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Congress

US Facing Waves Of Debt Payments

New York Times | EDMUND L. ANDREWS | Posted 11.23.2009 | Politics

Read More: Debt, Congress, Federal Deficit, Social Security, Obama, Debt Payments, Babyboombers, Borrowing, National Debt, White House, Fed, Treasury, Financial Crisis, Medicare, Politics News

WASHINGTON -- The United States government is financing its more than trillion-dollar-a-year borrowing with i.o.u.'s on terms that seem too good to be...

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Friday Talking Points [102] -- Harry Reid's Glacial Progress Grinds On

Chris Weigant | Posted 11.21.2009 | Politics

Read More: 60 Votes, Leadership, White House, Debate, Floor, Ron Paul, Reform, Alan Grayson, Gray Hair, Eric Holder, Sarah Palin, Conyers, Amendments, John Kerry, Midotw, Nancy Pelosi, Most Impressive Democrat of the Week, Democratic Caucus, Health Care, Majority Leader, Reid, Reconciliation, John Conyers, Conference Committee, Grey Hair, Kerry, Olympia Snowe, Democrat, Robert Byrd, Congress, Democrats, Paul, Election, Holder, Byrd, Barack Obama, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Mddotw, Harry Reid, State of the Union, Eating, Longest, Senate, Bill, Healthcare, Pumas, President Obama, Cloture, Filibuster, Obama, Democratic, Media, Democratic Party, Friday Talking Points, Grayson, Lieberman, Pelosi, 2010, Baucus, Most Disappointing Democrat of the Week, Midterms, Skinny, Ksm, House, Attorney General, Matt Osborne, Puma, Thin, Midterm, Chris Weigant, Palin, Sotu, Max Baucus, Joe Lieberman, Party Unity My Ass, Osborne, Politics News
Chris Weigant

Harry Reid thinks he's got enough votes, but then this is the reason why the vote keeps getting pushed back -- because he's obviously still scrambling for the final few votes before he moves ahead.

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Whack-A-Mole Security: Bad Policy, Bad Legislation

Robert D. Atkinson, Ph.D. | Posted 11.21.2009 | Technology

Read More: Government, Software, Congress, P2p, Technology, Legislation, Computers, Ethics, Technology News
Robert D. Atkinson, Ph.D.

Peer-to-peer software, by itself, did not cause the confidential Congressional document to be leaked to the press. Certainly people are not perfect and some data breaches will still occur even with better policies and technology.

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Scientists: The Nukes Are Alright

Joe Cirincione | Posted 11.21.2009 | World

Read More: Nuclear Weapons, Congress, Strategic Posture Commission Report, Department of Defense, Jon Kyl, President Clinton, Test Ban Treaty, United States, World News
Joe Cirincione

In a blow to the far-right, the premier scientific panel advising the Defense Department has concluded that U.S. nuclear weapons don't need new tests or new designs.

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Where Are The Shareholders?

Norman Goldman | Posted 11.20.2009 | Business

Read More: Say on Pay, Gramm, Tort Reform, Bailout, Wall Street, Corporation, Shareholder, Congress, Bonuses, Tarp, Business News
Norman Goldman

We need corporate reform by way of requiring all shareholders to approve all pay of all executives at all publicly traded corporations. Only then will this looting insanity end.

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Ryan Grim

Fed Beaten: Bill To Audit Federal Reserve Passes Key Hurdle

HuffingtonPost.com | Ryan Grim | Posted 11.19.2009 | Politics

Read More: Fed, Ron Paul, Barney Frank, Federal Reserve, Monetary Policy, Congress, Alan Grayson, Politics News

In an unprecedented defeat for the Federal Reserve, an amendment to audit the multi-trillion dollar institution was approved by the House Finance Comm...

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Congress Rocks

Jim Jaffe | Posted 11.19.2009 | Politics

Read More: Abortion, Congress, Economy, Health Care Reform, Deregulation, Regulation, Global Warming, Campaign Finance, Politics News
Jim Jaffe

Congress is moving at a pace that can fairly be characterized as astonishingly fast to slash the number of Americans who lack health insurance by more than half.

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Back to the Bush Leagues on Arctic Drilling?

Trip Van Noppen | Posted 11.19.2009 | Green

Read More: Gas, Congress, Wildlife, Bush Administration, Arctic, Oil, Department of Interior, Science, Oceans, Climate and Energy, Obama Administration, Green News
Trip Van Noppen

In the Arctic waters surrounding Alaska, George W. Bush is still president, but Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has the chance to inaugurate a new regime.

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The Conflict Minerals Trade Act

David Sullivan | Posted 11.20.2009 | World

Read More: Cell Phones, Laptops, House of Representatives, Video, Senate, Congress, Consumer Electronics, Jim McDermott, Conflict Minerals, Democratic Republic of Congo, Enough Project, Bipartisanship, Center for American Progress, World News
David Sullivan

The introduction of the Conflict Minerals Trade Act means Congo activists have bipartisan legislation percolating in the Capitol, which could cut armed groups and rights abusers out of the supply chain for our cell phones and laptops.

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With Harvard's Help, Congress May Keep Bloggers Out of Jail

Ari Melber | Posted 11.19.2009 | Media

Read More: Berkman Center, Congress, Jay Rosen, Harvard, Media, Shield Law, Media News
Ari Melber

Tt just got a little easier out here for a blogger. The smart folks at Harvard's Citizen Media Law Project are launching a program of free legal services for online and citizen media.

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Gone with the Wind: Blowing U.S. Tax Dollars Off Shore

Leo W. Gerard | Posted 11.19.2009 | Green

Read More: Keith Bradsher, Cap and Trade, Russ Choma, President Obama, Washington D.C., Renewable Energy, Usw, Blue Green Alliance, Obama, Congress, Afl-Cio, United Steelworkers, Investigative Reporting Workshop, Iberdrola, China, Stimulus, Sen. Charles E. Schumer, Unemployment, Fossil Fuels, Buy American, Windmills, New York Times, Republicans, Windmill Farm, Green Energy, Green News
Leo W. Gerard

Washington has doled out hundreds of millions in stimulus funds to foreign renewable energy firms, which compete with and run all over fledgling U.S. firms that were supposed to get the money.

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Cartoon: Iceberg Dead Ahead!

Shan Wells | Posted 11.19.2009 | Denver

Read More: Abortion, Congress, Abortion Rights, Anti-Abortion, Democrates, Obama Health Care, Denver, Barack Obama, Sentate, House, White House, Insurance, Abortion Laws, Health Insurance, Stupak Amendment, Health Care, Health Insurance Reform, Blue Dog Democrats, Denver News
Shan Wells

I wonder if electing a pack of blue dogs in order to gain a "majority" was worth the now very real risk that the party will chew itself to pieces via stubborn ideological bickering.

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The Change We Deserve

Edwin D. Hill | Posted 11.18.2009 | Politics

Read More: MIchael Barone, Bob Mcdonnell, 2009 Election, Doug Hoffman, ED Hill, Ibew, Employee Free Choice Act, Bill Owens, Afl-Cio, Club for Growth, Ny-23, Congress, Conservative Party, Unions, Dede Scozzafava, Politics News
Edwin D. Hill

It didn't take long for the anti-worker far right to try to spin the results of the 2009 elections as a mandate for their pro-corporate agenda.

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Latinos Poised to Shake Up 2010 Census, Politicians Beware

Frank Sharry | Posted 11.19.2009 | Politics

Read More: Latinos, Census, Immigration Reform, Congress, Latino Voters, 2010 Elections, Janet Napolitano, Immigration, Demographics, Barack Obama, Politics News
Frank Sharry

The 2010 Census will have a profound effect on the U.S. political landscape. An astonishing number of states will owe new Congressional seats, in large part, to their new Latino constituents.

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Strip Jefferson of His Retirement

Eric C. Anderson | Posted 11.19.2009 | Politics

Read More: William Jefferson, US Military, Bribery, Congress, Justice, Politics News
Eric C. Anderson

I am aghast to discover former congressman William J. Jefferson could depart Washington a convicted criminal and still take home approximately $60,000 a year in retirement pay.

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Virginia Tech Survivor With Hidden Camera Films Dangerous Gun Sales at Gun Shows

Paul Helmke | Posted 11.18.2009 | Politics

Read More: Columbine, Gun Show Loophole, National Rifle Association, Congress, Gun Shows, Nancy Pelosi, Gun Control, Virginia Tech Massacre, Virginia Tech, Nra, Barack Obama, Eric Holder, Mexico Drug Wars, Guns, Politics News
Paul Helmke

At gun shows in 43 states, felons, gangsters, wife-beaters, and the dangerously mentally ill can buy assault weapons, semi-automatic pistols and other firearms with no questions asked.

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Congress: Protect American Writers and Publishers from Being Sued Overseas

Judy Platt | Posted 11.18.2009 | Books

Read More: First Amendment Rights, Libel Tourism, Free Speech, Congress, Brazilian Law, Writing, Defamation, Brazil, Lawsuit, England, Funding Evil, Saudi Arabia, Libel, New York Times, Publishers, Air Traffic, Mahfouz, Books News
Judy Platt

Your book's been published in the United States for an American audience. Someone who's mentioned in the book doesn't like what you've written and sues you for libel, but he doesn't sue you here, where the book has been published.

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Washington's Hidden Astroturf Economy

Timothy Karr | Posted 11.18.2009 | Politics

Read More: Health Care, SavetheInternet.Com, Congress, Mike McCurry, Free Press, Net Neutrality, Rachel Maddow, Astroturf, Politics News
Timothy Karr

Because they're bankrolling astroturf behind a fig leaf of "public relations," large corporations aren't legally required to disclose the lion's share of their funding of these fake grassroots groups.

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Robert Byrd Becomes Longest-Serving Member Of Congress

AP | LAURIE KELLMAN | Posted 11.18.2009 | Politics

Read More: House, Senate, Congress, Robert Bird, Service Record, West Virginia, Erma Byrd, Robert C. Byrd, Who Is in Congress the Longest, Most Terms in Congress, Longerst Serving Member of Congress, Politics News

WASHINGTON — Sen. Robert C. Byrd became history's longest-serving member of Congress on Wednesday, earning a formal salute from the Senate and P...

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Pink Slips For Congress: MILLIONS Of Pink Slips Sent

cnn.com | Posted 11.18.2009 | Politics

Read More: Politics, Congress, Pink Slips Congress, US Congress, Pink Slips for Congress, Health Care, Pink Slips, Politics News

Voters disappointed over health care and other legislative efforts have now sent 5 million "pink slips" to members of Congress, the conservative Web s...

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Dems Want Unspent TARP Funds For Main Street Bailout

Posted 11.18.2009 | Politics

Read More: Small Business Loans, Wall Street Bailout, Recovery, Congress, Unused Tarp Money, Federal Deficit, Leftover Tarp Funds, Peter DeFazio, Jobs, Homeowners, Obama, Democrats, Defazio, Main Street, Barney Frank, House, Deficit, Earl Blumenauer, Senate, Unemployment, White House, Financial Crisis, Extra Tarp Money, Bank Bailout, Leftover Tarp Money, Tarp, Republicans, Politics News

Democrats in Congress want to use unspent TARP funds to support homeowners and struggling workers, according to The Hill. More than half of the Democ...

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Angelides Commission Staff Announced Before Probe Into 2008 Meltdown

Los Angeles Times | Michael Hiltzik | Posted 11.17.2009 | Politics

Read More: Congress, Recovery, Meltdown, Bradley J. Bondi, Investigation, Recession, Mortgage Crisis, Thomas L. Krebs, Angelides Commission, Martin Biegelman, Dixie Noonan, Thomas Greene, Financial Crisis, Housing Crisis, Wall Street, Angelides, Politics News

The Angelides commission, convened by Congress to investigate the financial meltdown of 2008, today announced a passel of "senior staff" appointments....

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A Bad Lawsuit Over Impeachment

David O. Stewart | Posted 11.17.2009 | Politics

Read More: Thomas Porteous, Congress, Federal Judge, American History, Impeachment, Courts, Politics News
David O. Stewart

I wish Judge Porteous well. If he has committed neither treason nor bribery nor a high crime or misdemeanor, he should not retain his judgeship. But he just filed a dumb lawsuit.

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Gift Card Crackdown: SEE The Fed's New Rules To Protect Consumers

AP | JEANNINE AVERSA | Posted 11.17.2009 | Business

Read More: Gift Card Crackdown, Gift Cards, Congress, Prepaid Cards, Gift Card New Rules, Federal Reserve, Consumers, Giftcards, Charles Schumer, Business News

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve on Monday proposed new rules to protect consumers from unexpected costs or restrictions on gift cards. More than...

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Health Care Reform Struggle Will Not End This Year

Chris Weigant | Posted 11.17.2009 | Politics

Read More: Social Security, President Obama, Ronald Reagan, Compromise, Democratic, Obama, Reform, Ama, Republican, Reagan, Call to Action, 1935, Johnson, New Deal, Democrat, Congress, Conservative, Medicaid, Democrats, Barack Obama, Fdr, Socialized Medicine, Progressive, Chris Weigant, Health, Great Society, Medicare, Lbj, Republicans, Lyndon Johnson, Healthcare Reform, Third Rail, Senate, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Healthcare, Roosevelt, Politics News
Chris Weigant

No matter what healthcare bill passes, it is not going to remain static. It is going to be revisited again and again over the next few decades. That's how lawmaking works.

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