The Note's Must-Reads for Tuesday, December 11, 2012

The Note's Must-Reads are a round-up of today's political headlines and stories from ABC News and the top U.S. newspapers. Posted Monday through Friday right here at www.abcnews.com

Compiled by ABC News' Jayce Henderson, Amanda VanAllen, and Carrie Halperin

PRESIDENT OBAMA: The Hill's Amie Parnes and Kevin Bogardus: " Obama jumps headfirst into fight over Michigan 'right-to-work' law" President Obama on Monday injected himself into an escalating fight over changing Michigan into a right-to-work state, saying the state Legislature's move to ban the required paying of union dues was all about politics. The quick entry into the fight by Obama suggests the White House could be more aggressively involved in the Michigan fight than in a similar battle in Wisconsin in 2011. LINK

GOP: The Washington Times' David Sherfinski: " Boehner faces ouster threats within GOP" House Speaker John A. Boehner is facing increasing pressure as several rebellious Republicans hinted that they won't vote to re-elect him to run the chamber, and a conservative interest group announced a bid to recruit someone else to run against him for the speakership. Mr. Boehner, an Ohio Republican, is not in any danger yet - the rebellion shows no signs of reaching beyond a small group of dissatisfied lawmakers - but it could complicate his efforts to strike a deal with President Obama to head off the looming "fiscal cliff" that will send tax rates soaring and will impose automatic spending cuts early next month. LINK

WALL STREET: The New York Times' Ben Protess and Jessica Silver-Greenberg: " HSBC Is Said to Avoid Charges Over Laundering " State and federal authorities decided against indicting HSBC in a money-laundering case over concerns that criminal charges could jeopardize one of the world's largest banks and ultimately destabilize the global financial system. Instead, authorities on Tuesday are expected to announce a record $1.9 billion settlement with the bank, according to law enforcement officials briefed on the matter. LINK

Politico's Anna Palmer: " Washington trade execs pull Wall Street salaries" Just because Washington trade groups are nonprofits doesn't mean you can't get rich running one. These days, lawmakers and others are lured into the gigs with much better pay than even just a decade ago - think seven-figure salary and retirement packages usually reserved for private-sector CEOs, not Washington types. LINK

FISCAL CLIFF: The Washington Post's Michael A. Fletcher and Dina ElBoghdady : " Preparing for 'fiscal cliff,' investors move assets to avoid higher taxes" As lawmakers struggle to agree on a plan to avert the series of tax increases looming next year, many investors are taking preemptive action to get out of harm's way. Americans are moving to sell investment homes, off-load stocks, expand charitable donations and establish tax-sheltering gifts before the end of the year. Financial advisers and accountants say people are trying to avoid the higher taxes that will take effect in 2013 if Washington does not avert the "fiscal cliff." LINK

TAXES: USA Today's David Jackson: " Obama, Boehner want more specifics from each other" Aides to President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner say they're talking about a debt deal - they just want the other guy to be a little more specific. Obama's team called on Boehner and other Republicans Monday to be more precise about higher taxes on wealthy Americans; Boehner's office said they await more details from the president on spending cuts. LINK

The Boston Globe's Christopher Rowland: " Hopes rise for a deal on tax rates" There were faint signs on Sunday that Washington could cut a deal before reaching the so-called fiscal cliff, despite House Speaker John Boehner's declaration last week that no progress was being made in negotiations. More Republicans are imagining what an agreement that includes tax hikes on the wealthy might look like - a broader pact that would include spending cuts?- rather than digging in against any rate increase. LINK

ELECTION 2016: ABC News' Amy Walter, Chris Good and Elizabeth Hartfield: " The Note: Democrats Pine for Hillary" For the first time in weeks, the chatter was not about who would replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, but was about what Clinton herself would do next. Armed with sky-high approval ratings (see the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll here: http://abcn.ws/WZgc01), and a killer resume, the former first lady is the "one" Democrats want to see in 2016. LINK

OTHER: Bloomberg's Zachary Tracer: " AIG Bailout That Angered Bernanke to End With U.S. Sale" American International Group Inc. (AIG)'s rescue is coming to an end more than four years after the U.S. took over the company to save the global economy in a bailout that fueled resentment against Wall Street. The U.S. Treasury Department is selling its last 234.2 million shares of AIG in its sixth offering of the insurer's stock, the government said in a statement yesterday. LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS: " Obama Denounces Right-to-Work Laws at Visit to Auto Plant" LINK

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