2012 Elections

Budget Battles

  • The Great Debate

    Five Debate Moments that Changed Elections

    By Robert Speel, The Conversation

    Every presidential election year in my American Political Campaigns and Elections course, I get an opportunity to spend a full lecture discussing with students some of the famous moments from...

  • House panel says IRS official waived rights, contempt possible

    Lois Lerner Is Cleared, Sparking Conservative Fury

    By Rob Garver

    Concluding that “poor management is not a crime,” the Justice Department on Friday informed members of Congress that it would not be filing criminal charges against anyone in what has become known as...

  • GOP Leaders Take on Far Right Pressure Groups

    By Eric Pianin

    There have been plenty of theories about why Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) strode onstage at a conservative gathering late last week carrying a rifle. Ostensibly, McConnell, the 72-...

  • Romney: If Hillary Runs, She Won’t Need Bill

    By Thomas Ferraro, Reuters

    Failed 2012 U.S. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said on Sunday he expects Hillary Clinton to win or lose the White House on her record, not that of her husband, former Democratic...

  • Joint Session of Congress

    Voters Give a Thumbs-Down to Their Own Lawmakers

    By Eric Pianin

    In another sign of public outrage over a dysfunctional and politically divided Congress, a record low percentage of registered voters now say their own House member deserves another chance while even...

  • Earmark Obsession Skewers A Lot More than Pork

    By Bruce Bartlett, The Fiscal Times

    n April 1, Richard Cowan of Reuters reported that some House Republicans are warming to the idea of bringing back “earmarks” in appropriations bills. It was not an April Fools’ joke. Since the mid-...

  • Obama’s and Paul Ryan’s Conflicting Budget Visions

    By Michael Tanner, Tft Blogger, The Fiscal Times

    With his speech to news editors and executives this week, President Obama has made it clear that he plans to run a starkly ideological campaign, contrasting his vision for the future of the country...

  • Romney Overtakes Santorum in Pa.: Poll

    By LILY KUO, Reuters

    Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum, in what may be a grim development for his campaign, has lost the lead in his home state of Pennsylvania to front-runner Mitt Romney, according to a...

  • Romney Mounts Attacks on Obama

    By LILY KUO, Reuters

    Republican candidate Mitt Romney accused President Barack Obama on Wednesday of being "intent on hiding" his true positions, in a growing war of words between the two men who are increasingly likely...

  • Is Santorum the GOP's Self-Absorbed Spoiler?

    By Eric Pianin

    Former senator Rick Santorum says he’s in the GOP presidential campaign all the way to the convention, but frontrunner Mitt Romney has begun to cut into his conservative base and he may have trouble...