Newt dumbs it down in presidential bid

Mother Jones has a quick article delving into New Gingrich's dark past... of supporting climate change science and global warming research!

Now, Gingrich is much less enthusiastic about science and the environment. And the explanation seems is fairly simple: Gingrich-the-professor likes grandiose ideas like earth-orbiting climate monitors, space honeymoons, a $40 billion investment in laptops for poor people, or bringing back the dinosaurs. But Gingrich-the-presidential hopeful is campaigning in an age where not just denying climate change but actively disdaining scientific research is the standard in the Republican Party.

Its disappointing to see someone who apparently knows and acknowledges the value of science and research choosing to put those opinions on the shelf. Going so far as to downplay those past episodes and putting a new spin on old quotes in an effort to appeal to the base of the party with the same anti-intellectual pronouncements as all the other relatively interchangeable candidates (no offense, Dr. Ron Paul).

Taxes, taxes, taxes

In the republican debate last night,  between questions about Newt Gingrich's marriage and Peter King forgetting that Ron Paul was a participant, the candidates were asked whether they would or would not release their tax returns prior to the South Carolina primary.

Why do people care about these returns? The issue seems to be that people want to know whether any of the candidates pay a lower tax rate than they do. The problem? As David Leonhardt points out, many Americans don't know what their tax rate is and therefore wrongfully assume that if Romney pays 15% they must pay more.