Justice Scalia defends comparing laws against homosexuality, murder  —  U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia equated homosexuality and murder on Monday as he argued at a Princeton seminar that elected bodies should be allowed to regulate actions they see as immoral.

Two Cheers for Zero Dark Thirty's Torture Scenes  —  One scene features a bloodied, disoriented and humiliated man is strapped to a wall with his pants around his ankles.  A second scene depicts the same man having liquid forcibly poured down his throat; later, he's shoved into a box that could barely hold your stereo.

Government Shutdown Watch  —  I wanted to quickly follow up on that Mother of All Government Shutdowns on deck for February(ish).  As noted earlier, the President says he will not allow another round of debt limit hostage taking.  It's been ambiguous to me just what the President means by this.

First on CNN: Haley finalizes short list for DeMint seat  —  Washington (CNN) - South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has whittled down the list of people she is considering for Jim DeMint's soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat to five people, a Republican close to the governor told CNN on Tuesday.

White House drops support for major Medicaid cut  —  The Obama administration backed away Monday from roughly $100 billion in Medicaid savings it had proposed during deficit-reduction talks earlier this year.  —  The move comes as liberals have pressed the White House to take Medicaid off …

‘Dr. No’ of Senate says ‘yes’ to taxes  —  The Oklahoma senator and obstetrician known as “Dr. No” has taken on the most unlikely of roles: getting Republicans to say “yes” to tax hikes.  —  Tom Coburn, who has blocked dozens of bills, infuriated Democratic leaders and been on the lopsided end …

NO SHOTS FIRED: STATE DEPT BENGHAZI SECURITY FORCE UNARMED  —  A source with personal knowledge of the security situation in Benghazi told Breitbart News that Senators who listened to closed door testimony about the Benghazi attack were shocked to learn State Department security personnel agents were not immediately armed.

Only 7% of Detroit Public-School 8th Graders Proficient in Reading  —  (CNSNews.com) - In the public schools in Detroit, Mich., according to the U.S. Department of Education, only 7 percent of the eighth graders are grade-level proficient or better in reading.

Panel Recommends that Maine Prosecutor be Suspended … Assistant Hancock County District Attorney Mary Kellett is being recommended for suspension by a panel of the Maine Board of Bar Overseers.  Created by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, the board governs the conduct of lawyers.

In Talks, House Majority Weighs Loyalty to Voters  —  WASHINGTON — As their leaders inch toward agreeing to higher tax rates, dozens of House Republicans find themselves caught between the will of a larger American public that favors higher taxes on the rich and the wishes of constituents …

INFOGRAPHIC: We Could End Homelessness With The Money Americans Spend On Christmas Decorations  —  The latest annual report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development shows that the national homeless population held steady from 2011 to 2012, hardly good news but perhaps better …

University of Texas professor claims black students are failing because they are raised by poor single women  — Law professor Lino Graglia has previously accused black culture of ‘setting children up for failure’  —  A professor at the University of Texas has sparked outrage by claiming black …

Crafting a boom economy  —  Behind the Curtain: About this weekly feature  —  Behind the Curtain is a reported column, Web show and online conversation about the behind-the-scenes intrigue that shapes politics and policy.  It will unfold every Tuesday (and beyond, when news dictates).

A Resistance Movement Rises Against ObamaCare  —  This article appears in the December 24, 2012 issue of Forbes.  —  (Photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com)  —  ObamaCare may be the law, but a major resistance movement has already sprouted across the U.S. Though approval …

Morsi's Opponents Describe Abuse by President's Allies  —  CAIRO — Islamist supporters of President Mohamed Morsi captured, detained and beat dozens of his political opponents last week, holding them for hours with their hands bound on the pavement outside the presidential palace while pressuring …

N.J. Sen. Barbara Buono is first Democrat to challenge Christie for governor  —  TRENTON — State Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) has officially announced she is running for governor, making her the first Democrat to challenge Gov. Chris Christie.  —  “It's time for a leader in Trenton …

Treasury Earns $7.6 Billion From Sale of Last Shares in A.I.G.  —  The Treasury Department said on Tuesday that it has sold off its remaining stake in the American International Group, reaping about $7.6 billion from the sale.  —  The government sold the 234.2 million shares at $32.50 each …

California doubles down on solar power, as critics question cost, job results  —  Solar power facilities like this one in Riverside County, Calif., have raises concerns among some, who question whether the public is really benefiting from the investment.FOX NEWS

George Zimmerman case: Hearing today on GPS, evidence motions  —  Zimmerman, charged with murder in the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, wants to be let off GPS monitoring.  —  George Zimmerman, left, arrives at the Seminole County courthouse for a hearing, Tuesday, December 11, 2012.

Clinton cancels Mid East trip due to illness  —  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will not attend the Dec. 12 meeting of the Friends of Syria in Morocco due to a lingering stomach ailment.  —  Clinton was expected to make news at the event by formally recognizing the National Coalition …

THE VOICES MISSING FROM THE SAFETY NET DEBATE  —  Something there is about the Supplemental Security Income Program of the Social Security Administration that seems to drive putative liberals to embrace their inner DeMint.  Years ago, when Bill Clinton was in the White House and Newt Gingrich …

Republicans must wise up  —  The biggest problem the Republican Party faces is not uninspiring candidates or unsound tactics.  It is unpopular ideas.  —  This reality was brought home in last month's election.  It's playing out in the struggle over how to avoid the “fiscal cliff.”

Cayman Islands premier McKeeva Bush arrested  —  The premier of the Cayman Islands has been arrested as part of a corruption investigation, local police say.  —  The charges against McKeeva Bush, 57, include misuse of a government credit card and importing explosive materials.