When the House of Representatives passed the farm bill earlier this year, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) hailed it as a accomplishment because, he said, it "maintains critical assistance for families in need and improves programs for producers while cutting the cost of government."

Democracy and Power 110: Majority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the HouseThe first vote in a legislative session is the most important. The Senate and the House of Representatives vote for their respective leaders. The leadership positions are consistently decided by which party has the majority.

Fearing baldness, I long ago stopped scratching my head at the public moves of the Republican hierarchy. With Obamacare crumbling like a celebrity marriage all around them, the Democrats are so desperate that they're focusing on raising the minimum wage-a "feel good" bunch of nonsense that benefits an age demographic that isn't even old enough to vote for them. But they need people to talk about anything but Obamacare. 

Democracy and Power 113: Vote Trading“I’ll vote for your legislation, if you’ll vote for mine.”

Capitol Hill Update, 27 January, 2014

Capitol Hill Update, 3 December, 2013House & Senate/Schedule: The House is in session this week, and is only scheduled to be in town through the end of next week (the 13th) before adjourning its session for the year.  The Senate, meanwhile, is out of town this week, and is theoretically scheduled to remain in session through the end of the month.