Tax Deal faces first vote; What should Congress do? (NPR)

The Senate this afternoon should be the first in a series of votes on the tax agreement agreed last week by leaders Obama President and Republican Congress.

The Washington Post wrote this morning, "more recent results by party leaders suggest that package Obama-image group will erase the Senate with relative ease, Senate majority Whip Richard j. Durbin, D - IL, said CNN State, Union Sunday."

Swimming pool/Getty Images

The former President Obama President Clinton at the maison blanche Friday.

At home, where the Democrats hold the majority of another three weeks or not, there was some vocal opposition from members of the Party of the President - goes so far as to say that they would not permit the agreement must be put to the vote in their room. But the Republic Chris Van Hollen, D - MD., said Sunday that "we are talking about blocking the thing."

Summary of the shorthand of the agreement. as the AP wrote, goes something like this: "legislation could avoid a 1 January for virtually all Americans, including employees average and high income tax increase." The package also would renew a program benefits for the long-term unemployed and put in place a year cut in social security taxes.

President Obama Friday brought in one of his party - heavyweight former President Clinton - make a solid ground for the tax agreement. From what you've heard and read about it, what do you think?

Update at 2: 10 pm IL: Our question is not a scientific survey. Pew pollsters are now out with their first national survey on the tax agreement, and it shows strong bipartisan support for the agreement.

The Russia should not push the process of peace in the Middle East - experts (Yahoo!) U.S.

Russia can and should play a prominent role in any peace settlement in the Middle East, but it should not try to squeeze out of the United States experts said in their last meeting at the International Conference "scenarios and models for a settlement of peace in the Middle East."

In the context of the most recent failed us jump start of direct talks effort, a number of foreign participants of the Conference said that the Russia should not only strengthen its role in the Middle East peace process but even recommended that there be a substitute for the United States because they believe that the United States can no longer play a constructive role.

They have a recommendations to replace current Quartet on the Middle East, Washington is the key with a new international structure player Moscow. Advocates of this idea believe that it should include, besides the Russia EU Japan, China, Turkey and a number of other influential countries with the interests of their own in the region.

However, the Russian participants of the Conference did not support the idea.
"Although U.S. monopolization of the peace process has reached an impasse, the United States cannot be ousted the peace - process that would be counter-productive," said a Russian expert.

Conference rules to protect the anonymity of the speakers.

Russian experts ' opinion, one should not rely on the Russia replacing United States only mediate the Russia because "can do much but far from all."

'The Russia must increase its participation in the process of peace in the Middle East, but as a partner United States, not a rival. "Should focus on the work of the Quartet," said one participant in the discussion.
Outside the Russia Quartet Middle East includes the United States, the European Union and the United Nations.

In the opinion of a participant in the Middle East Conference, Russia should act in concert with the United States in the Middle East. He noted that Moscow could help the Palestinian territories to restore the infrastructure destroyed by the occupying forces, including the administrative infrastructure. The Russia had restore much after the collapse of the Soviet Union, for its experience could prove valuable for the Palestinian national authority, he said.

He also believes that the Russia can mediate a settlement of the conflict between the factions of the Palestine because of its substantive relationship with Hamas. Moscow may also make use of its good relations with the Iran and the Syria.

The Conference in the middle of Club de Discussion Valdai, "Scenarios and models for a Middle East Peace settlement" section is currently underway to Malta. It is organized by the new Russian information Russian Agency RIA Novosti, the Academy of sciences Institute of Oriental Studies and the Russian Council for foreign and defence policy.

Valletta, Malta, December 10 (RIA Novosti)