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.

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 …

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).

Gingrich: Palestinians ‘invented,’ promises Netanyahu-style foreign policy  —  Former Speaker Newt Gingrich dismissed the Palestinian bid for statehood as the effort of an “invented Palestinian people, who are in fact Arabs, and were historically part of the Arab community.”

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act: GOP Plan Extends Current Payroll Tax Relief, Protects Social Security, Reforms and Extends Unemployment Insurance & Includes Key Jobs Initiatives  —  Next week, the GOP-led House of Representatives will vote on the Middle Class Tax Relief & Job Creation Act …

Boot Camp For Citizens  —  As we learn more about the American political tradition, we may see a shared commitment to freedom and equality behind partisan disputes.  —  America's crisis of civic education is acute, requiring a major change in the way students are taught about the workings …

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 …