Broker Regulation

Congressional officials said Wednesday they knew of no significant strides toward a compromise over a long Christmas weekend, and no negotiations have been set.

Republicans and Democrats in state capitals across the country are talking ambitiously about what they'll do next year with the unchecked power they amassed in the fall elections. In more states than not, one party now has full control of government.

Measures on gay rights and child safety are among the top state laws taking effect at the start of 2013, along with attempts to prevent identity theft and perennial efforts to restrict abortion and illegal immigration.

State labor officials say about 43,000 Connecticut residents could lose emergency unemployment benefits at the end of December unless Congress continues the program.

As I sit here among a growing pile of pine needles and straggling scraps of wrapping paper, my wandering eyes found an interesting piece on Forbes about consumer-driven health care.

Efforts to save the nation from going over a year-end "fiscal cliff" were in disarray as lawmakers fled the Capitol for their Christmas break. "God only knows" how a deal can be reached now, House Speaker John Boehner declared.