Monday, December 02, 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. Health Care Checkup  HealthCare.gov meets deadline for fixes, Obama administration says HealthCare.Gov Progress Report: Obama Administration 'Met The Goals' They'd Set O-Care website team touts 'dramatic progress' since initial rollout Insurers Claim Health Website Is Still Flawed Report: 100,000 Signed Up For Obamacare Even As Website Was Revamped Democrats optimistic about HealthCare.gov fixes, Republicans skeptical Michael Hiltzik: As Obamacare website relaunches, there's reason to hope Plouffe: Obamacare Will Work Even Better In 2017 Inside the Race to Rescue the Health Care Site Sarah Kliff: The White House says it met its Obamacare goal. There's still more work ahead. R.I.P. Obamacare repeal movement: Quietly, all right-wing efforts to repeal the health law have disappeared. Romneycare/Obamacare Architect Jonathan Gruber Blasts GOP Governor's 'Disgusting' Refusal To Expand Medicaid Robert Reich: How the Republican Tempest Over the ACA Diverts Attention from Three Large Truths Timothy Egan: The GOP, Still Rooting for Failure Race & The GOP GOP Clumsily Credits Rosa Parks For 'Ending Racism' GOP's Rosa Parks 'End Of Racism' Tweet Backfires Racism is over? According to the RNC's Twitter account it is Flashback, June 2013: Racism, not over - The black/white marijuana arrest gap, in nine charts The Pope Vs The Rich Pope Francis 'Evangelii Gaudium' Calls For Renewal Of Roman Catholic Church, Attacks 'Idolatry Of Money' Pope Francis denounces 'trickle-down' economic theories in sharp criticism of inequality John Nichols: The Pope Versus Unfettered Capitalism Shannyn Moore: Pope Francis is simply one crazy radical - like Jesus Guns & America Support for gun control helped a Democratic candidate win in Virginia Stephanie Simon: Sandy Hook spurs states' mental health push Droning On Amazon Says It's Developing Drone Delivery Service Alec Macgillis: Two Days With The Drone Lobby & Their Image Problem Energy, Climate & Environment Wimpy 2013 hurricane season a surprise - and a puzzle As the Keystone XL pipeline debate heats up, Montana finds itself at an environmental crossroads Nations In Turmoil Scores killed in Syrian 'barrel' bombings UN implicates Bashar al-Assad in Syrian war crimes Syrian opposition splintered ahead of peace talks North Yemen fighting kills more than 120 Anti-gov't mass rally in Ukraine turns violent Protests rage on despite Thailand PM's peace plea Thousands protest election result in Honduras The War Over There Karzai government accuses U.S. of withholding fuel from Afghan forces Afghan police killed by truck bomb Cooper: Americans are sick of war. Washington should take notice. Milbank: Save America: Restore the draft International News Glasgow helicopter crash: Aircraft removed from pub Thalidomide lawsuit settled in Australia & New Zealand for $81m States Of Confusion New York train derailment kills four, injures 63; NTSB investigating Puerto Rico, with at least $70 billion in debt, confronts a rising economic misery Midwest Roundup Nebraska state Senator says Unicameral must address guardianship issue Neb. GOP State Auditor says Dept. Health & Human Services must be rebuilt, denies political motivation Report: Iowa tax revenue up for 2013, but growth rate slowing Iowa car dealers oppose small possible tax/fee increase for 2014 The Truth About Gratitude As December begins, and most of America attempts to crawl back to work and out of our collective national tryptophan-induced comas, we think it's important for you to catch up on a few things that happened over the last few days. Yes, the annual Black Friday stampedes and sales occurred - with many of them starting on Thursday - though that extra day didn't appear to help retailers as much as they thought it would. The Republican National Committee declared racism dead over the holiday break, in a completely boneheaded move on Twitter. Meanwhile, the GOP's position on the hungry appeared to remain, "Let them eat cake." Hanukkah began, and the Pope also delivered his first apostolic exhortation - effectively his platform for his papacy - a positive and amazing statement on world economics that truly decouples the idea that Wall Street is on the side of God. A train also derailed in New York City during the holiday break, Auburn derailed Alabama's national championship hopes, Nebraska's head football coach Bo Pelini kept his job, and - contrary to all the hate, lies, and detrimental counter-measures Republicans and conservatives have engaged in for years - Obamacare did not derail over the break. In fact, the national Affordable Care website has significantly improved - just as the Obama Administration promised it would. In short, some Americans obviously came out of the long Thanksgiving weekend filled with continued gratitude and gratefulness, while others are still the ungrateful, angry, fact-free little monsters they've always been. Welcome to the holiday season, 2013 edition... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for December 02, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy Thanksgiving shoppers spent less this year, report says; weekend sales down 2.9 percent Black Friday deals lead to violence around nation | The shopping frenzy isn't over - 'Cyber Monday' sales have more than tripled in less than a decade Jared Bernstein: Paths Back to Full Employment Workers Fight Back Tens of thousands protest, over 100 arrested in Black Friday challenge to Wal-Mart Fast-food workers plan wage strikes in 100 US cities this week Wall Street Watch Securities & Exchange Commission drops disclosure of corporate political spending from its priority list Fed Eyes Financial System's Weak Link: Short-Term-Funding Market Economic Inequality Kathleen Parker: Republican food stamp position takes principle to extremes 2.2 million jobless Americans face aid cutoff in December thanks to GOP Congress Johanthan Bernstein: The minimum wage and the post-policy GOP | Paul Krugman: There Are Good Technical Reasons For Better Minimum Wage Now Where The Minimum Wage Would Be If It Kept Pace With The Earnings Of The 1% Grassroots Campaigns Do Effectively Boost Minimum Wage Scientific Discoveries Scientists discover memories pass between generations, even in humans Marriage Equality Same-Sex Couples Married In Hawaii On Historic First Day Best Media Promo Ever Will Ferrell Co-Anchors North Dakota Newscast As Ron Burgundy Communications Breakdown Long on the Cutting Edge of Print, New York Magazine Cuts Back To Every-Other-Week Status Media Matters BuzzFeed Reaches More Than 130 Million Unique Visitors In November | Washington Post building sold; Sale expected to close in March 2014 Here It Is! Your HuskerNutz Preview for December 02, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update As Senators continue work on Iran sanctions bill, White House lobbies lawmakers not to disrupt peace pact Ray Takeyh: How Obama Can Win Over Congress on the Iran Deal SCOTUS Brief Supreme Court busy looking for cases - but finding fewer than usual Johanthan Bernstein: Yes, Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg should still retire News From Capitol Hill House Only Has 8 More Working Days Scheduled This Year 113th Congress, going down in history for its inaction, has a critical December to-do list | Countdown to Another Fiscal Fail From Congress Benjy Sarlin: 113th Congress on track to remain one of the most unproductive ever On The Left More liberal, populist movement emerging in Democratic Party ahead of 2016 elections John Sides: Hillary Clinton does not need to rebuild her standing among black voters On The Right GOP strategist to party: Reagan is dead; move on New York Catholic Archbishop Dolan presses House GOP to "get your act together" on immigration Sports Recap Auburn stuns Alabama with 109-yard field-goal return Sipple: Nebraska AD Eichorst's long-awaited statement good, but leaves questions unanswered | Husker Volleyball team earns No. 8 seed in NCAA Tournament Christopherson: Pelini thanks Eichorst for support, apologizes for Friday frustrations We hope you enjoy "The Daily Felltoon" every business day. Thanks for continuing to be a member! Paul Fell Shawn "Smith" Peirce Paul Fell Cartoons, Inc.