POLITICS ON A BUDGET

MONEY & POLITICS

2011-02-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

>> THE NEW "SUPERPACS" (OCT., 2010)

>> OUTSIDE GROUPS AND POLITICAL ADS (OCT. 2010)

THE DUST UP OVER TAX CUTS-FALL 2010

2010-12-18T09:07:00.000-08:00

>> DEMOCRATS NOT HAPPY WITH OBAMA'S DEALMAKING WITH REPUBLICANS

>> HOUSE DEMS REVOLT AGAINST OBAMA

>> OBAMA ANNOUNCES COMPROMISE ON TAXES

>> TAXING THE RICH (60 MIN.)

CULTURE WARS

2010-12-01T12:38:00.000-08:00

>> BELIEVERS V. ATHEISTS, THE WAR OF THE BILLBOARDS

>> DONT ASK, DONT TELL (OVERVIEW OF THE POLICY)

2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

2010-11-15T17:15:00.001-08:00

>> PALIN FLIRTING WITH 2012 RUN

>> PALIN PRIME TIME: REALITY SHOW OR CAMPAIGN BONANZA?

STRANGE POLITICAL ADS

2010-11-02T17:30:00.001-07:00

DEMOS KRATEIN

2010-10-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

>> VIOLENCE IN MEXICO'S SMALL TOWNS FOX NEWS, FEB 2011)

>> (NOV 2010) MISREPORTING ON OBAMA'S TRIP TO ASIA

>> (OCT. 2010) CALIFORNIA'S POT BALLOT MEASURE

THE CONSTITUTION

2010-09-18T11:20:00.001-07:00

>> IDAHO RENEWS THE PRINCIPLE OF NULLIFICATION

>> "WHERE IN THE CONSTITUTION IS SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE?", CHRISTINE ODONNELL (DEC. 20, 2010)

>> CHRISTINE ODONNELL SLIP ON THE FIRST ADMENDMENT (OCT. 2010)

>> CONSTITUTIONALITY OF HEALTH CARE MANDATE (CBS NEWS)

>> PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH

>> MANDATORY INSURANCE UNCONSTITUTIONAL (WSJ)

>> ILLEGAL HEALTH REFORM (WASH. POST)

>> Yesterday we celebrated Constitution Day across the country, so the subject has been on my mind (schools are required by law to celebrate it). Now as everyone knows, the U.S. congress recently enacted major health care reform (all Americans are required to purchase healthcare, etc.). During the debate over health care, Nancy Pelosi was asked by a reporter where congress gets its constitutional authority to enact something as massive as health care, she screeched “are you serious!, are you serious!”. She then turned to another reporter to change the subject. Latter, a Pelosi spokesperson responded that asking the speaker of the House where the Constitution authorized Congress to mandated that individual Americans buy health insurance as not a "serious question." “You can put this on the record,” said the spokesperson. “That is not a serious question.

Now, I normally don’t get riled up about political issues in an attempt to stay unbias, but this one has really sent me over the top. I don’t care what side of the health care debate your on (both sides have at least some legitimate arguments), or what side of the political spectrum you reside, but to state, unequivocally, that it doesn’t matter where congress's constitutional authority to exercise a certain power comes from is the most absurd, idiotic thing I have heard in long time. Arguably, we have moved far away from our founding principles and from common sense. See the story at the link below:

PELOSI DISMISSES QUESTION ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY OF CONGRESS TO ENACT HEALTH CARE REFORM (CSNNEWS)

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE CHAIR (PATRICK LEAHY)CANNOT IDENTIFY THE CONSTITUTIONAL SOURCE OF CONGRESSION POWER TO MANDATE HEALTH INSURANCE

2010 ELECTIONS

2010-06-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

>> A LOOK BACK AT THE YEAR IN POLITICS (DEC. 2010)

>> VOTING STATS FOR 2010 MIDTERMS (NOV. 2010)

>> NEWT GRINGRICH LAYS OUT A LONG TERM POLITICAL PLAN (NOV. 2010)

>> DEMOCRATIC FALLOUT (CNN)

>> TEA PARTY TIDAL WAVE

>> HOUSE BLOWOUT, WHAT HAPPENED? (CNN)

>> OBAMA RESPONDS TO ELECTION NIGHT

>> ERIC CANTOR RESPONDS TO REPUBLICAN VICTORY
Republicans generally have a hard time specifying what programs they will cut to bring government spending under control. Eric Cantor doesnt do much better.

>> JOHN BOEHNER RESPONDS TO ELECTION SUCCESS

>> (OCT., 2010) MONEY AND DEMOCRAY

>> (Sept. 20, 2010) Utah Senatorial Debate (KUED)

>> (Sept. 2010) AMBITIOUS "YOUNG GUNS" SHAKEUP GOP (NPR)

>> (SEPT. 2010) TEA PARTY WAS UNDERESTIMATED (NPR)

>> (Sept. 2010) FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NEWT GINGRICH BLASTS THE DEMOCRATIC ESTABLISHMENT (CNN STORY)

>> (Sept. 2010) SARA PALIN IN IOWA... "No one comes to Iowa by accident" (AP Video)

>> (Sept. 2010) TEAPARTY SUCCESS MAY HURT THE GOP (Charles Krauthammer, Washington Post)

>> RIGHT WING GOP LEADERS SLAM THE DEMOCRATS (CNN)

>> TEA PARTY GAINS CLOUT FOR 2012 (POLITICO)

>> GALLUP POLL PUTS TERRORISM AND THE NATIONAL DEBT AS AMERICANS TOP WORRIES (JUNE, 2010)

>> CALIFORNIA ADOPTS WIDE-OPEN PRIMARY FOR 2011, COULD SIGNAL BIG POLITICAL SHIFT
See NY Times Story (June, 2010)

>> OREGON'S INDEPENDENT PARTY ORGANIZES HISTORY'S FIRST TOTALLY ONLINE PRIMARY
See Story in the Oregonian (August 2010)

>> REPUBLICAN MORGAN PHILPOT WILL RUN AGAINST MATHESON FOR UTAH'S 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Philpot's website
Matheson's Website

>> MIKE LEE WINS REPUBLICAN PRIMARY (JUNE, 2010)
See story from deseret news

>> IN OPEN PRIMARY, FEAR OF PARTY CRASHING (NY TIMES)JUNE 2010

>> WHITE HOUSE OFFERS SESTAK A POSITION TO DROP OUT OF ELECTION

THE FEDERAL BUDGET

2010-06-08T21:33:00.001-07:00

>> 30 YEARS OF DEFICIT DEBATE

>> DEBT COMISSION'S INITIAL REPORT

>> FORMER REAGAN OBM DIRECTOR TALKS BUDGET AND CUTS (NOV. 2010)

>> DEBT COMMISSION MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS (CNN)

>> CANDIDATES WILL NOT COMMIT TO WHICH PART OF THE BUDGET THEY WILL CUT (GOP CANDIDATE MIKE KELLY)

>> (SEPT., 2010)

>> (AUGUST, 2010) WHAT OBAMA GOT RIGHT AND WHAT HE GOT WRONG ON THE DEFICIT

>> (AUGUST, 2010) OBAMA'S TAX COMMISSION HAMPERED BY CAMPAIGN PROMISE

>> (AUGUST, 2010) MORE ON OBAMA'S DEBT PANEL

>> (AUGUST, 2010) OBAMA'S TAX POLICY DILEMMA(click here for story)

>> (MARCH,2010) HOW 1 $TRILLION HIDES IN PLAIN SIGHT

>> (AUGUST 2010) WHO OWNS THE U.S. DEBT? (CNBC SLIDE SHOW)
(click through 17 slides for a break down of U.S. debt ownership)

>> WAYS THE U.S. GOVERNMENT CAN REDUCE WASTEFUL SPENDING (CNBC SLIDE SHOW)

>> (FEB, 2010)OBAMA ANNOUNCES DEFICIT COMMISSION:

>> The Obama adminstration announced the federal budget for 2011, a staggering 3.8 trillion!!

>> DUST UP OVER THE USE OF TARP FUNDS:

>> BIG BLOATED GOVERNMENT

>> (FEB. 2010) OBAMA'S KEYNESIAN ECONOMICS

STUDY OF GOVERNMENT

2010-05-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

>> INSIDE NORTH KOREA (NOV. 2010, CBSNEWS)

TAKE A LOOK INTO THE MOST DANGEROUS CITY IN THE WORLD, MOGADISHU IN THE AFRICA COUNTRY OF SOMALIA. THE REPORT GIVES A PICTURE OF WHAT LIFE WOULD BE LIKE WITHOUT GOVERNMENT

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

THE SUPREME COURT

2010-05-20T12:08:00.001-07:00

>> INSIDE THE SUPREME COURT (CNN, DEC. 2010)

>> THE SUPREME COURT STARTS ITS FALL 2010 TERM

OBAMA ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENT

INCUMBENCY

2010-05-19T12:32:00.001-07:00

ANTI INCUMBENCY MOOD?

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

2010-03-25T10:58:00.000-07:00

>> DEBATE OVER THE 14TH AMENDMENT (CNN, DEC. 2010)

>> 9th CIRCUIT COURT HEARS ARGUMENTS ON ARIZON IMMIGRATION LAW

>> THE DEBATE OVER BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP (OCT.2010)

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

(MARCH, 2010)
Fleeing to the U.S.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

POLITICS ON A BUDGET, POLITICAL PARTIES

2010-02-15T13:39:00.001-08:00

>> THE REPUBLICAN AGENDA (JAN. 5, 2010)

>> MCAIN TALKS OF A POSSIBLE THIRD PARTY EMERGENCE (DEC. 2010)

>> RISE OF THE NO LABEL CENTRIST MOVEMENT

(SEPTEMBER, 2010) WHO WILL REPLACE OBAMA'S CHIEF OF STAFF?

(MARCH 29, 2010)
Fox news story on the upcoming Democratic agenda

(MARCH 23, 2010)
48 Hours of High Drama

(MARCH 22, 2010)
States will challenge health care

(MARCH 22, 2010)
Life after Health Care

(MARCH 21, 2010)
Health Care passes

(MARCH 21, 2010)
John Boeners Fiery Plea to the House

(MARCH 21, 2010)
Last Words on Health Care Debate

(MARCH 20, 2010)
Things are getting heated on health care

(MARCH 19, 2010)
The political risks of voting on the health care bill

(MARCH 19, 2010)
The final push in the fight over health care

(MARCH 18, 2010)
Health Care Kickbacks

(MARCH 18, 2010)
"Whipping" the Democrats into shape

(MARCH 16, 2010)
The Democrats will try and use a "self-executing rule" to pass the Senates version of Health. Click Here to see the story

(MARCH 16, 2010)
One last push for health care reform:

(MARCH, 2010)
Its do or die for Obama's health care plan

(MARCH, 2010)
Eric Massa (Democratic Representative from New York), recounts the political tactics Rahm Emmanuel (Obama's Chief of Staff) in getting votes (included a naked confrontation in the Congressional Gym showers). See Story on Fox News.

MARCH, 2010
Karl Roves new book
(MARCH, 2010)
Obama rips into health care companies

(MARCH 2010)
The Democratic strategy for getting health care passed

(MARCH 2010)
President Obama supports using the process of reconcilliation to pass health care

(MARCH 1, 2010)

View CNN opinion article arguing that the Democrats ought to take a risk and pass health with support of the Republicans

(FEB. 26, 2010)
Health Care Summit

(FEB. 24, 2010)

(FEB. 23, 2010)GROWING ANTI-INCUMBENT MOOD

(FEB 2010) There is a growing anti-incumbency mood in the country:

POLITICS OF THE PRESIDENCY

2010-01-30T10:06:00.002-08:00

>> MORE ON WHITE HOUSE STAFF SHAKEUP (CNN, DEC. 2010)

>> WHITE HOUSE SHAKEUP (CNN, NOV.22 2010)

>> OBAMA PRESIDENCY, RESTRAINTS OF THE OFFIC (PARKER/SPITZER, OCT. 2010)

>> (Oct. 2010) TRANSITIONS IN THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE

>> (Sept. 2010) WHITEHOUSE STAFF IN TURMOIL

>> (SEPT. 2010) OBAMA APPOINTS NEW HEAD OF CONSUMER AGENCY

>> (AUGUST, 2010)
Obama stumbles as party gets desperate (CNN editorial)

>> (MARCH, 2010)
Interview with White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel

Watch CBS News Videos Online

>> OBAMA FINDING IT TOUGH TO GOVERN, BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD
(FEB 2010)

>> CONGRESS V. THE PRESIDENCY
Time for Obama to go Gangsta on the GOP

>> CONGRESS V. THE PRESIDENCY
In the Lions Den! President Obama speaks at the GOP caucus meeting in Baltimore. GOP members had some tough questions for the President and Obama fired right back. I was suprised at the candor.

OBAMA'S INNER CIRCLE:

Gates part of Obama's "inner circle"

The State of Union (CHANNEL ONE)

POLITICS AND THE SUPREME COURT

2010-01-30T10:06:00.001-08:00

Sandra Day O'Connor gives a rare interview covering recent judicial issues, including the recent decision to allow corporations to give money directly to political campaigns.

O'Connor speaks of the need for an "independent" judiciary and for more civics education.

DEMOCRATS MAY LOOSE KENEDY'S SEAT!!

2010-01-18T09:42:00.000-08:00

HOW THE SENATE WORKS

2009-12-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

>> DEMOCRATS MAY CHANGE SENATE RULES (NPR, JAN. 2011)

>> THE SENATE'S SECRET HOLD PRACTICE (NPR, JUNE 2010)

>> FILIBUSTER REFORM: SECRET HOLDS IN THE SENATE (JULY, 2010)

>> CHANGING THE SENATE FILIBUSTER (DEC. 210)

>> FILIBUSTER, THE QUEST FOR CONSENSUS (REDSTATE.COM, FILIBUSTER)

>> SENATE BLOCKS DADT (DEC. 2010)

>> SENATE REPUBLICANS BLOCKS DADT (DEC. 2010)

>> BUDGET BREAKS DOWN IN THE SENATE

Fixing the Filibuster (Huffington Post)

Fixing the Filibuster (Washington Post)

(MARCH 2010)
The filibuster has changed over the years. Today, individual Senators can hold up the Senate. The Senate is truly

How the Filibuster Works (NPR)

In the wake of the Scott Brown victory in Massachusetts, Democrats have suggested that a Senatorial process known as "reconcilliation" can be used to pass the Health Care bill over Republican opposition. How does the process work? Find out more from this NPR article

Why the Democrats Can't Run the Senate with 59 votes (NPR, Watching Washington)

View debates in the health care bill (Note: this a long video, so view only certain sections. Slide the button to the following: 159:40 (Republican Richard Burr of North Carolina), 219:45 (Democrat Sherrod Brown of Ohio)

View the video directly from C-Span's web site

Watch this C-Span program to learn about unique nature of the U.S. Senate

CLIMATEGATE

2009-12-08T05:55:00.000-08:00

The debate over climategate continues

"ALL POLITICS ARE LOCAL POLITICS"

2009-12-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

(Feb. 2010) The approval ratings of Congress is the lowest its been in decades. Jack Cafferty slams congress in his video editorial

(Feb. 2010) Senator Richard Shelby (AL) is putting a hold on federal appointees by the White House. Some say he is doing this to get projects for his state of Alabama.

A new round of Earmarks. It seems Congress just cant corral those notorious earmarks.

HOW CONGRESS WORKS

2009-10-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

>> TRANSFER OF POWER TO REPUBLICANS IN HOUSE (JAN. 5, 2010)

>> TRANSFER OF SPEAKERSHIP (JAN. 5, 2010)

>> THE NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE (JAN. 5, 2010)

>> 112TH CONGRESS OPENING (JAN. 5, 2010)

>> 2010 REAPPORTIONMENT (CNN, DEC. 2010)

>> HOUSE GOP MAY USE RESOLUTION PROCESS TO STOP EXECUTIVE BRANCH (CNN DEC. 2010)

>> MORE EARMARKS (DEC. 2010)

>> SENATE BLOCKS DONT ASK DONT TELL (USA TODAY POLITICS)

>> GOP FRESHMAN ALREADY HAVING AN IMPACT (NOV. 15, 2010 CBSNEWS)

>> SENATE PARLIMENTARIAN (MARCH, 2010)
Senate Parlimentarian is top powerbroker, See Story

>> GERRYMANDERING (March 2010):

MORE ON GERRYMANDERING (MARCH 2010)

GERRRYMANDERING IN FLORIDA (March 2010:

FRESHMAN YEAR IN CONGRESS:

VOTERS FUMING AT CONGRESS:

ANTI INCUMBENT MOOD:
(FEB 2010)

CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT
(FEB 2010)Senator John McCain puts Secretary of Defense Robert Gates on the hot seat over the issue of dealing with suspected terrorists. This is a good example of congressional OVERSIGHT.

EXAMPLE OF A RIDER
One of the odd features of congress is the use of RIDERS. This is the process where certain members congress (usually backed by one of the two parties) can try to sneak in legislation by attaching their bill to another,usually more popular, bill. Hence the term "rider". Interesttly, riders usually have nothing to do with the subject of the bill it is being attached to! Both Republicans and Democrats have done this. The idea is get policy put in place that would otherwise not get support. So the unpopular bill is placed onto a bill that most members of congress would otherwise support.

A recent example is the attempt by Democrats to get a hate-crimes bill passed by attaching it to the defense spending bill which, not suprisingly, is supported by Republicans. Read the article for more information

ANN COULTER TAKES ON JOY BEHAR

2009-10-24T10:31:00.000-07:00

WHY SARA PALIN IS NOT THE FUTURE OF THE GOP

2009-04-20T20:11:00.000-07:00

Sara Palin is unelectable... and she dosn't know it.
See the Story on Politico.com

Palin's infamous response on Roe v. Wade

Sara Palin on her foriegn policy credentials

The average citizen does not spend alot of time thinking deeply about foreign policy issues. Case in point: ordinary Americans have never heard of the Bush Doctrine and they certainly don't sit around the dinner table discussing it. But Sara Palin was no ordinary American, she was the vice presidentail running mate of John McCain. So you would think that she would know at least the basics of the Bush Doctrine, one of the most important foreign policy developments in U.S. History.

It was clear that Charlie Gibson was baiting Palin with his question on the Bush Doctrine(Katie Kurick did the same thing with a technical question on Roe v. Wade). Not surprising. But Sara Palin clearly demonstrated why she was not a good choide for the McCain ticket.