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President Obama secured another major legislative victory Wednesday with the Senate ratification of a nuclear arms treaty with Russia. Vice President Biden presided over the Senate's 71-26 vote with Secretary Hillary Clinton in attendance.

A US Senate committee has approved a wide-ranging cybersecurity bill that some critics have suggested would give the US president the authority to shut down parts of the Internet during a cyberattack. Senator Joe Lieberman and other bill sponsors have refuted the charges that the Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act gives the president an Internet "kill switch." Instead, the bill puts limits on the powers the president already has to cause "the closing of any facility or stations for wire communication" in a time of war, as described in the Communications Act of 1934, they said in a...

In March, the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision struck down campaign finance limits on political expression by individuals working through corporations and unions as a violation of the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech. A cry ensued among liberal Democrats predicting doom if they and their special interest allies were required to follow the Constitution. Big Labor's bosses promised to spend millions to protect the Democratic majority if it would speedily pass legislation to circumvent the decision (and thus the Constitution), but restore limits on their corporate foes. The resulting DISCLOSE Act, according to its backers, will ensure transparency...

Republicans on Thursday said that House Democrats have been less than transparent in bringing their major campaign finance bill to the floor, arguing that key negotiations have taken place behind closed doors.  The House is poised to vote on the bill Thursday, but the ranking Republican on the Rules Committee, Rep. David Dreier (Calif.), said that debate on the Dislcose Act will be unfairly limited.  "Although the legislation was described as 'fundamental to our democracy' by Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi, it will debated for just an hour and only after a brand new manager’s amendment that rewrites the bill is adopted without...

For registered members of California's minor parties, Proposition 14 isn't just about winning or losing elections. It's a matter of survival. "It pretty much wipes us out," said John Reiger, former congressional candidate for the Peace and Freedom Party. Proposition 14 would create a "top two" primary in which candidates of all party affiliations run on one primary ballot. The two candidates who win the most votes, regardless of party, would face off in the general election. The system would not apply to presidential primaries. Supporters say the change would let voters choose the best candidate and give the 20...

"Throwing around phrases like 'socialists' and 'Soviet-style takeover,' 'fascists' and 'right-wing nut' — that may grab headlines," he said. But it also "closes the door to the possibility of compromise.

Would that this was an April Fools trick, but it’s not. There’s still more bad news from Detroit. Detroit is a cesspool of corruption and is beyond credible efforts to save it from its inexorable slip into oblivion. Given the massive budget shortfalls facing Democrat controlled cities around the country Detroit aka “Cesspool City” will be only the first of a string of failed cities plaguing America’s revival efforts. The list of outrages coming from Cesspool City are the things horror movies are made of. *Coleman Young’s twenty years in office which started and accelerated the “White Flight.” *The election...

WASHINGTON - Capping an epic struggle, Democrats completed the final touches Thursday to an historic fight for a nationwide health care overhaul; a process that ended with the the House approving Senate-cleared changes to the legislation the president signed into law Tuesday. Republicans vowed to campaign for repeal in the fall election season, drawing a quick retort from Barack Obama: "I welcome that fight." Earlier, the Senate voted 56-43 to approve the fixes, clearing the way for the House's final 220-207 confirmation vote later in the evening.

Washington (CNN) – Sen. John McCain called for a more civilized political discourse on Monday after members of Congress who voted for health care reform reported incidents of harassment and threats of violence. "There is a lot of anger and passion out there," McCain said on CNN's "John King USA." "Let's change that into a spirited and healthy respectful campaign season between Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives. Let's really go at it, but let's do it with respect, that's the key to it." McCain noted that he has held thousands of town hall meetings during his long political career....

Republicans took to the House floor Thursday to plead with those who oppose the Democratic health care overhaul to refrain from violence and threats. Opposition to the health care bill that President Barack Obama signed into law Wednesday is "no excuse for bigotry, threats or acts of vandalism and I condemn such things in the strongest possible terms," said Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, the House's third-ranked Republican. "Some of our colleagues have received threatening phone calls. A brick has been thrown, a window has been smashed. This is not the right way to respond," added Rep. Joseph Pitts, R-Pa.,...

The pitched battle over health care has unleashed a rash of vandalism and attacks directed at politicians, with at least 10 House Democrats reporting death threats or incidents of harassment or vandalism at their district offices over the past week. More than 100 House Democrats met behind closed doors Wednesday afternoon with representatives of the FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police. The lawmakers voiced what one senior aide who was present described as "serious concern" about their security in Washington and in their home districts when they return this weekend for the spring recess. Usually only the congressional leadership has...

Threats Linked To Health Votes Prompt Security At least 10 Dems receive threats; gas line cut at Perriello brother's home. At least 10 House Democrats are receiving access to increased security after receiving threats linked to their votes on the health care overhaul bill signed into law on Tuesday. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said at a Capitol Hill press conference that he is concerned by a rash of at least four incidents of vandalism targeting lawmakers who voted to approve the legislation, which did not receive any Republican votes. Concern about possible violence escalated Wednesday after a severed gas...

Today, Shep Smith reported (over-sensationally, as always) that our Congress members are receiving death threats because of their health care "yes" vote. While I am by no means condoning death threats, in typical Shep Smith fashion, he joined in the Democrat's pity party by stating, "Why would anyone do such a thing over just a vote?" Excuse me, Shep.. JUST A VOTE? Has Shep been following the UNdemocratic process by which this health care bill was passed? The meetings CLOSED to Republicans, the outright ignoring of American citizens anger about this bill while labeling them as Unamerican, astro-turf, Nazi fanatics?...

After Democratic lawmakers were targeted by death threats and vandalism, House Democrats met with members of the Capitol Police today to discuss security concerns. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip James Clyburn held a press conference this afternoon on Capitol Hill, saying members had raised concerns and that Capitol Police told them to address any suspicious activity around the Capitol. "Any member who feels themselves at risk is getting attention from the proper authorities," Hoyer said. At least 10 Democratic lawmakers have complained of threats or other security concerns.

House Democrats are expressing concerns about their personal safety following protests over health care legislation. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Wednesday that officials from the FBI and Capitol Police briefed Democrats on how to handle perceived security threats.

Pelosi: Getting health bill more important than bipartisanship By Jordan Fabian - 03/24/10 02:34 PM ET Getting healthcare reform done was more important than getting Republican votes for the measure, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday. The top House Democrat said that despite the Democrats best efforts to attract GOP support for the overhaul, Democratic leaders thought it best to forge ahead with existing legislation without Republican votes instead of making more changes to get Republican votes. In an interview set to air on PBS' "Newshour" Wednesday night, host Jim Lehrer asked Pelosi if she was comfortable with a...

Representatives Henry Waxman (D-California) and Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts) today unveiled the Clean Energy and Security Act, a massive bill that incorporates virtually every lame-brained global warming policy ever considered by Congress (and then some).

Newt Gingrich on Sean Hannity's show said the moves by the Democratic controlled Congress and the Obama administration are the largest power grab in history and resemble a DICTATORSHIP. No transcript available yet or link to post.

Democrats inside Sen. Barack Obama's circle of advisers and on Capitol Hill are jockeying even before Election Day to shape an Obama administration's legislative agenda and define "Obamanomics," a concept he himself has left vague over the campaign. ... On Capitol Hill, three main factions are emerging with very different advice. The first group, led by "old bull" liberals, wants to move fast on big-ticket issues such as universal health care and weaning the nation off Middle Eastern oil and on regulatory and labor issues, such as allowing unions to organize by getting would-be members to sign cards backing collective...