In the Water, In the Air: Friday, December 13, 2013.

FISCAL FOLLIES -- DECEMBER 2013 CONTINUING RESOLUTION

Budget deal doesn’t alter grim long-term picture (Editorial Board, U-T San Diego, 12/12).

Twilight of the Sequester (Fred Barnes, The Weekly Standard, 12/13*).

The Republican Mainstream Strikes Back (Eugene Robinson, RealClearPolitics, 12/13).

The Biggest Losers (Paul Krugman, The New York Times, 12/12).

The Budget Deal: A Beginning or the End? (Robert Bixby, The Concord Coalition / The (Tab)ulation, 12/12).

There could be happy green news hidden in the budget deal (Ben Adler, Grist, 12/12).

Don’t Be Fooled: The Murray/Ryan Budget Deal Clearly Raises Taxes (Sean Davis, The Federalist, 12/12).

How Paul Ryan Won the Budget War—in 1 Chart (Matthew O'Brien, The Atlantic, 12/13).

ECONOMIC REPORTS

The Most Pro-Capitalism Place to Live in North America Is… (Dan Mitchell, International Liberty, 12/13).

Will 2014 Finally, Really, Truly Bring an End to the Financial Crisis? (Michael Schuman, Time / Business & Money, 12/13).

THE NATURE OF POLITICS

96 Percent Of Americans Are Wrong About Congress (Ezra Klein, The Federalist, 12/13).

How the States Committed Suicide (Paul Moreno, RealClearPolicy, 12/13).

SPENDING-SIDE REFORM

Short Term Farm Bill Extension: Congress Could Do Worse (Christine Harbin Hanson, Americans for Prosperity, 12/12).

Job Protection Isn’t Enough: Why America Needs Paid Parental Leave (Heather Boushey, Jane Farrell and John Schmitt, Center for American Progress, 12/12).

MIXED-SIDE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Here’s how big the left wants to grow government, exactly. And here’s how much it will cost, exactly (James Pethokoukis, AEIdeas, 12/13).

Why the Volcker Rule Will Harm the U.S. Economy (Peter J. Wallison, The American, 12/13).

GROWTH AND JOBS

Americans Won't Be Easily Reassured About the Economy (Charlie Cook, National Journal, 12/12).

GOVERNMENT FINANCE AND FINANCIAL POLICY

This is the biggest mistake people are making about QE now (John Carney, CNBC, 12/13).

What will tapering do to Treasuries? (Daryl Jones, CNN Money, 12/12).

Contempt and Elitism Brought Us the Fed and QE (Jeffrey Snider, RealClearMarkets, 12/13).

LOCAL GOVERNMENT BANKRUPTCY -- DETROIT

3 essential (and ignored) questions about Detroit’s bankruptcy (David Sirota, Salon, 12/12).

PUBLIC PENSIONS

Cheaper pensions: How the math works for employees (Steve Malanga, Public Sector Inc., 12/12).

GLOBAL ECONOMY -- CHINA

This Chinese revolution would change the world (Jeremy Warner, The Telegraph, 12/12).