How the White House torpedoed Harry Reid's tax deal  —  The White House worked closely with liberal House Democrats last week to torpedo a tax deal that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-­Nev.) was negotiating with Republicans.  —  The unusual move to kill a Reid­-backed proposal …

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 …

Truth trumps hype in Ferguson  —  There are times when symbolic gestures pack a powerful punch.  Fifty-nine years ago yesterday, Rosa Parks refused to give her bus seat to a white passenger.  Parks' action became an important symbol for the Civil Rights movement and an inspiration to those fighting to end segregation in America.

U.S. Partisanship Shifts to GOP After Midterms  —  Story Highlights  —  PRINCETON, N.J. — Since the Republican Party's strong showing on Election Day last month, Americans' political allegiances have shifted toward the GOP.  Prior to the elections, 43% of Americans identified as Democrats …

Meet the likely next Defense Secretary  —  Washington (CNN) — Ashton Carter, the former second-in-command at the Pentagon appears to be the top choice to replace outgoing Secretary Chuck Hagel.  —  Barring any last minute complications, Ash Carter will be President Barack Obama's choice …

McConnell ‘Perplexed’ by Obama's Reaction to Midterm ‘Butt Kicking’  —  Video: McConnell on His Relationship With Obama  —  Sen. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) on Tuesday said President Barack Obama has lurched to the left since suffering a “butt-kicking” during November's midterm elections …

The Cycle of Republican Radicalization  —  Yesterday, the Washington Post reported on a Quinnipiac poll from a week ago showing a striking change in public opinion on immigration.  The question was whether undocumented immigrants should be deported or should be able to get on a path to citizenship.

A long list of sex acts just got banned in UK porn  —  Pornography produced in the UK was quietly censored today through an amendment to the 2003 Communications Act, and the measures appear to take aim at female pleasure.  —  The Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2014 requires that video-on-demand …

Soap Opera Producer Is Now an Ambassador and John McCain Isn't Happy … The Senate confirmed a producer of the soap opera “The Bold and The Beautiful” today to serve as ambassador to Hungary, and Sen. John McCain is not happy about it.  —  Prior to the vote, McCain, R-Ariz. …

Inhofe's Grand Climate Conspiracy Theory: It's All About Barbra Streisand  —  That's what the GOP senator who'll be taking control of the environment committee told me several years ago.  —  The recent news on the front page of the New York Times was stark.

Hooks ISD Board Member in trouble over racial Facebook post  —  It's a very un-Christmas like Facebook post.  —  An image of a Klu Klux Klan member standing with hands folded.  The words, “I'm dreaming of a white Christmas” emblazoned on the image.  —  What may be even more disturbing …

The Divorce Surge Is Over, but the Myth Lives On  —  Divorce rates increased in the 1970s and 1980s, but in the last 20 years they have dropped.  —  Years of marriage →  —  Replay  —  When Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin “consciously uncoupled” this year, ABC News …

Class Prejudice Resurgent  —  One of the features of all the Ferguson discussion over the past few months is how tinny the comparisons to the civil-rights era have sounded.  People have tried to link Ferguson to Selma and Jim Crow, but something is off.  —  That's, in part, because we've moved from simplicity to ambiguity.

Four Members of Congress Put Their Hands Up in Solidarity With Ferguson Protesters, None Voted to Limit Police Militarization  —  Michael Brown was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in August.  Protests over the shooting yielded a militarized response from police.