Washington Metro News

Since the drubbing the GOP received in the November elections, all we've been told by the media and "Washington insiders" is that the Republican Party is dead, Reaganism is dead, conservatism is dead, there is no leadership on the right, GOP... put a fork in it.

CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference, last week proved those pronouncements to be dead wrong. Read more...

Donald Rumsfeld rides the bus, The Washington Post's Reliable Source reported today.

That's refreshing.

In Tuesday’s edition of The Hill, Jim Mills called the District of Columbia’s lack of federal representation despite being subject to federal taxation a travesty and outrage, bringing to mind the quote from Woody Allen’s “Bananas,” of “a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.”

As Mills noted, the legislation moving forward in the House and Senate is clearly unconstitutional. Federal representation for District residents requires changing the Constitution. Ratifying a constitutional amendment on the issue is unlikely; it’s simply not in any state’s interest to willingly diminish its own power. Read more...

Earlier today the U.S. Senate cleared a procedural vote that will allow a bill to reach the floor to allow voting representation for the District of Columbia in the United States House of Representatives. That we've reached this point, where the direct words of the Constitution are ignored regarding how composition of the House shall be formed, is nothing less than stunning.

Consider the following, from Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman (I), a man I genuinely admire for his independence and strong support for the protection of Americans from terrorist attacks. During his remarks on the Senate floor this morning, Lieberman noted that citizens of our nation's capital are "the only residents of a democratically ruled national capital in the world who have no say" in how their nation is governed. "It's time to right this injustice," Lieberman said. Read more...

Less than one month in, we know the Obama administration has been a success in at least one area: merchandise.

In Washington, selling Obama merchandise seems to be almost a prerequisite for having a business license. And just because the Trover Shop has taken down its $25 Obama posters doesn't mean Capitol Hill is no longer a veritable Obama-Mart. A quick walk down Pennsylvania will reward the Obama-conscious shopper with an overflow of Obama wear. Read more...

I really don't know much about Washington culture, but I'm talking to people and hearing that policy wonks are coming back. They're folks who are usually very serious, very capable, and related to my own people, the nerds.

It appears that they're bringing a lot of nerds with them, focusing on innovation and better government.

This also emboldens the wonks and nerds who never left, but who went underground and survived the last eight years.

I knew early on that it was going to be an Inaugural ceremony soaked in selfless devotion when, on the floor of the rapidly filling House chamber, a disgruntled congressman was causing early-morning havoc by objecting to the old-bull seniority process by which members of Congress were to be escorted to their VIP seats on the Inaugural platform.

Wanting the spirit of the day to be defined by those venerable qualities of self-sacrifice and altruism that have made this nation great, the resolute patriot pressed his case by raising a point of order and asking if it wouldn’t be more fair and better for all concerned if members couldn’t instead line up alphabetically by last name. Point of order rejected by the visionless, invisible powers of reticence and small thinking, Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Aloha) took one for the team, fell in line and lived to fight another day. The wheels of justice sometimes move slowly. Read more...

Washington is packed to the brim, in spite of the bitter January cold. The excitement and anticipation is palpable as we watch the VIPs file in to the Mall in D.C. this morning. This is a historic day for America; the first black president will be sworn in in mere minutes.

But not everyone is excited and hopeful. The Republicans have came to befoul the party. Suddenly, taking loans from China is the worst idea conservatives have ever heard — this after eight years of relentless borrowing for nation-building, tax cuts for the rich in a time of war and waste at unprecedented levels. Read more...

It's 3 a.m. on Jan. 21. The new president is dreaming about Inauguration Day, which was so triumphant, but also chock-full of surprises.

Who will ever forget when Pastor Rick Warren followed his invocation by presiding over a mass same-sex wedding? For that matter, who could ignore the homily wherein he recommended that the nation can avoid the controversy of gay marriage by adopting a "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" approach.

Obviously, the bride and groom should know, or groom and groom, or bride and bride ... whatever. In any combination, their lives together shouldn't start off on the wrong, uh, foot, but under this proposal, it's nobody else's business who's tying the knot. Is that brilliant or what? Read more...

The national media have been obsessed over the alleged "snub" of the Obamas by President Bush. Despite the fact that this has been one of the most seamless transitions in American history, one with unprecedented cooperation between the outgoing and incoming administrations, the Obamas apparently felt neglected and left out in the cold.

You see, the Obamas wanted to move their family into the president's guest house, called Blair House, which is just across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House. The Obamas wanted to move in on Jan. 2 to allow their children to start the school year. Overlooked by the media, of course, is the tradition of the new president-elect and his family moving into Blair House on Jan. 15. When the Obamas were told that the house was committed for a series of private events until the 15th, the media howled and claimed the Obamas were somehow being treated in a discourteous manner. Read more...