President Obama brought his A-list economists to the White House for a “fiscal cliff summit,” including representatives from the SEIU, the AFL-CIO, the NEA, the Center for American Progress, MoveOn.org, and…Bono. The result? His opening gambit in negotiations with Congress is a $1.6 trillion tax increase over ten years, double the non-starter opening position he held during 2011’s debt ceiling negotiations.

Eric Holder is staying on as Attorney General in Obama’s second term. As Moe Lane points out, this is probably because it’s too early for Obama to grant Holder a pardon.

California begins implementing its cap and trade system tomorrow.

Virginia’s State Board of Education joined the ranks of states who are grading student achievement on the basis of race.

The man who accused Kevin Clash (a.k.a. the voice of Sesame Street’s Elmo) of having sex with him when he was 16 has recanted that accusation. I’m guessing there’s a lot more cash in the accuser’s bank account today than there was yesterday.

The man who headed Radio Free Asia’s Tibetan service for 16 years, Ngapo Jigme, was fired with no explanation on November 1.