All Politics
- Obamacare defunding: Will there be a filibuster?Egged on by fellow conservatives in the House, Sen. Ted Cruz now says he's willing to lead a filibuster that would defend the 'defund Obamacare' effort.
- For Caroline Kennedy, polite questions at Senate hearing 鈥 and some gushingCaroline Kennedy, the former first daughter, appeared Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as she seeks confirmation as the next US ambassador to Japan.
- Syria: Why Obama's previous Defense secretaries criticize his approachAt an event in Dallas, Robert Gates and Leon Panetta expressed their concerns about President Obama's decision last month to ask Congress to vote on military action against the regime in Syria.
- McCain slams Putin in Pravda: Who's winning war of words?First, Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the US in The New York Times. Now Sen. John McCain has fired back on a Russia website, saying Mr. Putin is holding Russia back.
- Government shutdown coming? Boehner raises stakes on defunding Obamacare.The GOP-led House is now poised to pass a bill that would fund government operations but defund Obamacare. The president spoke Wednesday of a 'faction' of House Republicans risking a government shutdown.
- Obamacare replacement plan: What's in the Republican proposal?Obamacare replacement plan: House Republicans are again pushing for a repeal of Obamacare. But one group of Republicans has gone further and proposed a plan to replace it. Here's a quick look.
- Gun control: Bloomberg, bruised, rejoins battle over background checksGun-control advocate Bloomberg, who suffered a defeat with the recall of two Colorado state senators, said a new study shows criminals avoiding background checks by buying guns online.
- Monitor BreakfastCBO director: falling deficit gives breathing room, not all-clear signalThe federal deficit is falling, but could begin to nudge upward again in 2015, according to CBO data. That means trimming the deficit is important but not urgent, the CBO chief said Wednesday.
- Star Trek, NSA: Is Washington full of Trekkies?Star Trek, NSA share a similar-looking 'set,' according to a Foreign Policy magazine article. In the galaxy known as Washington, that's not where the enthusiasm ends for 'Star Trek' themes.
- Obamacare: Court declines company request to block contraception mandateIn all, more than 50 companies have challenged the Obamacare contraception mandate on religious grounds. Given a split in how appeals courts have ruled, it鈥檚 likely the US Supreme Court will eventually take up the issue.
- Touting Obamacare, US says millions could pay less than $100 a monthA report by HHS says 56 percent of uninsured could pay $100 or less (or nothing) for health coverage. Enrollment opens on Oct. 1, but public resistance to Obamacare is stronger than ever.聽
- Russia deal on Syria: Why Americans like but don't believe in itPolls show a large majority of Americans back Russia's deal on Syria's chemical weapons, while a solid majority think it will fail. That contradiction works as long as US interests aren't at stake.
- Why Navy Yard shooting won't spur fresh look at gun lawsGun debate foes traded barbs in the wake of Monday's mass shooting at Washington Navy Yard, but neither Congress nor President Obama seems to have the stomach right now for another fight over gun laws.
- How liberal 'triumphs' on Syria and Summers have weakened ObamaLiberals are feeling their oats after Obama's retreats on Syria policy and the expected Summers nomination. That could cost him as he negotiates with Republicans over government funding.
- Obama: Deficits falling at fastest rate since WWII. Is that true?In a speech marking the fifth anniversary of the financial crisis, President Obama claims credit for cutting the deficit in half. But one reason it fell so fast is that it shot up so high in the first place.
- Drudge hates new shield bill, but is defining 'journalist' really 'fascist'?A media shield law approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee defines a 鈥渞eal reporter鈥 deserving of extra protection. Bloggers, "citizen journalists," and others cry "foul!"
- US to Putin: 'Exceptional?' Da!Vladimir Putin's jab at American 'exceptionalism' set off howls of criticism in the US and gave The White House, the Congress, and Jon Stewart a rare something they could agree on.
- Is Syria backtracking on chemical weapons pledge?Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with Russian state TV that he would not turn over chemical weapons unless the US stops threatening to attack him and agrees to cease arms shipments to Syrian rebels.
- Christine Quinn's loss in New York: Gender politics?Christine Quinn鈥檚 loss in the Democratic primary for New York mayor is stirring debate about whether her femaleness, or her homosexuality, played any role in her struggle to win voters.
- Race and class: New York mayoral contest's battlegroundDemocrat聽Bill de Blasio says New York is 'a tale of two cities' separating rich and poor.聽Republican Joe Lhota says that's 'nothing more than class warfare聽鈥 an attempt to divide the city.'