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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Police investigating if Michael Brown's stepfather intended to incite riot  —  (CNN) — Authorities are formally investigating whether Michael Brown's stepfather intended to incite a riot last week when he urged a crowd in Ferguson, Missouri, to “Burn this bitch down” after the grand jury's decision …

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.

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 …

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. …

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 …

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.

Here's Why 9/11 Conspiracy Theories Still Thrive In America  —  WASHINGTON — It was a sunny and clear Tuesday morning in Knoxville, Tennessee.  Sitting in the kitchen of my girlfriend's apartment, I was eating a bowl of cereal — Honey Nut Cheerios, I still remember …

Glenn Beck loses bid to dismiss Saudi's libel suit  —  A federal judge has rejected a bid by conservative commentator Glenn Beck to toss out a libel lawsuit filed by a Saudi student Beck repeatedly accused of funding the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.  —  In a ruling Tuesday …