Senator Jeff Sessions, an Alabama Republican and ranking member on the Budget Committee, is an avowed free trader. Yet, Sessions is holding up the renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences, a trade agreement that has been around since the mid 1970’s. The GSP gives preference to 131 developing nations to sell certain goods in the …
Democratic Party
Morning Must Reads: Budget Day
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–The Obama administration released its FY 2012 budget proposal today. As Jay explains, it’s really the opening bid in a back-and-forth between the White House and House Republicans that will last for months., You can read it here at 10:30 a.m. ET. Of the $1.1 trillion in …
The Four Pieces of the Great Spending Debate
Starting this week deficits and spending will take center stage in Washington. And barring a total meltdown in the Middle East, they will hog the stage for the next three months. The stakes are high. Odds of a government shutdown are getting better as are the chances the U.S. could default on its debt. Odds that President Obama will …
Has Obama Lost Wall Street and Business Donors?
Four years ago, I did a story about how three “pioneers,” or top bundlers for President George W. Bush, were giving money to Barack Obama.
[Madison Dearborn Partners founder and then deputy chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago John] Canning says he’s fed up with the Republican Party. “It’s become a party that’s taken
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Morning Must Reads: Unapologetic
Speaker Boehner, Majority leader Cantor and Majority Whip McCarthy appear before the press at the White House following a lunch with President Obama on February 9. (REUTERS/Jason Reed)
–The House GOP rolls out the specifics of its proposal to cut $74 billion from Obama’s 2011 budget. Conservative members may buck the leadership …
Rogers’ First Cuts
The House Appropriations Committee today released a preliminary list of 70 programs they intend to trim – or in some places slash. The committee tomorrow is expected to release it’s omnibus appropriations package to fund the government for the rest of 2011. Congress last year failed to pass any of the 2011 appropriations bills and …
Suspension Silliness
For all the hoopla over the Patriot Act extension failing the House last night, it really isn’t that big a deal. The majority often brings items up under suspension – meaning the bills are so innocuous that the regular rules are waived because they’ll likely easily pass, mostly post office namings and resolutions congratulating …
Webb Decides to Call it a Day
As Michael Scherer noted, Senator Jim Webb, a Virginia Democrat, announced today he won’t run for a second term. Webb’s decision not to engage in a rematch with former Senator George Allen, whom Webb beat in 2006 by less than half of 1% of the vote, blows open the field for Democrats. Virginia went for President Obama in 2008 53% to John …
Morning Must Reads: Plan
(White House Photo/Pete Souza)
–After missing a Jan. 31 deadline, Treasury could release its housing finance reform proposals as soon as Friday. They are expected to lay out a plan for slowly dismantling government-backed mortgage giants Fannie and Freddie, as well as offer a buffet of options for a diminished federal role in the …
Obama Hopes to Hand Leaky States a Bail
President Obama’s upcoming budget proposal for fiscal year 2012 is expected to have some nips and tucks — a federal pay freeze, non-defense discretionary spending freeze, an earmark ban — but it’s not going to be unadulterated austerity. One area where the White House continues to show willingness to spend is aid to states struggling …
Still No Egypt Resolution
The Senate today adjourned after voting on an amendment to the Federal Aviation Reauthorization bill. Senate Democrats are heading south to Charlottesville, Virginia for their annual retreat. We had expected that they would be back late Wednesday or Thursday for more votes — particularly on a resolution on Egypt. But, the galleries tell …
Morning Must Reads: By the Numbers
President Obama walks to the White House after a speech at the US Chamber of Commerce on Feburary 7 in Washington. (AFP/Getty/Tim Sloan)
–Our colleague Tony Karon writes Egypt’s democracy movement is in a holding pattern as the regime digs in and the Obama administration lines up behind Omar Suleiman.
–More (likely) details …
Old Guard Dems Are Asking Themselves: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Rep. Jane Harman, a California Blue Dog Dem is going, she announced today, to head up the Woodrow Wilson Center. Also leaving: Senators Kent Conrad and Joe Lieberman.
Staying thus far are Reps. John Dingell, John Conyers and Barney Frank — all of whom have already announced their plans to run again. If this seems rather early, it’s …