All DC Decoder
Why Congress is punting on authorizing war against Islamic StateCongress will vote Wednesday on whether to train anti-Islamic State in fighters in Syria and Iraq, but not on the bigger issue of whether to authorize US force. That comes after November's elections.
Fewer Americans uninsured. Is Obamacare gaining momentum?The debate over whether Obamacare is a success goes on, with many Americans still not convinced. But news is getting steadily better.
Islamic State 101: three tricky problems for US military campaign The campaign to train Iraqi and Syrian fighters to take on the Islamic State will be long and difficult. 鈥淭his will not look like 鈥榮hock and awe,鈥� 鈥� Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey told a Senate committee Sept. 16.Here are what are likely to be the top three trickiest sticking points for the US military campaign in the months to come:
Why is US deploying the military to fight Ebola?On Tuesday, White House officials outlined a new plan to assign 3,000 members of the American armed forces to supply medical and logistical support to help treat Ebola epidemic victims.
With new Syria plan, House seeks to keep Obama on short leashThe House plan for training and arming Syrian rebels has many checks on the Obama administration to make sure Congress has oversight. Too many, some say.
Islamic State 101: Why are Arab countries so reluctant to help?Secretary of State John Kerry just ended a whirlwind tour of the Middle East to raise support for US-led military action against the Islamic State. The response was less than enthusiastic.
Americans OK with 'military action' against ISIS, but not another long warFor now, most Americans back President Obama鈥檚 plan to escalate airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. But they are wary of a conflict that could last years, and they definitely oppose use of American ground troops.
GOP voters more enthusiastic about Nov. 4: By how much?A new Pew poll gauged voter interest in the midterm elections and also found differences between Republicans and Democrats in identifying the most important issues facing the nation.
Three reasons Republicans may not want to capture the Senate Control of the Senate is the big prize in the November midterms. Increasingly, the Republicans鈥� prospects are looking good.If Republicans do capture the Senate, isn鈥檛 that great for them? In many ways, yes. They鈥檇 get to set the Senate agenda, for starters. But winning also brings risks. Here are some:
Obama's Islamic State speech: 3 things for Congress to considerMany Republicans support the president's plan to 'destroy' the Islamic State 鈥� but they say it doesn鈥檛 go far enough. And they have questions about it, particularly about how it would work in Syria, and what happens if the plan fails.
Islamic State strategy: Divisions in Congress surface ahead of Obama鈥檚 speechMuch of the dissonance comes from real clashes over policy, but some of it also reflects the politics of the midterm elections. Congress鈥檚 two top politicians spoke about the Islamic State Wednesday.
Top 3 questions about Obama's Islamic State speech As President Obama prepares to make his case about the necessity of confronting the Islamic State, there are key questions he must answer for the American people and for Pentagon officials who must carry out the strategy. Here are the Top 3:
Why Ted Cruz channeled Dana Carvey on Senate floorDemocrats in the Senate are trying to pass a constitutional amendment to combat the influence of money in politics. But Sen. Ted Cruz argued the measure could even have implications for 鈥楽aturday Night Live鈥� skits.
What have states actually done in crusade against Common Core?Some states are rebelling against Common Core education standards adopted by 45 states, saying it is a sign of federal overreach. But few states are actually taking concrete steps, according to a new study.
In a 鈥楽einfeld election,鈥� does Obamacare matter?A new Kaiser poll shows that among the fall election's most enthusiastic voters, only 3 percent list Obamacare as their motivating issue. In general, the midterms are threatening to be about nothing 鈥� just like the 鈥�90s sitcom.
Congressional leaders express 'support' for fight against Islamic StateBut members of both parties disagree on whether congressional authorization is necessary for US airstrikes to continue against the Islamic State. Congressional leaders met Tuesday with President Obama and Vice President Biden.
How Obama plans to ace his big speech on ISISPresident Obama delivers a major address Wednesday on the growing threat of Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. He needs to sell his plan to the American people and Congress 鈥� but others will be watching too.
Congress is back for 'closing arguments' before Election DayCongress has immediate problems to resolve in its last weeks before November elections, including finding a way to avoid a shutdown after Sept. 30. But getting base voters to the polls looms over all.
Chuck Todd (helped by Obama) launches his 鈥楳eet the Press.鈥� So how did he do?NBC鈥檚 new 鈥楳eet the Press鈥� host Chuck Todd has a big job ahead of him: Raising the struggling Sunday TV show鈥檚 third-place ratings to Tim Russert levels while attracting younger viewers through social media.
Obama immigration delay: Was it 'raw politics' or principle? Both, maybe.President Obama will not take executive action on immigration before the fall elections, leading to cries of 'playing politics.' Perhaps he needed to play politics better.
