INSIDE POLITICS
The Washington Times' political blog.
Latest Blog Entries
Poll: Public loves George but isn't crazy about his holiday
Americans have an overwhelmingly favorable view of George Washington, but very few consider the first president's birthday as a very important holiday, a new polls shows.
Democrats say 'Obamacare' is an insult
The House spending debate has turned to a discussion of whether to defund Democrats' new health care law, and several Republicans have called it "Obamacare" in their House speeches. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat, says that's insulting, and a violation of the House rules.
Gregg: Obama not leading on deficits and debt
A member of President Obama's high-profile deficit commission said Wednesday that the White House missed an opportunity to lead the country back onto the path of long-term fiscal health when it rolled out a 2012 budget that did not tackle the popular entitlement programs that are the biggest drivers of federal spending.
Lawmakers blast Florida governor's rejection of rail money
Florida's newly minted Republican Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday said he will return $2.4 billion in federal funds for a high-speed rail link between Tampa and Orlando — a move that kills the project and has set off a cacophony of bipartisan complaints from Capitol Hill lawmakers from the Sunshine State.
Senators want tobacco out of baseball
Two Democratic senators have asked Major League Baseball and its players union to ban tobacco products on the field, in the dugout and in the locker rooms at MLB venues.
Sen. Kirk is in candy land
Sen. Mark Kirk's new seating assignment in the Senate chamber is sweet— literally.
Ron Paul on Trump: How many elections has he won?
Rep. Ron Paul, appearing on CNN Monday morning, defended himself against comments made over the weekend at the Conservative Political Action Conference by real estate magnate Donald Trump, who is considering a run for the 2012 GOP Republican presidential nomination. "I've won 11 times ... I don't know whether he has earned the right to criticize somebody for not winning an election when I don't know how many elections he's won himself."
Biden undercuts Senate Democrats' waste message
Senate Democrats have argued that Congress should focus on cutting waste and removing tax breaks for oil companies rather than tackle major spending cuts, but Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Friday said cuts will have to go deeper than just waste.
Health care law pushes people out of work
Republicans were handed a giant gift this week when the director of the Congressional Budget Office testified to Congress that the health care law will actually lead to fewer people working -- presumably meaning that repeal would boost jobs.
Watchdog wants investigation of Capitol sleepovers
A government watchdog group has asked the the Office of Congressional Ethics to investigate whether members of Congress who sleep in their offices are violating House rules.
Trump: Ron Paul has 'zero chance'
Donald Trump angered fans of Rep. Ron Paul at the Conservative Political Action Conference Thursday when he said the Texas congressman, who is mulling another presidential run, "really has no chance."
Napolitano's Arizona poll numbers not exactly impressive
The news that Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl will step down at the end of his third term next year, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's name immediately shot to the top of the list of potential Democrats who could challenge for the open seat.
Boehner: Lee quit on his own
House Speaker John A. Boehner says he didn't force former Rep. Christopher Lee to resign after the married New Yorker was caught flirting via the Internet with a young single women. "Congressman Lee made his own decision that he thought was in his best interest and the interest of his family," said the Ohio Republican Thursday during his weekly Capitol briefing with reporters.
Hatch ranked among most conservative
Facing a possible tough primary battle in Utah for his seat, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch received a boost Wednesday when he was rated one of the top conservatives in the Senate last year by the American Conservative Union.
Employers face possible tax hikes under Obama plan
Businesses could face higher taxes under a new Obama administration proposal designed to help cash-strapped states replenish their unemployment insurance pools.
