Friday, November 22, 2013   Published Weekday Mornings   To see the full version of today's cartoon, click on the preview graphic of the cartoon (below the Commentary) to be taken to the full version in your favorite web browser. Gone Fission In Landmark Vote, Senate Limits Use of the Filibuster Reid, Democrats trigger 'nuclear' option; eliminate most filibusters on Presidential nominees Dylan Matthews: Everything you need to know about Thursday's filibuster change Ezra Klein: Nine reasons the filibuster change is a huge deal Greg Sargent: For liberals, a long crusade finally pays off in reform Ian Millheiser: Why Senate Democrats Had To Invoke The 'Nuclear Option' Molly Ball: Why Harry Reid Went Nuclear Sen John McCain: Dems Will Pay 'Heavy, Heavy Price' For Changing Filibuster Paul Waldman: Don't Believe the Republican Cries of Vengeance Jonathan Bernstein: Did frustrated mainstream Republicans help pull the trigger? Brian Beutler: Reid goes nuclear - Now Obama and Democrats must be aggressive with majority rule Kevin Drum: Once Again, Republican Obstinacy Bites Them in the Ass James Downie: Republicans have only themselves to blame for Reid's 'nuclear option' Alec Macgillis: Nuking the Filibuster Is Great. Sanctimonious Beltway Types Just Won't Admit It. JFK: 50 Years President Obama Orders Flags Lowered on Kennedy Assassination Anniversary Memorials to mark 50 years since JFK assassination Marking JFK anniversary, Government Printing Office releases digital Warren Commission report Pew Research Center: JFK's America Photos: Kennedy Hatred in 1960s Dallas Looks a Lot Like Obama Hatred Today 50 years later: Four shattering days after JFK's assassination Poll: Most Americans still believe in JFK assassination conspiracy The NRA's Role in the Assassination of President Kennedy History's Favorite Guessing Game: What If JFK Had Lived? Rieder: If JFK had been shot in the social media era Health Care Checkup Obamacare's size: The problems with the ACA stem from government being too small, not too big Nearly 80,000 Californians sign up for Obamacare plans; rate increasing Matthew Ygelsias: Doctors Fire up the Obamacare Waaambulance Beutler: Whoops! Obamacare turns out to be great deal for Boehner. Health Care Law Is Dividing Republican Governors Poll: What name people call healthcare law affects their approval of it Energy, Climate & Environment Green groups walk out of UN climate talks in Warsaw Typhoon Haiyan death toll rises over 5,000 Nations In Turmoil Six Islamist factions unite in largest Syrian rebel merger yet Thousands rally in Pakistan after unrest Iran-backed Iraqi group claims it fired shells at Saudi Arabia The War Over There Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he will delay signing of accord on U.S. troops America plans to withdraw 20,000 troops from Afghanistan by February International News Iran, six powers struggle to overcome snags in nuclear talks CNN Poll: More than half of Americans back U.S./Iranian nuclear deal Death toll in Latvian store collapse jumps to 38 Midwest Roundup Sen. Johanns (R-NE) tells farm bill negotiators he'll oppose price guarantees for crops Farm Bill's fate in doubt, for second consecutive year Iowa-based Hy-Vee grocery chain donates 1,000 turkeys for homeless shelter suppers Actions And Consequences As we head toward a weekend that we hope is filled with plenty of rest, we're pausing today to give a warning about unintended consequences, both in the past and the present. Although right-wing media and politicians are crying the world's largest puddle of crocodile tears, as James Downie noted in the Washington Post yesterday, Republicans have only themselves to blame for Senator Reid and Senate Democrats using the so-called 'nuclear option' on Thursday. The nuclear option is really just filibuster reform, a result of a long crusade by many, as Greg Sargent noted. It will have the benefit for all Americans of unclogging Congress a bit, as the minority party - currently the GOP - can no longer unilaterally obstruct virtually everything that comes before the Senate. Judicial appointments especially will likely zoom through now, as President Obama is finally going to be allowed to complete the constitutionally mandated part of his job in which he appoints new judges to the Federal bench. As our staff discussed among themselves yesterday, and as everyone from Molly Ball to Ian Millheiser agreed, Republicans gave Democrats no choice but to blow up the old filibuster rules. Even while Republicans were stomping their feet and threatening heavy repercussions, as Paul Waldman made clear, the cries of vengeance coming from the right ring hollow, since Republicans would have likely done the same thing if they were in charge of the Senate - and they likely would have done it a long time ago. To those who don't focus on politics regularly, the Democrat's filibuster reform may not seem like a huge deal at first. However, as Ezra Klein explained after the vote on Thursday, the unintended consequences of the change to Senate rules could affect a great many things. A single action that caused massive unintended consequences is exactly what happened fifty years ago today, when President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed on a sunlit street in Dallas, Texas... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for November 22, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy Americans Now Recovering Home Equity at Record Pace Wall Street Watch U.S. Stocks Little Changed After Dow Tops 16,000 Workers Strike Back Walmart Workers Strike At Seven Stores In Dallas | Walmart Protests Promised To Be Even Bigger This Black Friday Economic Inequality Homelessness drops for the fourth straight year, thanks to Obama's housing policies Fox News Chastises People For Giving To The Homeless: 'You're An Enabler' | Republicans Refuse to Cover the Poor, Then Complain that Obamacare Isn't Covering the Poor Krugman: Expanding Social Security, A Good Sign For Tackling Inequality  Reasons For Thanks Tina Dupuy: Thanks...Giving: 2013's Hunger Strike Round-Up Budget Battles Negotiators continuing to work on budget deal to replace sequester Ethics & The Media David Cay Johnston: Muzzling the Freedom of Information Act | News groups blast White House for restrictions on photographers Media Matters U.S. Magazine Readership Continues to Inch Upward Communications Breakdown FCC sees backlash after proposing to allow in-flight cellphone calls on planes Here It Is! Your Paul Fell PREDICTION preview for November 22, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update Pres Obama holds off-record meeting with left-leaning media hosts & pundits News From Capitol Hill Janet Yellen's confirmation for Fed chair now looks like smooth sailing through Senate On The Left Peter Turchin: Blame The Rich, Overeducated Elites as Our Society Frays Ryan Cooper: Another reason for filibuster reform? It will help Dems crack down on Wall Street. On The Right House GOP unlikely to discipline coke-sniffing Rep. Trey Radel, but ethics watchdog files complaint Jonathan Chait: Only Football Play Drawn Out In GOP's Anti-Obamacare Playbook Makes No Sense States Of Confusion Embattled Utah Atty. Gen. Swallow resigns, proclaims his innocence | Kansas on-hold voter registrations rising again We hope you enjoy "The Daily Felltoon" every business day. Thanks for continuing to be a member! 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