Barack Obama dug in Tuesday on his demand that any bargain to avert the so-called fiscal cliff include an agreement to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans, warning that a deal would not be reached before the Jan. 1 deadline …
![157538080[1]](https://swampland.time.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2012/12/1575380801.jpg?w=480&h=320&crop=1 "157538080[1]")
A Response to David Frum, Who Seems to Like the Obama Stimulus Better Than He Thinks He Does
Frum’s double whack at The New New Deal raises legitimate questions about green industrial policy.
Politics
In 55 wide-ranging lists, TIME surveys the highs and lows, the good and the bad of the past 12 months
A Colorful Governor’s Race Takes Shape in Virginia
One of the premier elections of 2013 is taking shape in Virginia, where a conservative firebrand appears set to square off against an Establishment Democrat for the governorship.
In the ArenaIn the Arena
Things We REALLY Need to Start Talking About
Barack Obama’s victory–which becomes more pronounced every day, as the final votes are counted–has obviously opened the door to a negotiation over tax increases, in which the Republicans will have to make concessions. But there are other formerly taboo subjects that need to be discussed in Washington.
Washington’s Lemmings Head for the Fiscal Cliff
The incentives are lined up for the White House and Congress to miss their self-imposed Dec. 31 deadline.
Fiscal Cliff Fictions: Let’s All Agree to Pretend the GOP Isn’t Full of It
Mainstream media outlets don’t want to look partisan, so they ignore the BS hidden in plain sight.
In the ArenaIn the Arena
How to Negotiate
The Republicans are, reportedly, outraged by President Obama’s opening bid in the fiscal cliff talks. Republicans always seem to be outraged. It’s getting boring. They need to step up and make a counter-offer.
Washington Warily Eyes Egypt’s Constitutional Crisis
When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in Cairo last week, the main topic was then on-going Gaza crisis. However, she also took the opportunity to mention to Morsi that “it would be …
In the ArenaGovernment
The Obama Cabinet
I don’t have a dog in the Secretary of State hunt.* But I do have an idea about how to get both John Kerry and Susan Rice into the Cabinet.
Waste or Haste? Electronic Health Record Payments Under Scrutiny
A new critical report from the Inspector General of Health and Human Services shows just how difficult it is for the feds to move fast on spending programs and still look out for taxpayer dollars.
How Grover Norquist’s Anti-Tax Pledge Is Broken
Norquist’s proposition is so sweeping that it cannot last in its current form.
In the ArenaIn the Arena
Benghazi Baloney
Scott Shane has a fine piece of analysis today about the real issues involved in the Benghazi imbroglio–which is to say, the issues not being raised by the vindictive John McCain.