Congress

Congress Poised To Penalize Iran If Diplomatic Talks Show Signs Of Faltering

AP | JIM ABRAMS | Posted 10.03.2009 | Politics


WASHINGTON — Congress is poised to act swiftly on new penalties against Iran if international talks on Tehran's nuclear program show signs of fa...

Obama: We Can't Have Job Growth Without Health Care Reform

AP | CHARLES BABINGTON | Posted 10.03.2009 | Politics


WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is considering steps to ease the burdens of laid-off workers, including possible extensions of unemploymen...

Friday Talking Points [96] -- The Impressiveness of Alan Grayson

Chris Weigant | Posted 10.03.2009 | Politics


Chris Weigant

First, let's get rid of the distractions this week. Chicago will not be getting the Olympics in 2016, even after President Obama went over to Copenha...

Dear President Obama: It Will Take True Leadership to Get Us Out of Afghanistan

Malou Innocent | Posted 10.02.2009 | World


Malou Innocent

The administration is still stuck at a crossroads: either send more troops to protect the villages of Afghanistan from the Taliban or stay at present levels (or decrease U.S. troop commitments) to go after al Qaeda cells in Pakistan.

It's Not Just ACORN, Says Congressman Grayson

Kathleen Wells, J.D. | Posted 10.03.2009 | Politics


Kathleen Wells, J.D.

I talked with Congressman Alan Grayson in detail about his efforts to stop the government cash flow to contractors that cheat the government and overcharge the American taxpayers.

Doctors Say Congress Must Include Public Option In Health Care Reform

The Huffington Post | Posted 10.02.2009 | Politics


A new survey was released on Friday indicating overwhelming support among doctors that the public option must be included as a part health care reform...

Video Postcards Ask Congress to Emphasize "Health" in Health Reform

Kenneth Thorpe | Posted 10.01.2009 | Politics


Kenneth Thorpe

More than one hundred Americans have sent video "postcards" to members of Congress as part of "Say 'Yes' to Health Reform" -- a web-based campaign to manage chronic disease.

No On Abortions, Yes On Bill, Says GOP Congressman Cao

Kathleen Wells, J.D. | Posted 10.02.2009 | Politics


Kathleen Wells, J.D.

"Basically, I do agree with the President that we need some kind of health care reform," says Anh in a Q and A. "Now, what kind of reform are we going to get? That is the question."

Inventing the Latest Health Care Scares

Rick Horowitz | Posted 10.01.2009 | Politics


Rick Horowitz

The health care debate has birthed an entirely new tense: In case the Present Tense and the Past Subjunctive and the Future Conditional aren't enough to satisfy you, now there's the Cataclysmic Hypothetical.

Congress Gets Paid, Veterans Get Shafted

Paul Rieckhoff | Posted 10.01.2009 | Politics


Paul Rieckhoff

This year, like 20 out of the last 23 years, the veterans' health care budget is late. In fact, the only budget that did pass on time this year was the one that funds salary checks for members of Congress.

Where are the Screaming Liberals?

Richard Zombeck | Posted 09.30.2009 | Politics


Richard Zombeck

I've always been intrigued at the left's inability to fight. That when the right gets loud and mean, the left poo-poos them as if they'll just go away or cowers in the face of adversity.

Who's Leading the DADT Debate?

Aubrey Sarvis | Posted 09.30.2009 | Politics


Aubrey Sarvis

it is one thing to give the Pentagon considerable weight and another thing altogether to let it dictate the timing and terms of the debate, and the final decision.

Gut-Check Time For Congress Over Health Care Reform

Rich Robinson | Posted 09.30.2009 | Politics


Rich Robinson

Societies are judged by how they treat the least in their ranks. This is a gut-check for our country, a huge test whether corporate America runs this nation, or We the People do.

The United States and Afghanistan

John Flerlage | Posted 09.30.2009 | Denver


John Flerlage

Rep. Coffman refuses to support our commander in chief or our troops with anything other than conflicting rhetoric. Our nation should plan to begin, by Sept. 2010, withdrawal of combat units across Afghanistan.

9/12 Movement: "Send Congress A Pink Slip"

The Huffington Post | Jonathan Daniel Harris | Posted 09.29.2009 | Impact


The 9/12 movement showed up in large numbers (somewhere between 12 and 80 squillion, I'm told), but Congress, they say, still has not received the mem...

The Anti Public Option Pledge: No Health Care For Me!

Katie Halper | Posted 09.29.2009 | Comedy


Katie Halper

Like my fellow American patriots, I refuse to sit by while the Nazi Marxist President sends storm troops of Dr Mengeles to pull the plug on millions of grannies.

Health Care, Immigrants, and the Character of Our Country

Jim Wallis | Posted 09.29.2009 | Politics


Jim Wallis

With an issue like health, the faith community has a unique and important role to play -- to define and raise the moral issues beneath the policy debate.

Health Care's True Cost to Small Business

Andrew Ruben | Posted 09.28.2009 | Business


Andrew Ruben

Reversing the perverse incentives in the health care system -- a system which prevents small businesses from growing -- is integral to any economic recovery.

This Week In Magazines: Obama The "Self-Entangling Giant"

James Warren | Posted 09.28.2009 | Media


James Warren

No matter how much he might disdain the W. presidency, especially when it came to misuse of executive branch power, Barack Obama may be a "self-entangling giant" who is going down the same perilous path.

First ACORN. Citibank, AIG, Goldman Sachs Next?

The Yes Men | Posted 09.26.2009 | Media


The Yes Men

We posed as Dow Chemical representatives at a big banking conference where we said that any number of human deaths is acceptable as long as a project is profitable. The bankers applauded.

Friday Talking Points [95] -- A Call To Action

Chris Weigant | Posted 09.26.2009 | Politics


Chris Weigant

The progressives and Blue Dogs are going to have a showdown. It is going to culminate not in statements to the press (or the lack thereof), not in some whispered whip count, but rather in a very public vote.

Putting American Jobs, Competitiveness, and Economic Health First

John J. Castellani | Posted 09.25.2009 | Business


John J. Castellani

New rules would limit the flexibility of U.S. businesses to redeploy capital to geographic areas that show the most promise for growth and also eliminate vital foreign tax credits.

Care About the Earth? Four Simple Ways to Take Action

Avital Binshtock | Posted 09.25.2009 | Green


Avital Binshtock

It's officially Climate Week. In case you feel discouraged that you can't do enough, remember Gandhi's words: "Almost everything you do will seem insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."

House Pushes For Sweeping Audit Of The Fed

AP | ANNE FLAHERTY | Posted 09.25.2009 | Business


WASHINGTON — House lawmakers want to pry open the books of the famously secretive Federal Reserve with legislation that would subject the centra...

The Conversation America Won't Have on Race

Irene Monroe | Posted 09.25.2009 | Politics


Irene Monroe

No matter what kind of shape-shifters or mask-wearers we are as African Americans leaders, even our post-racial leaders are finding out that the nagging issue of race is an unavoidable issue.