The rivalry between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney took on a life of its own as they squared off Saturday night. The jabs even got personal. The sparring was expected between the GOP candidates — the top two in most polls — as each hopes to win the upcoming Iowa caucuses.

Thousands of wreaths were laid around the country Saturday and at Arlington National Cemetery as part of the 20th anniversary of an effort honoring the nation's veterans for their service.

The top income tax bracket in America is 35 percent, but the rich often make their money in ways the IRS doesn't classify as taxable income. That makes it hard to gauge the true income gap in America — and hard to tell exactly how much tax the rich are really paying.

GOP presidential hopefuls debate Saturday night in Des Moines, Iowa, and NPR National Political Correspondent Don Gonyea is there. He tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz what to expect from the six candidates seeking the Republican nomination.

A new study shows that it is more difficult to "move up" in America than other developed countries. In America, kids are more likely to stay at the bottom of the economic ladder if their parents had low socio- economic status. Weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz talks with Erin Currier, manager of the Economic Mobility Project of the Pew Charitable Trusts, about why the U.S. ranked worst for economic mobility among the countries in the study.

The Krampus is a character from European Alpine folklore. It stands on two hooves, has horns growing out of its skull and carries a basket to haul away naughty children. For those who get sick of the saccharine season, a good Krampuslauf is just the thing.

Democratic governors Andrew Cuomo and Jerry Brown are both are asking their states' wealthiest residents to pay higher income taxes to help plug major holes in their budgets. That's pretty much where the similarities end.

This week, the Senate blocked the confirmation of Richard Cordray, the former Ohio attorney general chosen by President Obama to lead the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It boils down to yet another partisan fight: Republicans say the agency has too much power, and the White House says they won't weaken an agency that is supposed to protect consumers. Host Scott Simon talks with Joe Nocera, an op-ed columnist for The New York Times.