Chicago Sun-Times

Obamacare won’t be shut down: Lynn Sweet

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 23:41:33 -0500

WASHINGTON — House GOP opposition to Obamacare led to a partial federal government shutdown on Monday, but all the GOP pyrotechnics could not stop the Tuesday launch of one of the most significant parts of Obamacare. New online health marketplaces are opening for business on Tuesday, as long scheduled, selling private insurance to consumers. Gov. Pat Quinn kicks off “Get Covered Illinois” — the name of the Illinois online insurance market — Tuesday morning at the Thompson Center in the Loop. Democrats here, from President Barack Obama on down, will hold a series of events Tuesday to mark the first …

Shutdown showdown: Hours before deadline, neither side is budging

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 02:12:53 -0500

Neither Republicans or Democrats in Congress nor White House staffers are coming to work Monday with a plan to avoid a partial federal government shutdown by the midnight deadline. In short order, the Senate will kick the budget can of worms back to House Speaker John Boehner, demanding that any continuing resolution to keep the government running not be linked to defunding or delaying Obamacare.

Obamacare is a great bargain for uninsured

Sun, 29 Sep 2013 23:46:07 -0500

WASHINGTON — No matter your politics or life perspective — Tea Party, libertarian, conservative, liberal, progressive, socialist, nihilist, anarchist or independent — if you are young and uninsured, Obamacare is a great bargain. Here’s some context for everyone: You’re hearing a lot more about Obamacare now for two reasons. First, the federal government is supposed to pass an annual budget by Monday. It hasn’t yet. A group of Republicans who oppose Obamacare want to defund or delay it by linking it to a vote continuing to keep most of the federal government open come Tuesday. If that tactic doesn’t work, …

Obama fears U.S. growing numb to gun violence

Mon, 23 Sep 2013 02:16:37 -0500

WASHINGTON — The Navy Yard massacre and the latest shootings in Chicago are sparking new rounds of outrage, but let’s face it, the volume could be turned up. President Barack Obama on Sunday said he fears where we are heading: resigned to accepting gun violence with a collective shrug because it happens so often now it is the “new normal.” “As president, I have now grieved with five American communities ripped apart by mass violence. Fort Hood. Tucson. Aurora. Sandy Hook. And now, the Washington Navy Yard,” Obama said at The Marine Barracks memorial here for the 13 who died …

Quigley: Government shutdown seems unavoidable

Sun, 22 Sep 2013 09:34:01 -0500

WASHINGTON — “Most members are convinced we probably will shut down for a day or two and there won’t be much you can do about it,” a glum Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) is telling me. We’re talking about the looming Sept. 30 deadline for Congress to approve a temporary funding measure to prevent most of the federal government from shutting down the next day. It’s not clear how this latest installment in the long-running story of Washington dysfunction will end. A few hours before we talked Friday, Quigley was on the House floor when the GOP-run House on a 230-189 …

Shutdown showdown over ObamaCare

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 02:08:53 -0500

WASHINGTON — For the 42nd time, Republicans pushed a measure through the House to defang ObamaCare, raising the stakes Friday by bundling it in a resolution to prevent a government shutdown when the fiscal year ends Sept. 30. While the Tea Party-fueled legislation has no chance of becoming a law, the Friday vote sets the stage for yet another round of bruising brinksmanship in the coming days — and the potential of large non-essential parts of the federal government closing down on Oct. 1. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) took the unusual step Friday night of sending a note …

How ObamaCare victory is a loss for Tea Party

Fri, 20 Sep 2013 02:22:53 -0500

House Speaker John Boehner could have put another try to dismantle ObamaCare off until another day. He chose not to in order to satisfy his Tea Party faction, even as they are wearing out their welcome with some GOP colleagues who — while not crazy about ObamaCare — at the same time do not even want to flirt with a government shutdown.

Roskam’s tangled Taiwan trip

Fri, 13 Sep 2013 18:55:04 -0500

If U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) had gone alone to Taiwan, he may not be facing a House Ethics probe today over the $25,652 trip.

Obama now has gift of time: Sweet

Wed, 11 Sep 2013 02:25:45 -0500

With pressure off to secure approval from Congress, Secretary of State John Kerry heads to Geneva on Thursday to launch talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov. Kerry said Tuesday afternoon that he had talked with Lavrov and expects draft proposals from the Russians on how the Syria deal would work.

Syrian deal could avert attack

Tue, 10 Sep 2013 15:04:00 -0500

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will address the nation Tuesday on the need to punish Syria for using chemical weapons. At the same time, he is not pushing for an immediate military strike vote in Congress for two reasons: It is facing defeat and a diplomatic deal may avert the need for an attack. Obama said that if Syrian President Bashar Assad agrees to put his chemical arsenal under international control, a military strike would “absolutely” be put on hold. Assad is open to the plan, endorsed by Russia, its closest major ally, only because of the threat of a …

Obama fighting uphill battle over Syria

Mon, 09 Sep 2013 02:15:09 -0500

WASHINGTON — Intensely lobbying Congress to sell a Syria strike — with his presidency at stake — Barack Obama on Sunday night dropped in at Vice President Joe Biden’s residence, where Biden was dining with six GOP senators to discuss Syria over Italian food served family style. While some lawmakers came in for briefings and hearings last week, the entire Congress returns Monday from a long summer recess to face a concerted drive by Obama and his team on multiple fronts to win House and Senate approval to attack Syria. It remains an uphill battle. The Senate is scheduled to …

Speed cameras could be just the start for Chicago, if D.C. is any indication

Sun, 08 Sep 2013 02:38:31 -0500

WASHINGTON — Chicago is getting speed cameras. What could be next? Massive mission creep: Stop cameras. Anti-gridlock cameras. Cameras catching trucks not allowed on city streets. Rahm’s speed cameras could be just the start of huge photo traffic enforcement by Chicago for all sorts of stuff. That’s what’s happened here. I’ve been nabbed twice by traffic cameras, once in Maryland and another time in D.C. My offenses? I entered the intersections on a yellow and the light turned red before I cleared the “box.” I drive a 1994 Nissan Maxima, a car I inherited in 2001. I proudly keep my …

Split Senate panel votes for attack

Thu, 05 Sep 2013 02:21:00 -0500

WASHINGTON — The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday advanced a measure to give President Barack Obama limited authorization to attack Syria, while over at a House hearing, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) offered a passionate case for approving a military strike. Obama picked up the Senate committee win on a 10-7 vote, with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) casting a yes vote. The roll call followed pretty much party lines: Of the 10 yes, eight were Democrats, including Durbin. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who is pushing for broader authorization, also was a yes vote. Of the seven no votes, five were …

Boehner backs Obama as Senate support grows: Sweet

Wed, 04 Sep 2013 02:19:13 -0500

Obama is in good shape in the Democratic-run Senate. The GOP-controlled House, as always, will be tougher. The pressure will be on wavering House Democrats — especially from safe districts — when and if Obama needs a few more votes to win.

Obama’s push for House, Senate votes on Syria strike

Tue, 03 Sep 2013 02:13:33 -0500

WASHINGTON — The White House is ramping up a “flood the zone” campaign to lobby Congress to authorize a military strike against Syria, with President Barack Obama picking up the support Monday of Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). “I’ll be a yes,” Kinzinger told me in an interview. “I’m going to support the president.” Kinzinger, a pilot who is a major in the Air National Guard — he has flown missions in Iraq and Afghanistan — said Obama has the power to order a strike without Congress and taking the time for a vote “takes away the element of a surprise.” …

‘No’ vote on Syria wouldn’t be the end

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 02:12:08 -0500

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State John Kerry sidestepped questions Sunday about whether President Barack Obama would order a military strike against Syria even if Obama lost the upcoming congressional vote he asked for. Kerry didn’t close the door because he did not want to concede any doubt that Obama will win his enormously high-stakes bid for authorization from the House and Senate as the secretary blitzed five Sunday shows. The display of bravado was not surprising — Kerry had to — but the reality is that Obama faces an uphill battle in obtaining the authorization. The Democratic-run Senate will be …

Obama seeks Congress’ OK for strike on Syria

Sun, 01 Sep 2013 13:21:48 -0500

There will be House and Senate votes sometime after Sept. 9. Obama said Saturday he won’t order an attack until a vote because the U.S. can strike “whenever we choose . . . our capacity to execute this mission is not time-sensitive.”

Possible 2016 rivals Kirk, Duckworth on opposite sides of Syria debate

Sun, 01 Sep 2013 02:38:20 -0500

Kirk supports missile hits in the wake of evidence that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against civilians. Duckworth has serious reservations over a strike.