Congressional gridlock: the new normal?
Capitol Hill (CNN) – Is gridlock the new normal in Congress?
Julie Hassett, whose livelihood is impacted by the answer, says yes.
American Sauce: Senators scratch heads over Occupy Wall Street
Capitol Hill (CNN) – The Occupy Wall Street protest may be holding ground in New York and at sites around the country, but protesters apparently have yet to make a deep mark inside the U.S. Capitol.
(Click here for this week's American Sauce podcast on how protests are changing in America, including how the Occupy movement and the tea party may be more similar than they'd like to admit.)
CNN's American Sauce asked a number of senators what they think the movement is about, and the initial responses were consistent.
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American Sauce: Why aren't there more jobs?
Washington (CNN) – Forget hurricanes and earthquakes, the most lasting American disaster remains the jobs crisis.
This week, American Sauce asks two questions: Why are jobs still comatose? And does the unemployment rate truly capture the scope of the problem?
Hint: government and politicians are lynchpins in both.
Comment below. Or keep reading for more.
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American Sauce: Political sincerity test
(CNN) – Some 2012 candidates give out pies. Others label their speech location "the best place in the country". All of them eat corn dogs and insist they're not regular politicians. The cheese is getting thick in the presidential campaign.
So this week in our American Sauce podcast we ask, "Can we take any of these politicians seriously?" Listen here. It's a good show.
To help candidates and voters alike, we've crafted our own sort of political sincerity test, assigning a point value to each campaign cliché, moment of hokiness and high-cheese factor. Comment below with what you'd add. Keep reading to look or take the test.
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Jobs cheat sheet
Capitol Hill (CNN) – How does the jobs picture look for the U.S.? Friday's government report shows slight improvement for Americans who have jobs now, but that things have gotten worse for those who are looking for work. And a lot worse for female veterans. Read our one-page American Sauce cheat sheet on where the country stands with jobs.
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Debt debate cheat sheet
Washington (CNN) - Where are we with the debt debate? After a weekend of no agreement, here's your simple guide to the plans in play right now, even as the playing field changes rapidly:
Key figures
$14.29 trillion - current debt limit. That's also nearly the value of the European Union's gross domestic product - or everything produced in the EU - last year.
August 2 - the date when the federal government is forecast to hit the debt limit and see all new loans cut off. Falls during "Simplify Your Life Week." Really.
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National Debt: The movie
Capitol Hill (CNN) - For weeks now, lawmakers in Washington have produced intense drama over the debt ceiling with no lasting results or clear meaning. Terrible politics, but perhaps it could make for a good movie. Or farce.
To help understand the bottom lines and broad themes in debt negotiations, the crew of CNN's American Sauce podcast asked a team of Hollywood screenwriters to look at the debt debate and present their pitches for National Debt: The Movie.
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American Sauce: Maybe the economy's not so bad?
Capitol Hill (CNN) – Yes, unemployment is again on the rise and the June jobs report had all the strength of an ICU patient. Yes, economic stress is literally making people sick. But are things as grim as they feel?
Maybe not.
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Congress pays $6.1 million in bonuses as it debates spending cuts
Washington (CNN) - Members of the House of Representatives reported up to $6.1 million in staff bonuses between January and March, giving out bonuses as they debated spending cuts and came within minutes of shutting down government over fiscal problems, a CNN investigation has found.
At least one congressman gave thousands of dollars to his own staff as he criticized other federal workers as being overpaid.
Why would anyone run for president? Why are so many saying 'no'?
Capitol Hill (CNN) – Let's just say the obvious here: the 2012 presidential campaign is here. Like it or not. We had the first significant debate last week. And Republican candidate number eight joins the ring this week.
But remember, another nine potential candidates have said 'no.' (Barbour, Jeb Bush, Christie, Daniels, Huckabee, Pence, Ryan, Thune, Trump.)
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