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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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.

Citing ‘unfinished business,’ Rand Paul will announce re-election effort Tuesday  —  U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is making a major campaign announcement Tuesday.  —  Fresh off Thanksgiving break at his home in Bowling Green, Kentucky's junior senator will officially announce he is running in 2016 for a second term in the Senate.

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 …

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.

Republicans Back to Raising Taxes on the Poor  —  Because of immigration.  It all makes sense, kind of.  —  Shares … Conservative anger at President Obama's immigration-relief plan was bound to burble up in the form of some kind of demand for revenge.

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.

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 …

Will Texas Execute a Mentally Ill Man?  —  Scott Panetti is scheduled for execution in Texas on December 3, 2014.  His attorneys found out when they read it in the newspaper.  Although the execution date has been set two weeks earlier, the state provided his attorneys with no notice.

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 …

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 …