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...

  • Romney Struggles For Right Pitch

    By Sam Youngman, Reuters

    Mitt Romney isn't singing anymore. A little more than two weeks after his off-key but enthusiastic renditions of "America the Beautiful" captured the spirit of a candidate who had won the Florida...

  • Santorum: Obama Has 'Different Theology'

    By SAMUEL P. JACOBS, Reuters

    Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum challenged President Barack Obama's Christian beliefs on Saturday, saying White House policies were motivated by a "different theology."

  • 8 Things You Didn’t Know about Payroll Tax-Cut Deal

    By Eric Pianin

    The three key provisions of the economic package passed by Congress on Friday would extend a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits and block a deep cut in Medicare payments to doctors through the...

  • Obama’s Broken Deficit Promise Gives GOP New Ammo

    By Jason Lange and David Lawder, Reuters

    On Monday, three years after pledging to cut the federal deficit by half, Obama conceded that he would not be able to keep it.

  • House Passes Payroll Tax Cut Extension

    By Reuters

    The House of Representatives on Friday passed legislation on Friday extending a tax cut for 160 million workers through December and continuing long-term jobless benefits, handing President Barack...