I’m amused by the notion that Elizabeth Warren’s potential nomination for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has “achieved a level of symbolism on the left that’s out of proportion to the merits of the different candidates.” First, there’s nothing symbolic about what we know Warren would try to accomplish. But also, what do people think [...]

Ryan Grim has the latest from the FinReg negotiations: The insurance industry is poised to rip a gaping loophole in financial reform’s investor protections, working to insert a provision in the conference committee report that was passed by neither the House nor the Senate. The measure would exempt securities products created by insurance companies from [...]

A couple weeks ago, Education Secretary Arne Duncan came out strongly for a proposal by Tom Harkin to add $23 billion dollars into an upcoming spending bill to give to the states so they could avoid laying off 300,000 teachers. With state budget cuts looming, teachers were at risk, class sizes were sure to rise, [...]

(UPDATE: Please see my latest on this) Yesterday’s results in the election showed what has now become conventional wisdom: an “anti-incumbent mood,” something the media will parrot from now to November. Have they explored why? Have they tried to understand why people are so angry with the current crop of politicians in Washington? They can [...]

The White House formally backed proposals by Congressional liberals that would provide at least $23 billion dollars to states specifically to save education jobs and prevent teacher layoffs. And they even provided a political strategy, to fold the spending into upcoming emergency supplementals. In a letter from Education Secretary Arne Duncan to leaders in the [...]

Getting back to the big bill at hand, WaPo sees convergence on a Wall Street reform bill, with both Chris Dodd and Richard Shelby optimistic about a deal. “I’m more optimistic than I’ve ever been,” said Sen. Richard C. Shelby (Ala.), the lead Republican negotiator. “I think we can put a bill together pretty soon.” [...]

On a conference call sponsored by Families USA and HCAN, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) urged Democrats to pass the reconciliation bill of fixes to the health care law without any amendments or additions, so it can go directly to the President for his signature. When challenged on the likelihood of that happening, given the probability [...]

Earlier this month, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis intimated that Craig Becker, a nominee for the currently non-functioning National Labor Relations Board, would get a recess appointment to the body. Now Tom Harkin is saying the same thing, telling CQ “It’s going to happen” during the Easter recess, set to begin March 26, or whenever the [...]

The vaunted “way forward” speech from the President is due at this hour, and the White House has released some excerpts of the speech, none of which specifically indicate the process for advancing health care. Obama does connect the year-long struggle to enact health care reform to the larger problem of gridlock in Washington, saying [...]

When Harry Reid said last night that he wouldn’t be advancing any legislation to amend the filibuster rules because it would require 67 votes, I thought he was referring specifically to the Harkin legislation. But in fact, he was also talking about Tom Udall’s proposed effort at the beginning of the next legislative session, an [...]

Mike Stark captured a good interview with Chris Dodd yesterday about the dysfunctional Senate and how it has to change. What’s crucial here is that Dodd is basically a lion of the Senate, someone who for years has preferred the institutional rules that slow things down. He’s defended the filibuster, and other Senate rules. And [...]