• Analysis: Obama sees Hagel as a solid ally and a kindred spirit
  National Journal (1/7)     

• Analysis: Obama picks a nomination fight -- but is this one he can win?
  The Washington Post/The Fix blog  (1/7)     

• This week's poll: The fiscal deal
  Congress and the White House reached an eleventh-hour agreement last week on spending and taxes to keep the country from falling over the "fiscal cliff." This week's question: What do you think of the deal? If you want to refresh your memory on the details, National Journal had a good breakdown. If you care to share your reasons for your vote, you can send them to us via this link. Make sure you select "Content Feedback" for the category. We'll publish the results on Friday.

A good solution

A bum deal

About the best we could hope for

I don't even want to think about it

Neutral/No opinion

• We want $1 trillion in new revenues, Democrats say
  Democrats last week managed to pass a tax deal raising $620 billion over the next decade -- but they say the next step is a more sweeping measure to raise $2 trillion, half of which would have to come from tax increases. That looks set to trigger a big clash with GOP lawmakers, who say additional tax hikes should be taken off the table before deficit talks recommence. "We don't have this problem because we tax too little. We have it because we spend way, way too much," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday. The Hill (1/7)     

• Boehner coup was averted with minutes to spare, insiders say
  Roll Call (free content) (1/6)     

• What Paul Ryan's fiscal vote means for the GOP's 2016 primaries
  The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (1/6)     

• After hospitalization, Hillary Clinton expected back at work today
  CBS News/Political Eye blog (1/7)     

• Columnist Peter Beinart: Hagel pick heralds a new era in U.S. foreign policy
  Newsweek (1/7)     

• Columnist Paul Krugman: Mint a $2 trillion coin with John Boehner's face on it
  The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/The Conscience of a Liberal blog (1/7)     

• Columnist Doyle McManus: Why would anyone want to be House speaker?
  Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model) (1/6)     

Top five news stories selected by SmartBrief on Business & Politics readers in the past week.

• 12 things the fiscal deal achieved -- and 3 things it overlooked (National Journal)

• Congress prepares for fight over U.S. debt limit (Reuters)

• Biden shines as lawmakers finally cut a deal (National Journal)

• Best of 2012: The face is familiar and contagious! (The Huffington Post)

• Where do the most charitable Americans live? (SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Finance)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful and virtuous." --Frederick Douglass, American abolitionist, orator and writer