Thursday, December 12, 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. Let's Not Make A Deal Some House Republicans appear to be rallying behind $85 billion budget deal Dana Milbank: In budget deal, some Republicans buck the purity police Sen. Mitch McConnell Plans To Vote Against The Budget Deal Senators Rand Paul, Mike Crapo to oppose budget deal Rep. Paul Ryan knocks Sen. Marco Rubio for early opposition to budget deal Democrats Also Holding Back on Budget Deal Rare split for Boehner and McConnell on budget Beth Reinhard: Did Paul Ryan Just Ruin His Chances for 2016 By Compromising On The Budget? Budgetary Failures 5 Things Terribly Wrong With the Ryan-Murray Budget Deal Suzy Khimm: What many seem to be forgetting: Budget deal leaves out the jobless CBPP: Failure to Extend Emergency Unemployment Benefits Will Hurt Jobless Workers in Every State READ: CBO Report On Ryan-Murray Budget Deal Brad Plumer: Republicans are winning the broader battle over discretionary spending Susie Madrak: There's Also A Federal Pension Grab In The Details Of New Budget Neil Irwin: The budget deal isn't good for the economy. It's less bad for the economy. E.J. Dionne Jr.: The inadequate but necessary budget deal Matthew O'Brien: Congress Cares More About Deficits Than the Long- Term Unemployed - & That's Crazy Ed Kilgore: Disposable Americans & The Budget Deal Jonathan Cohn: The Budget Deal Is Decent But Tiny - Unless You're Unemployed Jonathan Chait: Washington Basks in Tiny Accomplishment The GOP Civil War John Boehner: Conservative Groups' Reaction to Budget Deal Is 'Ridiculous' Outside Conservative Groups Fire Back At John Boehner's Attack Republican Study Committee fires executive director The GOP's not-so-private civil war goes public Josh Kraushaar: The Republican Civil War Is Getting Bloodier Ed Kilgore: What's Really Going On With The Republican 'Civil War' Immigration: Reform Coming? VP Biden: Immigration reform is still 'going to happen' The Spying Game NSA uses Google cookies to pinpoint targets for hacking Nations In Turmoil Winter storm lashes Syrian refugees in Lebanon Humanitarian crisis looms in Central African Republic Protesters in Thailand besiege PM's offices The War Over There Blast near U.S. embassy in Kabul was accident, Afghan official says International News Australia's High Court strikes down gay marriage law Interpreter for deaf at Mandela memorial service was a fake, advocates for deaf say Pope attacks mega-salaries, big bonuses, in peace message Somali Piracy Down 90% From Last Year States Of Confusion Michigan passes 'rape insurance' bill Texas rich kid who killed 4 in drunken car crash spared jail Midwest Roundup Neb. Attorney General Bruning has colon cancer, will have surgery Festersen out of Congressional race in Nebraska, Democrats wonder who's in Tour operator cancels Husker bowl trip, 1st time in 27 years Iowa farmland values hit record for 4th straight year Iowa lawmakers agree: No state gas tax hike in 2014 Wishes And Hopes While it may not seem like it, it's reached that time of the year when everyone's beginning to rush. While packages and letters are flooding the postal system, some organizations are ringing the bells and looking at their coffers with concern, while others are making last-minute substitutions. Some are even beginning to lose their patience, as they desperately search for that last minute item they desperately need for the 2014 election cycle. What - Did you think we were talking about holiday shopping? If you did, we understand your confusion. Our own staff members are also rushing around the office, attempting to get everything ready for the holidays and the new year - including a new addition to our "Staff Children" roster, expected in early 2014. With all the tasks we're each trying to accomplish, before we take a break for the holidays, the fact that 2014 is an election year occasionally drifts out of our primary field of focus. Not surprisingly, the 2014 election seems to be the only thing politicians in DC and around the country can think of, even now. Before anyone in Congress gets too far ahead of themselves, they might want to think about the proposed Ryan-Murray Budget, and how easily it could fail... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for December 12, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy Retail sales rise, but jobless claims surge Big Jump In Jobless Claims Blamed On Seasonal Factors | Unemployment Benefits Will Likely Be Allowed To Expire U.S. Budget Deficit Continues To Narrow Rapidly Wall Street Watch Criminal Action Now Expected for JPMorgan in Madoff Case The Volcker Rule: The first step to cutting big banks down to size Economic Inequality New Study Says Poverty Rate Hasn't Budged For 40 Years Americans Say Dream Fading as Income Gap Hurts Chances Health Care Checkup Federal data shows health disparities among states; States embracing ACA covering residents far faster Ezra Klein: Obamacare exposes Republican hypocrisy on health care Michael Tomasky: Told You So - Obamacare's Back, And Successful |  Sec. Kathleen Sebelius pushes back against ignorant GOP critics Of Obamacare during House hearing Congressional Budget Office: 'Doc fix' patch to cost about $8.7 billion Obama Administration Devises Plan to Attract Young Health-Plan Users Guns & America Interactive Chart: State Gun Laws Enacted in the Year Since Newtown Rebecca Leber: The Only Gun Safety Bill That Passed Congress This Year Crime & Courts Zimmerman will not be charged in domestic dispute, prosecutor says With Charges Dropped, Zimmerman Can Get All Of His Guns Back Energy, Climate & Environment For Environmental Concerns, The Ryan-Murray Budget Deal Is A Mixed Bag Barry Yeoman: The Shocking Pennsylvania Shale Rebellion Communications Breakdown MSNBC's Chris Hayes attends secret union meeting with unhappy NBC workers Glenn Greenwald Jealously Attacks Time For Selecting Pope As 'Person Of The Year' It's Your Cap News Toon for December 12, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update President Obama Gets Little Credit for Improving Economy From Most in Bloomberg Poll 5 Good Signs For President Obama In Some Very Bad Polls On The Left Greg Sargent: Like it or not, inequality is a huge issue for Democratic voters Beutler: Obama's shutdown critics look like morons after budget deal News From Capitol Hill Mitch McConnell's Revenge: GOP Forces All-Night Senate Session After Dems Use Of 'Nuclear Option' GOP Plan to "Punish" Democrats Is Probably the Stupidest Thing You've Ever Heard Of Senate Confirms Dem-Favored Judge Nina Pillard To D.C. Circuit Court In Late-Night Session Gallup: Congress' Job Approval Drops to All-Time Low for 2013 On The Right Rachel Maddow: How George W. Bush failed the GOP Ed Kilgore: In The Republican's Battle With "Primary Chaos", Chaos Is Still Winning Joe Conason: Mandela's Crucial Lesson For America - And The Republicans Who Never Learn Postal Service Leads Child Porn Investigation Of Aide To GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander 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.