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Here's what's in Paul Ryan and Patty Murray's mini-budget deal — 1. The total deal is $85 billion. About $45 billion of that replaces sequestration cuts in 2014. About $20 billion replaces sequestration cuts in 2015. About $20 billion is deficit reduction atop sequestration.
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Budget deal a step backward: Opposing view — More spending and higher fees. — While imperfect, the sequester has proved to be an effective tool in reducing base discretionary spending. Nonetheless, conservatives have expressed a willingness to alter the budget caps established …
Jonathan Weisman / New York Times:
Capitol Leaders Agree to a Deal on the Budget — WASHINGTON — House and Senate budget negotiators reached agreement Tuesday on a budget deal that would raise military and domestic spending over the next two years, shifting the pain of across-the-board cuts to other programs over the coming decade …
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House, Senate negotiators reach budget deal
Discussion:
Post Politics, The Week, Booman Tribune, National Review and The PJ Tatler
The Hill:
Budget deal is sealed
Budget deal is sealed
Discussion:
Hot Air, Taegan Goddard's Wonk Wire, CNN, Daily Kos and Politico
Budget Committee:
Murray and Ryan Introduce Bipartisan Budget-Conference Agreement
Murray and Ryan Introduce Bipartisan Budget-Conference Agreement
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Betsy's Page, The Heritage Foundation and National Review
Ginger Gibson / Politico:
Close — It's a familiar tale: Negotiators strike a fiscal deal …
Close — It's a familiar tale: Negotiators strike a fiscal deal …
Discussion:
NationalJournal.com, USA Today and NPR
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Pope Francis, The Choice — With a focus on compassion, the leader of the Catholic Church has become a new voice of conscience. Managing Editor Nancy Gibbs explains why Francis is TIME's choice for Person of the Year 2013 — Once there was a boy so meek and modest, he was awarded a Most Humble badge.
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Pope Francis, The People's Pope — He took the name of a humble saint and then called for a church of healing. The first non-European pope in 1,200 years is poised to transform a place that measures change by the century — On the edge of Buenos Aires is a nothing little street called Pasaje C …
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Talking Points Memo, Hit & Run, Shakesville, National Review, Scared Monkeys, Althouse, Towleroad News #gay, NPR and FishbowlDC
Congressman Steve Stockman / stockman2014.com:
I'm running for Senate against liberal John Cornyn — You are in a foxhole fighting to save our constitutional Republic... ...and the last thing you need is a Republican bayonet in your back. — But that's what liberal John Cornyn has been doing to you every day. — And we have less than 90 days to stop him.
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Politico, The Daily Banter, Daily Kos, ABC News, Business Insider, Talking Points Memo, Religion Dispatches, Taylor Marsh, Capitol Report and ABC News
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Tea party threat again hangs over Republicans' efforts to take Senate
Discussion:
NewsBusters and Capitol Report
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
With Filibuster Threat Gone, Senate Confirms Two Presidential Nominees
With Filibuster Threat Gone, Senate Confirms Two Presidential Nominees
Discussion:
Liberaland, Talking Points Memo, Taking Note and Outside the Beltway
Daniel Strauss / Talking Points Memo:
Reid Aide Gives Cornyn Democratic Bear Hug
Reid Aide Gives Cornyn Democratic Bear Hug
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, Business Insider, Texas on the Potomac and The Daily Banter
Mark Murray / First Read:
NBC/WSJ poll: Obama ends year on low note — President Barak Obama attends Nelson Mandela's public memorial in Johannesburg, South Africa. — By Mark Murray, Senior Political Editor, NBC News — A year that began with President Barack Obama riding high after his re-election victory …
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, New York Times, Weasel Zippers, Eclectablog and Washington Free Beacon
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Neil King Jr / Wall Street Journal:
Poll: Health Law Hurts President Politically
Poll: Health Law Hurts President Politically
Discussion:
Washington Wire and National Review
Arlette Saenz / ABC News:
Cruz Says He Walked Out of Mandela Service When Raul Castro Spoke — Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, walked out of former South African President Nelson Mandela's memorial service Tuesday when Cuban President Raul Castro gave a speech, a spokeswoman for Cruz said. — “Sen. Cruz very much hopes …
Discussion:
CNN, Politico, The Hinterland Gazette and Talking Points Memo
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John Fritze / Baltimore Sun:
Cummings: Ted Cruz ‘got an earful’ from Dems on South Africa trip
Cummings: Ted Cruz ‘got an earful’ from Dems on South Africa trip
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and The Daily Caller
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Cantor's Pediatric Research Bill Has Democrats Fuming — While the House ties up some legislative loose ends this week before adjourning for the year, there is one suspension bill the public — and House Republicans — might be surprised to find many Democrats opposing …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
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Six year old suspended for ‘sexual harassment’ — CANON CITY, Colo. - — A six year old boy is suspended from school in Canon City for kissing a classmate on the cheek — His mother says it's a crush and the two children like each other. But the school is calling it something else; sexual harassment.
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The Daily Caller, BizPac Review, Gawker, Weasel Zippers, Fox News Insider, UrbanGrounds, Mediaite, KDVR.com and ABC News
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Oh, Bam! President's approval rating plummets to 38 per cent overall, just 34 per cent on health care and 40 per cent on Iran — Obama's support among young voters has disappeared, with 49 per cent now saying they disapprove of his job performance — Hispanics' historic preference …
Discussion:
Scared Monkeys
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NSA uses Google cookies to pinpoint targets for hacking — The National Security Agency is secretly piggybacking on the tools that enable Internet advertisers to track consumers, using “cookies” and location data to pinpoint targets for government hacking and to bolster surveillance.
Discussion:
Techdirt, Prairie Weather, Constitution Daily, emptywheel, The Verge, Mashable and Boing Boing, more at Mediagazer »
Pacilin / California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris:
Attorney General Kamala D. Harris Announces Arrest of Revenge Porn Website Operator — SAN FRANCISCO — Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today announced the arrest of the alleged owner and operator of a revenge porn website who facilitated the posting of more than 10,000 sexually explicit photos …
Discussion:
The Switch, Boing Boing, Mashable and Guardian
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Paper Application Missing From Healthcare.gov — The Obama administration began emphasizing the option of applying for insurance through the Obamacare Marketplace with a paper application ever since it became apparent that the online process at Healthcare.gov was riddled with problems.
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers and InsureBlog
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Since October, 1.2 million have gained Obamacare coverage — Just about 1.2 million people have gained health coverage through Obamacare, according to new federal data released Wednesday morning. — Approximately 365,000 of those people have purchased private insurance and 803,000 …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Daily Kos and Prairie Weather