The Gabfest: Payroll taxes, Ron Paul’s surge, Gingrich on judges.

The Gabfest on the Payroll Tax Standoff, Ron Paul’s Surge, and Newt Gingrich on Federal Judges.

The Gabfest on the Payroll Tax Standoff, Ron Paul’s Surge, and Newt Gingrich on Federal Judges.

Slate's weekly political roundtable.
Dec. 23 2011 12:07 PM

The Greatest Gabfest in the History of the Earth

Listen to Slate's show about the payroll tax standoff, Ron Paul’s surge in Iowa, and Newt Gingrich’s attack on federal judges.

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On this week’s Slate Political Gabfest, David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the payroll tax standoff in the House, Ron Paul’s surge in Iowa, and Newt Gingrich’s attack on federal judges.

Here are some of the links and references mentioned during this week's show:

Dave Weigel’s Slate blog post on the House Republicans’ agreement to the two-month payroll tax cut extension.
A Bloomberg BusinessWeek article reporting on Mitch McConnell’s call for an appointed bipartisan committee to resolve the long-term payroll tax problem.
An NPR interview with Representative David Dreier on the payroll tax cut extension.
A National Review editorial endorsing anyone but Newt Gingrich.
The latest CNN/ORC poll finding that only 35 percent of Republicans will definitely support the candidate they currently like and that 43 percent of Republicans would never support Ron Paul.
Dave Weigel’s Slate blog post on Ron Paul’s controversial newsletters.
Dahlia Lithwick’s Slate piece explaining why Newt Gingrich’s campaign against federal judges is ill-advised.
Eric Posner’s Slate piece on liberal scholars who agree with Gingrich’s assessment of the judiciary.
The Supreme Court’s decision on Bush v. Gore.
Barry Friedman’s book on public opinion and the Supreme Court, The Will of the People.

John chatters about the deal on the payroll tax cut that has a provision for small businesses.

Emily chatters about Adam Johnson’s novel about life in North Korea, The Orphan-Master’s Son and a Texas Monthly piece questioning the validity of the conviction of a mother accused of murdering her son.

David chatters about Mitt Romney’s claim that America is “the greatest nation in the history of the earth.”

The email address for the Political Gabfest is gabfest@slate.com. (Email may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Andrew Bouvé and Dale Willman. Links compiled by Aviva Shen. Executive Producer: Andy Bowers.