The GOP's payroll tax debacle  —  Now that Congress has reached agreement on what must be one of the worst pieces of legislation in years — the temporary payroll tax holiday extension — let's survey the damage.  —  To begin with, what even minimally rational government enacts payroll tax relief for just two months?

In ad for newsletter, Ron Paul forecast “race war”  —  (Reuters) - A direct-mail solicitation for Ron Paul's political and investment newsletters two decades ago warned of a “coming race war in our big cities” and of a “federal-homosexual cover-up” to play down the impact of AIDS.

Iowa Conservative Leader Mired in Controversy After Rick Santorum Endorsement  —  ABC News' Shushannah Walshe and Michael Falcone report:  —  DAVENPORT, Iowa — An Iowa Christian conservative leader who bestowed his highly sought-after endorsement on presidential candidate Rick Santorum …

Fact-checking in the Echo Chamber Nation  —  At a Republican campaign rally a few years ago, I asked one of the attendees how he got his news.  —  “I listen to Rush and read NewsMax,” he said.  “And to make sure I'm getting a balanced view, I watch Fox.”  —  My liberal friends …

Oh Wow!  —  Some highlights of 2011.  —  The great words of the year?  “Oh wow.  Oh wow.  Oh wow.”  —  They are the last words of Steve Jobs, reported by his sister, the novelist Mona Simpson, who was at his bedside.  In her eulogy, a version of which was published in the New York Times …

Vice President: This is what a real opportunity society looks like  —  M itt Romney recently laid out his plan for America.  Reading about it, I thought of my dad.  My dad was a hard worker.  He took pride in what he did.  And, like millions of Americans, that pride was put to the test …

The Post-Truth Campaign  —  Suppose that President Obama were to say the following: “Mitt Romney believes that corporations are people, and he believes that only corporations and the wealthy should have any rights.  He wants to reduce middle-class Americans to serfs, forced …

State media: Suicide bombers strike government buildings in Damascus  —  (CNN) — Two suicide car bombs shook the seat of Syrian power on Friday, said state-run media, a strike the government blames on terrorists and opposition forces call the work of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

Dog days: Bo's whereabouts spark latest White House controversy  —  President Obama shops for Christmas presents with his dog Bo at Petsmart on Dec. 21, 2011 in Alexandria, Va. (Kevin Dietsch / Pool/Getty Images)  —  We live in world of conspiracy theories — where nothing is as it seems …

Poll: Berkley holds slim lead over Heller for Senate seat  —  WASHINGTON — For many people, the dawn of a new year can mean a fresh start, a clean slate.  For the politicians running to represent Nevada in the U.S. Senate, the view close to the new year is a nearly level battlefield judging from the latest measure of public sentiment.

Special Report: The watchdogs that didn't bark  —  (Reuters) - Four years after the banking system nearly collapsed from reckless mortgage lending, federal prosecutors have stayed on the sidelines, even as judges around the country are pointing fingers at possible wrongdoing.

A Brief History of Teenage First Daughters  —  Malia Obama greets Justin Bieber onstage during Christmas in Washington 2011 at the National Building Museum on December 11, 2011 in Washington, DC.  —  It has been nearly six months since Malia Obama turned 13.