INSIDE POLITICS
The Washington Times' political blog.
Latest Blog Entries
Sen. Kelly Ayotte: Defunding Obamacare was never a 'winning strategy'
Sen. Kelly Ayotte said Wednesday she hopes Congress will reach a long-term fiscal deal in the months ahead and that she never signed on to a plan to defund Obamacare — despite her opposition to the health care law — because it never seemed like "a winning strategy."
Warren Buffett: Playing with the debt limit is 'asinine'
Financial guru Warren Buffett said Wednesday it would be "asinine" and a "pure act of idiocy" for the United States to default on its debts over political gridlock.
Rep. Scott Rigell: Drawing of House districts has been harmful
Rep. Scott Rigell said the gerrymandering, or redrawing, of House districts has been harmful to both parties, and therefore the nation, because it insulates incumbents from viable political challengers.
Sen. Susan Collins hopeful about latest Senate deal
Sen. Susan Collins said Wednesday she is still hopeful that a group of 14 senators will strike a bipartisan deal to raise the debt limit and reopen the government this week, although it is unclear if the Republican-led House will follow suit.
Sen. Shaheen: Female senators have forged relationships that can end the shutdown
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire said Tuesday that a bipartisan mix of female lawmakers — credited with driving Senate talks to end the government shutdown and raise the debt limit — have forged the connections necessary to get things done.
GOP Rep.: We might find Bigfoot before an Obamacare enrollee
Rep. John Fleming said Tuesday that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius should step down because her agency had three years to prepare for the debut of online insurance markets that have been plagued by computer glitches.
GOP Rep. Marsha Blackburn blows up at MSNBC host's question
Tennessee Republican Rep. Marsha Blackburn took strong exception on Tuesday to an MSNBC host who asked her if she was putting her objections to the new health care before her love for the country.
Clyburn sees Obama standing firm on health law
Democratic Rep. James Clyburn said Tuesday he expects President Obama to hold firm on his position that any deal to open the government and raise the debt limit should not tinker with the new health care law.
Top Dem: Latest GOP debt textbook case of 'insanity'
Democratic Rep. Chris Van Hollen isn't a fan of a new House Republican proposal to re-open the government and raise the debt limit, criticizing the majority for its latest salvo on Tuesday even before GOP House Speaker John Boehner hit the microphones to outline the new offer from his caucus.
Sen. Mark Pryor: Electoral politics didn't get in the way of a deal
Sen. Mark Pryor said Tuesday people are "sick and tired" of "dead-end politics" and that a bipartisan deal from the Senate could right the ship without letting party divisions and the 2014 elections get in the way.
Senate 'surrender caucus' taking shape as deal nears, conservatives warn
Attention is quickly turning to whether hardline House Republicans will balk at the Senate deal taking shape. "We’ve got a name for it in the House: it’s called the Senate surrender caucus,” Rep. Tim Huelskamp, Kansas Republican said,
Joe Scarborough: Ted Cruz and House Republicans picked the wrong place for a secret meeting
Former congressman Joe Scarborough said Tuesday that if Sen. Ted Cruz and top House conservatives wanted to hold a secret meeting, the Tortilla Coast restaurant mere steps from House Office buildings was not the place to do it.
Amy Klobuchar: Senate women is helping "group of 12" forge a deal
Sen. Amy Klobuchar said Tuesday the "group of 12" senators working on a deal to reopen the government and raise the debt limit is making progress, in part because of the relationships forged by women in the Senate.
Rep. Steve Scalise: We need long-term solutions to the debt
Rep. Steve Scalise said he doesn't want to see a budget deal this week that is "just another patch" to the nation's spending issues, saying he needs to see a trigger that forces President Obama to sit down for long-term negotiations about the nation's debt.
Chris Christie widens lead in N.J. governor race: poll
A new poll shows New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is poised to cruise to re-election next month, with likely voters giving him a 59 percent to 35 percent lead over Democratic challenger Barbara Buono.
