NUCLEAR OPTION TRIGGERED: Dems Make Historic Change To Filibuster Rules  —  After years of threats and warnings, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and his Democratic majority on Thursday executed the “nuclear option” to eliminate the filibuster for executive branch and judicial nominees, except for the Supreme Court.

G.O.P. Maps Out Waves of Attacks Over Health Law  —  WASHINGTON — The memo distributed to House Republicans this week was concise and blunt, listing talking points and marching orders: “Because of Obamacare, I Lost My Insurance.”  “Obamacare Increases Health Care Costs.”

The race that broke the Cheney family  —  What happened when a gay sister came between Liz Cheney and a Senate seat.  —  Liz Cheney just wanted to enjoy her milkshake.  It was a Friday afternoon in early November, and the shadows were growing longer over the flat expanse of eastern Wyoming as a hard week dragged on.

Obama's Image Machine: Monopolistic Propaganda Funded by You  —  News organizations protest White House restrictions on independent photo coverage.  —  New York Times photographer Doug Mills strode into Jay Carney's office Oct. 29 with a pile of pictures taken exclusively …

Obama's Race for the Cure  —  The President's second term may hinge on how fast his health care reform can recover  —  A good President needs a big comfort zone.  He should be able to treat enemies as opportunities, appear authentic in joy and grief, stay cool under the hot lights.

Fox News Chastises People For Giving To The Homeless: 'You're An Enabler'  —  According to Fox News, this woman is likely a scammer, alcoholic, or addict who doesn't deserve your help.  —  CREDIT: AP  —  I don't throw around the term “hero” lightly, but it takes a special kind of person …

Blame Rich, Overeducated Elites as Our Society Frays  —  Complex human societies, including our own, are fragile.  They are held together by an invisible web of mutual trust and social cooperation.  This web can fray easily, resulting in a wave of political instability, internal conflict and, sometimes, outright social collapse.

GOP on ObamaCare: Let it self-destruct  —  Republican lawmakers who pushed the government shutdown to stop ObamaCare say their new plan is to sit back and watch the law self-destruct.  —  Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and other Tea Party allies of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) say the threat of a shutdown …

Swallow expected to resign today  —  Utah Attorney General John Swallow is expected to resign Thursday in the face of mounting investigations and a report expected from the lieutenant governor's office that could result in his ouster, according to multiple high-level sources familiar with the discussions.

CNN Poll: More than half back Iranian nuclear deal  —  Washington (CNN) - A majority of Americans support an interim deal with Iran that would ease some economic sanctions on that country in exchange for concessions on Iran's nuclear program, according to a new national poll.