She composed herself, told me to read Ross Sorkin’s article in the Times, and turned her attention to the two young women leading the general assembly. After watching this movement from up close for two days in October, as well as from afar, I find myself in agreement with the government regulator who feels compelled […]

Read more

Two Men and a Meme — The image is compelling and sublime. A ballerina (a member of the Boston ballet) poised delicately on the back of the iconic Wall Street Bull statue in the Financial District. A visual contradiction: the dancer, unbearably light; the bull heavy and muscular. The text, equally intriguing. Above the image […]

Read more

Fast-forward to 2011. Being a millionaire in Congress is nothing special — just about half of all members are one. The legislative process works less operatically, but the result is pretty much the same: legislative gridlock punctuated by occasional blatant special-interest legislation. Banks are rescued; the unemployed are left to their own devices. The housing […]

Read more

The Supercommittee is charged with delivering, by November 23, recommendations for $1.5 trillion in cuts from the federal budget over the next 10 years. The recommendations, if they are reported out, will be subject to a legislative plebiscite in the House and Senate. That is, a “yea” or “nay” vote with no amendments and no […]

Read more

California Democrat Henry Waxman (the former subcommittee chair) complained that “Planned Parenthood is being singled out as part of a Republican vendetta against an organization that provides family planning and other medical services to low-income women and men.” In a letter also signed by Colorado Democrat Diana DeGette, Waxman reminded Stearns that the Health and […]

Read more