Harry Reid

What The Fiscal Cliff Means For New York, Pt. 2

Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid admitted his cynicism towards a fiscal cliff compromise, blaming the House Republicans' "dictatorship." The New York Post's cover featured a diver jumping off a cliff, with the catchy headline 'This Fall Is Really Going To Hurt.' We later found out t ... More >>

New York AG Takes On "Reciprocity" Gun Bill

As it currently stands, the Second Amendment guarantees U.S. citizens the right to own firearms. But each state is permitted to place its own restrictions on the types of firearms -- and the manner in which they're possessed -- that people are allowed to own.A bill making its way through Congress wo ... More >>

Hurricane Romney, "Go Home and Call 211" and the Politics of Everything

With Clint Eastwood's to-hell-with-this-wooden-chair speech in the past, the brutally drawn-out Republican National Convention has come to an end, leaving the Romney campaign to finally focus on the last three months of the election season. And these upcoming few weeks are the most important: as the ... More >>

Obama "Scandal" Is At Columbia (Claims "Gut Instinct" Of Right-Wing Vegas Oddsmaker)

Of all the far-right-wing bullshit "journalism" that litters the Interwebs, we've tracked down one of the bull-shitiest -- a Vegas oddsmaker who claims that the most scandalous conspiracy regarding President Barack Obama can be found at Columbia University.Admittedly, he doesn't know exactly what th ... More >>

The Paycheck Fairness Act: Will It Go Anywhere?

If you've been keeping up with Congress, pending legislation called the Paycheck Fairness Act might sound familiar. Spearheaded by New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland), the act would require that employers explain pay disparities between men and women, so th ... More >>

Online Poker Kings Get Cashed Out

Killing livelihoods and a $2.5 billion industry, the feds attack Internet gambling

SOPA, PIPA, and Kill Switch Bill: Are They Back? Harry Reid to Push for Cyber Security

Late last night Anonymous tweeted that the Senate was trying to sneak in SOPA under a new name, writing: "Le sigh. US Senate Really wants to go another round with the Internet?" The hacktivist group linked to an RT story detailing Sen. Harry Reid's still secretive plans to float an internet securit ... More >>

Breaking: PIPA Senate Vote Postponed

PIPA might soon perish. The Senate planned to vote on highly polemic PIPA on Tuesday, but Majority Leader Harry Reid just announced that he would postpone action on the anti-piracy bill, according to the Wall Street Journal. And if the downward spiral recent trajectory of the bill is any indicati ... More >>

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Andrew Cuomo Endorse the Respect for Marriage Act

​Last week, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the Respect for Marriage Act, on a party line vote of 10 to 8. The bil, if passed, would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and make same-sex marriages legal through out the United States. (The bill will never pass, however, for it would ... More >>

Some Squawk, But Debt Ceiling Budget Fight Goes Just the Way Rightbloggers Want It

Last week the Congressional fight over America's debt ceiling became a full-blown hostage situation, with Republicans demanding, in exchange for what has been during previous Administrations a pro-forma procedure, major budget concessions from Democrats -- and getting them. At this writing, there s ... More >>

On Shutdown Budget Deal, Rightbloggers Agree: Planned Parenthood is Evil

Last week's threatened shutdown of the federal government over the budget was averted, at least temporarily, by a compromise plan. The compromise throws the big-spending Democrats into reverse, and gives Republicans who had promised sweeping cuts a small, face-saving victory. Now onto the next ... More >>

Obama Hosts Chinese Leader (Or, Translated Into Rightblogger: Obama Sells Out America to Communists, Pianist)

"Red China" had been effectively closed to U.S. trade for years when President Nixon began softening things up in the 70s. Subsequent Presidents from both parties have followed Nixon's lead, and now, along with state visits like the one Chinese Leader Hu Jintao made last week to the White House, we ... More >>

The 10 Gayest Political Stories of 2010

Ring ceremony: Reid and Choi2010 was one of the gayest political years ever. Here's our take on the 10 gayest stories we reported on — throughout the five boroughs, the nation, and the world.

Don't Ask Don't Tell Repealed by House, Again

​The U.S. House of Representatives today voted 250 to 175 (almost straight down party lines) to repeal the ban on openly gay and lesbian soldiers in the U.S. military. This is the second time a repeal has been approved by the House. Previously it was repealed in connection with a defense spend ... More >>

Justin Crockett Elzie, Fresh Off Being Arrested at the White House

​New Yorker Justin Crockett Elzie was a U.S. Marine who served around the globe. In 1993, he came out on the ABC Evening News shortly before "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was enacted. He'd eventually become the first Marine discharged under that law. Runnin' Scared spoke to him a week after he lock ... More >>

Dan Choi Off To The White House at 2PM: Handcuffs Needed? [UPDATED]

​Judging by a recent tweet, it would appear that Dan Choi is speaking to Harry Reid's office again, despite the fallout they may have had over certain comments he made about the Majority Leader in certain publications. As the 111th Congress convenes today for possibly the last time, Choi twee ... More >>

Bad Lieutenant, Dan Choi

What the networks don't ask the poster boy of the movement against "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," he's happy to tell.

New York's Finest: Kristen Gillibrand Voted "Hottest Senator" by...Majority Leader Harry Reid?

​Not that New Yorkers don't already take what some might consider excessive pride in our great city and state's offerings, but it's never not nice to have a reminder from others of just how great it all is. Unless it's a creepy comment from an old man noting the attractiveness of a certain sen ... More >>

Lady Gaga, Lobbyist

Apparently, Lady Gaga doesn't just have the power to get major legislation moved onto the floor of the U.S. Senate, but she's got U.S. senators clamoring to reach her on Twitter. After turning up to the VMAs on Sunday with four service members discharged because of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and calli ... More >>

Marriage Equality Wins Upstate, Loses in the City

Fight Back New York claimed victory shortly after the polls closed last night for taking down anti-gay marriage Senator Bill Stachowski of Buffalo. Supporting challenger Tim Kennedy, FBNY was celebrating their second successful hit of a senator who'd voted against marriage equality, following Hiram ... More >>

'Don't Ask Don't Tell' Ruled Unconstitutional -- the Takeaway

It's been quite a summer for the Federal Courts as they've stepped in yet again on behalf of equal rights for gay Americans. After a Federal District Court in San Francisco ruled Proposition 8 was unconstitutional last month, a Federal District Court in Riverside, CA ruled last night that the U.S. m ... More >>

Colbert Report: Republicans Suggest Bartering Chickens for Health Care

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

You're Fired, Sarah Palin!

​Failed VP candidate Sarah Palin is very big on telling people they should be axed from their jobs--a bizarre role to assign yourself in this economy. The downsizing queen just went to Nevada to announce "You're fired, Harry!"--meaning that right-wing voters should gather to bump Democratic M ... More >>

Harold Ford Jr. "Strongly Considering" Senate Race; Conservatives Give Him a Hand

High Democratic operatives warned Steve Israel and others off challenges to Kirsten Gillibrand, but Harold Ford is unbossed, dammit, at least by the current bosses. The New York Post gleefully affords Harold Ford Jr. a front-page spot from which he announces, "I am strongly considering running for t ... More >>

Harry Reid's "Negro" Remarks Spur Another Rightblogger Seminar on Who The Real Racists Are

Mark Halperin's and John Heilemann's new book Game Change about the 2008 Presidential campaign is full of hilarious revelations. Among these is the news that Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid listed among Barack Obama's electoral advantages that he was "light skinned" and had "no Neg ... More >>

Sarah Palin Falls to "Journalist," Last Rung Before "Blogger"

​That Game Change book that revealed Harry Reid's damaging "Negro" comment also revealed damaging things about Sarah Palin -- for instance, that the former Republican Vice-Presidential candidate "couldn't explain why North and South Korea were separate nations" -- but no one paid any attentio ... More >>

Embattled RNC Chair Michael Steele calls for Harry Reid to step down

Steele's the one on the left.​Michael Steele, who's spent the last two weeks fending off calls for him to step down or get fired from his job at the head of the Republican National Committee, leaped for the opportunity to turn the heat on someone else this morning. Steele is calling for Harry ... More >>

Next-day stories

Brian Schroeder, 26, turned himself in to police yesterday evening in connection with yesterday's fire in the 9/11 Memorial Chapel. Police sources tell the Post that Schroeder, a texan-born graduate of Duke and Harvard Law, may have set the fire on a drunken dare. Yesterday's 5-alarm fire destroy ... More >>

Harry Reid Delays Health Care Till After Vacation, Leaving Henry Louis Gates to Heal Our Wounds

 President Obama went to a lot of trouble last night to explain the concept behind his health care plan -- "So taxpayers are already putting this money into the kitty. The problem is they're not getting a good deal for the money they're spending," etc. -- and now Harry Reid says, whatever dude ... More >>

House Votes 90 Percent Tax on AIG, Other Bonuses

The House just passed a bill to "levy a 90 percent tax on bonuses paid to employees with family incomes above $250,000 at companies that have received at least $5 billion in government bailout money," says AP. (Reason's David Weigel calls it the "Fuck you, AIG" bill.) We'll see whether this hastily- ... More >>

Right Wing Porn Gag: "Barack Obama" Delivers "Package"

Those scamps at Right Wing Video offer a parody clip on the stimulus package. It's supposed to be a porno (stiffly acted but, sadly, without nudity) in which a badass dude called Barack Obama (pictured) encounters a chick named Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who submits to his "package." He trie ... More >>

House, Senate Reach Agreement on Obama Stimulus Bill

It's been cut from to $900 billion to $838 billion to $789 billion, but a version of Barack Obama's stimulus plan appears to have been agreed upon by negotiators from both houses of Congress. Senator Harry Reid told reporters "The differences between the House and Senate versions, we've resolved" ... More >>

Keeping it Classy: Inaugural Lunch to Feature Korbel

After President-Elect Obama is sworn in, his new administration will be toasted at a traditional luncheon given by the JCCIC (deep breath: the Joint Congressional Committee for Inaugural Ceremonies).  What will Obama's first meal as President be like?First Course:Seafood stew Wine pairing: Duck ... More >>

Happy Days are Here Again!

The New Commander in Chief Can Take on the CIA

Having made history, now for the hard part

Daily Flog: White House on its knees, the rest of us on our backs, Wall Street zipping up

Consider the Constitutions of Obama and McCain as You Choose Sides

Rotten Tomatoes: Republicans Defeat Windfall Oil Profits Tax

Getting Our Reputation Back

People around the world who aren’t our enemies now distrust us as allies

Our Human Rights Show

Countries abusing their prisoners say they are following America's practices

Harry Reid Calls It: Democrats Take Cake, All

Letters

Hillary Clinton Wakes Up

Bush becomes commander in chief of Congress. The junior senator from New York objects.

Democrats Attack Over War Intelligence

Bush, GOP look for escape with pandemic flu plan, fight over Alito nomination

Democrats, Rejoice: Right Says Wrong on Harriet Miers

Conservative disappointment at Bush’s Supreme Court pick

What Hillary Told Cindy

Sheehan and company get face time with senators Clinton, Reid, Lieberman. McCain’s next.

FBI Turned Loose

Privacy rights may disappear if a new Senate Intelligence Committee bill passes

Democrats Go Nuclear on Values

Republicans May Spend Political Capital to Blow Up the Senate Filibuster, But Dems Will Implode for Free

Unsafe at Any Price

If Terrorists Take Down Nuclear Plants, You Pay—By the Hundreds of Billions

Lawmakers Call for New Pollution Limits

Abandoned by Prez, Republicans on Hill Push Curbs