Free kibbles

TAX AND SPEND:

The House passes the Senate version of the payroll tax cut, making this a non-issue. Here's the real story:

"The short-term deal extends the current payroll tax rate at 4.2% from 6.2% and continues to provide unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed. It also includes a Medicare "doc fix" that will prevent a drop in payments to doctors who treat seniors, and it extends and funds the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program that provides welfare benefits to 4.6 million Americans."

Republicans passed a bunch of big welfare spending. Surprise, surprise.

REGULATION:

IP infecting the fashion industry.

GLOBAL WARMING AND ENERGY:

China warns EU it will retaliate if the EU charges carbon fees for airlines. Trade wars are looming everywhere.

WAR:

NATO finally takes some responsibility for killing Pakistani troops Nov. 26, four weeks after the fact.

"It however stopped short of the apology that would help repair the severely damaged relations with its ally."

"But the Pentagon defended the actions of its troops and blamed Pakistan for failing to share co-ordinates of its border posts during the night time incident on Nov 26, and said they had acted in self-defence and responded with "appropriate force"."

Being in government means never having to say you're sorry no matter how many people you kill.

POLITICS:

While the media is attacking Ron Paul over racist comments somebody else made in his newsletter well over a decade ago, Paul is leading the field with non-whites.

Voters are so fed up with the two parties, they're leaving them.

"A USA TODAY analysis of state voter registration statistics shows registered Democrats declined in 25 of the 28 states that register voters by party. Republicans dipped in 21 states, while independents increased in 18 states.The trend is acute in states that are key to next year's presidential race. In the eight swing states that register voters by party, Democrats' registration is down by 800,000 and Republicans' by 350,000. Independents have gained 325,000."

It's about time.

Bachmann, Huntsman and Santorum fail to gather enough signatures to make the Virginia ballot.

MEDIA:

The Wall Street Journal attack Ron Paul's investment portfolio because it's designed to defend against inflation. In other words, Ron Paul puts him money where his mouth is, and we're supposed to believe that's a bad thing.