Obama: You Can Keep Your Honeymoon

President takes more hands-on approach to legislation

(NEWSER) - President Obama is growing more assertive on Capitol Hill. Since he took office, the president's supporters have criticized him for not exerting enough control over the details of legislation, instead letting Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi hammer out specifics—even on major administration goals, like the health care bill. On legislation this week concerning the Gulf oil spill and financial regulation, Obama has switched to a prescriptive style, reports Politico . More»

Party 'lacks vigor now that welfare state is complete'

(NEWSER) - The Democrats' passage of health care reform felt like a family reunion where you saw "the whole panoply of what you loved and found annoying about these people" to David Brooks. President Obama and Nancy Pelosi deserve posterity "for sheer resilience," he writes, but as the last plank of the welfare state slides into place, their party seems to be lacking the energy needed to take America into the future, Brooks writes in the New York Times. More»

They're as out of touch as Republicans were in Bush years: Brooks

(NEWSER) - The Republican Party turned away from America during its years in power, writes New York Times columnist David Brooks, by paying more attention to echo-chamber media outlets and yes-men pollsters than voters. Now the Democrats are doing the same—instead of Southern conservatives, now it's left-wingers from the coasts who are leading a "liberal suicide march." Nancy Pelosi is even less popular than Dick Cheney, "and yet Democrats have allowed her policy values to carry the day." More»

(NEWSER) - Congressional Democrats are looking to fast-track a $600 billion economic stimulus package in the first weeks of the New Year, the Washington Post reports. Nancy Pelosi said today lawmakers are working with the Obama transition team to craft the plan, which is smaller than the $1 trillion scheme floated earlier. The stimulus will likely include $200 billion in tax breaks and $400 million in infrastructure spending. More»

President's current course is not 'governing,' Clint argues

(NEWSER) - Clint Eastwood talked to Katie Couric to promote his latest film, Hereafter, but the CBS News interview strayed into political territory. President Obama is “a nice fella,” but Eastwood is “not a fan of what he’s doing at the moment,” he says. Why not? Eastwood, a one-time California mayor, says Obama is not “governing … he’s having to lay out a certain line and hope people will believe it so he can stay in his position.” More»