Congress

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Stimulus Bill Leaps GOP Senate Hurdle

(Newser) - The economic stimulus legislation backed by President Barack Obama has passed a key test in the Senate over strong Republican opposition, the AP reports. Republican Sens. Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, and Arlen Specter all broke ranks and supported revised legislation, making the final vote 61-36 over a procedural hurdle raised...

Porn Star Seeks La. Senate Seat

(Newser) - Louisiana GOP Senator David Vitter will meet a substantial opponent in his 2010 bid for re-election: porn star Stormy Daniels, CNN reports. A grass-roots “Draft Stormy” campaign, unaffiliated with the state’s Democratic Party, has encouraged the buxom blond to run on a platform of the economy, women’s...

Blame Obama for Botched Stimulus
Blame Obama for Botched Stimulus
OPINION
Feb 9, 2009 7:27 AM CST

Blame Obama for Botched Stimulus

President's hunger for bipartisan support led to disaster: Krugman

(Newser) - Even if the Obama stimulus package had been enacted in its original $800 billion form, writes Paul Krugman, it wouldn't have plugged the hole in the American economy. Yet the "centrists" who cut it down have taken out some of its best provisions, like aid for state governments,...

Geithner Delays Bank Bailout Until Tuesday

Treasury Department focuses on pushing stimulus through Congress

(Newser) - The Treasury Department will wait until Tuesday to unveil the next bank bailout while lawmakers and President Obama debate their multibillion-dollar stimulus plan, the New York Times reports. “With record high job losses, and weakening economic forecasts, we’re focused on working with Congress to pass an economic recovery...

Senate, Obama Spar Over Stimulus

(Newser) - President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans bickered today over his historically huge economic recovery plan after states and schools lost tens of billions of dollars in a late-night bargain to save it, the AP reports. "We can't afford to make perfect the enemy of the absolutely necessary," Obama...

Senators Give Stimulus Plan Backroom OK

(Newser) - President Barack Obama moved a step closer to his first big legislative victory today as key senators tentatively agreed on an economic stimulus measure amid stunning new signs of America's economic weakness, the AP reports. Two officials said the emerging agreement was for a bill whittled down to $780 billion,...

Senate Could Vote on Stimulus Tonight

(Newser) - Harry Reid said he was confident the Senate would produce a stimulus bill ready for voting by tonight, Reuters reports. “We’ve made progress,” the majority leader said of efforts to sweat the measure down from $937 billion. “I think we’re going to be able to...

Americans Ask: Is Anyone in Charge?
Americans Ask: Is Anyone in Charge?
OPINION
Feb 6, 2009 10:24 AM CST

Americans Ask: Is Anyone in Charge?

As Washington squabbles, citizens lose faith: Noonan

(Newser) - Americans are indulging in a strange disjunction between real life and the fate of the nation, Peggy Noonan writes for the Wall Street Journal: "Your long-term thoughts are pessimistic, and yet you're cheerful in the day to day." But as the recession gets worse and the threat of...

Pols Get Failing Grades on Economic Literacy
Pols Get Failing Grades
on Economic Literacy
OPINION
Feb 6, 2009 10:05 AM CST

Pols Get Failing Grades on Economic Literacy

Critics of stimulus spending reveal lack of economic literacy

(Newser) - Given all the "silly" arguments coming out of Washington these days, maybe we should pony up $50 million or so and let congressmen hire "economic trainers," writes Steven Pearlstein in the Washington Post. Those who complain that the stimulus has too much spending just don't get it....

Senators Wrangle Over Stimulus Cuts

Bipartisan group works to carve plan down to size

(Newser) - A bipartisan group of some 20 senators argued late last night over cuts to the $900 billion stimulus package, and will reconvene today, reports the New York Times. Democrats and Republicans alike say they want to slash provisions that won't swiftly create jobs or boost spending—but they are struggling...

Obama's Op-Ed Is 'Boilerplate' but Dead On
Obama's Op-Ed Is 'Boilerplate' but Dead On
OPINION
Feb 5, 2009 4:36 PM CST

Obama's Op-Ed Is 'Boilerplate' but Dead On

Klein: We need to move now on the stimulus package

(Newser) - Barack Obama’s Washington Post op-ed today arguing in favor of the stimulus is “a bit of a disappointment,” writes Joe Klein for Time. It’s "political boilerplate," and the president should probably stick to speeches. Still, that doesn’t change the fact that he's exactly...

Obama Is Selling It, But It's Not His Bill
Obama Is
Selling It, But
It's Not His Bill
Analysis
Feb 5, 2009 12:37 PM CST

Obama Is Selling It, But It's Not His Bill

President let Congress write stimulus, and probably regrets it

(Newser) - Barack Obama is working mightily to sell the stimulus bill, but looks have made one major mistake, Massimo Calabresi writes in Time: He let Congress write it. Obama aides let committee staffers draft the bill, relying on their legislative expertise. “They did a good job of really deferring to...

Dems Gird for Fight Over Pro-Labor Bill

'Card check' legislation faces stiff business opposition, Senate fight

(Newser) - House Democrats are about to unveil a bill easing the unionization process, a measure that’s already sparked major backlash, the Hill reports. The Employee Free Choice Act, which President Obama has said he'll sign, would allow workers to skip secret ballot elections to create unions, instead openly signing cards....

Japan's PM Slams 'Buy American' Provision

World leaders roundly criticize stimulus provision

(Newser) - Japan’s prime minister today slammed the “Buy American” clause in the proposed economic-stimulus bill currently being considered by the US Senate, the Financial Times reports. Speaking in parliament, Taro Aso said that requiring stimulus projects to use US-made materials is “definitely wrong,” and contrary to the...

Congress Delays Digital TV Switch Until June 12

(Newser) - Congress has decided to give people four more months to prepare for the upcoming transition from analog to digital TV. The House voted today to postpone the end of analog TV signals until June 12. The Senate passed a similar measure last week, so it now goes to President Obama,...

Pelosi, Not GOP, Thorn in Obama's Side
 Pelosi, Not GOP, 
 Thorn in Obama's Side 
ANALYSIS
Feb 4, 2009 10:10 AM CST

Pelosi, Not GOP, Thorn in Obama's Side

President's relationship with House speaker on the rocks over stimulus

(Newser) - President Obama might have criticized how House Republicans rolled over for President Bush, but likely expected something similar from Democrats. But Speaker Nancy Pelosi has already shown she won’t hew to Obama’s agenda, reports Time. They’re out of step on the auto bailout, tax cuts, and most...

Illinois Pols Offered Me Easy Out: Blago

Replacement denies deal to keep him on as 'incapacitated governor'

(Newser) - Rod Blagojevich said today that shortly after his December arrest by federal authorities, he was approached by “leading senators” who offered him a chance to stay on as an “incapacitated governor,” the Chicago Tribune reports. The deal, which the now-impeached governor rejected, would have been contingent on...

Lobbyists Lard Up Senate Stimulus

Tax benefits for ag, pharmaceuticals inserted into bill

(Newser) - With the Senate debate on its stimulus bill cranking up today, interest groups are scrambling to extract their pound of flesh. The Wall Street Journal reports that lobbyists have already helped swell the total to $885 billion, in many cases with small changes in wording and technical definitions. For example,...

Fla. Gov Charlie Crist Eyes 2010 Senate Race

(Newser) - Florida's GOP Gov. Charlie Crist is mulling a 2010 Senate run that would put him within range of the Oval Office in 2012, the Washington Post reports. But he faces a crowded field when one-term Sen. Mel Martinez steps down: A host of state lawmakers have tossed in their...

Parties Partisan on Obama's Bipartisanship

GOP says it's failed already; president takes a longer view

(Newser) - Barack Obama won two legislative victories this week, but he didn’t get any help from Republicans doing it, despite multiple attempts to reach out to them. The GOP is touting that as a victory, hoping Obama will make concessions to win their votes, even if he doesn’t need...

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