In the news.....

* The Republicans have yet to respond to the President's offer on the budget. The President provided a good plan that is supported by the American people. Republicans, however, just cannot give up their freebies for their millionaires and billionaires.  The Republicans would rather patronize, favor, and provide for their rich donors which represent just 2% of the American people, than demonstrate any interest in the lives of 98% of Americans. The old white guys in leadership positions in the Republican Party just cannot give up on the rich.  They're addicted to the large financial donations they receive from the rich.  Boehner and the GOP are blinded by their own avarice and arrogance.

President Obama is asking Americans to contact your member of the House of Representatives and tell them to support the President's plan to raise taxes on the wealthy. You can find your contact info for your Representative here: http://www.house.gov/representatives/              

>>> Ohioans are still waiting for Gov. Kasich's decision about the Ohio Turnpike. An article in the PlainDealer explains some of the options. No matter what happens with the selling/leasing of the Ohio Turnpike, tolls are due to go up the first of the year.  This type of shell game by Republicans is very typical. Kasich and the GOP may lower taxes, cut funds to cities/counties, school districts, and higher education, but fees/tolls increase, and school boards have to put school levies on the ballot. Kasich and his party may claim that they've lowered your taxes, but in the end they are forcing you to put out your money just the same.

••• If you plan to go to the Columbus Zoo to see the lights, be aware that traffic has been a huge, huge mess. Go early and try to avoid the slow moving traffic on Sawmill and Riverside Drive.

-  The Kennedy Center honors were handed out tonight, Sunday, but the actual broadcast won't occur until December 26th.
LA Times:     

...The annual celebration of the performing arts brings out a mix of Washington wonks and Hollywood types. Many started their night at a reception at the White House, including Alec Baldwin, Jack Black, musician Lenny Kravitz, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

The honorees are just as eclectic a group: Hoffman, Letterman, guitarist Buddy Guy, ballerina Natalia Makarova and British rockers Led Zeppelin. Though Zeppelin is being recognized as a group, each of its living members — John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant — earned Kennedy Center Honors.

In his remarks at White House, Obama joked that the group of performers had "no business being on the same stage together."

It should be an interesting program.