Centrist group seeks to turn down the temperature, foster bipartisanship

Gabrielle Giffords staffers, volunteers carry on in face of tragedy
As the House reconvened for the first time since Saturday's rampage in Tucson, Staffers and volunteers in Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' (D-Ariz.) Washington office did what they have done since the Mass Shooting -- persevere in the face of tragedy. Of the 20 or so Staffers in the office, eight have remained in Washington; the others returned to Arizona following the attack. Those currently in Washington are expected to travel to Tucson for Wednesday's memorial service and may stay in Arizona through ...

Three Steps to a More Civil Congress?
Third Way, the Centrist Democratic group, sent a letter to Congressional leaders on Monday outlining some suggestions to help promote civility in Congress and perhaps help moderate the nation’s overall political discourse. The letter was in response to the shooting rampage in Arizona over the weekend that killed six people, and gravely wounded Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who is an honorary chairwoman of Third Way. The proposed steps include mixed, Bipartisan seating in the House cham...

State of the Union Scheduled for Jan. 25
President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010 (Credit: AP) President Obama is set to deliver his State of the Union address before Congress on Jan. 25. The president has accepted an invitation from House Speaker John Boehner, sent in a letter today that notes an opportunity for Bipartisan cooperation. "A new Congress provides us a renewed opportunity to find common ground and address the priorities of the American peop...

Rahm Emanuel: Actually, its entirely appropriate to let this crisis go to waste
Via the Standard, I’m happy to assume that this is heartfelt, although of course no other answer is possible politically. We’ll see tomorrow how well his former boss does in taking his advice. If you’re expecting the sort of trainwreck that happened at the Wellstone memorial, you’re kidding yourself. Obama and his team are way too smart to descend to that level of grotesque political hackery, especially given how they cherish his “above the fray” image. Here...

John Kerry Calls for Bipartisanship in Wake of Shootings, but Criticizes GOP Resistance
Urging Congress to put an end to divisive Rhetoric in the aftermath of the Gabrielle Giffords shooting, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) on Tuesday made the case for a re-energized, Bipartisan focus on the nation's infrastructure, education system and Clean Energy technologies. He also advocated for a change in the use of the congressional Filibuster -- currently being debated in the Senate -- saying, "We have reached the point where the Filibuster is being invoked by the minority not necessarily beca...

Tighter Gun-Control Laws: A Long Shot
Yahoo! Buzz The Tucson shootings have renewed an effort among Northeast lawmakers to strengthen federal gun-control laws, but a partisan climate and an influential gun lobby mean that talk may be as far as it gets. On Tuesday, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D., N.Y.), whose husband was killed by a lone gunman in a 1993 Shooting Spree, said she would introduce Legislation to reinstate a ban on high-capacity magazines like the one used by the Tucson shooter. Rep. Peter King (R., N.Y.) said that he would o...

Tributes to mark the week ahead in Congress
Legislative action in the House will come to a standstill this week following the shooting Saturday of 20 people, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), at a "Congress on Your Corner" event in Tucson. The lower chamber is not in session Monday, but House Sergeant at Arms Bill Livingood requested Sunday that all members of Congress, Staffers and visitors present on the House side of the Capitol join President Obama and the country at 11 a.m. in observing a moment of silence for...

House to Honor Tucson Victims, First Responders with Resolution
The U.S. House of Representatives will honor Victims of the Tucson, Arizona shooting rampage. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, will call up House Resolution 11 Wednesday morning to honor the dead and injured as well recognize several acts of heroism on the scene. The text of the Resolution states, "The House of Representatives condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific attack which occurred at the 'Congress on your Corner' event hosted by Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson...

Pelosi & Dems Must Fear the Disgruntled Blue Dogs Ready to Break Ranks & Cut Deals with Republicans
It would appear that House Democrat Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has a difficult next two years in store for her. Disgruntled “Blue Dog” Democrats are ready to deal with the GOP and break ranks with Pelosi. So many “blue dogs” were voted out of office in the 2010 Midterm Elections as upset voters showed them the door for voting with Pelosi rather than the will of their constituents. Blue Dog Democrats remain deeply frustrated with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s leade...

Pelosi, Boehner invite Congress to bipartisan prayer service (Daily Caller)
Read more stories from The Daily Caller TheDC Exclusive: A secret $6 billion Bailout for Puerto Rico? Campus Progress reports on for-profit schools issue while coordinating with liberal coalition to push regs Author of 'Anti-American Manifesto', Ted Rall, says Loughner's violent attack not part of coming revolution Despite GOP's best efforts, specter of Steele Second Term hangs around Ask Matt Labash Vol. XLVI: Torturing a dog-torture lover, and defending John Boehner's tan Speaker of the Hous...

Obama to deliver State of the Union address on Jan. 25
WASHINGTON -- House Speaker John Boehner has formally invited President Obama to deliver his State of the Union address to Congress on Jan. 25. "As many great challenges lie ahead for our nation, we welcome an opportunity to hear your proposals," the Ohio Republican wrote in a letter released Tuesday afternoon. The Speech will officially be Obama's second State of the Union address, and his fourth to a joint session of Congress. But it will be his first speaking to a Republican-majority House, ...

Labash Advises Reader to Never Read his Column Again
The Daily Caller‘s advice columnist Matt Labash gets scrappy today. He orders a reader named “Barb” who trashes Editor-in-Chief Tucker Carlson to never read his column again. It’s not so much another defense of Tucker (as he offered last week) as much as it’s an obvious dislike for Barb. “Why would anyone care about what happens to pit bulls?!?” Barb asks and proceeds to describe the dogs as “beady-eyed beasts.” As an afterthought she adds,&#...

Will Democrats Throw Down on Filibuster Reform?
Tue Jan. 11, 2011 3:00 AM PST — Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. All 53 Senate Democrats have endorsed some level of Filibuster reform—but will they actually make it happen? The push to overhaul this procedural tactic, which has allowed the minority to block debate on a number of legislative issues, is the top item on the table heading into a two-week break for senators, and prospects of passing it are unclear. The outcome hinges largely on whether Senate Democrats are...

Daily scoreboard
1. From the Baltimore Sun: If the cold keeps up, the Chesapeake Bay may freeze over. First time in 7 years. Which was 2004. Which was one of those Hottest Years Ever. Under tough luck, you stole the Browns rule… GOOD. 2. From the Associated Press: “The Food and Drug Administration, which has long maintained that the Supreme Court freed it from any authority to regulate drugs used in executions, has quietly helped Arizona and California obtain a quick overseas source of lethal sodiu...

Deepak Chopra: Mr. Smith Has Come to Washington, Now What?
The new Congress has an unprecedented number of first-time members, thanks to the Tea Party, and half of these (around 45, I believe) have never held any elected office. Leaving aside one's reaction to the Tea Party, which on the left can be summarized as a horrified shudder, this influx of ordinary citizens is like a mass replay of Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: innocent, patriotic Americans have come to topple fat, corrupt politicians. Actually, I hope this isn't a caricatur...

Document Drop: Senate Dems Committee Assignments
In the interest of equal time, we bring you Senate Minority Leader John Sampson's list of committee assignments after having reported earlier today on the picks of Majority Leader Dean Skelos, who as of yet, hasn't given any of those IDC renegades a lulu. Grab a ringside seat for the blazing battles stirring up City Hall, Albany and Washington. Throw your hat in the ring – get involved and send me your tips! Subscribe to the The Daily Politics's feed. For more NYDailyNews.com fee...

Repeal vote postponed, but will Giffords shooting change debate?
House Republican leadership immediately postponed the vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act after Saturday's shootings that killed six and left Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords critically injured. Congressional Quarterly's Congress.org is hopeful that the Rhetoric in the debate once Congress takes it back up will "settle down." “There will be a time of introspection,” said Rep. Michael C. Burgess of Texas, a physician and vice chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on ...

A.M. Roundup: How much do Cuomos aides make?
Good morning! One day of session down, six more months to go. Including today. Expect more negotiations between Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders, or at least among their Staffers. And expect lawmakers to leave town tonight ahead of a coming Snow Storm. Here are the day’s headlines… Larry Schwartz is paid more than everyone in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s inner circle — including the Governor himself. (TU) The legislative session began “with a whimper,” Rick writ...

GOP Rep: Loughner's Beliefs 'The Liberal Of Liberals'
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) says political Rhetoric doesn't really incite violent behavior at all -- but not before describing Arizona shooting suspect Jared Loughner as a "Communist" and "the liberal of liberals." "This guy appears to be a communist," Foxx told the Winston-Salem Journal. "His beliefs are the liberal of the liberals [sic]. There is no evidence whatsoever that this man was influenced by Sarah Palin or anybody in the Republican Party. This man is not a conservative; he's a fan of ...

Zev Yaroslavsky: A Time to Cool the Rhetoric
On Saturday morning, before she was shot, Gabrielle Giffords was performing one of her most vital duties as a public servant. She was meeting with the public. The Arizona congresswoman knew there were risks; last March, the windows of her office were shattered after her vote for Health Care reform. During her hotly contested campaign for Reelection, gun gimmicks and imagery abounded. On a map on Sarah Palin's political action committee's website, Giffords' district was among a number that had ...

House Resolution Would Condemn Giffords Attack (Full Text)
Members of Congress and staff members observe a moment of silence for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., and other Shooting Victims, Monday, Jan. 10, 2011, on the East Steps of the Capitol on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Credit: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) The House of Representatives on Wednesday will vote on a resolution declaring that the House "condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific attack" in Tucson, Arizona that left six dead, a congresswoman in critical condition and 13 ot...

A New Kennedy
"On the 50th anniversary of one of President Kennedy's most famous speeches, his great-nephew, Joseph P. Kennedy III, stood in the same spot in the Massachusetts House today and delivered his own address, decrying the vituperative political Rhetoric that he said is tearing at the nation's fabric," the Boston Globe reports. Said Senate President Therese Murray: "Pretty amazing. I think we have a new Kennedy. He hit it out of the park." "Afterward, Kennedy demurred about his own political future,...

McConnell statement on Tucson tragedy
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following statement Saturday in regards to the Tucson shootings. This senseless attack today in Tucson is a national tragedy, and all America mourns those who lost their lives in the very act of public service. I join the entire Congress in condemning this horrifying act of violence, and on behalf of the entire Senate family, Elaine and I extend our deepest expressions of sympathy and heartfelt prayers to Rep. Giffords and the families of those who...

Did Senate Republicans Promise To Prevent Pell Grant Cuts In 2011?
Did Senate Republicans Promise To Prevent Pell Grant Cuts In 2011? The continuing resolution that was passed by Congress in December — which kept the government’s lights on through March 4 — addressed a key problem by providing $5.7 billion to cover a funding shortfall in the Pell Grant program that resulted from increased demand for grants in the face of the Great Recession. House Republicans griped that the funding was included, but were not successful in getting it remove...

How Do You Say Something You Know Isn't True And Avoid Getting Called On It? Let The Media Show You!
Suppose I want to say "Jared Loughner was inspired by a steady diet of Rush Limbaugh, episodes of Sarah Palin's Alaska, and Tea Party rallies." What is the defect in that? Well, if you're a leftist, it's perfect in every single way: It connects a shooting to your political enemies and gives you an advantage you can't get via your policies. But the one problem with it -- which isn't a problem so much as an obstacle -- is that it's simply not true. But it's so wonderful! It should be true; the fa...