All DC Decoder
Is border security a 10, or just a 2? Why lawmakers want a rating system.Immigration reform legislation may hinge on finding a way to assess how secure the border is. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Tuesday explained why that metric is complicated.
Politics of gay marriage: How close is GOP to changing its stand?While there is some movement on the issue of gay marriage in the GOP, there are more shoes that would need to drop before a sweeping change in the party. But the tension is mounting.
FocusGun-control debate: How does Bloomberg stack up against the NRA?New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is on a mission to challenge the NRA's longtime sway over gun policies. Here are the strengths each side brings to the gun-control debate.
Coming out: How Sen. Rob Portman鈥檚 gay son charted his pathIn a column in Monday's Yale Daily News, Will Portman describes his emotional 'coming out' journey, and how it led his conservative dad, Sen. Rob Portman, to support gay marriage.
Gay marriage: Why presence of chief justice's lesbian cousin at court mattersThe lesbian cousin of Chief Justice John Roberts will attend this week's historic arguments on gay marriage as his guest. Some prominent politicians have changed their stand on gay marriage because of relatives, but for a justice, the impact is unknown.
On gay marriage, political ground shifts rapidly: Will Supreme Court take note?The US Supreme Court this week takes up two key gay marriage cases. Public opinion is changing rapidly here 鈥� a particular challenge for Republicans trying to rebrand their party.
Senate's first budget in four years: A chip off partisan gridlock?Billions in new spending and a $1 trillion tax hike for the wealthy are mainstays of the first Senate budget in four years. It's the polar opposite of the Republican House聽budget passed this week.
Obamacare at age 3: Why political battles are exploding anewPartisan rancor over Obamacare is back amid public confusion over what the law does. But with some Republican governors agreeing to expand Medicaid, the law in time could take on a more bipartisan complexion.
Could North Korean missiles really hit US military bases?North Korea threatened Thursday to fire missiles at US bases in the Pacific region in retaliation for US-South Korea joint exercises. While some targets are within range, Pyongyang's longer-range capabilities are unclear.
Why Joe Biden is still pushing for assault weapons banFor two days, Vice President Joe Biden has insisted that the assault weapons ban can still pass, even after the Senate dropped it. He has three reasons to keep making noise.
See, Washington can get along! The government shutdown that didn't happen.The Senate agreed Wednesday to fund the federal government through the end of the fiscal year. The House is expected to follow suit Thursday. This clears the deck for the bigger battle ahead.
Dr. Ben Carson: Can rising conservative star really fulfill GOP dreams?Dr. Ben Carson wowed the crowd at CPAC. But as the renowned neurosurgeon's views become known, he may not be a perfect fit for establishment Republicans.
Why party-swapping Charlie Crist could be Florida's next governorA new poll shows ex-GOP Governor Crist 鈥� now a Democrat 鈥� would crush the deeply unpopular Republican incumbent, Rick Scott, in 2014. For now, at least, Crist's political shape-shifting is an asset.
Joe Biden upbeat on Pope Francis, but US-Vatican relations not always so rosyThe first US ambassador to the Holy See wasn鈥檛 appointed until 1984, when President Reagan broke the ice. Vice President Joe Biden is attending the installation of Pope Francis.
Does the future of the GOP hinge on gay marriage?As the Republican Party ponders and argues over its future following recent election losses, one social issue is becoming paramount: same-sex marriage, favored by increasing numbers of young conservatives as well as party operatives.
'Mama Grizzly' Sarah Palin dishes red meat to CPAC conservative activistsSarah Palin fired up the conservative CPAC crowd Saturday with tart one-liners aimed at mainstream Republicans as well as President Obama. But how long can she keep it up?
Democrats' new budget proposal: why it's balanced ... but not balancedSenate Democrats have put forward a new budget proposal that offers balanced deficit reduction (between cuts and new tax revenue), but doesn't balance the budget.
Paul Ryan's tax numbers: Just 'magic asterisks'?Paul Ryan's proposed budget envisions lower and simpler tax brackets even as it projects tax revenues as a higher percentage of GDP. Some suggest he'll need magic as well as math to get there.
Why, after all these years, the Senate is working on a budgetSenate Democrats didn't pass a budget resolution for the previous three years, but they are taking steps to do it this year. Three things, in particular, have changed.
What's in Paul Ryan plan? Surprising numbers from GOP House budget.The GOP budget plan Paul Ryan is putting forward in the House is filled with ambitious numbers, big and small. The bottom line: reduce the national debt and the interest payments to service it.
