“Political issues” on The Daily Caller

WASHINGTON (AP) — The spending barons on Capitol Hill, long used to muscling past opponents of bills larded with pet projects, are seeking one last victory before tea party-backed GOP insurgents storm Congress intent on ending the good old days of pork-barrel politics. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The struggle over tax cuts is seriously straining President Barack Obama’s relationship with House Democrats, who have backed him on key issues even when it cost them politically. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Charles Rangel has his swagger back, but not his power. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Veteran Rep. Charles Rangel, the raspy-voiced, backslapping former chairman of one of Congress’ most powerful committees, was censured by his House colleagues for financial misconduct Thursday in a solemn moment of humiliation in the sunset of his career. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has rejected a GOP bid to ban the practice of larding spending bills with earmarks — those pet projects that lawmakers love to send home to their states. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — One of Congress’ most likable veterans, Rep. Charles Rangel, would become the 23rd House member in the nation’s history to be censured if the House goes along with a recommendation of its ethics committee. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Now that Republicans have abandoned the you-scratch-my-back, I’ll-scratch-yours earmark process, Democrats who still hold a majority in the Senate have to decide whether they’ll try to prop up a system that seems to be collapsing all around them. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Be work horses, not show horses. Choose details over drama. The small stuff? Sweat it. And do it fast. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fresh off the tea party’s show of election might, GOP Sen. Jim DeMint said Tuesday he’ll force a showdown next week with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other old guard Republicans over “earmarked” pet projects that DeMint and other victors last week made a symbol of out-of-control deficit spending. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says the political cost of overhauling the health care system turned out to be higher than he had expected. And he admits that he gets discouraged at times when dealing with the economy. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Independents and people 65 and older are two pivotal voting blocs neither party can afford to lose. Right now, Democrats have alienated both. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — When Harry Reid, the No. 1 Democrat in the Senate, began his re-election campaign last year, he ran ads touting his ability to bring hundreds of millions of dollars in federal largess back to Nevada. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Aerospace giant Boeing is joining the list of companies that say the new health care law could have a potential downside for their workers. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Grasping to keep control of Congress, Democratic leaders are turning their backs on some of their staunchest supporters in the House and propping up stronger candidates who have routinely defied them on health care, climate change and other major issues. (more)

l latHAVANA (AP) — Washington is working on a plan to bring the vast majority of exiled Cuban political prisoners from Spain to the United States and has already processed the first case, a senior State Department official told The Associated Press on Monday. (more)

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin boldly embraces and defends his vote for the health care reform law in his latest campaign television ad, even as other Democrats avoid the topic and Republicans rail against it. (more)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — After the governor began raiding the state’s electronic bingo halls, casino owners sent lobbyists to the Capitol with orders to make their Vegas-style parlors legal. Part of the plan, federal authorities said Monday, was to offer lawmakers millions of dollars in bribes. (more)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — Republican Meg Whitman struggled to steady her campaign for California governor after disclosures about her former housekeeper — an illegal immigrant — threatened to cut into her support among Latinos just weeks before election day. (more)

OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) — McDonald’s denies reports it’s considering dropping health care coverage for some employees in response to a provision of the health care overhaul. (more)

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised four years ago that Democrats would lead “the most honest, most open, most ethical Congress in history.” (more)