AP - No matter the color of your work shirt, this recession is sparing few.

AP - Another of President Barack Obama's Cabinet nominees has run into tax problems.

Politico - President Barack Obama is saying he wants a new, more open relationship with Iranian leaders — but his new team is hoping Tehran will make the first move.

Reuters - Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Friday that world leaders gathered in Davos, Switzerland, agreed that protectionism is the 'last thing the world needs' right now, referring to the U.S. 'Buy American' steel policy.

McClatchy Newspapers - Republicans will push to lower mortgage rates to 4 percent and cut the lowest tax rates when the Senate begins consideration of its economic stimulus plan, Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell said Saturday.               In the party's weekly radio address, McConnell urged bipartisancooperation.               'Earlier this week, President Obama came to Capitol Hill to speak with members of my party about his plan for an economic recovery bill,' he said. 'The President said that a stimulus package is needed to revive the nation’s troubled economy, and to help the millions of Americans who’ve been affected by it.  And Republicans in Congress agree.'               Under the mortgage plan, any 'credit-worthy borrower_ could get a government-backed 4 percent loan. Details were not available, but Republicans have talked about having the government guarantee the 30-year loans for a year or two. Thirty-year fixed rates recently have been around 5 percent.               No cost estimates were available for the McConnell plan. Democrats, who will be crucial to its success since they control 58 Senate seats, have not ruled out backing such a plan, but wanted to see more details. The Senate bill's cost has already gone up to $889 billion, about $70 billion more than the one passed this week by the House, because of changes in tax breaks.                McConnell estimated Saturday that under his mortgage plan, the average family would see its monthly mortgage payment drop by $466 a month, or $5,600 a year.  Over the life of a 30-year loan, that’s a savings of $167,760.               His second idea would be to cut income tax rates.               Currently, according to GOP data, married couples pay a 10 percent tax on income up to $16.700.               Republicans would cut that rate to 5 percent, meaning a savings of about $500 per couple.               They would also reduce by 5 percentage points the 15 percent rate now levied on couples earning between $16,700 and $67,900, saving working couples another $1,100, according to Republican estimates. Single filers would get similar reductions either way, everyone who works and pays income tax would see an immediate increase in pay.               He soundly rejected the House Democratic plan. Democrats rejected the lower tax rate idea, calling it too expensive.              ' Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives produced a massive bill that many analysts say is unlikely to create new jobs or boost the economy anytime soon,' McConnell said. 'Most of the infrastructure projects it includes won’t impact the economy for at least another year.  Permanent spending would be expanded by about $240 billion, an increase that would lock in bigger and bigger deficits every year. And the bill is loaded with wasteful spending:'               The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that about two-thirds of the bill would pump money into the economy by Sept. 30, 2010.  

AP - Former Sen. Tom Daschle's failure to pay his taxes on time isn't expected to derail his confirmation as health secretary for the Obama administration, Republicans and Democrats say.

AP - Companies are cutting jobs by the tens of thousands. State and local governments are penny-pinching, too. So what about Uncle Sam? Tough times for him as well?

AP - Most Republican governors have broken with their GOP colleagues in Congress and are pushing for passage of President Barack Obama's economic aid plan that would send billions to states for education, public works and health care.

AP - You'd hardly know George W. Bush is spending his days relaxing down in Texas. It feels like he's still right here in Washington, given the current president's almost daily repudiation of his predecessor's policies.

Politico - HOT SPRINGS, Va.—For the first time in eight years, Republicans held their annual retreat without a visit from the president.

AP - The United Nation's special envoy to Myanmar was expected to meet detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a visit to the country that began Saturday, the latest effort to coax democratic reforms from the ruling junta.

AP - President Barack Obama congratulated Iraqis on Saturday's provincial elections and urged the winners to work for their people.

Politico - With President Barack Obama’s talking like the new sheriff of Wall Street this week, it seems like just the kind of thing he’d rail against – a rich political insider who doesn’t pay taxes on his limousine.

Reuters - United Nations envoy to Myanmar Ibrahim Gambari arrived in the army-ruled former Burma on Saturday in another bid to coax the junta and detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi toward talks on political reform.

Politico - With President Barack Obama’s talking like the new sheriff of Wall Street this week, it seems like just the kind of thing he’d rail against – a rich political insider who doesn’t pay taxes on his limousine.

CQPolitics.com - HOT SPRINGS, Va. -- Michael Steele, the new national GOP chairman, urged House Republicans at the end of their three-day retreat to stick to their stand against the $819 billion stimulus measure as they plot their strategy for the 111th Congress.

AP - A new survey suggests three in four Austrians don't want their country to take in prisoners from Guantanamo Bay.

Politico - Blog: Michael Turk finds TurboTax making good use of webads. Among (of the many) reason the optics of the Daschle tax situation are so much

Politico - With President Obama and Senate Democrats rallying behind Tom Daschle after Friday’s revelations of back tax troubles, Republican senators faced a difficult choice—whether to support the Cabinet nomination of a former member of their exclusive club, or strike a clean shot at the new Democratic president.