memeorandum: Putin Signs Ban on U.S. Adoptions (Gregory L. White/Wall Street Journal)

1:40 PM ET, December 28, 2012

Top Items:

Jonathan Allen / Politico:

Why they want to go over the cliff — Washington's Democratic and Republican power brokers have sent the message to the nation that going over the fiscal cliff is a worst-case scenario. But they're not acting that way, not at all. — Instead, many of them have calculated that it's better …

Discussion: Washington Post, Salon, The Week, AMERICAblog, neo-neocon, Taegan Goddard's …, Business Insider, Politicker, Connecting.the.Dots and The Caucus

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

The logic of House GOP intransigence — The unruly House Republicans who emasculated Speaker John Boehner as the country flirts with fiscal havoc might've seemed like they were doing their best “Lord of the Flies” rendition. — But last week's mayhem had a certain logic — the logic of politicians wanting to keep their jobs.

Discussion: CNN, Wake up America, Booman Tribune, Washington Examiner, Guardian and Daily Kos

Steven T. Dennis / Roll Call:
Pessimism Abounds as White House Calls Cliff Meeting

Discussion: The Other McCain

Deirdre Walsh / CNN:
TRENDING: Hoyer compares GOP debt limit tactics to hostage taker threatening to shoot child

Discussion: Politico, Twitchy, Mediaite, Taylor Marsh, Sister Toldjah, The Reality-Based Community and Weasel Zippers

Chelsea Karnash / CBS Philly:

3 Officers Wounded After Suspect Opens Fire At Gloucester Township Police Station — CLEMENTON, NJ (CBS) — Police and rescue crews responded to the Gloucester County Municipal Building on Chews Landing Road this morning after shots were fired inside the Gloucester Township police station.

Discussion: Runnin' Scared, The Raw Story, Gawker and The Hinterland Gazette

WPVI-TV:

3 officers injured, gunman dead after NJ police station shooting — camden county, new jersey, shooting, police, local/state — Three officers were injured after gunfire erupted inside Gloucester Township police headquarters Friday morning. — Medics responded around 5:30 a.m. to the station …

Discussion: WFTS and ABCNEWS

Robert D. McFadden / New York Times:

Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, U.S. Commander in Gulf War, Dies at 78 — Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, who commanded the American-led forces that crushed Iraq in the 1991 Persian Gulf war and became the nation's most acclaimed military hero since the midcentury exploits of Generals Dwight D. Eisenhower …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, americanthinker.com, The Week, Twitchy and National Review

Matt Schudel / Washington Post:
Retired Gen. Schwarzkopf dies at 78

Discussion: neo-neocon, The Spectacle Blog, Gawker and Foreign Policy

Associated Press: Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, coalition forces leader during Persian Gulf War, dies

CNN:
‘Stormin’ Norman' Schwarzkopf, lauded Gulf War commander, dies

Discussion: LewRockwell.com Blog

bigstory.ap.org: AP SOURCE: RETIRED GEN. NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF DIES

Jennifer Steinhauer / New York Times:

Summoned Back to Work, Senators Chafe at Inaction — WASHINGTON — Senators bid hasty goodbyes to families, donned ties and pantsuits in lieu of sweat pants and Christmas sweaters and one by one returned to the Capitol on Thursday to begin the business of doing nothing in particular.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, ABCNEWS, Taegan Goddard's … and ABCNEWS

Gregory L. White / Wall Street Journal:

Putin Signs Ban on U.S. Adoptions — Children at an orphanage in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. A new law would ban Americans from adopting Russians. — MOSCOW—President Vladimir Putin signed a bill Friday banning U.S. citizens from adopting Russian children, raising tensions with Washington …

Discussion: Politico, Associated Press, LifeNews.com, Power Line and New York Times

CNN:
Russia's Putin signs anti-U.S. adoption bill

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation and The Gateway Pundit

Dallas Morning News:

Exclusive: David Dewhurst campaign says aide stole at least $600,000 — Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst (front), receiving an endorsement during his U.S. Senate campaign from former rival Craig James, had hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from his state political accounts by an aide, his campaign says.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Ballot Box, The Fix and Post Politics

Des Moines Register:

Mississippi's low levels could halt river traffic — A shutdown of commercial use could come by next week, a group says — The feared shutdown of commercial traffic on the Mississippi River due to low water levels could happen as early as next week, a waterways group said Thursday.

Discussion: The Reaction

Frank Newport / Gallup:

NRA Has 54% Favorable Image in U.S. — Republicans most positive about NRA; Democrats most negative — PRINCETON, NJ — Fifty-four percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of the National Rifle Association, while 38% have an unfavorable opinion. The public's ratings of the NRA …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Wake up America, Weasel Zippers, The Hill, Politico, Hot Air, Post Politics, Outside the Beltway and Jammie Wearing Fools

Niti Central:

Taliban wants Sharia in Pakistan, war with India — The Pakistani Taliban has made a conditional ceasefire offer to the Pakistan Government which calls for an end to Pakistan's participation in the Afghan war, the imposition of Sharia law in the country, and to avenge the embarrassing defeat …

Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Jihad Watch

Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:

Senate votes to block Hurricane Sandy relief for tax cheats, dead people — The Senate on Friday approved an amendment to a Hurricane Sandy disaster relief bill that would prohibit dead people and anyone with “serious delinquent tax debts” from receiving the funds.

Discussion: Post Politics

Jason Volentine / KASW-TV:

Sheriff Arpaio sending armed posse to protect schools — PHOENIX — Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said Thursday that he plans to deploy his armed volunteer posse to protect Valley schools from the kind of violence that happened in the Connecticut shooting tragedy.

Discussion: Mediaite and The National Memo

Matt Canham / Salt Lake Tribune:

Incoming Utah lawmaker open to limited gun control — Politics » Rep.-elect Chris Stewart calls arming educators “a bad idea,” skeptical on armed guards. — | The Salt Lake Tribune — Congressman-elect Chris Stewart is willing to support some limited gun-control measures …

Discussion: The Hill, AMERICAblog and Post Politics

Ted Mann / Wall Street Journal:

Next Stop for New York Subway: An App to Track Trains — NEW YORK—America's largest subway system launched a smartphone application that will reveal train-arrival times on seven of the city's 24 lines—a leap forward for a service that has lagged behind its peers both at home and abroad in adopting new technologies.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Metropolis and Mashable!

Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:

Senate Republicans refuse to confirm Kerry until Hillary testifies about Benghazi — Isn't this pushing a jinx? If Senate Republicans insist on having Hillary Clinton testify before allowing John Kerry's confirmation to proceed, aren't they risking a torn ACL or turf toe for the outgoing Secretary of State?

Discussion: Pirate's Cove

Ben Geman / The Hill:

Acting EPA chief among most likely to succeed Jackson — The looming departure of Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson is yielding quick speculation about who will replace her, and might touch off a brutal Senate confirmation fight to lead a department that has faced constant GOP criticism.

Discussion: The Raw Story