Former New Mexico governor and barely-blipping GOP presidential candidate Gary Johnson resurrected the specter of Newt Gingrich’s doobie-dabbling and pot policy on MSNBC this weekend (though Johnson overstated Newt’s nonsense a bit). Here’s Newt’s most recent position, as of 1996, when as Speaker of House he introduced H.R. 4170 (Drug Importer Death Penalty Act of 1996) to the House of Representatives, which sought to “provide a sentence of death for certain importations of significant quantities of controlled substances” including marijuana.

Is it political skill, or just a friendly voter pool?

Despite the heavy lift among evangelical leaders hoping to convince their flocks that Newt Gingrich’s adultery-based serial divorces aren’t misaligned with Family Values and that Newt has earned forgiveness for his bad behavior, GOP primary voters actually have a long modern tradition of nominating wife-abandoners for the Presidency.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus met with occupy representatives about legislation and also released today a new bill called the Restore the American Dream for the 99% Act, a combination of stimulative job creation measures, progressive taxation, a funding cut to draw down current wars and other measures popular with the mainstream of the country.

Among potential Republican primary voters, not only does Newt Gingrich have a big lead, he is also seen as having the best chance of beating President Obama according to Pew polling. The poll has Gingrich leading on that question, 35 percent to Romney’s 21 percent, with all other candidates below 10 percent. That’s very bad news for Mitt Romney.

Sith Lord Dick Cheney emerged from his homemade bunker today to criticize the Administration for not starting an air war over Iran to go along with the shadow war already in progress. He wanted to bomb the drone they captured.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is attempting a high-stakes gamble, tying the payroll tax/unemployment insurance legislation that the House will vote on today with the omnibus spending bill to avoid a government shutdown. Without compromise on the former, according to Reid, the latter cannot pass, increasing the risk of a government shutdown.

Reality TV star and possible independent presidential candidate, Donald Trump has decided he will no longer host a Republican primary debate. During this unusual Republican primary season it has seemed there was almost no limit to the amount of absurdity in the race. It now appears, though, that we have found the limit, and it is Donald Trump.

The Federal Reserve made no changes after its latest FOMC committee, staying the course of a modest monetary easing program and keeping the federal funds rate at a low level, until mid-2013, according to the statement. The Fed also believes that the situation in Europe will pose “significant downside risks to the economic outlook,” and that inflation will settle “at levels at or below those consistent with the Committee’s dual mandate.”

Public perceptions about current economic conditions and people’s optimism about the economy have managed to improve modestly over the past several months since their low last autumn according to Gallup. It the trend continues, it should slightly improve President Obama’s reelection chances.