National Democrats
Third-Party Dreams
“We need a third party.” That’s a recurrent fantasy among citizens and commentators frustrated by the bump and grind of politics as usual, like the current debt-ceiling stalemate in Washington. Thomas Friedman of the New York Times gave voice to this longing in recent columns. The fantasy goes like this: A heroic group…
Read MoreLong, Hot Summer
Maybe it’s the heat. Maybe it’s that the dog days of summer always seem to fire up political passions. But this debt-ceiling kabuki in Washington has everybody hot and bothered. Democrats are mad at Republicans, and Republicans are mad at Democrats, of course. But conservative Republicans are also mad at Tea Party…
Read MoreArmageddon
Obama’s got just about everyone convinced we’re staring economic Armageddon in the face if we don’t raise the debt ceiling. John Boehner agrees, Mitch McConnell agrees and just about every TV pundit agrees. But here’s what’s hard to figure out: Obama, Boehner, McConnell and Harry Reid could avoid Armageddon with one simple bill that…
Read MoreExecutive Power Outage
President Obama and Governor Perdue may have gained political yardage by contrasting themselves to unreasonable, extremist Republicans. But – in light of what has happened to both of them in recent days – they may lose even more ground by looking weak. Weakness is a flaw voters will not forgive in an executive. President…
Read MoreTeed Up
News reports this morning say President Obama and Speaker Boehner are near a deal on taxes, spending and the debt limit. If it happens, the golfers among us will know why: They teed it up together a few weeks back. There’s nothing like 18 holes to build a friendship – and show you…
Read MoreFig Leaves
First Congress voted against the war in Libya, then it voted to go right on paying to fight the war it was against. As a matter of policy that’s hard to fathom but as a matter of politics, well, there’s something in it for everyone. Congress is on your side no matter what side you’re…
Read MoreErskine Rides Again
The Gang of Six’s “big solution” to the federal budget sounds a lot like the recommendations of the study commission that Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson chaired last year. It makes Democrats mad by reining in entitlements and by raising revenues about $1 for every $3 in spending cuts. It makes Tea Party…
Read MoreGOP Apocalypse Again?
Clearly, the Republican adults in Washington don’t want to drive off the shut-down-government cliff again. They remember how well that worked for Newt Gingrich in 1995 – and led directly to President Clinton’s reelection in 1996. The leaders’ problem is they can’t control the Tea Party kids who keep grabbing the steering wheel, with…
Read MoreRedistricting and Ruin
You can draw a straight line connecting the big political stories in Raleigh and Washington this week: redistricting in Raleigh and the debt stalemate in Washington. Itâs a cliché â but itâs nonetheless true â that under todayâs redistricting system voters donât pick their politicians; politicians pick their voters. And, yes, both Democrats and…
Read MoreObama’s Summer
Things are looking dim for President Obama. His poll numbers are lagging along with the nation’s economic numbers. He’s locked in three Middle East wars and a war with Republicans in Washington. Now he’s got Democrats and the AARP mad because he’s willing to cut Social Security and Medicare to get a budget deal. …
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