Democratic Congress

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Gibbs: Dems Will Prevail Nov. 2
 Gibbs: Dems Will Prevail Nov. 2 
REVERSALS
Oct 17, 2010 5:00 PM CDT

Gibbs: Dems Will Prevail Nov. 2

Says party faithful is getting stoked again

(Newser) - White House mouthpiece Robert Gibbs officially reversed his July assertion that Democrats could lose the House (here's the firestorm that ensued) , today telling Meet the Press that his party's base was waking from its stupor and would retain control of both chambers of Congress. As his boss hit the campaign...

Game Plays Out 2011 Obama Coup

Ron Paul fans behind scenario, which also finds Glenn Beck dead

(Newser) - For the burgeoning ranks of political paranoids, a scenario in which President Obama dissolves the Constitution, bans guns and drags the US into a union with Mexico and Canada seems not all that far-fetched. Now, thanks to some Ron Paul supporters, you can prepare for 2011 (yep, that soon!)...

Learn From FDR, Obama, and Show Some Backbone

Roosevelt biographer says president needs to block out GOP

(Newser) - As President Obama prepares to pull away from a public health care option, it shows not just that he's giving in to his opponents, writes Jean Edward Smith; worse, it "suggests that the Democratic Party has forgotten how to govern." In an op-ed for the New York Times,...

Forget AIG: The Outrage Is Estate Tax Giveaway
Forget AIG: The Outrage Is Estate Tax Giveaway
OPINION
Apr 10, 2009 12:05 PM CDT

Forget AIG: The Outrage Is Estate Tax Giveaway

Ten turncoats make absurd stand on Estate Tax

(Newser) - Ten Senate Democrats have joined with Republicans in opposing President Obama’s plan to reinstate the estate tax, set by the Bush team to expire next year, on amounts over $3.5 million. Michael Kinsley, writing in the Washington Post, has one question: “Why in the world?” Currently, rich...

Senate Dems Are Tanking the Party... Again
Senate Dems Are Tanking
the Party... Again
OPINION
Mar 30, 2009 1:06 PM CDT

Senate Dems Are Tanking the Party... Again

Why the left can't seem to govern

(Newser) - Congressional Democrats killed Bill Clinton’s agenda, and Jimmy Carter’s agenda, and it looks like they’re gunning for Barack Obama’s, too, writes Jonathan Chait in the New Republic. George Bush didn’t win the popular vote and had just 50 GOP Senators, but was still able to...

Obama Plugs Stimulus Plan on Capitol Hill

(Newser) - Barack Obama plunged into rare pre-inaugural crisis talks with congressional leaders today, declaring the national economy was "bad and getting worse" and embracing tax cuts expected to reach $300 billion, the AP reports. He predicted lawmakers would approve a mammoth revitalization package within 2 weeks of his taking office....

Reid Steps Up for Re-Election Dogfight

Majority leader has low ratings, political target on his back

(Newser) - He presides over the biggest Senate majority in a quarter century, but Harry Reid is still the Democrat most likely to be unseated in 2 years, the Wall Street Journal reports. A recent poll shows Reid’s approval rating at 38%, and his disapproval rating at 54%. Aware of the...

ANC Defectors Launch New South African Party

Congress of the People aims to be 'non-racial' in still-divided nation

(Newser) - A former defense minister is the first head of a new South African political party made up mainly of defectors from the African National Congress, the party of Nelson Mandela, the BBC reports. Called Congress of the People, or COPE, the movement spearheaded by Mosiuoa Lekota formed around dissatisfaction with...

Dems Find End Run Around Late Bush Regs

Clinton-era law gives Congress power to overturn regulations

(Newser) - The Bush White House thought it was pretty clever rushing to get all its so-called midnight regulations finalized by Nov. 1 so they couldn't be immediately overturned by the next president, as many of Bill Clinton's parting gifts were. But congressional Democrats say they've found an obscure Clinton-era law that...

House Dems Wrangle Over Top Posts
House Dems Wrangle Over Top Posts
Nov 6, 2008 9:40 AM CST

House Dems Wrangle Over Top Posts

Waxman aims to bump Dingell out of key chairmanship

(Newser) - Tuesday's votes were still being counted when House Democrats started wrangling over leadership positions, Politico reports. Henry Waxman has launched a challenge for chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee, aiming to take out John Dingell of Michigan, whose support is eroding. Says a lobbyist: "He has done...

Pelosi Urges Lame-Duck Stimulus Bill

Democrats say bipartisan, White House support crucial to measure

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi says she hopes to quickly push through a $61 billion economic stimulus package but will need the support of President Bush and the current crop of Senate Republicans, Reuters reports. Pelosi said a "lame duck session" could come as early as Nov. 16. "It depends on...

Bush State of Union to Focus on Economy

Will stress need for recession-buster measures

(Newser) - During his final State of the Union address tonight, President Bush isn't expected to announce any dramatic new policy initiatives—but will emphasize the need for government action to ward off a recession. The speech, entitled “Trust and Empower,” will call on Congress to permanently extend his $1....

Bush: Iran Is Still a Threat
Bush: Iran Is Still a Threat
Dec 4, 2007 10:05 AM CST

Bush: Iran Is Still a Threat

Prez resists suggestions that new report undermines his rhetoric

(Newser) - President Bush insisted today that Iran is still a threat, despite a new NIE report released yesterday concluding that the country shut down its nuclear weapons program in 2003. "Iran was dangerous, Iran is dangerous, Iran will be dangerous," he said in a news conference. The report should...

Washington Takes Aim at Credit Cards

Lawmakers vow to tackle rate hikes, reform arcane fee system

(Newser) - Dem lawmakers vow to finally rein in credit card companies after years of consumer complaints, the Washington Post reports. They want lenders to scrap random rate hikes and inscrutable fees, and plan to tackle it in a hearing next week; one rep has already drawn up legislation. But industry lobbyists...

Bush Again Demands War Funding from Democrats

President wants money before Christmas

(Newser) - President Bush demanded today that Congress approve funding for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan before members leave for the holidays, despite repeated assertions from congressional Democrats that's not in the cards. "Let us tell our men and women in uniform that we will give them what they need to...

Dems and the Rich: Not Such Strange Bedfellows

They represent 58% of wealthy districts: study

(Newser) - Apparently it's not such an anomaly when Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer comes to the defense of private equity partners fighting to keep their tax breaks. Contrary to their reputation as the champions of the poor and middle class, Democrats now represent a majority of the nation's richest congressional districts, according...

Bush: Congress Wasting Time
Bush: Congress Wasting Time
Oct 17, 2007 11:20 AM CDT

Bush: Congress Wasting Time

(Newser) - George Bush ripped Congress today, in a bruising opening to a press conference, saying Democrats had largely wasted their first nine months in power. “The clock is winding down,” the president said, alleging lethargy on issues like health care, education, veterans and security. He then attacked the Armenian...

GOP Struggles to Regain the Offensive

Children's health veto, spate of retirements damage Republican image

(Newser) - GOP lawmakers admitted to low morale when they met with Bush the other day, the New York Times reports. A spate of retirements, and bad PR over Bush's stance on children's health care, have recently stung the party. “The president has let the debate on health care down by...

Bush Vetoes Child Health Bill
Bush Vetoes Child Health Bill
Oct 3, 2007 11:10 AM CDT

Bush Vetoes Child Health Bill

Plan has two-thirds majority in Senate, but not in House

(Newser) - President Bush today struck down a bipartisan compromise to expand a federal initiative providing care for children whose parents can’t afford it, the Los Angeles Times reports. Bush called the bill too costly, and said he would rather renew the current plan for five years; Democrats are unenthused, and...

Congress Spooked Into Passing Broad Spying Law

How a weak president scored a surprising win

(Newser) - It was a closed-door briefing last month, in which lawmakers were told of a stunning drop in intelligence, that suddenly broke the Democratic opposition to a new spying bill passed last week, the New York Times reports. The Times does a post mortem on the 11th hour passage of the...

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