Rick Perry

Rick Scott took the money but now pays a price.

Stakes Up But Jackpot Elusive in GOP Debate: Maybe it was something about the Vegas air that got Republican presidential candidates so riled up in last night's CNN-sponsored debate (the fifth GOP debate since Labor Day). This debate, at Las Vegas' Venetian/Sands Expo and Convention Center, saw Herman Cain vigorously defending his 9-9-9 tax plan, which was nearly universally panned by the other candidates, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry"”after a subdued showing at last week's debate"”doing his darnedest to tangle with Mitt Romney once again (though no more Social Security talk; illegal immigration was all the rage this week).

A new study of older women finds those that are overweight actually have less leg strength and power than their normal-weight counterparts ... A survey finds that the cost of employer-based health insurance will rise less this year than in the previous few ... Scientists have found a way to reverse the aging of human stem cells"”which is good news, because our old fountain-of-youth hope"”'longevity genes'"”isn't holding up so well in light of new research.

Is Rick Perry a 'Scary Guy?' There was more talk of vaccinating young girls than of saving Social Security at last night's 'CNN/Tea Party Express' debate, as the GOP candidates-led by an especially vocal Michele Bachmann-leapt on Texas Gov. Rick Perry for the state's mandating girls get the HPV…

We're used to seeing Social Security disagreements between Republicans and Democrats, but the issue is now becoming a major source of contention within the GOP. At a debate Wednesday night, Texas governor and Republican presidential hopeful Rick Perry called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme." This didn't sit well with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who said that kind of rhetoric is bad for the party.