A Federal Budget Crisis Months in the Planning

Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Mike McIntire write for the New York Times: “Shortly after President Obama started his second term, a loose-knit coalition of conservative activists led by former Attorney General Edwin Meese III gathered in the capital to plot st…

Congressman Mansplains The Shutdown To CNN Anchor: ‘You’re Beautiful But You Need To Be Honest’

Aviva Shen writes for Think Progress: “CNN’s Carol Costello confronted Rep. Todd Rokita (R-IN) over his party’s continued crusade against Obamacare Thursday morning, pushing him to admit that Republicans’ ‘divisive approach’ is responsible for the prolon…

Hundreds March in Ohio: “We Won’t Go Back!”

Ms. Magazine blog: “As state legislators returned from their summer recess and prepared to debate even more anti-woman bills, hundreds of demonstrators from more than 50 women’s, labor and other groups marched on the Ohio state capitol in Columbus. Anger…

October Surprise

Diana Zuckerman, president of the National Research Center for Women & Families, writes for the Huffington Post: “In politics, an October surprise is when a candidate has dirt on his or her opponent that is saved for just a few weeks before the elect…

Populist Left Makes Warren Its Hot Ticket

Jonathan Martin writes for The New York Times: “After Senator Elizabeth Warren spoke at a luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif., last month, women from the audience swarmed around her, many of them asking the same question: will you run for president?”