Government Spending: US Budget Antics More Theater Than Reality (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Gulf oil spill: BP set to avoid gross negligence charge (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Ron Paul: “The U.S. Government Must Admit It Is Bankrupt” (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Record high food prices stoke fears for economy (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

On the Brink of Catastrophic Economic Collapse (Hat Tip: Brian B.)

Pentagon Faces the Knife

Tax-Code Overhaul Divides Obama Economic Team as State of Union Approaches

Republicans Say Higher U.S. Debt Limit Depends on Specific Spending Cuts

Britain to the eurozone: Get your act together

Coming soon? GBN – America’s Television Network

Will Obama succeed in robbing the Medicare Trust?

Illinois legislature screws small businesses

Repeal the whole damn thing!

Republicans introduce bill to eliminate presidential ‘czars’ (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

E.P.A. Faces First Volley From the House [block the proposed regulation of greenhouse gases] (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

GOP strikes early in global warming battle (3 bills would hamstring EPA) (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

S.E.C. Investigating CalPERS on Disclosures (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

Cotton Shortage Could Drive Up Clothing Prices (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

The House shredding machine has started. Let her rip (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

Electric Cars May Accelerate Global Warming (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

Brussels’ Bogus Bank Regulations

Obamacare: An Unacquired Taste – Americans understand the health-care law, and they hate it. (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

Europe unveils sweeping plans to govern reckless banks (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

CNBC’s Santelli rants about NY Times and other critics of congressional Constitution reading (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

Banks Lose Pivotal Massachusetts Foreclosure Case

U.S. Adds 103,000 Jobs in December, Unemployment at 9.4% – This is such a propagandic lie, I can’t stomach it.

‘Mother,’ ‘Father’ Changing to ‘Parent One,’ ‘Parent Two’ on Passport Applications

Reid to House GOP: Health Repeal Will Die

Obama Names Sperling to Top Economic Post

Proposal Opens Door to Mexican Trucks

A Historic Moment, As Western Europe Sovereign Debt Now Riskier Than Emerging Markets

After Lashing Out At China, Currency War “Loser” Brazil Is Now Furious At America

Consumers Are Still Getting Crushed, And You Can’t Just Blame The Snow

Rethinking The BRICs

Moody’s, What Are You Waiting For? Take Away America’s AAA Rating Now

China’s Government Cashing In Again — Selling $4 Trillion State-Owned Assets

Cuba lays-off state workers in privatisation drive (End of communism on Cuba) (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

Ukraine Launches Administrative Reform, Cuts Central Government (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

Trade Minister Lord Green refuses to back UK arms industry (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

China gives students subsidies after protests over food prices (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

Fed Chief Bernanke: Jobs Market Will Need Five More Years to Recover

Morning Bell: Americans Are Fleeing Obama’s Crony Capitalist Economy

Gas Prices Under President Obama in Pictures

+113,000 JOBS DECEMBER – I would wager most of these were temp holiday jobs…

‘Employers added fewer jobs than forecast’

FEDS: RATE FALLS

GALLUP: RATE RISES

Economist: ‘Seasonal issues…still near 10%’

Court rules against banks in pivotal mortgage case

Illinois Pols Push Plan To Boost Income Tax — By 75%!

MESS: California’s DMV has months-long delay for driver’s licenses

Security threat level for London raised to ‘severe’

China plans $1.3 billion ‘seven-star hotel’

China Backs Europe, Euro for Investing Reserves

Cubans fret as massive job cuts get under way

Russian team to drill into Lake Vostok, sealed off for 14 million years

NY Health Department: 41% Of City Pregnancies Result In Abortion

House takes first step toward health care repeal

CBO Says Repealing ObamaCare Would Reduce Net Spending by $540 Billion

Euro Crisis Roars to Forefront

Portugal’s debt worries worsen

UN warns Greece on anti-migrant fence

Brazil moves to curb rising currency (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

Sessions never sworn-in; could affect health repeal bill timing (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

ObamaCare Rewards Friends, Punishes Enemies (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

DC holiday pushes tax filing deadline to April 18 (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

Two Banks Gain Access Within China (JP Morgan Chase & Morgan Stanley) (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

China: EU Aims to Seal Deal With Beijing (just PR or real beef?) (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

PIGS Debt Riskier Than Iraq, CDS Prices Show (Hat Tip: Jean Stoner)

LOVE IT… House Votes to Repeal “Job-Killing” Health Care Law 236-181

Dem Senators Who Are Pushing Card Check Want Their Own Secret Ballots

Failure. Economy Produces Less Jobs than Expected – December Unemployment Rate at 9.4%

Conservative Star Paul Ryan: “I Will Eat My Tie If Obamacare Reduces the Deficit”

The other new Chicago crony chief of staff

“9.4%” unemployment rate — with an asterisk; underemployment at between 16-19 percent, labor force shrinks

A bipartisan target: Obama’s czars

Obama Recruits Progressive Clinton-Era Advisor to Fill Economic Vacancy

MSNBC Tries to Explain Concept of Debt Ceiling with Human Prop

SurvivalBlog:

Steve K. recommended a YouTube video that includes clips from the 1981 movie Rollover.

The Big, Continuing Stories That Could Derail 2011

Recession turns to depression in Japan.

Here Come The “Tanks In The Streets” Threats!

Reasons Why 2011 Is Going To Be Another Bad Year For America’s Middle Class

29% of Americans Say it’s Difficult to Afford Food

Fed: Economy Still Weak Despite Improvements

Private-Payroll Report Lifts Hopes For More Jobs

Jump In Hiring Sends Bonds Lower And Stocks Higher

Numismatic’s Are Fool’s Gold

Inflation Jumps in Europe

Eco-bulb cost to treble: Makers cash in as the ban on old-style bulbs kicks in

World food prices at fresh high, says UN

Forecasters’ prediction for oil prices in 2011: Up, up, up

As food costs rise, retailers keep prices stable by shrinking package sizes, quantities

“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.” – Benjamin Franklin