Lebanon takes a first step to move forward from dysfunction
Those in Washington who have urged the U.S. to disengage from Lebanon because of its dysfunctional government and a citizenry incapable of demanding change may have found their arguments challenged by the results from Lebanon’s May 15 parliamentary elections. The Lebanese people, much to the surprise of many, apparently sought change by voting
Read MoreThe Hill's Morning Report — Will Congress act on guns?
Grief consumed Texas and the country on Wednesday following a gunman’s spree that killed 19 schoolchildren and two teachers in the town of Uvalde on Tuesday. In Washington, lawmakers debated legislating to strengthen gun background checks, “red flag” laws and other steps to respond to Americans’ fury and impatience. President Biden said Wednesday he will travel to the 16,000-person town “in the coming days” in an attempt to comfort residents as he pleaded with lawmakers to take action on gun control measures in the near future. “We must a
Read MoreDemocratic discontent brews with Federal Reserve
Discontent with the Federal Reserve is brewing among Democrats, even those who voted earlier this month to confirm Fed chairman Jerome Powell for another 4-year term. With inflation at 40-year highs and the prospect of a recession looming large over midterm elections later this year, Democrats are worried the economy could cost them their majorities. And the feeling in the party is that if the Fed had acted quicker, Democrats might not face such tough headwinds. Specifically, Democrats say the Fed started raising interests too late following the onset of the pa
Read MoreNorth Dakota governor spends against members of own party in primaries
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) is digging into his own pockets to fund a handful of Republican candidates running for state legislative seats this year in an effort to reshape the politics of one of the most conservative states in the country.Burgum, serving his second term, has contributed nearly $1 million to a political action committee run by a former top staffer that is said to be spending big on key legislative races across the state ahead of next month’s primary elections. In a state where Democrats are an afterthought, Burgum allies say putting a thumb on the scale in leg
Read MoreGun-control proposals face big hurdles in the Senate
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) says he wants Republicans to work with Democrats to pass bipartisan gun control legislation — but the proposals under consideration face significant hurdles and the likelihood of success is small. Schumer initially on Wednesday said most Republicans are so set against proposals to expand background checks or otherwise limit access to firearms that he doesn’t think it would be a productive use of Senate time to bring legislation to the floor in response to the mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas.
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