Marc Thiessen: Trump should make vulnerable Democrats who opposed…

President Trump raised eyebrows when he invited Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp to fly with him aboard Air Force One for a tax-reform rally in her home state of North Dakota earlier this year. For a vulnerable Democrat running for reelection in a deep-red state that Trump won by 36 points, appearing with the president was a political gift.

POLITICO: Top FBI official linked to reporter who broke Trump…

POLITICO: Top FBI official linked to reporter who broke Trump dossier story: James Baker, the FBI's recently reassigned general counsel, was in touch with David Corn of Mother Jones in the fall of 2016, GOP sources said. "The GOP sources said the documents - made available recently to lawmakers by the Department of Justice - revealed that James Baker, the FBI's general counsel, communicated with Mother Jones reporter David Corn in the weeks leading up to the November 2016 election.

Cheers! Cider, Craft Beer Makers Get Trump Tax Cut in New Year

Makers of craft beer, artisanal spirits, hard cider and mead may lift their glasses a bit higher next year as the result of a little noticed provision in the sweeping tax overhaul the U.S. Congress passed this week. Tucked away in Part IX, sections 13801 through 13808, are sharply lowered excise taxes on a liquor cabinet full of alcoholic beverages made by small producers.

RBS to pay $125 million to settle California mortgage bond claims

The settlement announced on Friday by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra was the latest by RBS aimed at resolving claims stemming from its sale of mortgage-backed securities, which were at the heart of the 2008 financial crisis. Becerra's office said those securities were typically backed by thousands of mortgage loans of varying quality in which the buyer relied on the assurance that those mortgages were carefully screened and were not overly risky.

@PKCapitol: Will the tax bill help or hurt Republicans? It depends.

Interpretation of the news based on evidence, including data, as well as anticipating how events might unfold based on past events Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks at the White House Wednesday following the passage of tax legislation, with Vice President Pence, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Sen. Tim Scott . A couple with two children from Indiana, where Democratic Sen. Joe Donnelly faces a difficult reelection next year, explain to the audience that with combined wages of $73,000, they stand to save $2,000 under the Republican tax cuts enacted Wednesday.

Trump supporters greet tax law with shrugs and measured hope

In this Dec. 20, 2017 photo, Justin Dopierala sits in his home office of DOMO Capital Management, LLC in Germantown, Wisc. Anticipating the passage of the Republican tax plan, he said he spent $20,000 on business improvements over the last couple months, including a new website and marketing pitch book for potential clients, included in this photo.

2017 was a good year for Europe’s political extremists

Far-right parties in Austria, Germany, Bulgaria, the Netherlands, and France enjoyed substantial gains, bringing anti-Islam and anti-Semitism to forefront of national debates A man with his face covered as thousands gather for the annual nationalist march of PolandA s Independency Day in Warsaw, Poland on November 11, 2017. In fact, when it comes to European politics, this year may appear mild in comparison to 2016, which saw several dramatic and shocking developments, such as Brexit, a refugee resettlement crisis, and the terrorist attack in Nice on Bastille Day, France's national holiday.

This day in history, Dec. 23, 2017

On Dec. 23, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson, on his way home from a visit to Australia and Southeast Asia, held an unprecedented meeting with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican; during the two-hour conference, Johnson asked the pope for help in bringing a peaceful end to the Vietnam War. In 1788, Maryland passed an act to cede an area "not exceeding ten miles square" for the seat of the national government; about two-thirds of the area became the District of Columbia.

DC appeals court denies stay of transgender military ban

The White House has lost another attempt to put a hold on a requirement that it allow transgender people to enlist in the military starting on Jan. 1. A decision by the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is the latest court decision to go against the White House, meaning the issue may end up before the Supreme Court. President Donald Trump tweeted in July that the federal government "will not accept or allow" transgender individuals to serve "in any capacity" in the military.

Single-payer system best answer

Why do some people continue to attack the Affordable Care Act for insurance costs going up when "for profit" health insurance companies have their profits and their shareholders as their main concerns? Reportedly, a large "for profit" health insurance company will raise premiums by 42 percent in 2018. Is their main concern the people paying premiums? Is there any real concern for your health? Who could answer "yes"? Why shouldn't all people have health insurance? No matter the age, accidents happen.

Planned Parenthood: Arkansas faces having 1 abortion clinic

A Planned Parenthood subsidiary told the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday that Arkansas' restrictions on how abortion pills are administered could effectively end medication abortions in the state and leave Arkansas with only one clinic where women can end their pregnancies. Under an Arkansas law passed in 2015, doctors who provide abortion pills must hold a contract with another physician who has admitting privileges at a hospital and who would agree to handle complications.

Year in Review: The Return of Sheila Oliver

After a tumultuous period as Assembly speaker from 2010 to 2014, Sheila Oliver fell prey to the same New Jersey Democratic bosses who had orchestrated her rise. She was seen as too independent-minded and not enough of a team player during a heady time when Democrats were busy cutting all kinds of deals with Republican Gov. Chris Christie.