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12:50 PM ET, December 23, 2011

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Charles Krauthammer / Washington Post:
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?
RELATED:
Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:
House approves payroll tax bill, sends to Obama for signature  —  The House on Friday morning approved a bill extending the payroll tax holiday and unemployment insurance for two months, and also prevents a planned cut to reimbursements for Medicare physicians.
Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Hot Air
CNN:
Congress passes payroll tax cut extension  —  Washington (CNN) — Both chambers of Congress passed an amended version of the two-month payroll tax cut extension Friday, sending the measure to President Barack Obama's desk and handing Democrats a hard-fought victory on an issue — taxes …
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
A done deal  —  Congress sure can move quickly when it wants to.  —  Late yesterday, House Republicans caved to Democratic demands and agreed to accept a slightly-tweaked bipartisan compromise from the Senate.  This morning, just to move the process along, the Senate preemptively approved the tweaked version by unanimous consent.
Discussion: Booman Tribune
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
The Suicidal House Republicans
Brian Beutler / tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com:
TPMDC  —  Boehner Takes Strong Hand With House GOP After Payroll Tax Meltdown
Jamie Klatell / The Hill:   GOP freshman: House caved to Dems again, gave gift of uncertainty
Jackie Calmes / New York Times:
News Analysis: For Obama, Payroll Tax Victory Was Aided by Republicans
Discussion: Washington Post and The Page
Washington Post:
House GOP agrees to 2-month extension of payroll tax cut
NationalJournal.com:
House Republicans Agree To Payroll Deal
Reuters:
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.
RELATED:
Molly Ball / The Atlantic Online:
Ron Paul's Iowa Edge: A Rock-Solid Caucus Campaign  —  Unlike the other candidates who have topped the polls, he's not a flavor of the week — and that's why his candidacy poses such a threat.  —  ANKENY, IOWA — Just when you thought the tortuous, topsy-turvy 2012 campaign couldn't get any more insane …
The New Republic:
TNR Exclusive: A Collection of Ron Paul's Most Incendiary Newsletters  —  For years, Ron Paul published a series of newsletters that dispensed political news and investment advice, but also routinely indulged in bigotry.  Here's a selection of some especially inflammatory passages …
David Weigel / Slate:
The Newsweek Curse  —  This isn't the problem that's kept …
ABCNEWS:
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 …
RELATED:
Zack Ford / ThinkProgress:
Bob Vander Plaats' Pay-For-Play Scandal: Charged A Million Bucks For Endorsement, Asked Candidates To Drop Out  —  Bob Vander Plaats' endorsement of Rick Santorum has produced a backlash among conservatives in Iowa, some of whom are accusing the FAMiLY LEADER president of engaging in …
Andrew Cain / Richmond Times-Dispatch:
Bachmann, Huntsman, Santorum not on Va. primary ballot
Joe Biden / Des Moines Register:
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 …
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
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 …
Discussion: Washington Post and Balloon Juice
Sara Sorcher / NationalJournal.com:
QUICK TAKE: Obama: 'Deep Down ... There's a Laziness in Me'  —  The personality trait President Obama says he most deplores in himself and others is not exactly one you'd expect from, presumably, one of the busiest people in the world: laziness.  —  “You're lazy?”
RELATED:
Peter Nicholas / Los Angeles Times:
Dog days: Bo's whereabouts spark latest White House controversy
Discussion: Washington Post and cab drollery
Wall Street Journal:
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 …
Discussion: Booman Tribune
Bill Adair / PolitiFact:
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 …
CNN:
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.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Mary Orndorff / Sweet Home Potomac:
U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus may face challenge from state Sen. Scott Beason
Discussion: Ballot Box and The Politico
Richard Wolf / USA Today:
Voters leaving Republican, Democratic parties in droves
Discussion: Hot Air and ABCNEWS
Bill Gertz / Washington Times:
Inside the Ring  —  NUKE SCIENTIST EXCHANGE PLANNED
Discussion: Weasel Zippers and Atlas Shrugs
Steve Tetreault / Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Poll: Berkley holds slim lead over Heller for Senate seat
Discussion: Ballot Box and Hotline On Call
Frank Mugisha / New York Times:
Gay and Vilified in Uganda
Discussion: Box Turtle Bulletin
James Rankin / U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis:
Regional
Discussion: The Politico and Calculated Risk
 Earlier Items: 
Amanda Terkel / The Huffington Post:
Sherrod Brown's Ohio Senate Race Target Of Most Third-Party Spending By Republicans
Discussion: The Politico
Noreen Malone / New York Magazine:
A Brief History of Teenage First Daughters
Jillian / Electronic Frontier Foundation:
For Bloggers at Risk: Creating a Contingency Plan
Discussion: The Agonist
Scot Paltrow / Reuters:
Special Report: The watchdogs that didn't bark
Elicia Dover / ABCNEWS:
Gingrich to Campaign With Pets and Music
Discussion: TBogg and The Right Scoop
Jason Linkins / The Huffington Post:
George Allen Did Not Enjoy That Facebook Chat He Had With You, Virginia
Michael D. Shear / The Caucus:
Romney Says He Won't Release Tax Returns
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Jessica Toonkel / Wall Street Journal:
A deep dive into Paramount's sale to Skydance; sources: Skydance may integrate Pluto into Paramount+, and CBS head George Cheeks is expected to be head of TV

Bloomberg:
A look at the challenges facing Crunchyroll, as current and ex-staffers say its management is out of touch, amid Disney and Netflix's expansion into anime

Ankush Khardori / Politico:
Trump may erode press protections but the ABC case is not evidence of that as the decision to settle appears reasonable given Stephanopoulos' imprecise remarks

 
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