President Obama stops to view a generator as he tours a General Electric plant in Schenectady, New York on January 21. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
–John Heilemann tells the story of Obama’s White House realignment at the hands of Pete Rouse and the first flickers of the re-election effort as a shattering of hubris.
–His State of …
The U.S. Capitol Dome is lit after the first significant snowfall of the season as the House of Representatives worked late into the evening on December 16, 2010. (REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang)
–The tax deal, including a two-year extension of all the Bush breaks, a temporary payroll tax cut, and assorted other cuts and credits, breezed …
I can just imagine conversations going on between senators and their spouses right about now.
“Sweetie, I’m sorry, but I’m going to be stuck in Washington all of next week.”
“Darling, no way. You left me alone last year with your in-laws and the kids. I’m not doing another Christmas in Florida without …
House progressives just nearly brought down the Bush tax cuts bill over lingering anger at the compromise President Obama worked out with Senate Republicans. Democratic leaders had hoped that an amendment built into the package changing the estate tax provisions would sway enough liberals to vote to proceed to the bill and for the …
–As Mark reports, the Obama administration’s Afghan war review depicts a fragile effort nonetheless on track for draw-down starting next year. The Times gets a Taliban commander on record saying “the government has the upper hand now” in Kandahar.
–The standalone “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” repeal heads to the Senate as the tax deal …
(REUTERS/Mian Khursheed)
–Richard Holbrooke’s passing has prompted an outpouring of retrospectives full of awe and appreciation. Rajiv Chandrasekaran’s obituary, warm remembrances from Michael Elliot and Jeffrey Goldberg, George Packer’s recent profile, statements from countless public officials, and TNR’s compilation of works …
I was going to wait till the vote closed but after 3.5 hours, I lost my patience. By a vote of at least 83-15, the Senate invoked cloture on President Obama’s tax package. Those voting no were mostly Democratic: New Mexico’s Jeff Bingaman, Wisconsin’s Russ Feingold, Vermont’s Patrick Leahy, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Ohio’s Sherrod …
House Democrats have a decision to make this week: do they value messing with President Obama’s tax plan more than their Holiday plans? The Senate today is expected to vote on cloture on the tax plan, which would mean passage by Wednesday (assuming they get cloture, which seems likely). The House would then take up the measure Thursday …