McConnell Urges House Republicans To Play Ball

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell publicly urged Republicans in the lower chamber Thursday to drop their opposition to the two-month extension of payroll relief.

“The House should pass an extension that locks in the thousands of Keystone XL pipeline jobs, prevents any disruption in the payroll tax holiday or other expiring provisions, and allows Congress to work on a solution for the longer extensions,” McConnell said in a press release.

While a number of Republicans in the upper chamber have criticized their House colleagues for threatening a tax hike when the cuts expire on New Years Day, McConnell’s high-ranking position carries additional weight.

Below is the full statement:

“The House and Senate have both passed bipartisan bills to require the President to quickly make a decision on whether to support thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs through the Keystone XL pipeline, and to extend unemployment insurance, the temporary payroll tax cut and seniors’ access to medical care. There is no reason why Congress and the President cannot accomplish all of these things before the end of the year.  House Republicans sensibly want greater certainty about the duration of these provisions, while Senate Democrats want more time to negotiate the terms. These goals are not mutually exclusive. We can and should do both. Working Americans have suffered enough from the President’s failed economic policies and shouldn’t face the uncertainty of a New Year’s Day tax hike. Leader Reid should appoint conferees on the long-term bill and the House should pass an extension that locks in the thousands of Keystone XL pipeline jobs, prevents any disruption in the payroll tax holiday or other expiring provisions, and allows Congress to work on a solution for the longer extensions.”

Pentagon: No Sign Of North Korea Instability

There are no signs that the security situation in North Korea has been destabilized following the death of Kim Jong Il, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters Wednesday.

“We have not seen any unusual North Korean troop movements since the death of Kim Jong Il,” Little said. “That would be one indicator of a less than smooth transition.”

On Monday, General Martin Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated that the U.S. is watching the region with vigilance, but does not anticipate having to change its military posture.

Poll: GOP Frontrunners Tied With Obama

GOP frontrunners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich both hold a statistical tie with President Obama in a hypothetical 2012 matchup, according to a new Gallup/USA Today poll.

With a 4-point margin of error, Both Republicans score 48 percent while President Barack Obama comes in with 50 percent.

The data shows an improvement in Gingrich’s general election standing. In a previous Gallup poll released exactly one week ago, Obama held a 6-point lead over Gingrich at 44 to 50 percent.

The poll was conducted between December 15^th and 18^th among 1,019 Americans.

A separate survey released Monday by the agency shows that Gingrich’s lead over the GOP field has subsided. Now, the former House Speaker statistically ties with Romney at 26 to 24 percent. The new data reflects an 11 point drop for Gingrich from December 5^th.

Top Military Officer: U.S. Vigilant Following Kim Jong Il's Death

General Martin Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Monday that the U.S. is on guard following the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, but that changes in America’s military policy towards the country will likely go unchanged.

“I don’t think you’ll see any change in our posture. There’s no change in our readiness position,” General Dempsey said during a townhall Monday with U.S. servicemembers at the Ramstein Airbase in Germany.

Dempsey, the  country’s highest ranking military officer, noted that the U.S. was aware that the North Korean leader had been in poor health for quite a while and has explored possible post-Kim Jong Il scenarios.

“We think we know what succession looks,” Dempsey said. “But we’re not certain of it.”

Kim, 69, reportedly died of a heart attack. He is expected to be succeeded by his twenty-something year old son Kim Jong Un.

Poll: Majority Not Looking Forward To Election Season

A heavy majority of Americans are ready for election season to be over, according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll.

70 percent of respondents stated that they cannot wait for the campaign to be over while only 26 percent said they look forward to its start next month with the Iowa caucuses. Among those living in battleground states, 75 percent said they are eager to see the end of the race.

In terms of party, the poll found what appears to be bipartisan agreement. 66 percent of Republicans, 75 percent of independents and 67 percent of Democrats are not looking forward to the 2012 campaign.

The poll was conducted between December 6th and 7th among 1,034 adults.