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A ‘fiscal cliff’ deal is near: Here are the details — All at once, a “fiscal cliff” deal seems to be coming together. Speaker John Boehner's latest offer doesn't go quite far enough for the White House to agree, but it goes far enough that many think they can see the agreement taking shape.
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Obama makes new offer to narrow gap on cliff — President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner made significant progress Monday toward a fiscal cliff deal, as Obama's new offer on tax rates moved the two sides close to agreement. — But questions remained over whether Boehner …
Discussion:
Guardian and Weasel Zippers


President Delivers a New Offer on the Fiscal Crisis to Boehner — WASHINGTON — President Obama delivered Speaker John A. Boehner a new offer on Monday to resolve the pending fiscal crisis — and what may be close to a final deal, which would raise revenues by $1.2 trillion over the next decade …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Jared Bernstein, National Review, Wall Street Journal and Calculated Risk


Hill Democrats Warm To GOP-Backed Social Security Concession In Fiscal Cliff Talks — Amid news reports that President Obama is considering a proposal from House Speaker John Boehner to slow the growth of Social Security payments over time as part of a broader budget deal to avoid the fiscal cliff …
Discussion:
Daily Kos

Obama Makes Third Fiscal Cliff Offer
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway

Obama, Boehner move closer to ‘cliff’ deal
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Post Politics, Balloon Juice, Wonkblog, The Raw Story and Hullabaloo

Conservative groups slam reported Boehner concessions in talks
Discussion:
CNN, Politico and National Review


Daniel K. Inouye, U.S. senator, dies at 88 — Sen. Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, a highly decorated World War II combat veteran who used his status as one of the most powerful Democrats in Washington and the second-longest-serving senator in history to send billions of dollars to his home islands …
Discussion:
Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 2chambers, FIRST DRAFT, The Fix, U.S. News, Outside the Beltway, The Daily Caller and Rumproast
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Hawaii Sen. Daniel K. Inouye dies at 88 — Daniel K. Inouye, a Medal of Honor recipient from his service during World War II and, as Hawaii's senior Senator, the longest-serving member of that body, died Monday at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center from respiratory complications.
Discussion:
The Spectacle Blog

Statement on the Passing of Senator Daniel K. Inouye — United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye, World War II veteran, Medal of Honor recipient and Hawaii's senior Senator, passed away from respiratory complications at 5:01 p.m. Eastern Standard Time today at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Discussion:
Business Insider, Addicting Info, NBC4 Washington, The Atlantic Online and Weekly Standard

OVERNIGHT CAMPAIGN: Inouye's death leaves opening in Senate
Discussion:
Politico

Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye dies at age 88
Discussion:
The Huffington Post, Firedoglake, Alan Colmes'Alan Colmes', Post Politics, Gawker, The Daily Caller and Hot Air

Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye, 88, dies
Discussion:
AMERICAblog, Towleroad News #gay and Moe Lane


McArdle Wins Worst Newtown Reaction Award — In what can only be seen as a malicious plot by Newsweek's editors [Update: this is a long blog post, not a magazine piece] to ensure Megan McArdle's reputation does not outlive Newsweek, the Daily Beast has published a 4,000 word essay by its new hire …
Discussion:
TBogg and Lawyers, Guns & Money
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There's Little We Can Do to Prevent Another Massacre — The things that would work are impractical and unconstitutional. The things we can do won't work. … There just aren't good words to talk about Newtown. It is a crime that literally defies imagination—hell, it flings imagination down and dances upon its head.
Discussion:
Roger Ailes, Hot Air, The Frisky, Joanne Jacobs, Balloon Juice, Lexington Herald-Leader and The Moderate Voice

Joe Scarborough: Newtown Shooting Made ‘Ideologies Of My Past’ On Guns Irrelevant (VIDEO) — Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy … REACT: — FOLLOW: — Morning Joe, Morning Joe, Video, Joe Scarborough Gun Control, Joe Scarborough Gun Rights …
Discussion:
Bluestem Prairie, Addicting Info, NBC4 Washington, msnbc.com, The Raw Story and Eschaton
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Guns and the Decline of the Young Man — Adam Lanza was a young man. Jacob Roberts was a young man. James Holmes is a young man. Seung-Hui Cho was a young man. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were young men. — Something about life in the United States is conducive to young men planning …
Discussion:
ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES and Althouse


Six Extreme Policies That Prove The NRA Is Out Of Step With America
Discussion:
The Hill

Barbarians at the Gates of Sandy Hook — Popular culture has made murder, rape, mayhem, hatred, and violence “cool” — The recent massacre at an elementary school in Connecticut (the ironically named Sandy Hook - it's been a bad year for anything named Sandy) has, predictably …
Discussion:
Right Wing Watch, Gawker, Firedoglake, Hullabaloo, Mediaite, msnbc.com and Daily Kos, more at Mediagazer »
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Tea Party Group Blames Connecticut Shooting On Teachers, Unions, And Sex
Discussion:
Business Insider and Shakesville


Assault weapons in the cross hairs — Congress should re-enact the Federal Assault Weapons Ban and repeal a law protecting gun manufacturers from civil liability. — The National Law JournalSeptember 17, 2012 — Imagine a product that serves no purpose but to kill people and each year causes many deaths.
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars and Suburban Guerrilla
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Media myths on ‘assault weapons’ and ‘semiautomatic firearms’
Discussion:
Hit & Run, New York Times and The Atlantic Online


Michael Dukakis Will Not Be Interim Senator If Kerry Resigns — BOSTON (CBS) - Former Gov. Michael Dukakis says he will not be a candidate for appointment as interim senator should Sen. John Kerry resign to accept appointment as secretary of state. — In a brief State House interview …
Discussion:
“The Lid”, Hot Air, The Hill, Michelle Malkin and Taylor Marsh


North Alabama player tweets racist Obama comment after speech pre-empted NFL game, now gone from team — A North Alabama football player posted a racist tweet about President Barack Obama tonight in response to NBC pre-empting the 49ers-Patriots game on Sunday Night Football to show Obama's speech …
Discussion:
Wonkette, Eclectablog, Deadspin, Mashable! and The Raw Story
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I'm Gay: The 50 Most Powerful Coming Outs of 2012 — “The fact is, I'm gay.” Anderson Cooper's long-awaited announcement sums what it meant to come out in 2012. Again and again we heard the same sentiment — from pop singer Mika's equally anticipated confirmation, “If you ask me am I gay …
Discussion:
Firedoglake


County Police Chief Recommends Arming School Personnel — St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch — ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KMOX) - St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch says it is time to talk about arming civilian school personnel following Friday's massacre in Newtown, Connecticut …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, Nice Deb and UrbanGrounds