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Democratic Congress

Dennis Kucinich: The Lone Ranger

Jennifer Utz | Posted 11.09.2009 | Politics

Read More: Health Care Reform, U.S. Senate, Congress, Democratic Congress, Health Care, Barack Obama, Dennis Kucinich, Politics News
Jennifer Utz

House lawmakers voted 220 to 215 to approve the plan. Thirty-nine Democrats voted against the bill, one of whom was Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich. In a statement on his website, he explained why.

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2010 Looms: Democrats Crash and Burn in Virginia, New Jersey

Dave Lindorff | Posted 11.05.2009 | Politics

Read More: Democratic Congress, Obama Off-Year Elections, 2010 Elections, Obama Administration, Politics News
Dave Lindorff

What we're seeing is that having Obama in the White House, and Democrats "in control" of Congress doesn't get you much in the way of progressive change.

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Grading Obama on Domestic Policy

Bob Burnett | Posted 10.23.2009 | Politics

Read More: Jobs, Democratic Congress, Obama Popularity, Federal Budget Deficit, Healthcare, Economy, Barack Obama, Politics News
Bob Burnett

It's been nine months since Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. Time enough to grade the job he's done and consider...

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Showdown in Chicago: Creating a "Which Side Are You On" Moment

George Goehl | Posted 10.22.2009 | Business

Read More: JP Morgan Chase, Democratic Congress, Bail Out, Wall Street Crisis, Goldman Sachs Bonuses, Showdown in Chicago, Financial Reform, Wells Fargo, Chicago, Economic Crisis, Bank of America, Financial Crisis, Obama Administration, Banks, Citigroup, Business News
George Goehl

Until our elected officials know there is a price to pay for siding with big money over everyday people, the average American will continue be on the losing end.

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It's Congress: Don't Forget to Wash Your Hands After Hearings

Dave Lindorff | Posted 09.30.2009 | Politics

Read More: Health Care Reform, Political Corruption, Democratic Congress, Lobbyists, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Politics News
Dave Lindorff

I'm reminded of an incident in a bathroom in Europe by the recent efforts in Congress to produce a health care reform bill

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The New York Times Trashes Single-Payer Health Reform

Dave Lindorff | Posted 09.22.2009 | Media

Read More: Health Insurance Industry, Democratic Congress, Single Payer, Health Reform, Barack Obama, Media News
Dave Lindorff

If every person were on Medicare, the overall savings would overwhelm the small increase in the Medicare payroll tax of 5.8%.. Seelye and the Times have never mentioned any of this

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The Mugging of the Common Good

Robert L. Borosage | Posted 09.15.2009 | Politics

Read More: Democratic Congress, Reform, Wall Street, Private Interests, Obama Wall Street, Economy, Obama Presidency, Health Care Reform, Obama Administration, Obama Economy, Health Care, Obama Health Care, Politics News
Robert L. Borosage

These next months are the reckoning. The president and the Congress will step up to the reforms the country needs -- or they will fail the nation in a time of peril. We cannot afford another lost decade.

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Does the Democratic Congress Have "Business Experience"?

Andrew Ruben | Posted 09.14.2009 | Business

Read More: Democratic Congress, Business, Glenn Beck, Senate, Congress, Rush Limbaugh, Business News
Andrew Ruben

In addition to ideological and geographical differences, another explanation for the differences of opinion in Congress must be the diversity of professional experiences.

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Congressman Waxman: What Americans Need to Know About Health Care

Kathleen Wells, J.D. | Posted 09.27.2009 | Politics

Read More: Republican Congress, President, Democratic Congress, President Obama, Obama Congress, Health Care Legislation, Obama, Congress, Health Insurance, Democratic Party, Insurance Companies, Pharmaceutical Companies, Congressional Democrats, Energy and Commerce Committee, Senator Byrd, Senator Kennedy, Health Care, Health Care Reform, Republican Party, Senate, Henry Waxman, Politics News
Kathleen Wells, J.D.

Last week, Rep. Waxman paneled a discussion at UCLA on climate change. Later, he was gracious enough to sit down with me for an interview.

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A Public Conundrum

Stephen Herrington | Posted 09.25.2009 | Politics

Read More: Democratic Congress, Congress, Ronald Reagan, Health, Obama, Democrats, Health Care, Republican Party, Public Option, Politics News
Stephen Herrington

To win the health care debate with the public, the prejudices of thirty years of conditioning must be undone.

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Your Town Hall Screamfest Handbook

Bennet Kelley | Posted 09.17.2009 | Politics

Read More: Townhall Screamers, President Obama, Taxes, Bill Kristol, Townhall, Health Care, Birthers, Sarah Palin, Town Hall Debate, Democratic Congress, Obama Birthers, Birther-Movement, John-Mccain-Panama, Healthcare Debate, Obama Hawaii, Healthcare Reform, Town Hall Meetings, Healthcare Costs, Politics News
Bennet Kelley

The sad reality is that the current town-hall screamers are being embraced by Republicans not as champions of free speech, but rather as cannon fodder in their fight to block any bill.

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Fear, Anger, Hope and Inspiration Will Decide Health Care Battle

Robert Creamer | Posted 08.30.2009 | Politics

Read More: Private Insurance Companies, Public Health Insurance Plan, Democratic Congress, President Obama, Public Option, Rush Limbaugh, Progressives, Breaking News, Health Care Reform, Blue Dogs, Political Strategy, Health Insurance Reform, Health Care, Politics News
Robert Creamer

A strong public option is critically necessary to accomplish the administration's goals of controlling health care costs by competing with private insurance companies, driving down rates and keeping them honest.

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Grading a Climate Bill, Part 1

William S. Becker | Posted 08.19.2009 | Green

Read More: U.S. Senate, Democratic Congress, Barbara Boxer, Climate Change, Waxman-Markey, Copenhagen, Ipcc, Greenhouse Gases, Obama, Pope Benedict, Green News
William S. Becker

If Mother Nature were handing out grades, she'd have a difficult time assigning one to the 1,200-page climate dissertation known as Waxman-Markey, now being considered by the Senate.

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Pelosi's Toothless Watchdogs

Joe Conason | Posted 08.15.2009 | Politics

Read More: Democratic Congress, Congress, Wall Street Crisis, Wall Street, Nancy Pelosi, Financial Crisis, Timothy Geithner, Pecora Commission, New-Pecora-Commission, Pecora, Politics News
Joe Conason

Congressional leaders are expected to announce the creation of a new commission to investigate the real causes of America's crippling financial disaster.

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Obama's Agenda: Hope, Change and Lobby-Centricity

Stuart Whatley | Posted 08.02.2009 | Politics

Read More: Obama Cabinet, House of Representatives, Cap and Trade, Democratic Congress, Congress, Capitol Hill, Lobbying, Lobbyists, Progressives, President Obama, Obama Administration, Obama, Progressive Movement, Democrats, Banking Industry, Cramdown, Barack Obama, Lobbyist, Obama White House, Senate, Cap-and-Trade, David Brooks, Health Care Reform, Special Interests, K Street, Health Care, Obama Lobbyists, Politics News
Stuart Whatley

Obama's self-imposed rule against lobbyists in his administration, and the method whereby he is now implementing his progressive agenda, hews toward a rather perverse irony, if not hypocrisy.

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Sweet Speech, Mr. President - But Where Was the Apology? And Where's the Action?

Karen Ocamb | Posted 08.01.2009 | Politics

Read More: LGBT at the White House, Democratic Congress, John Berry, Don't Tell, Sam Nunn, Eric Holder, Defense of Marriage Act, Barack Obama, LGBT Politics, Victor Fehrenbach, Dadt, Rachel Maddow, Gays in the Military, Dan Choi, Frank Kameny, Doma, Don't Ask, Mike Lux, Politics News
Karen Ocamb

If "equality" is a founding principle for freedom -- how do you justify withholding "equality for all" from LGBT people for any amount of time?

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An Open Letter to President George W. Bush About Apology, Healing and Reconciliation

Carol M. Swain | Posted 07.25.2009 | Politics

Read More: Racial Politics, Slavery Apology, Democratic Congress, Apology, Barack Obama, Republicans, Slavery, Politics News
Carol M. Swain

Although some may argue that an apology for slavery would open the door to racial reparations, legal precedent demonstrates that an apology for slavery would not trigger legal liability.

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Defend Rep. Donna Edwards From Intimidation on Israel and Mideast

Jeremy Ben-Ami | Posted 07.10.2009 | Politics

Read More: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Democratic Congress, Congress, Jstreetpac, J Street, Progressives, Palestinians, Donna Edwards, Israel, Jstreet, Politics News
Jeremy Ben-Ami

Let's show that there's real support for pro-Israel, pro-peace members of Congress by helping Congresswoman Donna Edwards scare off any possible challengers.

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Congressman Ron Paul Talks Foreign Policy: New Face, Same Policy

Kathleen Wells, J.D. | Posted 07.09.2009 | Politics

Read More: Democratic Congress, President Obama, Torture, Ron Paul, Pakistan, Osama Bin Laden, Guantanamo, Cheney, Former Vice President Dick Cheney, Iraq, Congress, Foreign Policy, Iran, Bush Administration Torture, Department of Defense, Lindsay Graham, Neo Con, Afghanistan, President Bush, Republican Party, Sunni, Obama President, Dod, Shites, Politics News
Kathleen Wells, J.D.

Congressman Ron Paul: I think Obama is purely political. I think he has backed down on what he said.

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Congress Decides Against Aiding Ahmadinejad's Campaign (Ahmadinejad's Little Helpers)

Trita Parsi | Posted 07.08.2009 | World

Read More: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Democratic Congress, Congress, Sanctions Against Iran, Nancy Pelosi, US-Iran Relations, Obama, Iran, Mir-Hossein-Moussavi-Iran, Iranian Elections, Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran-Iran, World News
Trita Parsi

If the House passes Iran Sanctions Enabling Act on Tuesday, Congress may give Ahmadinejad's campaign the crucial vitamin injection that the Iranian electorate thus far has denied him.

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Non-Exit Strategy

George C. Wilson | Posted 07.03.2009 | Politics

Read More: Boston University, Democratic Congress, Afghanistan, Middle East, Vietnam War, Barack Obama, Afghanistan War, Politics News
George C. Wilson

Voices from the grave make me fear that President Obama and Congress are unwittingly setting up the American military for another Vietnam-type failure in Afghanistan.

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Second Thoughts on Cheney Indictment: Pardon Him ... And Others Too

Lanny Davis | Posted 06.28.2009 | Politics

Read More: Democratic Congress, Bush Administration Torture, Jane Harman, Cia Waterboarding, Richard Nixon, Guantanamo Torture, Gop, Obama Administration, Cheney Torture, Waterboarding, Dick Cheney, Politics News
Lanny Davis

Obama should pardon not only Mr. Cheney, but everyone else in the prior administration who approved or knew about the illegal water-boarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques.

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Prairie Home Torture Companion

Rory O'Connor | Posted 06.21.2009 | Politics

Read More: Media News, Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, Torture, Garrison Keillor, Bush Administration Torture, Democratic Congress, Crime, Terror-Criminal-Prosecution, CIA Torture, Politics News
Rory O'Connor

Keillor called for a fair and thorough congressional investigation that would "lay the whole wretched business out on the public record".

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The Dallas Principles, a New Approach to LGBT Equality

Lane Hudson | Posted 06.20.2009 | Politics

Read More: Harry Reid, Democratic Congress, Congress, Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Marriage Equality, Dallas-Texas, Politics News
Lane Hudson

All we're seeking is the same rights and responsibilities that non-LGBT people have. Nothing more, nothing less.

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Congresswoman Maxine Waters Gives President Obama An "A"

Kathleen Wells, J.D. | Posted 06.18.2009 | Politics

Read More: Maxine Waters, Congress Stimulus, Foreclosure Crisis, Democratic Congress, President Obama, Freddie Mac, 100 Days, Fannie Mae, Congress, Neighborhood Stabilization Program, Obama First 100 Days, Loan Modificattions, First 100 Days, Home Foreclosures, Politics News
Kathleen Wells, J.D.

He inherited a horrible situation with this economic crisis, but he has not flinched. And his confidence inspires us and helps to generate confidence because we see him carrying on.

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