Washington Insider Blog

A list of the most recent blog entries about Health Care Reform.

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Michelle Nunn at a fundraiser hosted by Arthur Blank for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, attended by President Barack Obama. Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com

Michelle Nunn attends DSCC fundraiser with President Obama

Michelle Nunn gave the latest indication today that she will be entering the U.S. Senate race by showing up to a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fundraiser with President Barack Obama. The fundraiser came after Obama spoke at Morehouse College's rain-soaked commencement. Neither Obama nor U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado, ...

Immigration and the blessings of an IRS scandal

ATHENS -- On Saturday morning, Sarah Robinson gave the breakfast prayer that opened the second day of the state GOP convention. Among many other things, she asked God to protect us from “the wickedness of the IRS.” But in point of fact, many a quiet word of thanks was uttered ...

Your GOP convention jolt: Nathan Deal says feds 'dumping' refugees on Georgia

ATHENS -- Gov. Nathan Deal told a gathering of the state GOP convention –whose delegates are overwhelmingly white – that the Republican party must attract more newcomers if it is to maintain its control of state politics. To a point. Ultimately, the governor’s message was mixed. In his opening remarks ...

GOP's Hispanic outreach chief in Florida defects to Dems

I have a feeling that this is only the tip of a rather large iceberg: "A Florida Republican charged with reaching out to his fellow Hispanics during the 2012 election announced Monday he was switching parties. Pablo Pantoja, a Puerto Rico native who was hired by the RNC as its ...

Young immigrants contend that the dream of a college education remains a challenge in Georgia due to Board of Regents policies. (AP Photo)

Illegal immigrants and education: Still fighting for the dream

Dream Activist Georgia is holding a rally this morning to protest the Board of Regents denial of in-state tuition to students who have gained "legal presence" under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The federal DACA program allows immigrants to apply to remain in the country if they arrived ...

Homeland Security ups number of illegal immigrants ‘re-detained’

There are times when Washington resembles nothing so much as a bad, but unfinished divorce. The combatants will talk to anyone but each other. On March 7, five Republican members of Congress from Georgia – Doug Collins of Gainesville, Lynn Westmoreland of Coweta County, Tom Graves of Ranger, Phil Gingrey ...

National Review defends 'race IQ' proponent

Late last week, the Heritage Foundation quietly announced the resignation of Jason Richwine, the co-author of its controversial "study" on immigration policy and an advocate of the notion that "group IQ" varies by race and ethnicity and ought to drive our nation's immigration policy. As Richwine put it during a ...

Your daily jolt: First black woman to be appointed to Georgia Civil War Commission

We’re told that House Speaker David Ralston today will appoint the first black woman to the 20-year-old Georgia Civil War Commission, a volunteer board that coordinates the preservation and promotion of structures, battlefields, and other sites associated with the conflict. Inger Eberhart of Acworth currently serves as a staffer for ...

Ga. Democrats still wander political wilderness

U.S. Rep. John Barrow made the right decision for himself and the Democratic Party in declining to run for the Senate in 2014. Could Barrow have won? His status as the Democrats’ sole remaining Southern white congressman suggests a knack for political magic, and it was tempting for Barrow and ...

The fine print of immigration reform legislation

As work begins in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on immigration reform legislation, Senators have laid out 300 amenmdents to what is now an 867 page bill, covering everything from immigration issues involving same-sex spouses to plans that prevent anyone in the U.S. illegally from becoming a U.S. citizen. Supporters ...

Heritage co-author: 'Base immigration on race IQ'

A recent report by the Heritage Foundation has drawn harsh and bipartisan criticism, even ridicule, for its claim that immigration reform will cost the U.S. taxpayer some $6.3 trillion. Among its conservative critics are U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, the Cato Institute and Americans for Tax Reform. The co-author of the ...

Your daily jolt: Fulton County ‘doesn’t do anything anyway,’ says Kasim Reed

And you thought Fulton County needed to mend its relationship with Republicans on its northern end. The most powerful Democrat at the county’s center isn’t too happy, either. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed on Tuesday put himself in front of a WABE microphone and Denis O’Hayer, who asked whether Reed had ...

Your daily jolt: Ending the ethics push will require sign-off from GOP grassroots

At Monday’s signing ceremony for an ethics bill that puts a $75 cap on (unlimited) gifts from lobbyists to lawmakers, Gov. Nathan Deal and House Speaker David Ralston blamed the media for making the legislation necessary. From Ralston, as recorded by my AJC colleague Greg Bluestein: “If you define problem ...

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas introduces Sarah Palin at the 2013 NRA national convention in Houston. (AP)

Ted Cruz, a rare melding of GOP id and ego

James Carville, who knows a thing or two about spotting political talent, said over the weekend that U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is "the most talented and fearless Republican politician I’ve seen in the last 30 years,” a stretch that would take us back to the days of Ronald ...

Congress returns to active legislative agenda

With the next vacation break just three weeks away for Memorial Day, the Congress returns to work this week with a series of issues on the agenda that could certainly spur some animated partisan battles up and down Pennsylvania Avenue. The first order of business in the Senate on Monday ...

Elizabeth Colbert Busch, left, and former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. AP/Bruce Smith and Mic Smith

The impact Mark Sanford's fate may have in Georgia

Charleston, S.C. -- As Election Day has crept ever closer, the pile of humiliations heaped upon Mark Sanford has grown deeper and deeper. Pornographer Larry Flynt has “endorsed” him as a sexual hero. A website that advertises itself as a discrete dating service for adulterers has put the former South ...

Jemelleh Coes of Statesboro wins Georgia Teacher of the Year

From the state Department of Education tonight: Congrats to Georgia Teacher of the Year Jemelleh Coes and all the finalists. Jemelleh Coes, a Special Education English Language Arts and Reading teacher from Langston Chapel Middle School in Statesboro, has been named the 2014 Georgia Teacher of the Year. Ms. Coes ...

Your daily jolt: Jack Kingston promises no 'laugh lines for Jay Leno'

U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, concluding a series of appearances announcing his entry into the U.S. Senate race, was looser – and at his most candid – when he appeared before the home folks in Savannah on Thursday. From Russ Bynum and the Associated Press: "We need common sense government," Rep. ...

How much pressure can Marco Rubio withstand?

Somehow, I don't think May's National Review cover bodes well for immigration reform, or for Marco Rubio's willingness to fight as hard as necessary to achieve its passage. Standing side by side and laughing with Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, with RINO John McCain to one side, Rubio looks ...

Your daily jolt: Nikki Haley stands up -- silently -- for Mark Sanford

Charleston, S.C. – South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley appeared at a high end fundraiser with predecessor Mark Sanford, in an attempt to give a boost to his shaky bid to return to Congress. But she didn’t want to talk about her last-minute assistance. From this morning’s Post and Courier: Haley ...

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