Obama Wins Almost 50% Republicans on Tax Mandate in Poll  —  President Barack Obama won the public argument over taxes so decisively that almost half of Republicans now say he has an election mandate to raise rates on the rich.  —  Majorities of about 2-to-1 also read the election results …

Do We Really Have to Condemn the Union Protestor Who Punched Fox News Comedian Steven Crowder?  —  Good, serious progressives are supposed to condemn violence as a political tactic, because it's wrong and in many cases counterproductive.  But do we really need to condemn the union protestor …

The Political Advantages of Not Caring  —  Near the end of a column on the Michigan “right-to-work” coup, Jonathan Chait offers an important insight on why Republicans are willing and able to pull these sort of stunts: … It's kind of important to understand that this total hostility to the labor movement …

Lie of the Year: the Romney campaign's ad on Jeeps made in China  —  It was a lie told in the critical state of Ohio in the final days of a close campaign — that Jeep was moving its U.S. production to China.  It originated with a conservative blogger, who twisted an accurate news story into a falsehood.

Rick Snyder Didn't Want to Sign Right-to-Work Legislation Until He Signed It  —  The easiest way to explain the surprise of Gov. Rick Snyder's move on right-to-work?  A brief history of his right-to-work skepticism. … - The Detroit News, July 30, 2009 … - Battle Creek Enquirer, June 9, 2010

For immediate release  —  Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in October suggests that economic activity and employment have continued to expand at a moderate pace in recent months, apart from weather-related disruptions.  Although the unemployment rate …

Scientists May Have Finally Unlocked Puzzle of Why People Are Gay  —  Lesbians get it from fathers, gay men from mothers?  —  Scientists may have finally solved the puzzle of what makes a person gay, and how it is passed from parents to their children.  —  A group of scientists suggested Tuesday …

NORAD acknowledges missile launch  —  PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - North American Aerospace Defense Command officials acknowledged today that U.S. missile warning systems detected and tracked the launch of a North Korean missile at 7:49 p.m. EST. The missile was tracked on a southerly azimuth.

Union Thugs Demolish Clint Tarver's Iconic Lansing,Michigan Hot Dog Cart [Photo-Donation Link] Update: Thugs Yelled “N*gger Uncle Tom” Update 2: Revenge For Americans For Prosperity Catering Gig (?) Update 3: A Romney Supporter, All We Need To Know  —  I support Clint: … Beyond the Cart: The Story of Clint Tarver:

Time and Punishment: Mandatory Sentences Face Growing Skepticism  —  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Stephanie George and Judge Roger Vinson had quite different opinions about the lockbox seized by the police from her home in Pensacola.  She insisted she had no idea that a former boyfriend had hidden it in her attic.

Rep. Jim Moran's Son Guilty of Beating Up His Girlfriend in Columbia Heights  —  Patrick Moran, the son of Democratic Virginia Rep. Jim Moran, is having a bad year.  First, undercover video operative James O'Keefe caught him on tape half-heartedly discussing how to commit voter fraud …

Republican Leadership Denies Asking For Permanent Extension Of Lower Tax Rates For Rich  —  “That's deliberately misleading White House spin,” says Buck.  —  Image by Carolyn Kaster, File / AP  —  WASHINGTON — A spokesman for Speaker of the House John Boehner is denying a reported White House claim …

Jimmy Carter: 'I think it's OK' to legalize marijuana  —  Former President Jimmy Carter said that he favored legalizing marijuana during a panel discussion broadcast on CNN Tuesday.  —  “I'm in favor of it.  I think it's OK,” Carter said at the forum, which was taped Friday.

The Hispanic Challenge and Opportunity for Republicans  —  Resurgent Republic and the Hispanic Leadership Network jointly surveyed Hispanics who voted in the 2012 Presidential election in four critical states: Florida, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico.  The results make clear the size …

The Cliff Hangs on the Fed: Why Ben Bernanke Controls the Economy's Fate  —  The liberal nightmare about the fiscal cliff is overwrought, since the Fed has the power to avert disaster.  If Bernanke acts properly, Congress could cut spending deeply without risking a recession.  —  Reuters

Eric Holder: Time To Consider National Voting Standards  —  Attorney General Eric Holder said during a speech on Tuesday night at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library that it's time to consider setting national standards for how elections should be handled.

McConnell: Only thing left on the negotiating table ‘is the varnish’  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said President Obama has taken so much off the table in deficit negotiations that the “only thing left is the varnish.”  —  “The president and his allies have taken …