If you have flown in recent years, you may have noted expedited treatment via special lines for first class and business patrons during the security process.

Of course there is nothing the matter with business and first class passengers receiving special benefits from the airlines. They are paying for it and it is a private business arrangement.

And here was another thing many in the middle class were discovering: The downward plunge into poverty could occur with dizzying speed. One reason the concept of an economic 99 per cent first took root in the US rather than, say, Ireland or Spain is that Americans are particularly vulnerable to economic dislocation.

The lead article in USA Today is entitled “Voters leaving Republican, Democratic parties in droves”. It reports: “More than 2.5 million voters have left the Democratic and Republican parties since the 2008 elections, while the number of independent voters continues to grow.”

From the HARRISBURG PATRIOT-NEWS: At the heart of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal was a university administration that made poor decisions. At best, the school leaders failed to recognize and report an allegedly serious crime. At worst, the administrative team covered it up for years.

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, would require all voters to show photo identification. Current law requires only first-time voters to show an identification card, firearms permit, utility bill, bank statement or paycheck showing name and address.

From CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR: Nine states received an early holiday gift on Friday: a share of $500 million from the federal government to boost support for early-childhood education. Education officials hope the Race to the Top–Early Learning Challenge will spark widespread reform of programs that serve the youngest children…

From the HUFF POST / AP: More than 340 players once coached by Joe Paterno have shown support for their former Penn State coach through a letter released in time for his 85th birthday Wednesday.

From the SACRAMENTO BEE: An estimated 14,000 excess deaths in the United States are linked to the radioactive fallout from the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear reactors in Japan, according to a major new article in the December 2011 edition of the International Journal of Health Services.

A Financial Times article, “$740-bn pay gap threat to US recovery”, provides information that tends to explain the hesitant recovery from the sharp recessions from which our economy has hardly recovered.

NEWSWEEK: … I know you feel strongly and correctly that economics is really at the heart of not only our country’s future, but our power in the world. You have a bank crisis in Europe right now. And Goldman Sachs just said that at a minimum this means a 1 percent drop in our gross domestic product.

From the HUFF POST / RUETERS: After 10 months of secret dialogue with Afghanistan’s Taliban insurgents, senior U.S. officials say the talks have reached a critical juncture and they will soon know whether a breakthrough is possible, leading to peace talks whose ultimate goal is to end the Afghan war.

From the ALTOONA MIRROR Editorial: …While Corbett and the General Assembly were able to reach a budget deal on time and without broad tax increases in a difficult budget year, the governor has been largely absent in taking on the tough issues Pennsylvania is facing.

From NEWSMAX: Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, who has based his Republican campaign for the White House almost exclusively on a strong showing in New Hampshire, has been rewarded with endorsements from two newspapers in the state with an early primary election.