Democratic Party

Stories 81 - 100 | << Prev   Next >>

Bad News for Dems? Ben Nelson Retiring

Nebraska seat could shift to Republicans in Senate

(Newser) - Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson won't seek reelection next year, potentially harming Democratic hopes to hold onto the Senate majority, Politico reports. Though Nelson's approval ratings had struggled, they were on the rise this year, thanks in part to $1 million in national Democratic Party advertising. Meanwhile, Republicans spent...

Charles Krauthammer: GOP Fell Into Democrats' Trap on Payroll Tax

 GOP Fell Into 
 Democrats' 
 'Trap' on 
 Payroll Tax 
charles krauthammer

GOP Fell Into Democrats' 'Trap' on Payroll Tax

Looked 'heartless' as Obama seized advantage: Charles Krauthammer

(Newser) - Republicans really blew it in the payroll tax debate—both in terms of policy and politics, writes Charles Krauthammer. For one thing, the two-month extension simply doesn't make sense: It requires businesses to plan for "two-thirds of a one-quarter tax-holiday extension." More importantly, for Democrats, it was...

Democrats and Republicans Behave Like Schools of Fish
 Political Parties Act 
 Like Schools of Fish 
study says

Political Parties Act Like Schools of Fish

Vocal minorities can temporarily sway the masses

(Newser) - Wondering about the future of the Tea Party, or what affect the Occupy Movement might have on Democrats? Try asking a bunch of fish. Scientists have found that in a school of fish, a "vocal minority"—that is, a group determined to swim in a certain direction—can...

Debt Ceiling Deal: Obama 'Surrendered'

Krugman: It's a 'disaster' for the country, and shows he'll surrender again

(Newser) - President Obama caved deeply in a debt deal that made the Republicans big winners, with both Andrew Leonard and Paul Krugman arguing that he "surrendered." Their take:
  • “In the end, President Obama had to admit surrender,” writes Andrew Leonard in Salon , detailing “a smashing victory
...

Big-Time Dem Donors Defecting Over Tax Cuts for Wealthy

'Cave-in to GOP' sapping support for 2012

(Newser) - Wealthy liberals will have more money in their pockets because of President Obama's extension of tax cuts for the richest Americans—but they don't plan on sharing it with Obama's re-election campaign. Donors angered by the tax-cut deal say the president has caved to Republican pressure and they plan to...

A Wave of Democratic State Lawmakers Defecting to GOP

At least 13 have jumped ship so far, and there could be more

(Newser) - Democratic losses didn’t stop on Election Day: Since Nov. 2, at least 13 state lawmakers have switched over to the Republican party, the AP reports. Many of the defections took place in the South, where dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party is high. In some states, like Alabama and Louisiana,...

Nancy Pelosi, John Boehner Win House Posts

She'll be minority leader, he'll be speaker

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi won the position of House minority leader today, but her uphill battle to retain a leadership role revealed a fierce split within the Democratic party, Politico reports. The vote (150-43) was far from unanimous, with the opposition holding Pelosi responsible for Democrats' crushing defeat in the midterms. "...

How Dems Could Keep the House
 How Dems Could 
 Keep the House 
nate silver

How Dems Could Keep the House

Polling inaccuracies might surprise us today

(Newser) - We keep hearing doom and gloom for the Democrats, and there’s a good chance that’s accurate, writes Nate Silver in the New York Times . But thanks to a few potential polling flaws, things could turn out differently; the Dems might even hang onto the House. Here’s why:...

Dems Slam 'Front Groups'—Then Use Them

Nonprofits' secret donors help fund negative ads

(Newser) - Democrats have hammered Republican “front groups” for paying for negative ads with secret cash—but they themselves are employing a similar maneuver, using money from nonprofits who don’t release their donors’ names to fund their own advertising, reports MSNBC . Dems are thus following Republicans’ lead in using a...

The Center Gets Shafted, the 'Base' Rules
The Center Gets Shafted,
the 'Base' Rules
OPINION

The Center Gets Shafted, the 'Base' Rules

DC stuck in neutral because no one 'governs from the center'

(Newser) - The US itself isn’t becoming more “polarized”—proportions of conservatives, moderates, and liberals remain at about 1992 levels—but policymaking is. Why? Robert Samuelson outlines four reasons for RealClearPolitics :
  1. Politicians are leaning more on “activist ‘bases’” for votes and cash ... which often results in
...

Public Hates Democrats, Hates GOP Even More
Public Hates Democrats, Hates GOP Even More
Poll Numbers

Public Hates Democrats, Hates GOP Even More

But Republican backers are more likely to vote

(Newser) - It's good news/bad news time, Democrats. Bad news: The public doesn’t much like you. In fact, a whopping 60% disapprove of the job you’re doing in the latest AP poll. Good news: They dislike Republicans even more; 68% disapprove of them, and Sarah Palin and George W. Bush...

Tea Party Rally Storms DC Again

Both parties on notice, speaker warns

(Newser) - A mob of Tea Partiers chanting "Remember in November" descended on DC yesterday for another major rally in the nation's capital. Speakers put both Democrats and Republicans on notice that the movement is a force to be reckoned with, CNN reports. "I believe we've gotten the Republican Party's...

Palin Backs Anti-Masturbation Candidate

Christine O'Donnell now a force in Delaware primary

(Newser) - The Delaware Senate candidate who has spoken out against masturbation has become the latest object of Sarah Palin's affection. Palin has officially endorsed Christine O'Donnell in her primary race against long-time GOP congressman Mike Castle, Slate reports. Palin met with O'Donnell last month after critics viciously attacked the candidate for...

Poll: Dems Hit Record Low
 Poll: Dems Hit Record Low 
51% WOULD VOTE GOP

Poll: Dems Hit Record Low

Gallup puts GOP 10 points ahead in generic ballot

(Newser) - Things have never looked worse for the Democrats heading into midterm elections, according to the latest Gallup poll. The "generic ballot" test—which asks whether voters would prefer a Republican or Democratic congressional candidate—put the GOP ahead by 10%, the highest margin since Gallup started asking the question...

GOP Candidates May Be Too Wacky to Deliver a 2010 Upset

Tea Party 'nonsense' could thwart Republican victory

(Newser) - The conventional wisdom says the GOP will ride waves of anti-Obama sentiment and Tea Party energy to dramatic victories in November. But looking at how primaries have shaped up, Eugene Robinson foresees another possible narrative emerging from the midterms: "The big political story of the year may turn out...

Jim DeMint Could Destroy the GOP
Jim DeMint Could Destroy the GOP
Analysis

Jim DeMint Could Destroy the GOP

Democrats love his with-us-or-against-us conservatism

(Newser) - Jim DeMint might just be the Democrats’ secret weapon. For starters, the senator from South Carolina is making good on his declaration that he’d rather have “30 Republicans in the Senate who believe in principles of freedom than 60 who don’t,” endorsing lots of far-right candidates...

We Need Afghan Debate, But Neither Party Allows It

Michael Steele is a victim of this narrow-minded atmosphere

(Newser) - Joke all you want about Michael Steele's new troubles , but one part of this mess isn't so funny, Ned Resnikoff writes for Salon . It's the depressing—and dangerous—political reality that neither Republicans nor Democrats will tolerate debate of the Afghanistan war. "The leadership of both major parties concludes...

Alleged Spy Got Close to Clinton Friend

Russians considered fundraiser a 'very interesting target'

(Newser) - One of the alleged Russian spies arrested yesterday apparently tried to work her way into the Clintons' inner circle through a job at a financial advising firm. The woman who went by Cynthia Murphy worked at Morea Financial Services, where, according to court documents, she reported to her Russian superiors...

Rahm Emanuel to Quit White House

No one's happy with his job

(Newser) - White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is expected to quit later this year after growing weary of the "idealism" of Obama staffers who are just as frustrated with him, according to sources. He'll likely step down after midterm elections, reports the Telegraph . Emanuel still maintains a good relationship...

Dems Cough Up $50M to Lure Obama Voters Back to Polls

Party zeroes in again on young, minorities

(Newser) - Conventional wisdom says the 15 million first-time voters who pushed President Obama to his 2008 victory won't turn out for this year's midterm elections. But $50 million say they will. That's the gamble the Democratic Party is making: Instead of focusing on turning out the base, traditionally the only people...

Stories 81 - 100 | << Prev   Next >>