TPMDC Lame duck sesion
Barack Obama
Obama As Budget Referee: It's a No-Win Situation
President Barack Obama
Now that the budget hijinks have come to a close and Washington has oh-so-narrowly averted a government shutdown, let the blame game begin.
Such high stakes political negotiations always involve some level of political fallout. As President Obama likes to say, no one ever gets 100 percent of what they want in a negotiation, and there's always room to complain. Democrats will no doubt have plenty to complain about when the finer details of Friday's deal reach the light of day.
Democrats managed to jettison the policy rider aimed at defunding Planned Parenthood, but they also caved to $6 billion more in overall spending cuts than they previously said they would tolerate. And the final stop-gap spending bill included language preventing D.C. from using tax dollars for abortions.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Barack Obama, Budget, Government Shutdown, Harry Reid, House Republicans, John Boehner, Lame duck sesion, Senate Democrats, Tax Cuts, Tea Party
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart: Obama More Like Luke Skywalker Than Comeback Kid (VIDEO)
Jon Stewart
Returning from a two-week holiday hiatus, Jon Stewart last night caught up on the news he missed, and celebrated the productive lame duck session of Congress.
"Holy crap balls, Democrats, you need to lose midterm elections more often," Stewart said. "It suits you."
Topics: Jon Stewart, Lame duck sesion, The Daily Show
Lame duck sesion
Top 5 Lame Duck Losers For 2010
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
Until the next Congress starts, the media will have little to prattle on about besides the Democrats lame duck accomplishments. Already lost in the coverage are two key facts: 1.) The Dems' victories came at the expense of Republicans, many of whom really blew it these past few weeks; and 2.) The Democrats didn't win everything.
Here's our list of the lame duck's top five losers.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: DREAM Act, Democrats, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Immigration, Joe Manchin, John McCain, Jon Kyl, Lame duck sesion, Progressives, Republicans, START treaty
Barack Obama
Top 5 Lame Duck Winners For 2010
President Barack Obama
Republicans attacked it as a perversion of democracy, and used it as an excuse to continue to vote against Dem priorities. Democrats recognized it as their last chance to accomplish much of anything for the next two years. People in the media mistook it for a Barack Obama renaissance.
Certainly Democrats accomplished more than most people expected they would these last several weeks. But between the victories and the compromises and the defeats, it's hard to keep track of who came out on top.
Here's a list of the lame duck's big winners to help you sort it all out.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Barack Obama, Bernie Sanders, Bush Tax Cuts, DREAM Act, Democrats, Dick Lugar, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Harry Reid, Immigration, Joe Lieberman, Joe Manchin, John McCain, Jon Kyl, Lame duck sesion, Mitch McConnell, Progressives, Republicans, START treaty, Tax Breaks, Tax Cuts, Taxes
START treaty
Gibbs Condemns DeMint's Plans To Force Reading Of START Treaty
White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs today called Sen. Jim DeMint's (R-SC) plans to force a reading of the START Treaty a "new low in putting political stunts ahead of our national security" and "exactly the kind of Washington game-playing that the American people are sick of."
"Every minute that the START Treaty is being read on the Senate floor increases the time that we lack verification of Russia's nuclear arsenal," Gibbs said in a statement, adding that the bill has already been the subject of almost 20 Senate hearings.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Jim DeMint, Lame duck sesion, Robert Gibbs, START treaty
The Daily Show
Jon Stewart Ridicules Lame Duck And GOP's 'Audacity Of Nope' (VIDEO)
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart last night checked in with the 111th Congress, saying that the post-election lame duck session is a "legislative sweet spot."
"(It's) the three weeks out of every two years when people can actually do what's best for the country, because they're not preoccupied with getting reelected," Stewart said. "It's kind of like that five-minute window after you have an orgasm, when you're finally not thinking about sex and can actually get some work done."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Congress, Jon Stewart, Lame duck sesion, The Daily Show
Lame duck sesion
Poll: Americans See Tax Issues As Top Priority For Lame-Duck Congress
Above all else, Americans are hoping for the lame-duck Congress to sort out some tax issues, according to a newly released USA Today/Gallup poll.
The latest survey asked respondents to rate the importance of six different issues that are being considered by Congress during its lame-duck session. The issues were:
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: 2010 elections, Bush Tax Cuts, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Gallup, Gay Rights, Gays in the military, Immigration, Lame duck sesion, Polls, START treaty, estate tax
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Report: Obama Likely To Scale Back Legislative Plans
The Wall Street Journal reports: "President Barack Obama, facing at best narrower Democratic majorities in Congress next year, is likely to break up his remaining legislative priorities into smaller bites in hope of securing at least some piecemeal proposals on energy, climate change, immigration and terrorism policy, White House officials say...They are talking about a new, more incremental approach, championed by former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, to fulfilling campaign promises on energy, immigration and on closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET, and meet at 11:30 a.m. ET with senior advisers. He will meet at 2 p.m. ET with the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB).
Topics: 2010 elections, Barack Obama, Elena Kagan, Health Care, House '10, Lame duck sesion, Roundup, Supreme Court
Bush Tax Cuts
Top Dem: 'I Doubt' House Will Hold Vote This Week On Bush Tax Cuts (VIDEO)
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Rep. Chris Van Hollen may think a vote this week is still possible on extending the Bush tax cuts for the middle class, but the No. 2 Democrat in the House splashed icy cold water on the idea Sunday.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said on Fox News Sunday that he does not think a vote will happen before members adjourn for the midterm elections, even though Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Friday it still was possible. Hoyer blamed the Senate for opting to punt the vote to a lame-duck session, telling host Chris Wallace that it would be "a specious act" to hold a vote just for political optics before heading home.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: 2010 elections, Bush Tax Cuts, Chris Van Hollen, Fox News, House Democrats, Lame duck sesion, Senate Democrats, Steny Hoyer, Tax Cuts
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