All DC Decoder
Obama's new India problem: What to do with Narendra Modi?Narendra Modi will be the next prime minister of India, but until Friday, he was banned from traveling to the US because of allegations related to a 2002 riot. It's a new complication for already-rocky US-India relations.聽- How much do you know about Jeb Bush? Take our quiz.
John Ellis 'Jeb' Bush, the former two-term Republican governor of Florida, says he鈥檚 thinking of running for president in 2016. If he ran and won, he would be America鈥檚 third President Bush, following his father and brother 鈥� an unprecedented feat for a single family in US history. But Jeb Bush is his own man, and would bring unique qualifications to the table, starting with fluency in Spanish. In his family, he is seen as the policy wonk, driven by big ideas. Test your knowledge.
Mortgage reform leaps a Senate hurdle. Will election politics trip it up?The Senate banking panel approved, on a bipartisan vote, a bill to redefine the federal role in the housing industry, including how to reshape mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Here's how the bill got this far 鈥� and why it now may stall.
Could Sen. McConnell lose? He'd be in good company, historically.If Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell were to be defeated in November, it would hardly be the first time that one of Washington's mighty had fallen. Here's three congressional leaders who lost.
FocusWhy Mitch McConnell, Senate's top Republican, is so vulnerable at homeSenate minority leader Mitch McConnell is revered among Kentucky Republicans. But anti-incumbent sentiment is abroad in the land for the 2014 midterms, and a Democrat is charging hard.
Why US says optimism on Iran nuclear talks is 'way out of control'The Iran nuclear talks starting Wednesday involve a long list of very complex issues and varying perspectives. So despite some promising signs, officials are wary of building up expectations.
Can plum Senate post save Mary Landrieu? These days, it could backfire.Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, a vulnerable Democrat, is playing up her role as chairwoman of the Senate energy committee. But voters might not see that as a good thing if she can't deliver.
Obamacare: How much did taxpayers spend on clumsy state exchanges?The 14 states that opted to build their own Obamacare heath exchanges used more federal money than the US spent on HealthCare.gov, by one tally. Some of those costly websites still don't work.
Tea party hoping for big win in Nebraska primary, but dark horse loomsWhoever wins the Republican Senate primary in Nebraska on Tuesday is likely to win in November, and the national tea party establishment wants that seat. But the campaign has been nasty, and a third candidate is surging.聽
Michelle Obama: Pray for kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirlsFirst lady Michelle Obama says she and President Obama are "outraged and heartbroken" about the kidnapping of Nigerian schoolgirls. Some see political advantage in the tragedy.
Why Hillary Clinton鈥檚 State Dept. didn鈥檛 list Boko Haram as a terrorist groupWas Hillary Clinton 'soft on Boko Haram?' The US now lists it as a terrorist group, but the Clinton State Dept. listed only individuals. Experts, and Nigeria, had opposed the designation at the time.
House compromise on NSA reform: how it balances freedom and securityThe House Judiciary and Intelligence committees reached a compromise on the proposed USA Freedom Act, which would ban NSA collection of metadata, but allow the Justice Department emergency access.聽
Mitt Romney calls for higher minimum wage. Does it matter?Mitt Romney is the third GOP presidential candidate from 2012 to call for a higher minimum wage in recent days. But Republicans in Congress have opposed a Democratic effort to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by 2016.
Has the tea party 'won'? Yes, if you're trying to make a political pointThe tea party candidate lost in the North Carolina Senate primary this week. But the movement is far from dead and, in some ways, is 'winning,' say activists on both ends of the political spectrum.
Democrats' dilemma: Do they boycott Benghazi panel, or not?Republicans in the House approved a special investigative panel into the Benghazi affair Thursday night. Democrats will decide Friday morning whether they will participate.
Burwell hearing: She's not controversial as nominee, but Obamacare still isSylvia Mathews Burwell went before a Senate committee Thursday as President Obama's nominee to head Health and Human Services. She did well, but Obamacare had a rough ride.
Veterans health care 101: Why is Obama's VA chief in the hot seat?Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki faces a House subpoena and mounting calls to step down. The concerns: that some VA hospitals are misrepresenting wait times for veterans to get doctors' appointments 鈥� and that patients are dying in the meantime.
Tax break for corporate research: Is House GOP plan fiscally responsible?The tax break for corporate research typically draws broad, bipartisan support in Congress, but this year House Republicans aren't proposing offsets and the White House is threatening a veto.
House holds Lois Lerner in contempt in IRS scandal: What does that mean?The House has held former IRS official Lois Lerner in contempt for her refusal to testify. But possibly nothing at all could happen to Ms. Lerner if the move is seen as partisan politics.
North Carolina Senate primary: GOP establishment fights back against tea partyRepublican forces eager to defeat Democratic incumbent Sen. Kay Hagan have rallied around state House Speaker Thom Tillis. The tea party faces uphill fight in Ohio, too.
