The Gingrich Tragedy  —  Of all the major Republicans, the one who comes closest to my worldview is Newt Gingrich.  Despite his erratically shifting views and odd phases, he continually returns to this core political refrain: He talks about using government in energetic but limited ways to increase growth, dynamism and social mobility.

The Real G.O.P. Dark Horse: None of the Above  —  Two of my favorite analysts, Rhodes Cook and Josh Putnam, have a good debate going about just how plausible it is that a Republican who is not currently running for president could enter the race later and potentially win it (probably necessitating a brokered convention).

Europe's disastrous summit  —  I thought disasters were all meant to happen over the weekend?  Somehow, in Brussels, EU leaders have contrived to pull defeat out of the jaws of victory on Thursday night, leaving Friday for finger-pointing and recriminations and wondering whether anybody …

Saint Paul: Inside Ron Paul's effort to convince Christian conservatives that he's their man  —  DES MOINES, Iowa—Ron Paul, standing backstage before a Republican presidential debate in Spartanburg, South Carolina not long ago, was talking to Doug Wead, one of his senior advisers, about his Christian faith.

Labor Board Drops Case Against Boeing  —  A top official with the National Labor Relations Board announced on Friday that the agency was dropping its politically charged case against Boeing, in which the agency had accused the company of violating federal labor law by opening a new aircraft production plant in South Carolina.

Record High Anti-Incumbent Sentiment Toward Congress  —  But voters are more inclined to say their own representative deserves re-election  —  PRINCETON, NJ — About three-quarters of registered voters (76%) say most members of Congress do not deserve re-election, the highest such percentage Gallup …

Trump ‘very disappointed in’ Bachmann  —  Real estate mogul Donald Trump explained his disappointment with Michele Bachmann, who decided not to attend a debate he is moderating.  —  “You know who I am very disappointed in?  Michele Bachmann.  She came up to see me four times.

Obama Endorses Decision to Limit Morning-After Pill  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama, who took office pledging to put science ahead of politics, averted a skirmish with conservatives in the nation's culture wars on Thursday by endorsing his health secretary's decision to block over-the-counter sales …

All the G.O.P.'s Gekkos  —  Almost a quarter of a century has passed since the release of the movie “Wall Street,” and the film seems more relevant than ever.  The self-righteous screeds of financial tycoons denouncing President Obama all read like variations on Gordon Gekko's famous …

GOP seeks to cut unemployment benefits  —  GOP leaders hope to build momentum for an end-of-year tax package with sweeping reforms to federal unemployment benefits.  —  The Republican proposal is expected to reduce the total number of weeks unemployed workers are eligible for aid …

GOP Objects To ‘Millionaires Surtax’; Millionaires We Found?  Not So Much  —  For the second week in a row, the Senate on Thursday voted down proposals to extend the payroll tax holiday through next year.  In the case of the Democrats' proposal, Republicans objected to the “millionaires surtax” that would be used to pay for it.

A Liberal's Lament on Kagan and Health Care  —  Should Elena Kagan recuse herself in the ACA case?  —  Elena Kagan was appointed by Obama from within his administration shortly after health care reform passed.  Should she hear the case before the Supreme Court?

Newt Gingrich the Galactic Historian  —  The writer was Historian of the U. S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1995.  He was fired from that job as one of the first acts of Speaker Newt Gingrich when he took power.  Speaker Gingrich hired his own historian, a fellow Georgian and member …

Sanders proposes amendment to the Constitution that would limit free speech  —  Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Thursday proposed an amendment to the Constitution to exclude corporations from First Amendment rights to spend money on political campaigns.  —  The bill is a reaction …

Barney, speaking frankly  —  Retiring Rep. Barney Frank spoke to the Blade this week about a wide range of topics, including the state of the LGBT movement and his future plans.  (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)  —  Gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who announced last week …

Google Currents is hot off the press  —  We strive to give you beautiful and simple ways to experience all the content the web has to offer, such as sharing photos on Google+, watching YouTube videos and discovering books, movies and music from Android Market.

NASA Mars Rover Finds Mineral Vein Deposited by Water  —  This color view of a mineral vein called “Homestake” comes from the panoramic camera (Pancam) on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity.  Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/ASU › Full image and caption

Mitt's granite fortress under siege  —  MANCHESTER, N.H. - Mitt Romney, whose team has been working New Hampshire for nearly five years, has a coordinator in most of the state's 234 towns.  Newt Gingrich, who opened an office here less than a month ago, has a state director who's never worked on a campaign before.

The Millionaire Subsidy Elimination Act  —  Cutting benefits to those who don't need them is a better way to trim deficits than hurting the economy with higher tax rates.  —  On Tuesday, President Obama once again blamed the lack of progress on the budget deficit on Republicans' refusal …

As President, Perry Says He Would Not Forcibly Discharge Gay Soldiers After Reinstating DADT  —  GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry enshrined his prejudice against gay soldiers in a divisive, anti-gay ad: “You don't need to be in the pews every Sunday to know that there's something wrong …