Rand Paul: Government Shutdown I Was Totally Behind With My Floor Votes Was A “Dumb Idea”

The Junior Senator from Kentucky does some re-writing of history.

October Jobs Report Stronger Than Expected

A better than expected jobs report in October, but one that comes with a few caveats.

House GOP and District Level Margin of Victory (and its Relation to the Vote on the Budget Deal)

87.18% of the caucus is elected from safe to very safe districts and, therefore, the only real fear that they might have for their jobs would be at the primary stage.

Tea Party Senate Candidate In Mississippi Has Ties To Neo-Confederate/Secessionist Group

Several conservative groups have jumped on the bandwagon of what appears to be a controversial Mississippi politician.

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Congressional Republicans Wake Up To Post-Shutdown Poll Headaches, Will It Matter In 2014?

Polling looks bleak for the GOP right now, but it’s unclear what that will mean a year from now.

What Lessons Will The GOP Learn From The Shutdown?

Will the GOP learn the right lessons from the just-concluded showdown? That remains to be seen.

Obama, Democrats To Push Immigration Reform Next?

Immigration reform may be the next big battle on Capitol Hill, but it’s going to be far different from the one that just concluded.

The Coming GOP Civil War

The shutdown debacle seems destined to lead to a battle between the Tea Party and the more business oriented elements of the GOP

Virginia Governor’s Race Now Looks Like A Democratic Win

Absent an unlikely major change, it looks like the Democrats will win the Governor’s race in Virginia

No, Boehner Isn’t Going To Lose His Job As Speaker

John Boehner’s position as Speaker of the House seems quite secure.

The GOP’s Seinfeld Shutdown

The GOP’s shutdown was about as pointless as a show about waiting for a table in a Chinese restaurant.

Debt, Default, And International Faith In The American Government

Would you trust the men and women in this building?

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What Lies Past October 17th? A Big Unknown, And That’s The Problem

If Congress isn’t able to reach a deal, the big problem going forward would be uncertainty.

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House Republicans Waste A Day, Leaving Final Deal Up To The Senate

The House wasted a day yesterday, now it’s crunch time.

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House Shutdown/Debt Ceiling Plan Already Falling Apart?

Well, so much for that plan.

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House To Pursue Its Own Shutdown/Debt Ceiling Bill, But That May Not Be Bad News [Update: Or, Maybe Not]

It looks like the House will be making its move before the Senate acts, but that may actually help resolve this faster.

Senate Nears Deal That Kicks The Can Down The Road, Accomplishes Little Else

The deal emerging out of the talks between Senator Reid and Senator McConnell is about what you’d expect, but it’s probably the best we can expect right now.

Crafting a Budget Grand Compromise

As long as we’re tacking on unrelated measures in order to secure a deal to end the government shutdown-debt ceiling standoff, why not some related measures?

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Our Fate Apparently Lies In The Hands Of McConnell, Reid, Boehner, and Biden

Are these four men our last, best hope for a deal that will end the shutdown and avoid breaching the debt ceiling?

Reid/McConnell Talks Stalemated As Democrats Push For Sequester Changes

Talks between the two Senate leaders haven’t exactly gone so well.

Another Republican Debt Kamikaze

One Virginia Republican suggests that defaulting on our bonds wouldn’t be that big of a deal.

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Hopes For A Senate Deal Now Hinge On Harry Reid And Mitch McConnell

Harry and Mitch to the rescue?

Despite Gridlock, Americans Prefer Divided Government To One-Party Rule

Divided government is the worst political system ever, except for all the others.

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Focus Shifts To Senate For Possible Deal On Debt Limit, Shutdown

With the House’s proposed deal reaching an impasse, the Senate is now taking center stage.

Another Poll Brings Bad News For The GOP, But Will It Matter Come Election Day?

The GOP’s approval numbers have fallen like a stone, but it’s unclear whether this will matter in 2014.

Signs Of A Temporary Deal In Washington?

There seems to be at least some hope for a temporary deal in Washington to end the shutdown and raise the debt ceiling, but don’t count your chickens just yet.

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GOP Plan Would Address Debt Ceiling, But Keep Government Shutdown Going

Republicans appear to be uniting behind a short-term plan to deal with the debt ceiling, but seem okay with keeping the government shutdown going forward.

Yes, The Shutdown Is Hurting The Republican Party More Than Obama And The Democrats

There’s no denying it now. The GOP is being harmed by the events in Washington far more than the President and Democrats in general.

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Paul Ryan Reemerges, Offering The GOP An Obamacare-Free Way Out

Paul Ryan is back, and he has a plan his party ought to be paying attention to.

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Dysfunctional Government Has A Real World Impact

The real world impact of what’s happening in Washington is becoming apparent.

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Are The Markets Starting To Notice How Messed Up Things Are In Washington?

Signs that investors are starting to get nervous about the lack of action coming out of Washington.

Radicals in Washington

If one considers oneself to be conservative, ask if the the actions of the GOP at the moment conform to that term..

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Negotiating Over The Debt Ceiling Is Not Unprecedented

Contrary to the White House’s arguments, negotiating over the debt ceiling is not at all historically unprecedented.

Government Shutdown Hurting Republicans In Virginia Governor’s Race

The government shutdown seems to be having an impact on the one competitive statewide race in country this year.

Return Of The Debt Kamikazes

They’re back…….

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Obama And Boehner Can Negotiate, If They Really Want To

There’s a way for President Obama and Speaker Boehner to talk out a deal to resolve the current crisis, but they have to want to do it.

Monumental Silliness

One cannot support the shutdown tactic and then be outraged that part of the government is shutdown.

Want To Understand The GOP Hardliners? Talk To Their Constituents

To borrow a phrase from Stephen Colbert, if you want to understand how Congress works, you better know a District.

Ted Cruz Doubles Down On His Failed Obamacare Strategy

Ted Cruz wants his fellow Republicans to follow him down the rabbit hole again.

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Boehner: Not Enough Votes For “Clean” CR, Or “Clean” Debt Ceiling Increase

Speaker Boehner sends a signal that there won’t be a quick resolution to the government shutdown crisis.

Republicans Ready Their Next Offer On Shutdown, Debt Ceiling

The outlines of a possible new GOP proposal are emerging. Can it go anywhere?