The Tea Party

Seven Tests That Can Keep Republicans from Screwing Up

By Edward Morrissey

It didn’t take long for Republicans to make their first tin-eared mistake after winning a broad victory in November. In fact, they had barely opened the new session of Congress before performing a...
One Place the Trump Train Isn’t Stopping: Paul Ryan’s Backyard

By Martin Matishak

In a year in which an outsider candidate seized the reins of one of the country’s two major political parties, there’s one place where folks haven’t gotten the anti-establishment message: House...
Two-Thirds of the US Government Basically Won’t Work for the Next Year

By Rob Garver

With a deadlocked Supreme Court and a compromise-averse Congress, 2016 promises to be a year in which simply keeping the lights on will be a major accomplishment.
House Freedom Caucus Prepares to Challenge Ryan on 2016 Agenda

By Eric Pianin

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) has gotten off to a strong start with the far-right conservatives in his conference who drove former Speaker John Boehner from office and blocked Boehner’s heir...
Ted Cruz Gets a Boost from Powerful Conservative Insiders

By Rob Garver

An influential political action group in Washington, Heritage Action for America, all but endorsed the presidential candidacy of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz on Monday, with the release of an analysis of the...

Boehner Ready to Exit a Historically Feeble Congress

By Rob Garver

As he heads into what appears to be the final week his leadership of the House of Representatives, House Speaker John Boehner will be the subject of no end of retrospective profiles of his career...
Did Paul Ryan Outsmart the Freedom Caucus?

By Rob Garver

The news that Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan had persuaded a large majority of the House of Representatives’ most conservative element to support his bid for Speaker of the House left the...
Paul Ryan Has Probably Already Lost His Shot at the Presidency

By Rob Garver

Regardless of whether Rep. Paul Ryan decides to declare himself a candidate for Speaker of the House sometime this week, his political future will likely sustain some real damage – and there is...
Meet the Freedom Caucus, the Group Inflaming Washington

By Martin Matishak

If you don’t know much about a group of congressional lawmakers called the House Freedom Caucus, don’t worry; you’ll hear about them plenty in the weeks and month ahead.
Why You – Yes, You – Could Be the Next Speaker of the House

By Martin Matishak

Spoiler alert: The race to be the next Speaker of the House is pretty much over.

5 Rising Stars Who Are Leading Washington…and You

By Eric Pianin and Josh Boak

Congress returned from its weeklong recess on Monday, with much of Washington’s political hierarchy upended. Outside groups like the Heritage Foundation and Club for Growth are exercising their...
The Real Power Behind the Republican Party

By Josh Boak, The Fiscal Times

It now looks as though lawmakers are stuck kowtowing to outside groups such as the Heritage Foundation and the Club for Growth. The latest example came Wednesday from the House GOP “Young Guns” of...
Rand Paul: 14 Things You Didn't Know About Him

By Maureen Mackey, The Fiscal Times

Just named to Time Magazine’s 100 most influential list (Sarah Palin wrote the effusive blurb), Senator Rand Paul, the junior senator from Kentucky, said this week he’s considering running for the...
Bobby Jindal’s Failure Ruins Chances of Tax Reform

By Bruce Bartlett, The Fiscal Times

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has been a rising star in the Republican Party for some years. But this year he made a serious misstep on reforming the state’s tax system that has national implications,...
'Wetback' Comment: Yet Another Step Back for GOP?

By Eric Pianin

Veteran Republican Rep. Don Young of Alaska has triggered a political uproar with his radio comments referring to Latino workers as “wetbacks.” House Speaker John Boehner and other GOP leaders...

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