Poll: Paul, Gingrich Take Iowa Top Spots

Texas Congressman Ron Paul and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich lead the Republican field in Iowa, according to a new Iowa State University/Gazette/KCRG poll.

Paul garners support from 27.5 percent of the hawkeye state’s likely caucus-goers while Newt Gingrich holds 25.3 percent. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney trails at 17.5 percent.

The possibility of a Paul upset has prompted concern. The Republican establishment in the state fear that Paul, who is unlikely to win the nomination due to his libertarian leanings, could delegitimize Iowa’s importance as a battleground state.

Reid Implores Boehner To Pass Senate Payroll Extension

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wrote to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) today, urging him to convince Republicans to approve a Senate bill that would extend the current payroll tax holiday by another two months.

In his letter, Reid called on Boehner “to reconvene the House to act on the Senate’s bipartisan compromise as soon as possible.”

“I am fully confident that we can work out our differences and find common ground on a year-long extension,” Reid said. “But in the meantime, families should not have to worry that they will wake up to a tax increase on January 1, 2012.”

Here’s the full text of the letter:

Dear Speaker Boehner,

Our respective chambers have been seeking for weeks to negotiate a year-long extension of the payroll tax cut for middle-class families, as well as unemployment benefits and Medicare payments for physicians. You and I agree that this should be our goal. But as these weeks have made clear, there remain differences between our parties over how to fund and implement these programs that will take longer then a few days to reconcile.

Recognizing this reality, eighty-nine Republican and Democratic senators came together to agree to a short-term extension of these programs. As you requested when we met last Wednesday, Senator McConnell and I worked together to find this common ground. Once the House of Representatives acts on this immediate extension, we will be able to sit down and complete negotiations on a longer extension. But because we have a responsibility to assure middle-class families that their taxes will not go up while we work out our differences, we must pass this immediate extension first.

As the Senate vote made clear, there is no reason for this to be a partisan issue. I am fully confident that we can work out our differences and find common ground on a year-long extension. But in the meantime, families should not have to worry that they will wake up to a tax increase on January 1, 2012.

To provide middle-class families the certainty they deserve, I urge you to reconvene the House to act on the Senate’s bipartisan compromise as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

White House Calls On Syria's Assad To Step Down

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney released the following statement in response to reports that the Syrian government continues to wage violence against its own people:

“The United States continues to believe that the only way to bring about the change that the Syrian people deserve is for Bashar al-Assad to leave power.  The words of the Assad regime have no credibility when they continue to be followed by outrageous and deplorable actions.  Only two days following the Assad regime’s decision to sign the Arab League initiative, they have already flagrantly violated their commitment to end violence and withdraw security forces from residential areas.  The United States is deeply disturbed by credible reports that the Assad regime continues to indiscriminately kill scores of civilians and army defectors, while destroying homes and shops and arresting protesters without due process.  While Syrian security forces have also taken casualties, the overwhelming majority of the violence and loss of life in Syria stems from the actions of the Assad regime, and we call on all parties to put an end to violence.”

“Time and again, the Assad regime has demonstrated that it does not deserve to rule Syria.  It’s time for this suffering and killing to stop. It’s time for the immediate and full implementation of all terms of the Arab League agreement, including the full withdrawal of security forces, the release of political prisoners, and unfettered access by monitors and international media to all parts of Syria.  It’s time for the Syrian people to have the universal rights that they deserve.  The Assad regime is already facing growing isolation and sanctions that are choking off its resources.  We urge Syria’s few remaining supporters in the international community to warn Damascus that if the Arab League initiative is once again not fully implemented, the international community will take additional steps to pressure the Assad regime to stop its crackdown.  Bashar al-Assad should have no doubt that the world is watching, and neither the international community nor the Syrian people accept his legitimacy.”

Report: Kim Jong Un Won't Be Sole NK Leader

Kim Jong Un, the son of recently deceased dictator Kim Jong Il, will share power in North Korea with the country’s military and his uncle, according to a Reuters report.

Reuters stated that their source, described as being closely tied with the North Korean capitol of Pyongyang, has accurately predicted outcomes in the isolated country before.

The shared power model is likely a move to ensure stability in the isolated nation. Although the twenty-something Kim Jong Un appeared to be his father’s handpicked successor, he was burdened by inexperience and little time to be groomed for the role.

Read the full Reuters report here.

Fukushima Meltdown May Have Caused American Deaths, Study Shows

According to a new peer-reviewed study published in the December edition of the International Journal of Health Services – researchers found that there were 14,000 excess deaths in America in the 14 weeks after the Fukushima meltdown - and they believe these deaths can be traced back to radioactive fallout. 

A similar phenomenon was studied at Chernobyl in 1986.