Lie of the Year 2011: ‘Republicans voted to end Medicare’  —  Republicans muscled a budget through the House of Representatives in April that they said would take an important step toward reducing the federal deficit.  Introduced by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the plan kept Medicare intact …

Politifact, R.I.P.  —  This is really awful.  Politifact, which is supposed to police false claims in politics, has announced its Lie of the Year — and it's a statement that happens to be true, the claim that Republicans have voted to end Medicare.  —  Steve Benen in the link above explains it, but let me just repeat the basics.

Gingrich, Romney Go to a Tie; More See Obama as Competitive  —  Newt Gingrich has relinquished sole front-runner status almost as quickly as he gained it, landing at a dead heat with Mitt Romney in the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll.  And as the GOP hopefuls battle it out, ratings of Barack Obama's prospects have warmed.

Both Romney and Gingrich Tie Obama on 2012 Ballot  —  Negative voting more a factor against Obama than against either Republican  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich essentially tie President Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election preferences of registered voters nationwide.

2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Obama is handling [ITEM]?  Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat?  —  NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opinion a.  The economy 41 17 24 56 13 43 2 b.

House Republicans intent on killing Senate payroll tax cut deal  —  House Republicans returned to Washington on Monday, intent on ditching a bipartisan Senate deal to extend a federal payroll tax holiday for two months, charging that the deal represented the old ways of doing business that they were elected to change.