2/2 Roundup: Bipartisanship and Grand Bargains, Salvaging Afghanistan, Biden Alert!

Leader: Bipartisanship and Grand Bargains

- Democratic leaders, including President Obama, have expressed interest in sweeping fiscal reform that would bring government spending into balance with tax revenue. They hope to strike a grand bargain with Republicans to achieve their goals.

- In Obama's first two weeks, bipartisanship has existed in feeling only, as both the House stimulus bill and the Senate SCHIP bill passed along strict party lines. The WaPo reports on how Obama's tactics may change to secure more robust bipartisan support of his goals. Obama will be back on the Hill again today to talk stimulus with our legislature.

- Frank Rich writes in his weekly column about the  Republican Party, which appears to be in full self-destruct mode. With Rush Limbaugh as their de-facto leader, and confidently devoid of ideas on what to do about our ailing economy, it's hard to see the GOP turning it around anytime soon.

- E.J. Dionne also confronts bipartisanship. Will Obama and the Democrats cower before the Republican "No" votes? Or will they stand strong and claim victory, without selling out their stimulus package for meager GOP support?

Politics

- Tom Daschle joined Tim Geithner in the ranks of Obama cabineteers with recent revelations of tax trouble.  It's not clear whether the bad history will interfere with his nomination, but it certainly won't help.

- The LA Times reports on the issues important to Hispanic voters-- apparently, they care about the same issues everybody else does.  Simon is quoted on the political power Latinos will have in coming election cycles: 

"I anticipate a dramatic shift in power toward heavily Latino parts of the United States. Remember: In redistricting, we count people, not citizens."

- It looks like NH Sen. Judd Gregg will be our next Secretary of Commerce, but his departure from the Senate won't necessarily mean 60 Democratic Senators.

- The Republican Party chose Michael Steele, a moderate, African-American Marylander as its next chairman.  Simon has comments on Steele's accession elsewhere on our blog.

Economy

- Eighteen states gave out welfare cash to fewer people in 2008, despite considerably higher unemployment rates than in 2007. This raises questions of how well the revamped welfare system can handle economic downturn.

International

- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki appears to have done well in Saturday's elections.  Secular parties outperformed religious parties, though voter turnout was lower than expected across the country.

- Fareed Zakaria sees America making more enemies than friends in Afghanistan, and has a plan to salvage our engagement there. He lays it out in four intensely complicated steps.

One More Thing

- Congratulations to Dave O'Donnell and his Pittsburgh Steelers on their Super Bowl victory yesterday.

- Last, Barack gets sentimental (on SNL) about that all those good moments back before he was president.  Also, Biden alert!