All Decoder
What 'fiscal cliff' fixes does US public really want?Data within recent polls shed some light on why it’s so hard for the two parties to agree on solutions to the 'fiscal cliff' problem now facing Uncle Sam.
What might Democrats give up in 'fiscal cliff' talks?OK, Republicans have ceded ground on tax revenues. Now, under Obama's 'balanced' approach to averting the fiscal cliff, Democrats presumably would consent to spending cuts on entitlement programs or Obamacare. But what Dems would accept may not be what GOP has in mind.
Chris Christie's star is shining bright. How long can it last?Polls show Gov. Chris Christie – who is seeking reelection – with sky-high approval ratings, thanks to his handling of hurricane Sandy. Whether that lasts long enough for a presidential bid remains to be seen.
Norquist pledge: Are GOP tax rebels start of a trend or just talk?Norquist pledge, which calls for lawmakers to oppose new taxes, has another defector: Republican Sen. Bob Corker. But key players in 'fiscal cliff' negotiations have yet to join ranks of such GOP rebels.
Is Obamacare on table for 'fiscal cliff' talks?House Speaker John Boehner says it should be, but with a Democratic president and Senate, the reality could be that Republicans will only be able to chip away at the edges of Obamacare.
Black Friday politics: Do some stores lean Democratic or Republican?Black Friday is upon us, which means a break from politics, right? Nope. DC Decoder offers you a by-the-numbers look at how some top holiday retailers spend their money politically.
Has the White House turkey pardon jumped the shark?The annual Thanksgiving turkey pardon, dating back to JFK, is now a highly choreographed affair, involving two turkeys, their 'bios,' and a Facebook vote to decide who gets to be the official White House bird.
Ron Paul stands with secessionists. But how many are there, really?Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, a bastion of secessionist sentiment, issued a statement in defense of state petitions to secede from the US, citing American 'principles of self-governance.'
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton rushing to Middle East. Why now?US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been dispatched for Israel just as reports of a potential cease-fire are growing. The two are probably not unrelated.
Abandon no-new-tax pledge? Some in GOP consider the unthinkable.Exit polls showed that the GOP is seen as favoring the wealthy over the middle class. That may be leading some to reconsider the party's devotion to the no-new-tax pledge – at least for the rich.
Women step up in House GOP leadership. Why that's just a start.Cathy McMorris Rodgers rises to the No. 4 position in the House GOP leadership, which saw a net add of one woman to its roster. But the party lags badly in having women among its ranks in Congress.
Has John Boehner really agreed to increase taxes on the rich?Since the election, House Speaker John Boehner (R) has had some conciliatory-sounding words about the need to avoid the 'fiscal cliff.' While he's said 'new revenue' might be part of the solution, it's problematic to assume he means higher taxes on the rich.
Behind GOP critiques of Romney, jockeying for 2016 has begunGov. Bobby Jindal's curt rejoinder to Mitt Romney's comments that President Obama won because of 'gifts' to key constituencies could position him as the GOP's 'big tent' candidate in 2016.
Stephen Colbert shuts super PAC. Where did the money go?Stephen Colbert could essentially just pocket the money his super PAC didn't spend – a point he made in his further attempts to show the underside of campaign finance.
Should Nancy Pelosi rightfully be speaker of the House?The GOP is claiming a mandate for its policy positions because it retained control of the House of Representatives. But Democrats actually won more votes than Republicans did for House seats.
- State petitions to secede from US: Are they just helping liberals?
Some on the right are concerned that the petitions to secede, posted on a White House website by angry voters, are setting conservatives up as easy targets for the mockery of liberals.
Paul Ryan blames loss on surge in 'urban areas.' Is that right?Paul Ryan is taking heat for blaming the Romney/Ryan loss on a surprising surge in 'urban areas.' But most of the battleground states ended up voting pretty much as the average of polls indicated they would.
Could Petraeus scandal enable fiscal cliff deal by diverting media glare?With media locked on the melodrama involving the ex-CIA director and his biographer – and now ensnaring other top officials – the looming fiscal cliff wrangle is receiving less attention than anticipated. That could help.
Might an idea from Mitt Romney save US from 'fiscal cliff'?Mitt Romney has suggested putting a cap on income-tax deductions. Would the GOP back it? That's uncertain, but it would generate a lot of money and hit only the wealthiest Americans.
Election's No. 2 loser was Karl Rove, and Democrats are openly gleefulFor all the criticism being heaped on Mitt Romney, GOP strategist Karl Rove is getting nearly as much. Will Rove's reputation as 'mastermind' strategist be permanently damaged?
