Wednesday, December 18, 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. Something Stinks In DC Bipartisan budget deal clears Senate procedural hurdle Breaking down the Senate's cloture vote on the budget compromise Lisa Desjardins: On the budget deal - Who wins, who loses? David Cay Johnston: Budget deal shows that even the best lobbyists have their limits How Patty Murray Kept Democrats In Line For The Budget Deal Greg Sargent: A tiny outbreak of functionality in Congress Katrina vanden Heuvel: Undeserved applause for Ryan-Murray budget deal Inequality In America AP survey: U.S. income gap is holding back the economy Sen. Elizabeth Warren Introduces Bill to Prevent Employers From Discriminating Against Poor People Accidental Tax Break Saves Wealthiest Americans $100 Billion Bruce Barlett: Who Pays the Taxes and Who Gets the Benefits Annie Lowrey: Americans Are Screaming "Supersize My Wage!" Barry Ritholtz: The Minimum Wage and McDonald's Welfare Dave Johnson: Minimum Wage Will Be A Defining Issue For 2014 Elections Olympic Message Obamas, Biden to skip the Winter Olympics in Russia President Obama joins list of world leaders to snub Sochi Olympics Obama Jabs Putin, Picks Openly Gay Delegates For Winter Olympics In Russia Obama sends message by naming Sochi Olympic delegation Christmas Craziness Kathleen Parker: It's time to diversify Santa Tim Murphy: What Would Happen If We Really Went to War Against Christmas? The Spying Game Senate Asks C.I.A. to Share Its Report on Interrogations Technology executives press President Obama to reform federal surveillance practices Tech Leaders and Pres. Obama Find Shared Problem - Fading Public Trust John Nichols: Judge Rules Against NSA Spying; Congress Should Do the Same Immigration & America Deportations Drop as Pres. Obama Pushes for New Immigration Law Benjy Sarlin: How America's harshest immigration law failed Energy, Climate & Environment Unusual late fall fire still burning in Big Sur Nathan Allen: Reddit's science forum banned climate deniers. Why don't all newspapers do the same? What A Year: The 45 Fossil Fuel Disasters From 2013 The Industry Doesn't Want You To Know About Nations In Turmoil Casualties overwhelm hospitals in Syria's Aleppo South Sudan violence spreads from capital U.N. told up to 500 killed in South Sudan clashes UN says 210,000 displaced in Central African Republic violence The War Over There A Top Iraqi Official's Advice to Karzai? Take America's Deal - Before They All Leave International News Britain's MI6 linked to Libyan torture scandal Syrian chemical weapons to be destroyed at sea China confirms near miss with U.S. Navy ship in South China Sea Brazil says not considering Snowden asylum Russia approves sweeping amnesty for prisoners Egypt's Morsi charged with 'terrorist acts' National News NASA orders urgent spacewalk repairs at station Federal Employee Morale Hits Record Low Midwest Roundup Nebraska lawmakers reject massive overhaul of school aid Nebraska's median household income dives; Lincoln, Omaha declines discouraging After big money & several years, nuclear plant on Missouri River restarting soon Iowa November home sales down, but prices up General Mills to seek state aid for expansion in Iowa Branstad-Reynolds' campaign hires outside GOP operative as chief spokesman The Stink Of Washington While the Senate is still wrapping up business today in Washington, the key vote on the bipartisan budget mess that is the two-year Ryan/Murray deal happened on Tuesday. Sixty-seven Senators voted to advance the measure to its final vote - more than two-thirds of the Senate - meaning the bill is highly likely to pass. As we wrote and cartooned about last week, and as both Rep Ryan and Sen. Murray have confirmed, the budget bill is legislation that both sides are unhappy with. Even so, like the skunk at the garden party, both Republicans and Democrats will hold up this budget bill next year as a success they captured together. Truthfully, Republicans got the upper hand - and their desperation to find something in the bill that they dislike proves it. As Dana Milbank pointed out in the Washington Post, Republicans on Capitol Hill have really been in a bind about the budget bill, having to dig down to a relatively minor percentage-point reduction in the cost of living for military veterans to find something to complain about. Of course, if the Republicans in Congress had been willing to actually find or generate the revenue necessary to tackle that issue seriously, that cost to retired veterans wouldn't have been an issue. Of course, such agreement also wouldn't have allowed Republicans in Congress to posture while they attempt to take the nation hostage again in early 2014. Still, our Federal government has a budget, for the first time in years, a feat that nominally shows Congress actually works - though as both Greg Sargent and Katrina vanden Heuvel pointed out on Tuesday, that's an incredibly low bar that truly deserves no applause... To continue reading... click here. And now, for your Daily Felltoon preview for December 18, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) Jobs & The Economy Housing starts up 22.7% in November U.S. Housing Starts Jump to Highest Level in Five Years Amazon May Get Its First Labor Union in the U.S. Wall Street Watch DOJ preparing civil charges against Citigroup, Merrill Lynch over pre- recession flawed mortgage securities U.S. Inflation Remains Tepid Bernanke Exit Review: Meltdown Averted, Bernanke Struggled to Stoke Growth During Tenure Health Care Checkup Sarah Kliff: Why Obamacare won't spiral into fiery, actuarial doom The silver lining for Democrats on Obamacare? Americans want to keep it - not repeal it Greg Sargent: Public opinion on Obamacare has been locked in for years Paul Krugman: The Obamacare Worm Continues to Turn | Kevin Drum: Surprise! Lots of People Are Saving Money Thanks to Obamacare. Lucia Graves: Obamacare's Unlikely Winners McCay Coppins: Behind The Weird, Pathetic Obamacare Battle Over Twentysomethings Milbank:Like auto bailout, Obamacare haters will never accept its success Guns & America Gunman kills himself, 1 other at Reno, Nevada hospital Stealing The Vote Study: States with higher black turnout more likely to restrict voting Communications Breakdown AT&T to sell Connecticut landline assets to Frontier for $2 billion Romanesko: St. Paul Pioneer Press offers buyouts, agrees not to oppose unemployment claims Media Matters Annual report: 71 journalists killed in 2013 'in connection with their work' Craig Silverman, Poynter: Best and worst media errors and corrections in 2013 Did You Miss It On Monday? Here It Is Again! Your HuskerNutz Preview for December 18, 2013 (Click the preview cartoon above to see the full version of the cartoon) White House Update Obama Administration will attempt to sell trade agreements in 2014 | Poll: Obama approval ratings for handling international issues top domestic ones News From Capitol Hill Rep. Paul Ryan Floats Tying Keystone XL to Raising Debt Ceiling Rep. Latham (R-IA) won't run for reelection in 2014 | Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) to retire in 2014 Rep Frank Wolf (R-VA) to retire in 2014 after 17 terms in Congress On The Left Rick Ungar: How The Unions Destroy Their Own - As Viewed By A Life-Long Union Supporter Report: Charlie Rangel To Seek Reelection In 2014 CA Gov. Jerry Brown, urged to run for president, won't rule out 2016 bid Jason Sattler: What If Every Voter Denied Medicaid Expansion By Republicans Voted Democratic? On The Right Poll: Plurality Of GOP Supports Expiration Of Long Term Unemployment Benefits Sen. Mitch McConnell Foreshadows Another Debt Ceiling Fight In 2014 Representative Paul Ryan won't run for White House in 2016, say GOP colleagues Rep. Paul Ryan wants House tax-writing gavel in 2015 States Of Confusion Washington, DC city council raises minimum wage to $11.50/hr in 2016 Democrat Herring's lead keeps growing in recount of Virginia attorney general race | ACLU Finds Colorado Cities Routinely Jail Individuals Because They Can't Pay Fines WI atheists add 'Flying Spaghetti Monster' deity to Capitol display 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.