blogging the beltway
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Obama's Push for Smaller Government
On Friday, President Obama asked Congress for greater power to do something. Before you talk about hell freezing over, consider that his request adheres to Republicans’ “smaller government” talking point. Seeking to streamline the government, save money and eliminate duplicative services, the president wants to merge six federal departments and agencies into one. But instead…
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First Lady Shouldn't Worry About Book
Michelle Obama has weighed in on the buzzy new book The Obamas by New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor. She isn’t thrilled about the chatter it’s generating about her alleged clashes with West Wing staff and dominance over the administration. “I guess it’s just more interesting to imagine this conflicted situation here,” Mrs. Obama, who…
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Mitt Romney Wins New Hampshire Primary
Tuesday’s New Hampshire Republican primary went as expected, with Mitt Romney emerging as the winner with a commanding double-digit lead (despite the specter of his recent unfortunate “I like being able to fire people” comment). After winning Iowa last week, his triumph marks the first time that a Republican presidential candidate since 1976 has won…
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Obama Names Domestic Policy Council Director
Following the departure of Melody Barnes, who stepped down last month as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council to spend more time with her family, on Tuesday the White House announced that another woman of color will take the helm: Cecilia Munoz. Munoz has served as deputy assistant to President Obama and director…
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GOP Rivals Pounce on Mitt Romney
One day before the New Hampshire primary, the Republican presidential candidates are trying their best to leave lasting impressions with the state’s voters. Here’s a look at their latest efforts and the state of the race now: 1. There probably won’t be a New Hampshire surprise — Mitt Romney’s way ahead. Despite a shakeup in…
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GOP Debate Double-Header: Top Moments
Ahead of Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, the remaining Republican contenders in the presidential race (bye, Bachmann) debated in a weekend doubleheader. In two debates, a mere 12 hours apart on Saturday night and Sunday morning, the candidates fought for their political lives in the election’s first primary. ABC News and WMUR broadcast Saturday’s debate at…
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Were Obama's Recess Appointments Legal?
President Obama visited the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Friday, giving a pep talk on the work that lies ahead. “Every one of you here has a critical role to play in making sure that everybody plays by the same rules,” Obama said of the agency, created under 2010’s financial regulatory reform bill to hold…
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Black Fraternities Form Obama Super PAC
Another factor making 2012 politically historic? It marks the first presidential election with super PACs. Given free rein by a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision, super PACs are independent committees allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to support, or skewer, a political candidate. They’re already shaping the election. After a pro-Romney super…
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Obama Announces Military Spending Cuts
On Thursday President Obama unveiled a new military strategy that will scale back Pentagon spending. In light of the killing of Osama bin Laden, the end of the war in Iraq and efforts to wind down the war in Afghanistan, the president posited that some changes are in order. Speaking from the Pentagon, however, he…
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4 Questions With Jamba Juice's CEO
Last fall, when President Obama unveiled the American Jobs Act, one of his goals was to lay the groundwork for a 2012 youth summer-jobs program. The bill included state funding to support summer employment for low-income youths between the ages of 16 and 24, a provision modeled after similar funding from the Recovery Act. According…