Democrats Paved the Way for Their Own Decline  —  They have subordinated their traditional focus on helping working-class Americans move up the economic ladder in favor of other priorities.  —  Much has been said about the long-term demographic challenges facing the Republican Party.

Mitch McConnell Rider Could Roll Back Campaign Finance Laws  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is trying to use a massive appropriations bill to loosen campaign finance rules.  —  The Republican leader's office is attempting to attach a policy rider to the omnibus bill …

Rolling Stone Never Gave the Villains of Its Gang Rape Story a Chance to Defend Themselves  —  When scholars of the Historical Jesus try to figure out whether certain stories or sayings reported in the Gospels are authentic—a complicated concept in this context, but never mind …

Ohio Sen. Portman rules out presidential bid  —  1 photo  —  CINCINNATI (AP) — Ohio Sen. Rob Portman says he will not run for president in 2016, choosing instead to seek a second term in the Senate over the Republican nomination for the White House.  —  The former White House budget chief …

County police chief says Rams apologized for ‘Hands up’ gesture; team's VP says otherwise  —  • By Jim Thomas jthomas@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8197  —  UPDATED at 9:36 p.m. Monday with comment from Rams vice president.  —  Rams vice president of football operations Kevin Demoff …

Hagel ouster highlights power shift  —  The forced resignation of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is exposing deep tensions between the Pentagon and President Obama's national security staff.  —  While administration aides characterized Hagel's departure as a mutual decision …

Harry Reid threatens recess, Christmas  —  Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid is using his final weeks as majority leader to threaten one of lawmakers' most valuable assets: Recess.  —  Facing down a daunting list of tasks, ranging from funding the government past Dec. 11 to approving …

Obama to provide funding for 50,000 police body cameras  —  President Obama on Monday will announce $263 million in funding for law enforcement agencies to purchase body-worn cameras and improve training.  —  The White House said the funding, which would need to be matched by state and local police …

Obama Dealt Major Setback in Closing Guantanamo  —  President Barack Obama's 5-year-old campaign to close the federal prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, suffered a major setback as lawmakers finalizing the annual defense policy bill rejected steps toward shuttering the facility.

The Ferguson Decision Was Not a “Miscarriage of Justice.”  Liberals Need to Accept That.  —  Susan Sontag once famously commented that one could have learned much more about the Soviet Union from 1950 to 1970 from reading the Readers' Digest than from reading The Nation.

Republican early voting increases before Louisiana's Dec. 6 runoff  —  The number of people who cast their ballots early in Louisiana dropped off from the Nov. 4 primary election to the Dec. 6 runoff election in every statewide category except one: registered Republican voters.

GOP Staffer Who Attacked Obama Girls Was Arrested During Her Own “Awful Teen Years”  —  Buster  —  The Republican congressional aide who castigated the Obama daughters for their lack of “class” and dressing as if they were angling for a “spot at a bar” was once arrested for larceny during her own …

As oil prices plunge, wide-ranging effects for consumers and the global economy  —  Tumbling oil prices are draining hundreds of billions of dollars from the coffers of oil-rich exporters and oil companies and injecting a much-needed boost for ailing economies in Europe and Japan …

The new GOP divide  —  2016 Republicans disagree on surveillance, gay marriage and Common Core.  —  Two years ago, Bobby Jindal was pushing a state law to adapt national curriculum standards to local schools; today, not only is the Louisiana governor suing the federal government to stop Common Core …

Bosnian community in St. Louis outraged over fatal hammer attack in Bevo Mill neighborhood  —  • By Joel Currier jcurrier@post-dispatch.com > 314-340-8256  —  UPDATED at 10:45 a.m. with arrest of third suspect in attack.  —  ST. LOUIS  • A third male suspect in a deadly hammer attack …

Republicans Float ‘Impeachment Lite’ Plan To Censure Obama  —  Impeachment has faded in Republican circles as an option to punish President Barack Obama over his sweeping executive actions to reshape immigration enforcement, ruled out even by hardliners like Rep. Steve King (R-IA) who are livid with the president and want to retaliate.