It's been quite the year in politics, with several government shutdown scares, the debt ceiling dilemma and a Congress who can't seem to agree on anything. The country saw Congress clash once again about the payroll tax cut and how to pay for it.

But nothing has shaped 2011 more than the presidential race coming up in 2012. The country has been introduced to the White House contenders and the public has seen each one rise and fall with time. All this even before the pivotal Iowa caucus. Join us in a look back at the most memorable moments from 2011 and see how these stories will transform 2012.

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A new report by INSA shows there is a huge backlog for contractors trying to get a security clearance. These workers are getting paid with U.S. tax dollars, but they're not on the job because they don't have the paperwork they need. The Intelligence and National Security Alliance's Charlie Allen explains the hold up and what the government is doing to fix the security clearance process.

Also on Capital Insider, we're taking a look at non-profits who are spending money on specific campaigns. Two campaign finance reform groups want the IRS to look into if these organizations are donating to campaigns and then getting tax credits. Roll Call's Amanda Becker investigates this issue.

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It's the holiday season and this year, it looks like the American public wants to give Congress a piece of their minds as a gift. With their 11% approval rating, it seems lawmakers may be getting coal in their stockings. Some say that's exactly what they deserve after getting to the wire regarding the payroll tax cut. It runs out at the end of the month and even though the Senate has passed a bipartisan two-month extension, some House Republicans have said they won't vote on it. George Whitehouse, from the Payroll Network, explains what the tax cut means for employers and the Average Joe.

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The presidential candidates are gearing up for the Iowa caucus and as the date gets closer, the claws are coming up. The political ads are getting downright dirty and no White House hopeful is exempt. GOP strategist Jack Burkman takes a look at the best and worst ads hitting the web and TV.

Also on Capital Insider, we talk to Doug DePreist, one of the producers for G4's Bomb Patrol: Afghanistan. The reality show has cameras embedded with the U.S. Navy's elite Explosive Ordinance DIsposal team. They find IEDs and dismantle them. It's a dangerous job, but someone has to be up for the tough task. Check out the amazing footage from the show.

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This past week, feds had to prep once again for yet another government shutdown. Government workers were warned they could be furloughed if Congress didn't pass a stopgap bill or a long-term budget. Lawmakers were down to the wire, causing feds to panic. Of course, this wasn't the first time government employees thought their offices may shut down. Federal News Radio's Jason Miller explains the shutdown scare and what it meant for feds.

Also on tonight's show, we talk to financial expert Julia Valentine about saving for retirement. Whether you're in your 20's or your 70's, there are ways you can set aside savings, without breaking the bank. It all comes down to knowing where to put your money and how to save throughout the years, even in a fragile economy. Julia Valentine is the author of Joy Compass, a book that tells us how to turn saving for retirement into a happy journey.

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Some debt collectors have crossed the line when it comes to getting clients to pay. They've done everything from harassing phone calls and actual threats against consumers. But one debt collector is trying to change the industry. He's started a campaign called "Stop these Criminals" to try to get debt collectors to do their jobs, without harassment. His movement has gone all the way to Congress and he's not stopping there.

Also on the show, Cedric Leighton tells us about the threat coming from China that's looming right below the surface. The Chinese have created tunnels throughout the country and they're allegedly transporting nuclear weapons in them. The story has a local connection: Georgetown University students did three years of research to discover the tunnels and what's inside.

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Congress must love the adrenaline of making big decisions as deadlines loom. Lawmakers have until Friday at midnight to figure out how to fund the government. Yep, we're at that point again, where the stopgap bill that keeps the government up and running runs dry. Lawmakers have an allegedly bipartisan bill that House appropriators have come up with and it will be voted on Thursday. But now, political posturing is getting in the way. President Obama is urging Senate Democrats to hold the spending bill hostage until lawmakers can come up with an agreement on how to fund the payroll tax cut. He vows to veto a plan that passed the House that ties the payroll tax cut into a controversial oil pipeline stretching from Texas to Canada. Oh, and did we mention that Congress is trying to get this all done by Friday so they can skip town and have a happy holiday away from the Capitol?

Also talked about tonight, remember the President who tried to be liked by almost all and talked about bipartisanship? That guy appears to be gone. President Obama is ready for a fight and not just with his GOP rivals. The commander-in-chief has taken swipes at Congress and he has said several times over the past few weeks, he won't budge on certain issues. He's said he'll veto bills and he'll have lawmakers stay on Capitol Hill until they find compromise. It looks like it may be a long holiday season when it comes to politics.

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The president is supporting the SEC push for tougher penalties for companies that break the law repeatedly. The crackdown comes as a federal judge rebuffs a SEC/Citigroup settlement. Basically, the country is still reeling from the mortgage meltdown and people want those Wall Street companies to pay. Jacob Frenkel, a former SEC enforcement officer who is now a partner at Shulman Rogers law firm, explains the war going on between Wall Street and the SEC.

Also in this edition of Capital Insider, the Government Accountability Office talks about its new report making headlines across the nation. Basically, analysts from GAO looked at foster children in five states and found they were on five times the amount of psychotropic medication compared to a kid who's not in the foster care system. The report comes as foster children as young as 12-years-old testified before a Congressional panel about being fed drugs. Even infants have been taking these drugs.

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If you're a political insider, you probably don't look at the presidential candidates the same way voters do. But most of the country isn't inside the Beltway. The candidates have a tough job: to appeal to the masses. That means always looking, acting and sounding the part. But what about their clothes, their weight and their general appearance? Some analysts have said that shouldn't matter, but it does. That's why we grilled image consultant Yasmin Anderson-Smith about what the presidential hopefuls should change if they hope to get elected. Don't worry, no one was left out. We also ask about how President Obama comes off and if it's working for him for his re-election.

Also in tonight's episode, we talk to Roll Call's Paul Singer about Newt Gingrich's finances and how he made his millions. He didn't come from money, but now Gingrich is a self-made millionaire. It may surprise you though, even as Gingrich takes flack for his connection to K Street, it's actually Mitt Romney who's done a better job fundraising with them. Paul breaks down the money going into these campaigns and looks at both candidates financial standing.

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The Postal Service has a plan. Basically, if the agency makes the changes it is proposing, you won't be able to send a piece of first-class mail and expect it to arrive the next day. The other part of the plan not sitting well with critics: closing mail processing centers. That would cause tens of thousands of postal employees to be out of a job. Some say it's a small price to pay to save the Postal Service. The Washington Post's Ed O'Keefe weighs in on the proposal and when it would affect customers.

Also in our business brief, we're taking a closer look at those jobless rates and what those numbers really mean. Yes, the unemployment rate has fallen to 8.6%, but for the millions still out of work, those statistics don't mean a thing. John McClain, from GMU's Center for Regional Analysis, talks to us about what really drives the economy.

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It's Friday here at Capital Insider and that means we're going to take you through the best (and worst) political moments of the week in our "Week in Review." In this edition, we talk about Gingrich's quick rise to the top, Cain's campaign falling apart and who should really get credit for the unemployment drop.

But first, we wrap up our two-part interview with Jack Abramoff, who spent time behind bars for what he did as a lobbyist on the Hill. Abramoff has written a book to talk about his past and how he wants it to change the future of politics. We also ask him about the crop of GOP candidates, if politics will ever get less corrupt and his message to those he wronged.

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In tonight's Capital Insider: Jack Abramoff, former lobbyist and convicted criminal talks to us about when his career took a dangerous and criminal turn and what he wants Washington to learn from his mistakes. It's part one of our two-part series with him.

Also, a look at the civil war in Syria. Matt RJ Brodsky, policy director at Jewish Policy Center, explains why Syria matters to the U.S. and what he believes American leaders should do about the situation in Syria.

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