Top Items:
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Plans Major Social Security Cuts — We'll have a story coming shortly on what I just mentioned a short time ago: that Republicans are now planning to pass major cuts to Social Security this year. Specifically, this bill is being introduced by Rep. Sam Johnson, Chairman of the House Ways …
Discussion:
Suburban Guerrilla …
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Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Going for the Big Enchilada — Republicans apparently aren't going to be satisfied with phasing out Medicare. They're going to try to pass huge cuts to Social Security this year too. Not Bush-style partial phaseout but just big, big cuts. And you're out of luck even if you're a current beneficiary.
Joseph Lawler / Washington Examiner:
Key GOP lawmaker introduces Social Security reform plan — A Republican lawmaker introduced legislation Thursday to shore up Social Security's finances and boost benefits for low-income workers without raising taxes, a conservative version of reform that could gain attention under unified GOP government next year.
Discussion:
Johnson, Sam and Politicus USA
Tierney Sneed / Talking Points Memo:
Key House GOPer Introduces Bill With Major Cuts To Social Security — A key House Republican on the issue of Social Security introduced a bill Thursday that would impose major cuts to the program. The bill, the Social Security Reform Act of 2016, was introduced by Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX) …
Discussion:
Forbes and The Mahablog
Martin Matishak / Politico:
Obama orders ‘deep dive’ of election-related hacking — President Barack Obama has ordered a “deep dive” into the cyberattacks that plagued this year's election, the White House said Friday. — Obama has asked the intelligence community to deliver its final report before he leaves office.
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Fred Barnes / Weekly Standard:
Learn from His Mistakes — Shortly after his inauguration in 2009, President Obama invited Republican leaders in Congress to a White House meeting. The House members brought a proposal with ideas for stimulating the economy, then suffering through the Great Recession.
Discussion:
Betsy's Page and Sabato's Crystal Ball
Ellen Nakashima / Washington Post:
Obama orders review of Russian hacking during presidential campaign
Obama orders review of Russian hacking during presidential campaign
Discussion:
Politicus USA, Towleroad and Political Wire
Kathleen Hennessey / Associated Press:
Obama orders review of election-season hacking
Obama orders review of election-season hacking
Discussion:
The Atlantic and The Resurgent
Chris Strohm / Bloomberg:
Obama Orders Investigation Into Election-Related Hacking
Obama Orders Investigation Into Election-Related Hacking
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Politico, Talking Points Memo and Washington Free Beacon
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Expected to Pick Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers to Run Interior — If confirmed by the Senate, she would lead administration's efforts to open up federal lands and waters to fossil-fuel development — WASHINGTON—President-elect Donald Trump is expected to tap Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers …
Discussion:
Political Wire, Hot Air, Politico, RedState and Morning Consult
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Bloomberg:
Trump Team's Memo Hints at Broad Shake-Up of U.S. Energy Policy — Advisers seeking to identify staff involved in climate policy — Advisers to President-elect Donald Trump are developing plans to reshape Energy Department programs, help keep aging nuclear plants online and identify staff …
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Robby Soave / Hit & Run:
Leftist Students Shouted ‘F*ck You B*itch’ at the Gay Director of a Pro-Trans Movie, Boys Don't Cry — There was a time not so long ago when the people shouting “f**k you bitch” at a gender-fluid gay filmmaker would have been bigoted right-wing conservatives.
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News
Harper Neidig / The Hill:
Report: Trump wants as many as 5 generals in Cabinet — is considering tapping as many as five generals for his Cabinet, Politico reported Friday. — Trump has already selected three retired top military officers for his administration — Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn for national security adviser …
Discussion:
Business Insider, alan.com and Politico
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Edward Morrissey / The Fiscal Times:
Trump's Cabinet: A Conservative About Face Toward Growth and Change
Trump's Cabinet: A Conservative About Face Toward Growth and Change
Discussion:
New York Magazine, ewg.org and Vox
Ben Weyl / Politico:
Democrats cave and shutdown threat evaporates — They went right up to the brink, but Senate Democrats said on Friday night that they never intended to shut the federal government down over a dispute over coal miner benefits. — Though they took a hard line against a GOP proposal to fund …
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon, Washington Post, TheBlaze, Hot Air and The Resurgent
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Andrew Restuccia / Politico:
McConnell, Cramer met to discuss potential Senate run
McConnell, Cramer met to discuss potential Senate run
Discussion:
Say Anything, The Hill, Hot Air, Political Wire and Althouse
Harper Neidig / The Hill:
Giuliani won't serve in Trump administration — Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a longtime Donald Trump — ally, will not be serving in the president-elect's administration. — Giuliani has removed himself from consideration for any position in the new administration, the Trump transition team announced Friday.
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Daniel Halper / New York Post:
Rudy Giuliani won't be Trump's secretary of state
Rudy Giuliani won't be Trump's secretary of state
Discussion:
Independent Journal Review, RedState and alan.com
TMZ.com:
T.J. Miller — Arrested for Uber Fight Over Trump ... 'Tis the Season?? — “Silicon Valley” star T.J. Miller got arrested in Hollywood for allegedly making his Uber driver see stars, and not the good rating kind either. — Law enforcement sources tell us T.J.'s driver picked him up from the GQ Men …
Discussion:
The Guardian, LAist, East Bay Times, SFist and Washington Times
Steve M. / No More Mister Nice Blog:
COULD BREITBART BREAK WITH TRUMP? — The front page of Breitbart right now seems surprisingly critical of the Trump transition: — From that lead story: … Wow — the Trump News Network is linking a Trump appointee to the hated rootless cosmopolitan gun-grabber Mike Bloomberg. Them's fightin' words.
Discussion:
Salon, NBC News, The Hill and Booman Tribune
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Jonathan Oosting / Detroit News:
Michigan Supreme Court denies Stein's recount appeal — Lansing — The Michigan Supreme Court on Friday denied Green Party candidate Jill Stein's appeal to restart a partially completed presidential election recount, meaning President-elect Donald Trump's 10,704-vote victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton stands.
Discussion:
Hot Air, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Law News and Philly.com
Perry Stein / Washington Post:
None of the inauguration protests have their proper permits yet. Here's why. — Groups seeking to protest in the nation's capital the day of, and days around, the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump say they are being kept in limbo because officials have yet to issue permits for demonstrations.
Discussion:
DCist, Refinery29, Mediaite, TheBlaze, Jezebel, The Guardian, France 24 and New York Magazine
Matthew Yglesias / Vox:
Let's relocate a bunch of government agencies to the Midwest — Time to shift economic activity from the overcrowded coasts to places that need more of it. — America's post-industrial Midwest is far from being the country's poorest region. To find the direst economic conditions in the United States …
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money
Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:
Trump blasts early voting: ‘Many things can go wrong’ — Donald Trump on Friday expressed support for restricting voting rights. — Stumping for Louisiana Senate candidate John Kennedy, Trump urged supporters to help elect the Republican state treasurer to the U.S. Senate …
David Wright / CNN:
Conway on Trump ‘Apprentice’ role: He'll do it in his spare time — (CNN)Kellyanne Conway on Friday defended President-elect Donald Trump's decision to remain an executive producer on NBC's “Celebrity Apprentice” even as he takes office, arguing that “presidents have a right to do things in their spare time.”
Jim Geraghty / National Review:
Obama's Second Term Was a Complete Failure — There's no other way to describe it. — Every December, Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post picks the biggest political loser of the past year. — In 2013, Cillizza's selection was Barack Obama. He cited the botched rollout of Healthcare.gov …
Discussion:
Questions and Observations and CNN
Sarah Ellison / Vanity Fair:
Could a Last-Minute Suitor Woo Megyn Kelly Away from Fox News? — Despite an offer of more than $20 million from Fox, Kelly appears to be listening to some surprising suitors. — On Wednesday morning, Megyn Kelly was once again promoting her new memoir, Settle for More …
Discussion:
The Hill, USA Today, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, AOL, Mediaite, RedState, FTVLive and TVNewser, more at Mediagazer »
Mark Hosenball / Reuters:
Trump gets one presidential intelligence briefing a week: sources — President-elect Donald Trump is receiving an average of one presidential intelligence briefing a week, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter, far fewer than most of his recent predecessors.
Discussion:
RedState, Mediaite, USA Today, Common Dreams, Mother Jones, Hullabaloo, Jezebel, Political Wire and Talking Points Memo
Associated Press:
The Latest: CBS to Interview Trump During Army-Navy Game — The Latest on President-elect Donald Trump (all times EST): — CBS Sports says it will interview President-elect Donald Trump during Saturday's Army-Navy game in Baltimore. — Trump is attending the annual football game between the rival military academies.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
Aaron Rupar / ThinkProgress:
Carrier says it will spend millions automating Indiana plant, plans to lay off workers Trump ‘saved’ — The deal keeps getting worse. — As part of the deal President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence struck with Carrier, the company has promised to make a $16 million investment …