Protesters’ ‘town hall’ demands are straight from a handbook guiding disrupters

Lee Anne Sgro writes to complain that people are unable to get through by telephone to Sen. Pat Toomey and Rep. Tim Murphy and that they have not attended "town hall meetings organized by their constituents" . Let's stop the pretense.

Who are mega-donors Bob and Rebekah Mercer, and why are they influential?

A family's ownership stake in Breitbart News throws a fresh spotlight on the publicity-averse political donors Bob and Rebekah Mercer, who now occupy a prominent place in Donald Trump's Washington. Who are mega-donors Bob and Rebekah Mercer, and why are they influential? A family's ownership stake in Breitbart News throws a fresh spotlight on the publicity-averse political donors Bob and Rebekah Mercer, who now occupy a prominent place in Donald Trump's Washington.

Teamsters face 31 percent pension cut

Ed Oleski, president of the Teamsters Local 294 retirees, rolls up a Teamsters banner following a meeting about a proposed 31% cut to their pension plan on Monday, March, 6, 2017, at the Labor Temple in Albany, N.Y. less Ed Oleski, president of the Teamsters Local 294 retirees, rolls up a Teamsters banner following a meeting about a proposed 31% cut to their pension plan on Monday, March, 6, 2017, at the Labor Temple in Albany, ... more A trailer carries the logo for Teamsters Local 294 on Monday, March, 6, 2017, outside the Labor Temple in Albany, N.Y. They are facing a proposed 31% cut to their pension plan.

Federal National Mortgage Association v. John Michael Kaio Personal…

FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. JOHN-MICHAEL KAIO, PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF JOY LEINAALAONAPUA KAIO, Defendant-Appellant, and JOHN DOES 1-10; JANE DOES 1-10; DOE PARTNERSHIPS 1-10; DOE CORPORATIONS 1-10; DOE ENTITIES 1-10; and DOE GOVERNMENTAL UNITS 1-10; Defendants GRANTING DECEMBER 12, 2016 MOTION TO DISMISS APPELLATE COURT CASE NUMBER CAAP-16-0000722 FOR LACK OF APPELLATE JURISDICTION, STRIKING DECEMBER 22, 2016 REPLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF DECEMBER 12, 2016 MOTION AS UNAUTHORIZED UNDER HAWAI'I RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE RULE 27AND DISMISSING ALL PENDING MOTIONS AS MOOT Upon review of Plaintiff-Appellee Federal National Mortgage Association's December 12, 2016 motion to dismiss appellate court case number CAAP-16-0000722 for lack of appellate jurisdiction, Defendant-Appellant John-Michael Kaio's December 19, 2016 memorandum in ... (more)

How investors might navigate Trump’s likely reforms

Steve Mnuchin smiles next to U.S. President Donald Trump after being sworn in as Treasury Secretary in the Oval Office of the White House, Feb. 13, 2017, in Washington. It has become something of a parlor game to try to project the likely effects on investment markets of President Trump 's multi-pronged financial initiatives.

Senate confirms Ross as commerce secretary

The Senate on Monday confirmed billionaire investor Wilbur Ross as commerce secretary, helping President Donald Trump fill out his economic team. Ross has said the Trump administration will work quickly to redo the North American Free Trade Agreement, the pact with Canada and Mexico that has boosted trade but still stings laid-off workers across the Midwest.

Retirement Anxiety Is Gripping America

A few weeks after the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives moved to kill rules allowing states to create portable retirement savings accounts, a new survey found that 75 percent of Americans support just such an option. The response was a common refrain in a report that echoed the growing dread of living out one's golden years in poverty.

What We Know About President Trump’s First Address to Congress

While President Trump has "accomplished more in just a few weeks than many presidents do in an entire administration," according to senior adviser Stephen Miller, somehow he still has historically low approval ratings. And while Trump says his White House is running like a fine-tuned machine, members of Congress are still unclear on his policy objectives for everything from tax reform to infrastructure.

The Note: GOP congressman calls for special prosecutor for Trump-Russia

The big story: Of all the bubbling questions and potential scandals of the early Trump administration, the one that now appears likely to hold is about Trump campaign contacts with Russians. There are sufficient questions surrounding these communications to merit a serious investigation, many in Washington believe.

AP sources: White House to propose boosting defense spending

The White House will propose boosting defense spending and slashing funding for longtime Republican targets like the Environmental Protection Agency in a set of marching orders to agencies as it prepares its budget for the upcoming fiscal year. President Donald Trump's proposal for the 2018 budget year, which will be sent to agencies Monday, won't make significant changes to Social Security or Medicare, according to an administration official.

AP sources: White House to propose slashing agency budgets

The White House is moving to propose slashing cuts to longtime Republican targets like the Environmental Protection Agency in a set of marching orders to agencies as it prepares its budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Capitol Hill aides say the White House budget office on Monday will send agencies proposed levels for the 2018 budget year.

Thomas Perez – Mostly False: New DNC chair Tom Perez says Donald…

Democrats elected former Labor Secretary Tom Perez as their new national chairman on Feb. 25, 2017, over Rep. Keith Ellison, a liberal Minnesota congressman, after a divisive campaign that reflected the depths of the party's electoral failures. New DNC chairman Thomas Perez talks about the future of the Democratic Party with "Meet the Press" moderator Chuck Todd on Feb. 26, 2017.

New DNC Chair Tom Perez Pledges to Repair and Unite Democratic Party

Newly elected Democratic national chairman Tom Perez pledged on Sunday to unite a fractured party, rebuild at all levels from "school board to the Senate" and reach out to chunks of rural America left feeling forgotten in the 2016 election. Speaking in television interviews, Perez indicated that an important first step was joining with vanquished rival Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, who agreed at Perez's invitation to serve as the Democratic National Committee's deputy chairman.

New Dem Party chairman Perez pledges to repair, unite party

Newly elected Democratic national chairman Tom Perez pledged on Sunday to unite a fractured party, rebuild at all levels from "school board to the Senate" and reach out to chunks of rural America left feeling forgotten in the 2016 election. Speaking in television interviews, Perez indicated that an important first step was joining with vanquished rival Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, who agreed at Perez's invitation to serve as the Democratic National Committee's deputy chairman.