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Susan Rice Withdraws Own Name from Consideration for Secretary of State

(Washington Post) United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice has pulled her name out of consideration for nomination as the next secretary of state.

“If nominated, I am now convinced that the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly – to you and to our most pressing national and international priorities,” Rice wrote in a letter to President Obama obtained by NBC News. “That trade-off is simply not worth it to our country…Therefore, I respectfully request that you no longer consider my candidacy at this time.”

Coyotl

Right-to-Work Flaw: Governor, Republican legislators had not reviewed law

(Michigan Senate Dems) Lansing – Less than 24 hours after Governor Snyder signed his damaging “Right to Work” legislation into law, analysis shows that the flawed legislation may not even have the result the Governor claimed it would, raising serious questions about whether the Republican leadership even read the language of the bills before voting it through and signing it into law.

n2doc

Thursday TOON Roundup - Divisions within the GOP

Report1212

Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley: ‘We Should Be Lowering’ The Medicare ‘Age, Not Raising It’

(Bold Progressives) “We should be lowering the age, not raising it,” Merkley said. Speaking of the president, Merkley added: “I hope he hears long and loud from us who are connected to the real lives of working people.”

eridani

Strong opposition among young people to raising the Social Security retirement age

(Washington Policy Watch) A significant majority of voters indicated strong support for two proposals: raising taxes on households earning more than $250,000 (60% favor), raising taxes on corporations (64% favor).

Voters also opposed raising the retirement age for Social Security benefits, with 64% against the idea. Interestingly, strong opposition came from young people age 18-29, 66% of whom opposed raising the retirement age. Opposition was strongest among Gen Xers (30-44) and those nearing retirement (45-59), at 69%.

Omaha Steve

State Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons tried to exempt husband from right-to-work law

(MLive) Michigan House Democrats are calling an assistant majority floor leader a hypocrite for proposing an amendment that would have exempted her husband from right-to-work bills that lawmakers passed, and Gov. Snyder then signed into law.

State Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons, R-Alto, was among right-to-work supporters quoted in The New York Times on Tuesday, Dec. 11, saying “this is the day that Michigan freed its workers.” But she also proposed to add corrections officers to the list of public employees - including police and fire - not covered by the right-to-work law.

Purveyor

Michigan: Bill Allowing Concealed Weapons In Schools Approved By House Committee

(Michigan Radio Newsroom) A bill approved by a House committee Wednesday would allow gun owners with concealed weapons to carry those weapons in schools and other formerly “gun-free” zones.

Michigan now prohibits people licensed for concealed weapons from carrying them in schools, day care centers, sports arenas, bars, places of worship, hospitals, dorms and casinos. They can, however, openly carry their guns in schools and all other places except federal buildings, courthouses and casinos.

Playinghardball

Obama to GOP on debt ceiling: Here is my offer, nothing

(Ezra Klein) The debt ceiling is proving a key sticking point, both in terms of politics and policy Whatever House Republicans might think, the White House is all steel when it comes to the debt ceiling. Their position is simple, and it’s typically delivered in the tone of voice that Bruce Willis reserves for talking to terrorists: They’re happy to raise the debt ceiling on their own, as would be the case under their proposal to take authority for the debt ceiling away from Congress. But if Congress rejects that offer, then the debt ceiling is Congress’s problem, and the White House will not help.

ProSense

Van Hollen: Boehner May Be Waiting Til After He’s Re-Elected Speaker To Cut Budget Deal

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) explained why he thinks House Speaker John Boehner can't get to yes on a budget deal before automatic, across the board tax increases and spending cuts take effect after New Years: Once he's re-elected Speaker he'll have greater flexibility to cut a deal.

"I'm getting increasingly concerned that one of the reason the Speaker is deciding to, I think, string out these discussions is that he wants to wait til January 3 when the election for Speaker takes place and he's concerned that any agreement he reaches if it violated the so-called Hastert Rule could undermine support for him in his caucus and make it more difficult on January 3," he told reporters at a Wednesday breakfast roundtable hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.

cal04

Pelosi On Raising Medicare Eligibility Age: ‘Don’t Go There’

(TPM) House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said Wednesday morning that she and other Democrats would "object" to raising the Medicare eligibility age in deficit reduction talks.

"Don't go there because it doesn't produce money," she said on "CBS This Morning." "Raising the retirement age does not get you that much money... so you're doing a bad thing when it comes to seniors and you're not achieving your goal" of lowering the deficit and improving the economy.