All DC Decoder
Why federal budget deficit is falling faster than CBO expectedThe federal budget deficit will shrink this year to $642 billion, the nonpartisan CBO said in a new estimate Tuesday. Just three months ago, it was forecasting a deficit of $845 billion.
IRS report shows why tea party scandal was almost inevitableWhen all the shouting about the IRS targeting of tea party groups dies down, Congress or the IRS will realize that the relevant tax law is devilishly hard to enforce fairly.
Obama's 'juice' squeezed by scandals?The burst of controversy out of the IRS and Justice Department, in addition to lingering GOP pressure over Benghazi, has sidelined attention to President Obama's agenda.聽
IRS 101: Seven questions about the tea party scandal The Internal Revenue Service is under the microscope now, as revelations have emerged that the agency wrongly targeted conservative groups seeking nonprofit status. Here鈥檚 an accounting of what has happened, along with the ramifications.
IRS tea party scandal unlikely to fade as Congress plans investigationsThe IRS has apologized for targeting tea party groups. But that hasn鈥檛 satisfied critics pushing for congressional investigations, and they're still waiting for President Obama to speak out.
Has Benghazi become the Obama administration鈥檚 Watergate?New reports show that the State Department 'extensively edited' talking points about the terrorist attack聽on the US diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya. Most Americans disapprove of the way President Obama has handled it, presenting the administration with a major political problem.
House prioritizes bills to pay if US hits debt ceiling. Is default averted?The bill would allow the federal government to pay interest on the nation鈥檚 debts, even if the US does not raise the debt ceiling. But some say the effect would be different from what is envisioned.
Minority report: 3 big trends in the Census Bureau's voting dataNew census report shows rising numbers of minority voters, turning out at higher rates, just as the white vote is declining. For Republicans, demographics may be destiny, unless the GOP finds ways to adapt.
Immigration reform bill: Top 8 changes GOP senators want More than 300 amendments were submitted for possible inclusion in a sweeping immigration reform package 鈥� at least 100 of them from two Republicans, Sens. Charles Grassley of Iowa and Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Here are eight notable changes GOP lawmakers want to see in bill, as the Senate Judiciary Committee takes up amendments between now and Memorial Day.
Immigration reform: When is family reunification also 'chain migration'?Immigration reform legislation promises expedited reunification for millions of families awaiting visas, but critics caution that the overhaul could also produce uncontrolled 'chain migration.'
Why no sign of 'sequester' cuts in perky April jobs report?Economic doom and gloom were supposed to follow the 'sequester' cuts in federal spending, but there's no evidence in the April jobs report that the labor market has been hurt. Just wait, warn some economists.
Marco Rubio, immigration reform, and 2016: the big riskSen. Marco Rubio, a likely GOP contender for president in 2016, risks alienating conservatives by taking a lead role in pushing for comprehensive immigration reform. But he probably didn't have a choice.聽
Why Justice Department appeal on morning-after pill is ironicIn 2011, the Health and Human Services secretary overruled the FDA on its determination that there should be no age restrictions on buying morning-after pills. Now Justice is saying that FDA should be setting the rules, not a federal judge.聽
Why immigration reform's simplest question has no easy answerHow many new foreigners will come to the country if the Senate immigration reform plan passes? One study says it could add more than a million a year, another says it will reduce the inflow.
Why nobody is happy with FDA ruling on Plan BThe FDA has lowered the age restriction on buying Plan B One-Step, a type of morning-after pill, without a prescription from 17 to 15. Some groups want no limits on access; others want bigger barriers.
A part of immigration reform even critics like: integrating new AmericansProposals to help immigrants integrate into US culture take up only 30 pages in an 800-page immigration reform bill, but they are winning broad support 鈥� even among some critics of the overall legislation.
Is Obama's second term sunk? 'Maybe I should just pack up and go home.'On the 100th day of his second term, President Obama laughed at the suggestion he may have run out of 'juice' for his agenda and expressed optimism on immigration reform.
White House correspondents' after-dinner jokes: Best zingers from the 'nerd prom'Saturday night was the annual White House Correspondents鈥� Association dinner. Here are some of the best jokes, plus a menu designed especially for Washington and Hollywood celebrities.
Lawmakers cancel FAA furloughs, flee Washington 鈥� by airAir travelers breathed a sigh of relief after Congress passed quick legislation allowing the FAA to cancel furloughs for air traffic controllers. But that's just increased partisan sniping over the sequester and its across-the-board budget cuts.
Obama鈥檚 'red line' on Syria: An Iraq-like 'slam dunk' moment?President Obama said a 'red line' would be crossed if the Syrian regime used chemical weapons against rebels. Might that propel the US into war, as those elusive 'weapons of mass destruction' did in Iraq?
