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Mitt Romney's release Friday of his 2011 tax return and a summary of his tax rate over 20 years gave friends and foes alike something to grab hold of. But not all his allies greeted the move.

To try to get a sense of what it really means to be the president, writer Michael Lewis spent six months in President Obama's shadow. Lewis wanted to show just what it's like to be in the president's shoes — down to something as simple as what he eats and wears every day.

The investigation, however, did prompt the resignation of one high-ranking official as well as the retirement of former ATF director Kenneth Melson.

Despite his re-election and bolstered Democratic numbers in Congress, President Obama has far from a free hand to make a comprehensive deal with House Speaker John Boehner that would include cuts to entitlement programs. Strong resistance to that notion is coming from the political left — and with a warning.

Economic historian Gregory Clark's study of social mobility traced surnames and found that a person's success in life may be largely determined by the status of ancestors hundreds of years ago. That means improving opportunities across generations might be a lot harder than anyone imagined.

On the final day of the 2012 campaign, President Obama and Mitt Romney are making a last push in states that could be critical to victory. Obama was scheduled to campaign in three swing states, while Romney had events planned in four. The only overlap was in Ohio, considered the linchpin of the election.

Not long ago, it seemed that the House of Representatives was a case of the tail wagging the dog, with Speaker John Boehner unable to keep in line many fellow Republicans, especially freshmen who came to Congress riding the 2010 Tea Party wave. Now, however, the big dog seems back in control.

A growing number of teenage girls are incarcerated each year. Many have injuries consistent with sexual assault, and up to a third are or have been pregnant. But the care provided in detention is often inadequate for girls because the assessment of their needs misses the mark.

In Greece, hospital budgets have been slashed by more than half. Doctors say they lack basic supplies, including those needed to save lives. Both public and private doctors have seen their salaries cut, delayed or even frozen. Meanwhile, unemployment is taking a toll on patients' health.

As the White House and Congress continue to wrangle over a deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff" and its billions in automatic spending cuts and tax increases, a look at who is spending big to influence the debate behind the scenes.