars in several energy companies known …

EGYPT DRAFT CONSTITUTION SPARKS MASS PROTEST  —  CAIRO (AP) — More than 100,000 protesters took the streets in Egypt vowing to stop a draft constitution that Islamist allies of President Mohammed Morsi approved early Friday in a rushed, all-night session without the participation of liberals and Christians.

Mitt Romney: I'm weak?  What about Newt Gingrich?  —  Mitt Romney on Monday laughed at Newt Gingrich's suggestion that he is a weak frontrunner who is failing to win over conservatives, saying of the former House speaker, “If I'm a weak frontrunner, what does that make Newt Gingrich?