Rep. Anthony Weiner called House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Steve Israel Wednesday night to inform them that he will be resigning from Congress. The last month has seen Weiner tweet a lewd picture to a 21-year-old …
Congress
White House: Libya Campaign Isn’t War – UPDATED
The United States is not engaged in a war with Libya and the War Powers Resolution does not apply to U.S. military action there, according to two White House officials who briefed reporters on Wednesday. “We’re now in a …
Will Big Business Pressure the Tea Party Into Raising the Debt Ceiling?
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce called in response to my post yesterday on the ongoing debt-limit negotiations. In the piece, I linked to a quote from Chamber chief Tom Donohue, who during an event in Atlanta on Monday appeared to warn the House Republicans vowing to vote against a debt-ceiling hike: “We’ll get rid of you.”
Chamber …
Congress Clashes With Another President Over War Powers
The right and the left are taking President Obama to task over his involvement in Libya. House Speaker John Boehner sent the President a letter on Tuesday informing him that as of this weekend, he will be in violation of the War …
Coburn Takes On Ethanol Hypocrisy
The Senate voted down a bill Monday afternoon that would’ve strip $6 billion in annual ethanol subsidies and get rid of an import tariff on ethanol, particularly from Brazil, coming into the United States. The measure, co-sponsored by Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn and California Democrat Dianne Feinstein, garnered a surprising amount of …
Contrite and Not Quite Defiant, Can Anthony Weiner Survive Scandal?
The first crush of the crowd was toward the accuser, not the accused. Conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart was swarmed by reporters as he entered the royal blue third-floor ballroom of the Sheraton hotel in Midtown Manhattan on …
As the Economy Sputters, D.C. Loses Its Will to Act
The grim news last week was not new: The American economy is stuck in a rut, with the manufacturing sector sputtering, housing prices falling and job growth too small to keep up with the growing population. We have been reading …
On Deficits and Debt, the Voters Get a Say
I wish our Democratic leaders would make their fiscal case as clearly and fearlessly as Michael Grunwald does.
To recap: Democrats are in favor of short-term deficit spending because they believe it will stimulate desperately needed growth. And they believe that growth, plus higher taxes (plus the one thing Mike doesn’t mention: …
In the ArenaFinancial Regulation
The Elizabeth Warren Test
The incredibly boorish grilling of Elizabeth Warren by Republican members of a House subcommittee on Tuesday raises two interesting questions: After a decade in which money lenders raped and pillaged homeowners, home-buyers and …
Why John Boehner Needs to Reassure Wall Street
House Speaker John Boehner will address the Economic Club of New York City on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan on Monday night. Though Boehner has long been an avowed friend of business – he received a 94% Chamber of Commerce rating …
The Unity Is Over: Congress Returns to Debt Ceiling Fight
Osama bin Laden is dead and gone. Republicans and Democrats this week came together to rejoice and pass resolutions praising U.S. troops and the intelligence community. Even Donald Trump called a truce.
In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Congress and the country remained unified for months – some might argue for years. In the wake of …
The Air War Over Health Care Reform
Despite earlier predictions that health care might not be the central component in this year’s congressional campaigns, candidates and outside groups are investing millions in TV ads touting and vilifying the new law. Two new ad campaigns each reportedly costing $2 million launched today.
This ad is being put out by the pro-reform …
Alter’s New Book
The first draft of history is always going to be controversial, especially when it’s on something as touchy as health care reform – monstrous legislation the full effects of which we will not know for years to come. So it should probably come as no surprise that Jonathan Alter’s take on Barack Obama’s first year in the White …