National Journal Topics | NationalJournal.com

Why You Should Feel Sorry for the IRS

Nancy Cook | May 16, 2013

Employees there don’t just collect taxes. They also implement America’s social policy and regulate different kinds of groups—without the money, training, or staff to do so.

Are Health Care Costs Healing Themselves?

Niraj Chokshi | May 15, 2013

A mysterious shift in health spending patterns could have major implications for the fiscal policy debate—if only experts could figure out what’s behind it.

Good News for Doctors and Budget Hawks

Catherine Hollander | May 14, 2013

The price tag for repealing a flawed Medicare doctors' pay formula will remain near a recent record low, according to a new estimate from the independent Congressional Budget Office released on Tuesday. It’s good news for the physicians and lawmakers who hope to see a permanent “doc fix” in 2013, and suggests the momentum behind achieving repeal is likely to continue this year.

'Obamacare' Repeal: Will the 37th Time Be the Charm?

Billy House and Nancy Cook and Coral Davenport and Fawn Johnson and Sara Sorcher and and George E. Condon Jr. contributed | May 12, 2013

With tensions over fiscal issues building, and the three-month suspension of the nation’s debt limit set to expire Sunday, lawmakers this week will be rehashing on the House floor their messaging war over repealing President Obama’s three-year-old health care law.

Some Republicans Don’t Believe Austerity Is Enough

Nancy Cook | May 9, 2013

Strategists and wonks are urging House leaders to refocus their economic message on ideas that the middle class actually care about.

Immigration Law May Be Tough on the Poor

Fawn Johnson | May 7, 2013

Don’t expect Congress to dive too deeply into the politically unforgiving topic of how the United States treats poor people as it begins debating immigration legislation. But that question is always lurking beneath the surface.

A New Life For Chris Christie

Marc Ambinder | May 7, 2013

The political and psychological aftermath of weight-loss surgery -- the skinny from a journalist who's been there.

Debt-Ceiling Fight May Flare This Week

Billy House and George E. Condon Jr. and Nancy Cook and Amy Harder and Fawn Johnson and Margot Sanger-Katz and and Sara Sorcher contributed | May 5, 2013

House Republicans will push action on a bill signaling no retreat from their demand for spending cuts as a condition to any ceiling hike.

Meet the Yahoo Caucus

Norm Ornstein | May 1, 2013

Congress is filled with informal caucuses, from the Black Caucus to the Wine Caucus. I have a new one to propose, which might be among the largest: the Yahoo Caucus.

Why Isn't Boehner a Target in Congressional Elections?

Billy House | May 1, 2013

Democrats haven't gotten around to demonizing the House speaker the way Republicans have with Nancy Pelosi.

The 'Obamacare' Rollout's 'Glitches and Bumps' Won't Doom Health Reform

Margot Sanger-Katz | April 30, 2013

Medicare Part D had them, too.

Two Completely Different Ways to Deal With the Upward-Mobility Crisis

Ronald Brownstein | April 25, 2013

Top economists from the Clinton and Bush administrations debate how to revive the economy to keep people from getting stuck.

In the Aftermath of Gun-Bill Loss in Senate, Liberals Put Incumbent Democrats on Notice

Alex Roarty | April 25, 2013

After last week’s failed gun-control vote in the Senate, in which a handful of moderate Democrats defected from their party, a coalition of progressive groups is warning those at-risk incumbents to start avoiding votes that make them look too conservative.

What Will Max Baucus Do With His New Political Freedom?

Nancy Cook and Stacy Kaper and Chris Frates and Rebecca Kaplan contributed | April 23, 2013

The Montana senator's retirement could affect legislation on guns, taxes, immigration, and the debt ceiling. If only he'll agree with his fellow Democrats.

Schweitzer Considering Bid For Baucus Seat

Reid Wilson | April 23, 2013

Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus's decision to retire instead of seeking a seventh term further complicates Democratic efforts to keep control of the Senate -- unless the most popular Democrat in Montana decides to take a shot at the seat. Former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer is "leanin...

George W. Bush's Reluctant Re-Emergence on the Political Scene

Tom DeFrank | April 22, 2013

The ex-president is preparing to dedicate his library this week, but these days he's more interested in painting, golfing, and enjoying a life away from politics.

The 'Obamacare' Rollout Will Be a Bureaucratic Nightmare

Margot Sanger-Katz | April 18, 2013

When the last major government insurance plan launched in 2006, it was a disaster. The president’s health law will be even worse.

No, Oncologists Are Not Going Broke

Margot Sanger-Katz | April 18, 2013

Cancer doctors say the sequester forces them to turn away dying patients. Nonsense.

Why John McCain Is Barack Obama’s New Best Friend

Jill Lawrence | April 18, 2013

The two have their eyes on history as they transcend years of friction. The upshot could be good for the country.

Energy and Commerce's Jurisdiction: Anything that Moves, Burns, or is Sold

Peter Bell | April 17, 2013

That is how National Journal once described the jurisdiction of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. House rules offer one definition of the committee’s turf, but a practical, bottom-up view of the committee’s territory is visible in the word cloud below. It shows the terms most common to the titles of the almost 350 hearings held by the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its subcommittees in the 111th and 112th Congresses. The larger the word, the more frequently it appeared in those hearing titles.

Karen Nelson, Deputy Minority Staff Director on Health, Full Committee

Margot Sanger-Katz | April 17, 2013

For more than 30 years, Karen Nelson has been the Democrats’ go-to health aide on Rep. Henry Waxman’s staff.

Health Care Interests Have Much to Monitor

Margot Sanger-Katz | April 17, 2013

Because entitlement reform could touch nearly every medical lobby, all will keep eyes and ears on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s doings.

Time Looks Right for Permanent ‘Doc Fix’

Margot Sanger-Katz | April 17, 2013

Since 1997, when Congress passed legislation with the dreaded “sustainable growth rate” formula, the problem of how to compensate doctors who treat Medicare patients has been a perennial issue before the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Congress as a whole.

Doctors Badly Want a Prescription for SGR

Margot Sanger-Katz | April 17, 2013

The sustainable growth rate formula that’s used for physician reimbursement under Medicare has been the top priority for doctors’ lobbies for years. The prospect of a permanent “doc fix” matters to them tremendously because it means certainty for physicians who have grown weary of worrying about looming pay cuts year after year.

11 Things We Learned About Rand Paul at Breakfast

Shane Goldmacher | April 17, 2013

Sen. Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican and potential GOP candidate for president, chatted with reporters over scrambled eggs and sausage at a breakfast event hosted by the Christian Science Monitor on Wednesday. Here is what we learned.

Slow-Motion Gun Battle Plays Out in Senate

Billy House | April 14, 2013

Lawmakers will stage some slow-going drama this week as the Senate proceeds in its deliberations on gun-control legislation with a series of votes on amendments—many of them likely to usher in their own mini-floor fights, or even filibusters.

It's Easy to Fix Social Security

Nancy Cook | April 11, 2013

Unlike Medicare and Medicaid, it's simple arithmetic. If only the politics added up.

Obama's Mixed Message on Austerity

Michael Hirsh | April 11, 2013

His Treasury secretary lectures Europe on the perils of thriftiness while his own budget agenda is driven by cuts.

Poll: Is It Politically Advantageous for Obama to Cut Medicare and Social Security?

Michael Catalini and Naureen Khan and Peter Bell | April 11, 2013

Insiders from both parties say it is, though more Democrats are skeptical.

Obama's Budget Garners Anger From All Sides

Nancy Cook | April 11, 2013

Roughly 24 hours after the White House released its budget, liberal Democrats were furious about its so-called chained CPI provision, which would change the cost-of-living calculation for federal benefits like Social Security. Meanwhile, Republicans were criticizing President Obama's fiscal 2014 blueprint for not going far enough on its tweaks to Medicare and other cuts.

A New Budget for a New Party

Ronald Brownstein | April 11, 2013

Obama's fiscal proposal aligns him with the politics of minority, millennial, and college-educated voters.

Changing Sides on Medicare and Social Security Is a Time-Honored Tactic

Jill Lawrence | April 11, 2013

That's especially true for Republicans, and for Greg Walden in particular.

Progressives Fight Obama on Entitlements with Eye on 2014

Rebecca Kaplan | April 10, 2013

For progressive Democrats in Congress, a fight with President Obama over the inclusion of cuts to Social Security in his budget proposal may be just a warm-up for the real looming battle: the 2014 midterms.

Is the GOP Preparing to Attack Dems on Social Security?

Alex Roarty | April 10, 2013

Are Republicans preparing to cudgel Democrats with, of all things, Social Security? That was the explicit impression left by Greg Walden, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, during a Wednesday interview on CNN. The Oregon congressman said President Obama's budget – which...

The Real Budget Action Won't Come Until Tonight's Dinner With the GOP

Nancy Cook | April 10, 2013

Contrary to popular belief, the real budget action on Wednesday won’t begin until the early evening, when 12 Republican senators are scheduled to arrive at the White House for a private dinner with the president.

Is Obama’s Budget Gamble Thawing the GOP?

Stacy Kaper | April 9, 2013

President Obama’s decision to include in his budget proposal cuts to Social Security and Medicare—two entitlement programs central to the Democratic base—has set off a fierce debate in Washington about whether the White House strategy will prove to be shrewd or a giant mistake.

GOP Health Experts Agree: Don't Count on 'Obamacare' to Fail

Jill Lawrence | April 8, 2013

Is the Obama administration totally bungling implementation of its signature universal health care law? The White House gets some surprising backup from top health officials from two GOP administrations.

Agenda Is Stacked for Return of Congress; Obama Will Pile on More With His Budget

Billy House and George E. Condon Jr. and Nancy Cook and Coral Davenport and Fawn Johnson and Margot Sanger-Katz and and Sara Sorcher contributed | April 7, 2013

The prospects for renewed talks on a long-term deficit-reduction deal reach a pivotal point this week with the release Wednesday of President Obama’s budget plan, which offers cuts to Social Security and Medicare in the hope of softening Republican opposition to tax hikes.

House Republicans Map Out Strategy for Debt-Ceiling Battle

Nancy Cook | April 4, 2013

When the House Republicans return from recess next week, one of their top priorities will be charting out the next fiscal battle—the debt ceiling.

South Carolina Special Election Will Be High-Profile but Have Little National Significance

Alex Roarty | April 2, 2013

There's little reason to believe this off-year fight between Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch and Republican Mark Sanford will carry with it important political lessons.

Why the Obama Administration’s Novel Medicaid Idea Might Not Catch On

Margot Sanger-Katz | March 29, 2013

The promise of a private option for Medicaid expansion excited GOP politicians. But new rules are likely to dampen their enthusiasm.

There’s Nothing to Fear But the Debt Itself

Niraj Chokshi | March 28, 2013

Quick, which segment of federal spending will grow fastest from 2015 through 2021? Did you guess Medicare? If you did, you’d be wrong.

The One Word You Can't Say in Washington

Niraj Chokshi | March 21, 2013

Democrats agree on the need for stimulus. Just don't call it that.

Obamacare Is a Prescription for a Democratic Headache in 2014

Alex Roarty and Beth Reinhard | March 21, 2013

With key provisions of "Obamacare" set to take effect in 2014, both parties are assessing the potential political fallout from the seismic changes coming to our health care system.

The Man Who Could Turn Texas Blue: Rick Perry

Ronald Brownstein | March 21, 2013

By opposing Medicaid expansion, the governor could hurt the GOP in a must-win state.

Picking Up a Diagnosis With Your Doritos

Sophie Quinton | March 21, 2013

With retail clinics at a growing number of neighborhood convenience stores, you may not have to wait for a doctor's appointment.

The GOP Disconnect on Economic Policy

Nancy Cook | March 20, 2013

The RNC may want to send a few extra copies of the election postmortem to Capitol Hill. Judging by the budget blueprints put forth by congressional Republicans, they didn’t get the memo.

Public Opinion Stays Static on Affordable Care Act

Margot Sanger-Katz | March 20, 2013

In the three years since the Affordable Care Act became law, it has become fodder for campaign ads and the subject of a high-profile Supreme Court challenge, while news analysts have endlessly debated and dissected it. None of that has had any effect on public opinion.

Obamacare at Age 3: Still Too Young for Prognosis

Margot Sanger-Katz | March 19, 2013

Most major components of the Affordable Care Act don't go into effect until next year.

House GOP Committee's New Budget Plan: Faster, Deeper Cuts

Tim Alberta and Nancy Cook | March 18, 2013

The Republican Study Committee's new plan balances the federal government in just 4 years, whereas Paul Ryan’s balances it in 10.

Nondefense Slice of Domestic Spending on Track to Hit 50-Year Low

Niraj Chokshi | March 15, 2013

Both the Senate Democratic and House Republican budgets project funding for things like welfare programs and government operations will reach a 50-year low as a share of economic activity.

The Great Party Paradox

Ronald Brownstein and Stephanie Czekalinski | March 14, 2013

A year of surveys shows that Americans don't line up consistently behind Republicans or Democrats -- but like a little of each.

Chickening Out on Medicare

Margot Sanger-Katz | March 14, 2013

They agree the entitlement is in deep trouble. So why didn't pols cut as much as they could have?

There's New Hope for a Grand Bargain

Nancy Cook | March 14, 2013

Amid the hot air in Washington comes the whiff of compromise.

Republican Insiders Doubt a Grand Bargain Will Be Reached

Michael Catalini and Naureen Khan and Peter Bell | March 14, 2013

But then again, so do Democrats. Plus: Neither party expects to gain much much politically from the upcoming budget process.

The Rightward March of the Republicans

Ronald Brownstein | March 14, 2013

Republicans in Congress were supposed to moderate their message. It's not happening.

In New Budget, Senate Democrats Offer Alternative Political Vision

Nancy Cook | March 13, 2013

For the first time since 2009, Senate Democrats on Wednesday introduced a budget resolution, which promised to stabilize the debt over the next decade and raise new revenue and cut spending in equal parts.

GOP Aide: Obama's 'Using Us As Props'

Chris Frates and Billy House and Tim Alberta and and Amy Harder contributed | March 13, 2013

President Obama continued his goodwill tour this week with stops at the Capitol to meet with House and Senate Republicans.

House Republican Budget Offers More of the Same

Nancy Cook | March 12, 2013

By unveiling a budget blueprint that would erase the deficit in just 10 years, House Republicans sought on Tuesday to make that goal the gold standard and bare minimum for all future budget battles between the two parties.

Washington Gets Back to Its Day Job

Major Garrett | March 12, 2013

After years of busting its deadlines, Washington rediscovers what matters with the latest round of budgets.

Paul Ryan's Budget, Simplified: Save the Rich, Spare the Old, Forget the Poor

Derek Thompson - The Atlantic | March 12, 2013

It balances the budget! But it solves our income inequality problem like a flamethrower solves a house fire.

What Paul Ryan's New Budget Means for Health Care

Margot Sanger-Katz | March 12, 2013

No Medicare changes for 10 years. Big Medicaid cuts right away. And a kind-of-sort-of Obamacare repeal.

House GOP Confident on Paul Ryan’s Medicare Plan

Alex Roarty | March 11, 2013

The House Budget Committee chairman’s plan to balance the federal budget in 10 years would have been, until recently, cause for House Republicans to fret. But emboldened by last year’s elections, the House GOP believes it can adopt his new proposal and avoid backlash at the same time.

Paul Ryan's Obamacare Repeal Fantasy

Jill Lawrence | March 11, 2013

Even with Obama in the White House until 2017, the Wisconsin Republican's new budget relies on repealing most of the Affordable Care Act.

Dueling Budget Plans Help Define Both Parties

Nancy Cook | March 10, 2013

By the middle of this week, Americans will once again be plunged into the wildly different world views of Republicans and Democrats as the two parties release competing budget proposals within hours of one another.

Why the Republican Plan to Reform Medicare Could Really Make It More Expensive

Margot Sanger-Katz | March 7, 2013

Republicans like Paul Ryan want more market competition in federal health care programs. Trouble is, those plans don't save money.

Why the Senate Democrats' Budget Will Be Vague

Nancy Cook and Margot Sanger-Katz | March 7, 2013

The fewer specifics they offer, the less political ammunition there will be for the GOP to use against them.

The Real Budget Battle

Tim Alberta and Stacy Kaper | March 7, 2013

In Washington, all financial skirmishes lead to the same place.

Rand Paul and Washington's Night of Hypocrisy

Matthew Cooper | March 7, 2013

Rand Paul’s filibuster was surprising, compelling, and a perfect window into Washington’s hypocrisy.

House Budget Chairman's Track Record on Medicare Belies His Rhetoric

Margot Sanger-Katz | March 6, 2013

Paul Ryan's plans for current seniors in Medicare are not much different from President Obama's.

The Obama Administration's Super-Expensive, Legally Dubious Medicaid Plan

Margot Sanger-Katz | March 5, 2013

Arkansas is a test case for a new privatization plan that could win support from GOP politicians in other states.

How the House Holds the Senate GOP Hostage

Alex Roarty | March 3, 2013

Upper-chamber Republicans prefer a more circumspect approach, but they are increasingly defined by their hard-line House counterparts.

How Both Sides Botched the Sequester Fight

Ronald Brownstein | February 28, 2013

The White House and congressional Republicans each notch tactical wins but fail on strategy.

Chris Christie is a Republican Without a Party

Jill Lawrencence | February 26, 2013

Right after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced he would expand Medicaid under the new federal health law, Tea Party Nation opined in a tweet: “Liberal jello blob Chris Christie thanks Obama by expanding Obamacare to NJ.” That was followed by a #liberalsellout hashtag.

Some Republicans Think They Can’t Lose on Sequestration

Chris Frates | February 26, 2013

President Obama has been barnstorming across the country warning that if automatic, across-the-board spending cuts are allowed to take effect Friday, economic calamity would not be far behind.

The Real Reason Why Chris Christie Wasn't Invited to CPAC

Elahe Izadi | February 26, 2013

ACU Chairman Al Cardenas criticizes New Jersey's Republican governor for supporting Sandy aid bill, Medicaid expansion.

Congress and Obama Assign Blame as Sequester Deadline Approaches

Billy House | February 24, 2013

Just four days remain until Friday’s start date for federal spending cuts that were supposed to be too painful to ever let happen, but lawmakers return to Washington on Monday with little hope for an eleventh-hour deal to avert or reshape them—or any let-up in the fighting over who is to blame.

Why Medical Providers Don't Mind the Sequester

Margot Sanger-Katz | February 21, 2013

A grand bargain to reduce the budget deficit would sting health care providers. The sequester, by contrast, won’t really hurt.

Florida Governor's Embrace of Medicaid Money Undercuts GOP Attacks on 'Obamacare'

Beth Reinhard and Margot Sanger-Katz | February 21, 2013

Republicans who seemed united against "Obamacare" just two years ago suddenly find some prominent party leaders taking a different tack.

The Young and the Powerless

Ronald Brownstein | February 21, 2013

Social Security and most of Medicare are exempt from automatic spending cuts. That means the sequester falls hardest on America's youth.

GOP Super PAC Hits House Dems on Medicare

Scott Bland | February 21, 2013

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a leading Republican super PAC focused on House races, is out with its first, health care-themed hit of the 2014 election cycle this morning, tying 11 House Democrats to upcoming rate cuts for privately-run Medicare plans. The new release provides another early, t...

Can This Congress Be Saved?

Alex Roarty | February 21, 2013

National Journal’s annual vote ratings show a Congress as paralyzed and polarized as ever. But better days may lie ahead.

Rick Scott Agrees to Medicaid Expansion, Despite Criticism of Health Care Law

Jordain Carney | February 20, 2013

Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a long-time critic of Pres. Obama’s health care law, announced on Wednesday evening that the state would support a three-year Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. "I was a strong advocate for better ways to run health care,” Scott said during a press confer...

Rick Scott's Medicaid Decision is a Big Win for the White House

Margot Sanger-Katz | February 20, 2013

Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s decision to expand his state’s Medicaid program is a huge political and practical win for the Obama White House.

Protesters Disrupt Deficit-Reduction Breakfast

Niraj Chokshi | February 19, 2013

At least five protesters interrupted a Politico breakfast on deficit reduction Tuesday morning, demanding tax and employment equity.

New Language for Old Ideas in GOP Medicare Proposals

Margot Sanger-Katz | February 14, 2013

In the months leading up to last November’s elections, politicians were engaged in a linguistic war over how to describe Republican Medicare-reform plans.

Why Obama's Optimism on Health Costs Is Premature

Margot Sanger-Katz | February 14, 2013

The country has just experienced four straight years of slow health care growth, a trend with huge implications for the federal budget, wages, and many people’s out-of-pocket costs. But what’s causing the trend is unclear.

The Most Important Policies In President Obama's 2013 State of the Union Address

National Journal Staff and Nancy Cook and Coral Davenport and Brian Fung and Catherine Hollander and Fawn Johnson and Margot Sanger-Katz and Sara Sorcher and and Matt Vasilogam | February 12, 2013

Everything you need to know from 2013's State of the Union address, from health care and the budget to immigration and guns.

John Boehner Talks Foreplay and Immigration Reform

Major Garrett | February 12, 2013

Speaker waxes about everything from ‘foreplay’ and immigration to poker games and the sequester.

Cliffs Notes on Obama's 2013 State of the Union Address

Michael Catalini | February 12, 2013

The first State of the Union address since President Obama's second inauguration focused overwhelmingly on domestic policy. He devoted roughly one paragraph each to Afghanistan, North Korea--which reportedly tested a nuclear weapon on Monday--and Iran. For comparison's sake, that's the roughly the same amount of time he spent on cybersecurity in the address.

Nothing Big or Bold About Obama's State of the Union Address

Ron Fournier | February 12, 2013

For all his swagger and political capital, the president subtly acknowledged the limits of what he can accomplish--even while promising in his State of the Union address to create “a rising, thriving middle class.”

Full Text: Marco Rubio's 2013 State of the Union Response

National Journal Staff | February 12, 2013

The Office of Speaker Boehner released a transcript of Marco Rubio's State of the Union speech (as prepared for delivery). Read the full text of the rebuttal below:

Full Text: President Obama's 2013 State of the Union Speech

National Journal Staff | February 12, 2013

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, fellow citizens:

Missed Opportunity? Obama May Avoid Spending-Cut Debate in Speech

Nancy Cook | February 12, 2013

When President Obama takes to the podium Tuesday night for the State of the Union, he’s expected to give scant attention to one of the most pressing issues facing Washington: the upcoming $85 billion in spending cuts.

How Obama Wins the Day and America Gets the Shaft

Ron Fournier | February 11, 2013

Only in Washington do two wrongs make you right. While failing so far to use the immense power of his office to broker a historic budget deal, President Obama can argue with a straight face that Republicans are less willing to compromise than Democrats.

The Math Behind the GOP Goal of Balancing the Budget in 10 Years

Nancy Cook | February 8, 2013

The plan spearheaded by Paul Ryan could prove to be an ingenious move for his party — or a disaster.

Why the GOP's Resistance to Medicaid Expansion Is Eroding

Ronald Brownstein | February 7, 2013

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer wants her state to join the expansion, key to Obama's health care reform. Will other Republican governors follow suit?

Prospects Improve for a Permanent Medicare 'Doc Fix'

Margot Sanger-Katz | February 6, 2013

The Congressional Budget Office just handed the doctors and lawmakers eager to fix a longstanding Medicare-physician pay problem a big gift.

Budget Office Predicts Rocky Start for Health Care Law

Margot Sanger-Katz | February 6, 2013

The Obama administration has been publicly upbeat about the coming rollout of its health care law, but the CBO takes a more pessimistic view.

Can Washington Break Its Addiction to Crisis Economics?

Nancy Cook | February 5, 2013

The country has lurched from one emergency to the next since 2007. Amid a rare lull, here's a modest plan of action for Congress and President Obama.

Health Care: Great for the Economy Today, Terrible Later

Margot Sanger-Katz | January 31, 2013

Hospitals like Pittsburgh’s UPMC created enough jobs to end the recession. If they keep it up, they’ll wreck the economy.

The Waxman-Berman Machine Finally Shuts Down

Shane Goldmacher | January 24, 2013

For more than two decades in Southern California, if you wanted to run for office, you had to deal with the team of Howard Berman and Henry Waxman. That era is officially over with Berman’s loss last fall.

Why Improving Mental Health Would Do Little to End Gun Violence

Margot Sanger-Katz | January 24, 2013

Screening gun purchasers for mental illness may not do much to reduce violent crimes.

Critics of Medicare Board Should Be Careful What They Wish For

Margot Sanger-Katz | January 23, 2013

What many critics don’t realize is that if the much-maligned Medicare cost-cutting board is not assembled, the law hands a lot of power to the secretary of Health and Human Services.

Honesty is Needed to Save the Great Society

Major Garrett | January 22, 2013

President Obama placed the “makers” versus “takers” debate squarely before Congress and the country. In its own way, Obama’s stout defense of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid served as the preamble to the coming clashes over the debt ceiling, the sequester, and a soon-to-expire continuing resolution funding the government. This trio of fiscal deadlines must, necessarily, concentrate legislative and political minds.

Is Obama Trying to Destroy the GOP?

Jill Lawrence | January 21, 2013

The president pokes at the GOP and asks citizens to put the pressure on. Is he trying to destroy the opposition party?

What Obama Wants and What Congress Will Give Him

Stacy Kaper and Rebecca Kaplan and Coral Davenport and Fawn Johnson and Margot Sanger-Katz and and Amy Harder contributed | January 21, 2013

How the president's vision fits with what Congress is likely to do.

Full Text of President Barack Obama's Second Inaugural Address

January 21, 2013

President Obama's speech given on January 21, 2013, at the U.S. Capitol.

GOP Says It Can Threaten Senate Pay in Budget Fight

Billy House | January 18, 2013

House Republican leaders said Friday that they will schedule a vote next week on a plan to extend the nation’s debt ceiling for three months, but that it would also require the Democratic-controlled Senate to pass a budget by April 15 for the first time in four years or see senators’ pay withheld.

The Next Fiscal Showdowns That Could Ruin Us

Caren Bohan and Billy House | January 17, 2013

Both parties fantasize about a grand bargain. In the real world, they’ll be lucky to avoid a fiscal catastrophe.

Congress Feels the Heat on Idea of Carbon Tax

Coral Davenport | January 15, 2013

Moments after the fiscal-cliff deal passed the House on New Year’s Day, Grover Norquist, the powerful antitax lobbyist, tweeted, “Obama’s budget adds ten trillion more debt. We cut more spending or he smashes average Americans with energy taxes. I vote: cut his spending.”

Why Obama Needs a Better Understanding of Republicans

Major Garrett | January 15, 2013

President Obama is of one mind on debts, deficits, and spending. They are not a problem.

The Human Cost of Fruits and Vegetables

Rosa Ramirez | January 14, 2013

At least one farmworker in the U.S. dies each day while picking fruits and vegetables, according to a new study.

Democrats and Republicans Missed a Big Opportunity

Ronald Brownstein | January 10, 2013

Over the long term, the fiscal-cliff deal will make it harder for both the Left and the Right to achieve their goals.

Are Voters Really Bothered by GOP Turmoil?

Alex Roarty | January 10, 2013

Democrats say they can win back the House by depicting the GOP as too fractious to get anything done. We’ll see.

The Emergency Debt Plan That Would Put U.S. Citizens Second

Niraj Chokshi | January 7, 2013

In just a few weeks, the federal government won’t be able to pay all its bills on time. If that happens, the nation could start paying its lenders before its citizens.

What Mark Kirk Can Teach a Hypocrite Congress

Matthew Cooper | January 3, 2013

Everyone on Capitol Hill is delighted to see Sen. Mark Kirk return to work today, almost a year after his stroke. Kirk was vigorous and only in his early 50s when he was felled last year and the illness hit everyone hard. For Kirk, it sparked some new thinking about the Medicaid program for the poor. The Republican told the Chicago Sun Times.

Don't Despair (Yet) Over Next Fiscal Cliff

Jill Lawrence | January 3, 2013

Here’s a radical thought: Maybe the next round of Capital Hill strife won’t be as bad as what we’ve just endured at the precipice of the fiscal cliff.

The GOP's Failed 'Plan O': Inside the Fiscal-Cliff Saga

John Aloysius Farrell and Chris Frates and Nancy Cook and Billy House | January 2, 2013

This is the story of Plan O – the congressional Republicans’ failed attempt to meet the challenge of Obama’s victory. It begins in September and ends in the fiasco of the Christmas season, when Speaker John Boehner was repudiated by his own troops and had to pull his last, desperate solution from the House floor, leaving Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to cut the best deal he could with dramatically diminished leverage.

Here's What's in the Fiscal-Cliff Deal

Catherine Hollander | January 1, 2013

Although the legislation will avert many of the year-end tax hikes and spending cuts that were set to kick in, it failed to address some of the major issues.

Winners and Losers from a Fiscal-Cliff Deal

Sophie Quinton | January 1, 2013

Middle and lower-income taxpayers are the main beneficiaries of the fiscal-cliff deal, but there are other winners—and losers—of the last-minute scramble to avert scheduled tax increases and spending cuts.

Here’s What’s In the Fiscal Deal Passed by the Senate

Catherine Hollander and Chris Frates | January 1, 2013

Early on New Year's Day, the Senate passed a measure aimed at pulling the country back from the "fiscal cliff" of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts. The measure, hammered out by Vice President Joe Biden and Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, still needs approval by the House. Here's what's in it:

With Cliff Negotiations Stalled, Biden Called Off the Bench

Chris Frates | December 30, 2012

With fiscal cliff negotiations stalled, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has called his old dance partner Vice President Joe Biden in from the sidelines.

What Obama is Going to Say on Meet The Press

Chris Frates | December 30, 2012

On a decisive day in the fiscal cliff talk, President Obama used his appearance on NBC's Meet the Press to remind Republicans that he'll use all the pulpits at his disposal to bully them into accepting a deal and, failing that, blame them for sending the nation over the cliff.

Cliff Diving Would Pose Dangers For Obama's 2nd-Term Agenda

Caren Bohan | December 27, 2012

If Washington plunges off the fiscal cliff on New Year’s Day, President Obama will have a strong hand to play in the fight over expiring tax cuts and automatic spending reductions set to hit the economy, but a drawn-out standoff could also wreak havoc on his ability to tackle big second-term agenda items such as tax reform, immigration and gun control.

The Fiscal Cliff's Greatest Threat Is to American Unity

Ronald Brownstein | December 27, 2012

The fiscal cliff was an opportunity to push off partisanship. But, following incentives, legislators only increased it.

The Year in Scandals

Courtney McBride | December 27, 2012

Correction: A previous version of this post misidentifed the Menedez staff member who was arrested for stealing an opposing candidate’s signs while on loan to a local campaign. It was the assistant to his chief of staff. 2012 was not short on political scandals. Here's our rundown, from Desjarlai...

Republicans Turn to An Unlikely Name for Inspiration: George W. Bush

Beth Reinhard | December 26, 2012

As Republicans reassess their future in the presidential wilderness, seeking a message and messenger to resonate with a new generation of voters, one unlikely name has popped up as a role model: former President George W. Bush.

Time for Fiscal-Cliff Plan C? Here Are 3 Options for Entitlements

Sophie Quinton and Nancy Cook | December 21, 2012

The White House is looking for a "Plan C" for the fiscal-cliff negotiations, after talks between the White House and House Speaker John Boehner have gotten off track. As the president and his staff turn to the Senate now for a possible compromise, everything is once again on the table: all the tax hikes and all of the possible spending cuts. This may include different or additional cuts to the government’s social safety-net programs.

Don't Think the Fiscal-Cliff Impasse Is Over Numbers--It's Over Politics

Nancy Cook and Rebecca Kaplan | December 20, 2012

Politics usually worms its way into any situation. It has with the fiscal-cliff negotiations, which, on paper, look deceptively close to a resolution.

How the Fiscal Cliff Battle Is Really Just a Battle of Demographics

Ronald Brownstein | December 20, 2012

Washington’s battle over the fiscal cliff is best understood as a confrontation not only between Democrats and Republicans, but also as an early skirmish in what could be a decades-long struggle for resources and influence between the Brown and the Gray.

Behind the Fiscal Cliff is a Demographic Struggle

Ronald Brownstein | December 20, 2012

Washington’s battle over the fiscal cliff is best understood as a confrontation not only between Democrats and Republicans, but also as an early skirmish in what could be a decades-long struggle for resources and influence between the Brown and the Gray.

When It Comes to Fiscal-Cliff Policy, Boehner and Obama Are Close

Nancy Cook | December 18, 2012

The dirty little secret about the current state of play of the fiscal-cliff negotiations is that Democrats and Republicans aren’t very far apart in their proposals.

Newtown Shooting Provides Perspective Amid Fiscal Cliff

Nancy Cook and Catherine Hollander | December 17, 2012

Two days after the Newtown school massacre, Congress returned to Washington with a more subdued attitude toward partisan bickering and with a newfound focus on finding a compromise on the fiscal cliff.

Republicans in Congress Make a Quick About-Face on Medicare

Margot Sanger-Katz | December 3, 2012

In just a few short weeks, the dominant Republican line on Medicare has shifted from attacking the Democrats for making cuts to the program to demanding a new round of cuts to reduce the federal deficit.

Is Social Security Still Off-Limits?

Jim O'Sullivan | November 29, 2012

The White House wants to unparcel Social Security from the fiscal cliff and a package designed to deal with the debt.

Why a 'Grand Bargain' Wouldn't Target Medicaid

Margot Sanger-Katz and Nancy Cook contributed | November 29, 2012

The Supreme Court has made Medicaid a much less appealing target for cuts in any deficit-reducing deal.

Medicare Competition Makes Bipartisan Comeback

Meghan McCarthy | November 25, 2012

After President Obama’s reelection win, you might think that" talk of competition in Medicare—a cornerstone of Mitt Romney’s campaign—would fall by the wayside. But introducing greater competition into the health program for older Americans is an idea that could prove ripe for a bipartisan compromise in any Grand Bargain" on the budget.

Spielberg’s Lincoln: A Lesson in Realpolitik for a Squeamish Age

Jill Lawrence | November 19, 2012

The gulf between Lincoln’s means and his ends, as portrayed by Steven Spielberg, is staggering. If Lincoln were operating now, though, Americans would be following all the wheeling, dealing and good-government lamentations in real time on Twitter and cable TV.

Jack Lew: The Man Who Could Save Obama's Legacy

Nancy Cook | November 1, 2012

Lew’s power has grown over less than a year as President Obama’s chief of staff—and he already has Republicans dreading a budget confrontation with him during the lame-duck session of Congress.

Will We Have a Serious Discussion About Premium Support?

August 15, 2012

Mitt Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., as his running mate has brought his Medicare reform proposal to the front of the presidential campaign. Polling in February suggested that while Americans strongly prefer the Medicare status quo, they also know little about the details of what premium support means or how it would work. Does the Ryan selection mean either of those things will change by election day?

What Changes Will Survive the Supreme Court?

June 26, 2012

The countdown to the Supreme Court's decision in the health care case is on. Chief Justice John Roberts said Monday that the justices would be issuing rulings in the remaining cases on Thursday, which means, barring some extraordinary circumstance, that we will know then whether the Affordable Care Act will stand, fall, or move forward in some partial form.

The (Fiscal) Case for Death

Margot Sanger-Katz | June 21, 2012

Over the long run, effective preventive health policy could cost the federal government more than it saves.

First Robin of Spring?

Margot Sanger-Katz | April 26, 2012

Something weird is happening. Medicare is growing much more slowly than anyone expected, and nobody knows why.

The New Goliaths

Margot Sanger-Katz | February 16, 2012

The health care reform law, which was designed to lower costs, could end up raising them instead. The law is triggering a wave of hospital mergers and acquisitions, and decades of data show that hospital consolidations almost always lead to higher prices for patients.

Heart Palpitations

Margot Sanger-Katz | December 8, 2011

The program's reimbursement formulas affect physician behavior. Just look at what’s happening to cardiologists.

POLITICS - As Bush Does Balancing Act, His Ratings Keep Slipping

March 15, 2003

As war with Iraq increasingly appears inevit-

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