Today’s edition of quick hits:
* We thought the economy grew at 2.5% in the third quarter. Now, according to a Commerce Department report, it’s been revised to just 2%.
* Egypt: “The ruling military council agreed on Tuesday to speed up the transition to civilian rule in a deal made with Islamist groups but which seemed unlikely to satisfy the demands of liberal parties and the more than 100,000 protesters who gathered in the center of the capital to demand an immediate transfer of power.”
* Syria’s Assad losing friends fast: “In his most blatant criticism yet of Syria’s political repression, the prime minister of Turkey said for the first time on Tuesday that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria should resign, raising the pressure on Mr. Assad from a country that Syria had once counted as its friendliest neighbor and economic partner.”
* An intensifying crisis in Europe: “Banks clamored for emergency funds from the European Central Bank on Tuesday, borrowing the most since mid-2009 in a clear sign of the damage the sovereign debt crisis is inflicting on financial institutions.”
* Good for Kitzhaber: “Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber has imposed a moratorium on the death penalty for the remainder of his term, saying he’s morally opposed to the capital punishment and has long regretted allowing two men to be executed in the 1990s.”
* The Federal Reserve ought to adopt Nominal GDP level targeting. It doesn’t want to.
* Clemency: “President Barack Obama on Monday pardoned five people convicted of charges ranging from intent to distribute marijuana to running an illegal gambling business. And he issued his first commutation, ordering the release of a woman next month after serving 10 years on a 22-year sentence for cocaine distribution.”
* Daniel Luzer takes a look at the latest from UC Davis following the pepper-spray brutality.
* On a related note, Fox News’ Megyn Kelly said of pepper spray, “It’s a food product, essentially.”
* I tend to think Michele Bachmann is a national embarrassment, but decency still requires that “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” apologize for last night’s song selection. Totally inappropriate.
* And the 11th debate for the Republican presidential candidates will be held tonight on CNN, and this one will be focused entirely on foreign policy. I won’t be able to watch it or create an open thread — I’ll be on MSNBC’s “The Ed Show” tonight — but I’ll see it later and will have some reactions in the morning.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
