| Oct 9, 2013 | Rights / DemocracyFor the first time in 17 years, Congress failed to provide the funding to keep the entire government running. So now you have two classes of government service and two classes of employees: “essential” and “non-essential.” If you run a national...
| Aug 14, 2013 | Rights / DemocracyTwenty-two. That’s how many bills have become law since the 113th Congress was sworn in on January 3, 2013. It’s one more illustration of the dysfunction that’s engulfed the Capitol. One bill that did become law this year was the continuing...
| Jul 17, 2013 | Food / FarmingRemember when the House rejected a trillion-dollar version of the Farm Bill nearly a month ago? I predicted the subsidy apologists would be back. Unfortunately, I was right. They struck with a stealth attack at about 8 p.m. one week after July Fourth. House Republican...
| Jun 19, 2013 | Peace / SecurityThe watchword in Washington has been “cut” for some time. But the House of Representatives headed in the opposite direction when it adopted its version of the National Defense Authorization bill. The bill authorizes $552 billion in military spending next...
| May 22, 2013 | Food / FarmingSometimes it appears common sense and reality can’t penetrate the Capitol’s marble-lined walls. This financially costly phenomenon struck when both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees recently passed their versions of the Farm Bill. Instead of...
