Dems, It's Time to Dump Dixie  —  With Mary Landrieu's ignominious exit, the Democrats will have lost their last senator in the Deep South.  And that's a good thing.  They should write it off—because they don't need it.  —  I don't remember a much sadder sight in domestic politics …

Reporting on Rape  —  Last month, Rolling Stone ran an article about an alleged gang rape at a University of Virginia fraternity house, based on interviews with a student identified only as “Jackie.”  It now appears that key details of the story, reported by Sabrina Rubin Erdely, may not be true.

The Kochs eclipse the RNC  —  Meet the guys behind the right's best data shop.  —  The Koch brothers and their allies are pumping tens of millions of dollars into a data company that's developing detailed, state-of-the-art profiles of 250 million Americans, giving the brothers' political operation all the earmarks of a national party.

Massive downtown L.A. fire burns 3 towers; freeways begin to reopen  —  A massive fire in downtown Los Angeles early Monday engulfed an apartment tower under construction, damaged two other buildings and left freeways and roads closed.  —  The northbound 110 Freeway remained closed as of 5 a.m. …

G.O.P. Donors Seek to Narrow Field of Presidential Candidates to One  —  Dozens of the Republican Party's leading presidential donors and fund-raisers have begun privately discussing how to clear the field for a single establishment candidate to carry the party's banner in 2016 …

Racial politics in plain sight  —  America's racial tensions, hot after the painful non-indictments in Ferguson and New York, bubbled up on Capitol Hill last week.  The occasion was a House Judiciary hearing on President Obama's executive authority to limit deportations of illegal immigrants.

Will Jonathan Gruber topple Obamacare?  —  The health economist's controversial remarks could undo him and the law he worked so hard to create.  —  Why the hell did Jonathan Gruber say that?  And that?  And that?  And (sigh) the other thing?  Those are the questions on the minds …

Killer 'shot his newly-married stepdaughter so he could video himself having sex with her dead body - then buried her behind his shed'  — Gregory Graf recorded himself sexually abusing the body of Jessica Padgett, Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli said on Friday

Bush and C.I.A. Ex-Officials Rebut Torture Report  —  WASHINGTON — A long-awaited Senate report condemning torture by the Central Intelligence Agency has not even been made public yet, but former President George W. Bush's team has decided to link arms with former intelligence officials and challenge its conclusions.

Recovery at Last?  —  Last week we got an actually good employment report — arguably the first truly good report in a long time.  The U.S. economy added well over 300,000 jobs; wages, which have been stagnant for far too long, picked up a bit.  Other indicators, like the rate at which workers are quitting …

Crafting a sustainable New Republic  —  The writer is owner and publisher of the New Republic.  —  Last week, about a dozen members of the editorial staff of the New Republic walked out in protest over new leadership.  By their account, this was a clash of cultures : Silicon Valley versus tradition, and everyone must choose a side.

The College Rape Overcorrection  —  Sexual assault on campus is a serious problem.  But efforts to protect women from a putative epidemic of violence have led to misguided policies that infringe on the civil rights of men.  —  An Accusation  —  Drew Sterrett couldn't know that when his friend slipped …

AMERICA'S MILITARY: A force adrift  —  HOW THE NATION IS FAILING TODAY'S TROOPS AND VETERANS  —  A worsening morale crisis  —  AFTER 13 YEARS OF WAR, TROOPS FEEL BURNED OUT AND WITHOUT A SENSE OF MISSION.  MORE DOUBT THEIR LEADERS AND THEIR JOB SECURITY.

Don't Change the Filibuster Again  —  With each passing year since arriving in Washington in 1977, I have come to revere the Senate's distinctive character and its unique role in our system of self-government.  Having been a member of that body for 38 years, I am as much a Senate institutionalist as anyone.

Sarah Palin to return to Iowa for summit  —  Former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin will take part in the Iowa Freedom Summit in Des Moines on Jan. 24.  —  The inaugural event is being held by Citizens United and Congressman Steve King.  The summit will serve as a place …