Topic: Capitol Hill
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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Briefing
Four curious outcomes if the Electoral College ends in a tie
Here are four ways that a 269-to-269 tie in the Electoral College could play out in the 2012 presidential election.
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10 richest members of Congress
The 10 wealthiest members of Congress in 2012 include Senate and House members hailing from all over the US. Can you guess which political party had the most lawmakers on the list – and who grabbed the top spot?
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Briefing
Obama vs. Romney 101: 5 ways they differ on military issues
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney has not been expansive regarding his views of the war in Afghanistan – perhaps because both he and President Obama do not have significantly different plans. But here are five areas where the candidates differ on military issues.
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Briefing
Obama vs. Romney 101: 6 ways they differ on health-care reform
Former Gov. Mitt Romney has taken a libertarian turn since championing health-care reforms in Massachusetts, including an individual mandate to purchase insurance, which became the model for President Obama's signature law. Here’s a list of areas where the candidates differ.
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Top 3 lessons the US military has learned in Afghanistan
As robust defense budget wranglings continue on Capitol Hill, much of the debate about one of the Pentagon's largest expenses – Afghanistan – centers around just how effective the decade-long fight has been. Here are the top three lessons that US military has learned in Afghanistan.
All Content
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Supreme Court to rule on health-care reform ... then what?
A blow to Obama's health-care reform law could push Democrats to choose between defining the Supreme Court ruling as a principled disagreement between coequal branches of government – or as mainly partisan.
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Focus
Unpacking 'Romneyomics': how Mitt would adjust dials on the US economyMItt Romney offers a prescription for the ailing US economy that hews to Republican principles. But it also has some unorthodox differences. Well-off Americans could get fewer government benefits and pay more for Medicare.
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Dimon in the hot seat before Congress
The JPMorgan Chase CEO was in front of Congress for a second time; he is under fire for a $2 billion trading loss.
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The Vote
'Robin Hood tax': What is it and why does Occupy want it?As Jamie Dimon testifies before Congress (again), Occupy protesters don pointy hats to promote the 'Robin Hood tax' on stock and bond transactions – an idea Washington opposes.
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Readers Write: Conservatives can't compromise; Retirement is for cheap learning
Letters to the Editor for the weekly print issue of June 18, 2012: How can a conservative compromise with a position that is totally against his or her own political, economic, and social philosophy? An important option for one's retirement years is learning stuff, at a low cost.
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Republicans, Democrats jockey before Supreme Court health-care ruling
The political world is waiting for the Supreme Court to hand down its ruling on President Obama’s sweeping reform of the health-insurance system. A decision could come as early as Monday.
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Drones over America. Are they spying on you?
Thousands of drones could be routinely flying over the United States within the next 10 years. They can help with law enforcement and border control, but they also raise questions about invasion of privacy.
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DREAM deferred? Will Obama order make immigration reform harder?
President Obama, acting without Congress, took steps to curtail deportations for young illegal immigrants. Republicans say the move could jeopardize prospects for immigration reform.
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Robert Reich
Obamacare: a compromise on the individual mandateMost experts think that the Supreme Court will strike down the individual mandate portion of Obamacare, leaving the rest of the law intact. But if that happens, insurance companies will claim they can't insure pre-existing conditions. Is there a compromise?
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Affordable Care Act ruling is sticky for Obama
Affordable Care Act decision from the Supreme Court may be handed down soon. If the Affordable Care Act is ruled unconstitutional, Obama's key legislative achievement will be for naught, and his reelection chances may be compromised.
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Ben Bernanke to Congress: Get America's fiscal house in order. Please. (+video)
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told lawmakers Thursday that the Fed alone can't put Americans back to work. 'I'd be much more comfortable if Congress would take some of this burden,' he said, bluntly.
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Robert Reich
Why we have to end the Bush tax cuts and raise taxes on the richAmerica has a huge budget deficit hanging over our heads. If the rich don’t pay their fair share, the rest of us have to pay higher taxes — or do without vital public services like Medicare, Medicaid, Pell grants, food stamps, child nutrition, federal aid to education, and more.
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Decoder Wire
CBO report: US could be the next Greece – in 2037The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its annual report, and the US is still facing significant debt problems. What Congress does after November could have a big impact.
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4 ways Congress can help American businesses
The US unemployment hovers around 8.2 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average is struggling to remain above 12,000. The message is clear: This recovery from the Great Recession is still fragile. Legislators should focus their attention on these four straightforward policy changes to help American commerce.
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GOP outlines two ways to keep rates low on student loans; Democrats see 'ruse'
On a day that Speaker Boehner reportedly called the student loan fight 'phony,' the Republican leaders outlined two ways to fund the subsidized student loan rates they say draw on Obama's own budget proposals.
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Robert Reich
How to avoid austerity but still fix the deficitAs Europe has shown us, austerity is bad for weak economies facing large budget deficits. But it can be avoided by getting growth and jobs back first, and only then tackling budget deficits.
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Tea party drools over Ted Cruz, but can he survive Texas primary?
Ted Cruz is running for the US Senate seat being vacated by Kay Bailey Huchinson, and in many ways he's the ideal tea party candidate. But his best hope Tuesday is to force a runoff.
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Vietnam War: Beginning 13 years of commemorating a divisive conflict
At the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Monday, President Obama began a national commemoration of the 50-year anniversary of the Vietnam War. To Vietnam veterans he said, 'You made us proud, and you have earned your place among the greatest generations.'
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Robert Reich
Memorial Day: the defense America needsThe best way to honor Memorial Day is to fund a rational defense budget. That means eliminating arms contracts that enrich contractors without advancing America's defense
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What Congress has planned after Memorial Day
Congress will be racing to complete a number of priorities between Memorial Day and the August recess, all under the shadow of massive fiscal issues looming at year's end.
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Decoder Wire
Psst, students. Still hope for low-rate student loans, despite Senate balkingWithout a fix, interest on some subsidized federal student loans would double to 6.8 percent starting July 1. But Thursday's Senate votes are still just theater. Expect parties to haggle over the cash until June 29.
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Senate committee cuts Pakistan aid over doctor's conviction
After a Pakistani court sentenced the doctor who helped the CIA find Osama bin Laden to 33 years for treason, a US Senate panel voted Thursday to cut aid to Pakistan by $33 million.
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Decoder Wire
Is Congress broken? Startup Act shows what can work.The Startup Act is a modest piece of pro-business legislation unveiled Tuesday. It won't change the world, but that's why it may pass. In a partisan Congress, 'good' may be better than 'perfect.'
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NRC chairman resigns amid battle over lessons from Fukushima
In his three years as chairman, Gregory Jaczko wrangled with other NRC members over the direction of nuclear power plant safety regulations and over his leadership style.
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Decoder Wire
Has the tea party sold out? House freshmen aren't who they seem.A report by the arch-conservative Club for Growth undercuts the notion that freshmen House Republicans are unified – and uniformly committed to the most stringent tea party ideals.
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