You gotta watch Joe Biden posing with senators and their families today on the first day of the new Congress.
Republicans have been burning up the printing presses the past few days to let all concerned parties know they really, really mean it when they say they won’t raise the debt limit — which is to say, will tank the economy — unless Democrats agree to huge federal spending cuts they don’t actually support.
That threat’s been clear for a while, obviously. But if you thought the debt limit farce couldn’t get any more farcical, here’s an added layer. Read More
Daniel Day-Lewis in the Lincoln Bedroom viewing the Gettysburg Address.
Top filibuster reform advocates up criticism of watered down reform proposal.
Among the various weird artifacts and outcomes of British imperialism: the largest population of wild camels in the world is in the Australian Outback. Read More
The final vote hasn’t been gaveled, but it’s clear now that John Boehner has been re-elected as Speaker of the House. Still, the dissatisfaction in the GOP ranks was apparent. More details soon.
Late Update: It’s official.
Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert: You break the Hastert rule at your own risk.
Got questions? I’ll be doing a Live Chat at TPMPrime this afternoon at 4 PM Eastern. Get your questions in now.
Proceedings are underway in the new 113th Congress. First order of business: electing a new Speaker of the House. Voting getting underway now. Watch.
John Boehner expected to have more GOP opposition than last time around, but nothing that seriously threatens his hold on the gavel. At least that’s the expectation going in.