Tuesday, December 10, 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. The Two Americas: The Poor David Simon: 'There are now two Americas. My country is a horror show' Invisible Child: Dasani's Homeless Life David Cay Johnston: In America, an economy of outsourced servants Senate Unlikely To Vote On Minimum Wage Until 2014 State, local governments taking action on minimum wage, where Feds still won't David Leonhardt: Why the Minimum Wage Doesn't Explain Stagnant Wages Bruce Barlett: Rethinking the Idea of a Basic Income for All Ed Kilgore: This Year's Federal Budget Sacrifice? The Unemployed Samantha Paige Rosen: How to stick it to the poor; A Congressional strategy Sen. Rand Paul's patronizing excuse for screwing the poor Matthew O'Brian: Rand Paul Couldn't Be More Wrong About Unemployment Insurance Poor Also Being Squeezed By Housing Prices as Rental Demand Soars Study: U.S. poverty rate decreased over past half-century thanks to safety-net programs Greg Sargent: In 2014 elections, the economy may matter more to voters than Obamacare The Two Americas: The Rich U.S. household wealth reaches record high of $77 trillion United States Is Now the Most Unequal of All Advanced Economies Pew Study: Wealth Gap in U.S. Cities Hurts Economic Mobility The 400 Richest Americans Are Richer Than the Bottom 50 Percent Combined Tim Dickinson: How the GOP Became the Party of the Rich More socially liberal, America's new rich may foil income equality Remembering Mandela South Africans, world leaders gather to mourn former president Nelson Mandela South African President Zuma Booed at Mandela Memorial Service Obama's speech at Mandela memorial: 'Mandela taught us the power of action, but also ideas' At Mandela memorial, Obama shakes hands with Cuba's Raul Castro Michael Tomasky: Conservatives on the Wrong Side of History on Mandela, Among Other Things Dave Zirin: Mandela's Uses of Sports - Resistance, Reconciliation and Rebranding Health Care Checkup Health Care Exchange Website Is Now Vastly Improved, Users Say More Americans Discovering They're Trapped In GOP's Medicaid Expansion Gap After 42 Repeal Votes And A Shutdown, GOP Senator Says He Likes A Key Part Of Obamacare Jonathan Cohn: Obamacare is Redistribution - But Not How Republicans Say Energy, Climate & Environment Messy & nasty snow forecast for U.S. Northeast on Tuesday U.S. To Top Germany In Solar Installation For The First Time In 15 Years Nations In Turmoil Spanish journalists kidnapped in Syria Christian mobs attack Muslims in Central African Republic French soldiers killed in Central African Republic The War Over There Hagel Softens on Troop Deal, Gives Karzai Until February International News Kremlin amnesty bill could apply to jailed rock band and Greenpeace 30 Five held in Mexican radioactive material theft Breakthrough Iranian Peace Agreement at Risk - From U.S. Congress States Of Confusion Virginia Democrats say state GOP chairman must quit over Obama 'death' quip Oklahoma, Missouri Set to Execute Convicted Killers Midwest Roundup Attempt to be made in 2014 Nebraska legislative session to raise minimum wage Democrat Pete Festersen drops out of U.S. House race in Neb. Iowa Republican Party barring leaders from paid campaign work 130 pound mountain lion shot & killed in northwest Iowa A Tale Of Two Americas As the year begins to wind down, and "Best of" and retrospective lists keep popping up - like Time's 'Person of the Year' - there are times we find it hard to get into the holiday spirit. Sure - the weather outside HAS been frightful, for most of the United States, especially in the DC area the last few days. But it's the tales like that of Dasani, the "Invisible Child" at the focus of a story in the New York Times on Monday, that remind us that - much like England in Charles Dickens' time - America is now a nation in the midst of both the best of times and the worst of times. In fact, that idea of two Americas is one writer and producer David Simon - creator of the highly successful HBO show 'The Wire' - recently found himself decrying at a conference in Sydney, Australia. Sadly, Simon's perspective on the failures of modern American "capitalism" too accurately reflects a land that someone like Tiny Tim might have been familiar with. For those living in that America suffering the worst of times, things aren't getting better very fast. While workers who are getting paid "minimum wage" protest for wage amounts they can actually live on, corporate executives and some politicians - who are all wealthier than ever - decry the protestors as troublemakers, and rail against the idea of a living wage as a job killer. That recent studies show extended unemployment benefits and increased minimum wage levels won't actually destroy jobs, and would in fact help the economy has little to no bearing on... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for December 10, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy Small business confidence rises, jobs picture upbeat Poll: Most Americans are still pessimistic about the economy Poll: Majority Of Black Americans View The Economy As Good Neil Irwin: Good News - Americans may be done de-leveraging their homes Wall Street Watch U.S. exits GM stake in $10 billon loss for taxpayers U.S. set to adopt Volcker rule to curb bank trading gambles CFTC's Chilton: Volcker rule to be delayed until 2015 Mike Konczal: The Volcker rule is nearly finished. Here's how we'll know if it's any good. Budget Battles Congress, with the clock ticking, nears deals on defense and budget bills Jared Bernstein: Will There Be A Little Budget Deal? Brett LoGiurato: Conservatives Are Starting To Freak Out About The Budget Deal | Right-Wing Heritage Action warns Republicans not to support budget deal Five Ways A Budget Deal Could Still Blow Up Brad Plumer: What sequestration will look like in 2014 if the budget talks fail Newtown: One Year Newtown to media: Leave us alone on anniversary At Least 194 Children 12 and Under Have Been Shot to Death Since Newtown Guns & America Gun control advocates see state-level gains in 2013 Kentucky man shot and wounded after setting his gun on a toilet paper dispenser Immigration: Reform Coming? Dana Milbank: Immigration activists, hungry for reform, to stay hungry With Immigration Reform Clock Having Run Out, Activists Contemplate What's Next Crime & Courts 18 Los Angeles sheriff's officials indicted, accused of abuse, obstruction Zimmerman's Girlfriend Wants to Drop Charges, 'Be With Him' Ethics & The Media Fox News Paid Fired Executive $8 Million to Keep Quiet Putin dissolves Russian state news agency, tightens grip on Russia media Media Matters TIME Magazine's 'Person of the Year' Finalists for 2013 - Including Miley Cyrus and Pope Francis AllThingsD Editors Are Said to Complete NBCUniversal Deal And now, for your Weekly OK Gazette Toon preview for December 10, 2013  (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update Top Clinton Aide John Podesta To Return To White House As Senior Counselor To Obama | Mark Knoller: Is Obama really the first president to publicly mention Area 51? News From Capitol Hill Congress Renews Plastic Gun Ban For Decade; Skirts 3-D gun printing issues House & Senate Negotiators Reach Compromise on Defense Bill | With Defense bill, Congress finally gets President Obama one step closer to closing Gitmo Senate to vote on housing nominee today, confirmation likely On The Left Star Trek Actor George Takei Backs Democrat Hanabusa for 2014 Senate race Congressman Grayson Loses Millions In Fraud Scheme For Second Time In His Life On The Right Sullivan & Blake: The GOP civil war just got worse, as 7 of 12 incumbents to get 'tea partied' Mark Jacobs, Iowa GOP Senate Candidate: The Way To Talk To Women Is On An 'Emotional Level' 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.