Today?s Times
? It?s only his freshman year, but Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, has made no secret of his anti-tax zeal, his dislike of government intervention and his willingness to stand alone. Mr. Rand was alone this week when he became the only Republican to delay voting on the U.S.A. Patriot Act with an attempt to squeeze in his libertarian-leaning amendments, which failed by wide margins. The Times?s Jennifer Steinhauer reports on the senatorial peacock, who, at least for now, seems to be more interested in making points than laws.
? A federal judge in Virginia declared a century-old law banning political contributions from corporations to be unconstitutional, arguing that if corporations and people have an equivalent right to free speech under Citizens United, they also have an equivalent right to contribute to candidates. If upheld, The Times?s Nicholas Confessore reports, the ruling could have major implications for the regime of rules governing campaign fund-raising and spending.
? Mitt Romney continued his bid for the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday with an appearance in Iowa that offered insight into his 2012 campaign, The Times?s Jeff Zeleny reports. ?You?ll see me more than you like in Iowa,? Mr. Romney told supporters. ?You?ll get to know me even better than the last time.?
? President Obama wasn?t in Washington on Thursday to sign legislation extending the Patriot Act, but the White House had a Plan B. For the first time in United States history, a bill has been signed into law by a mechanical autopen with Mr. Obama?s official signature affixed, The Times?s Michael D. Shear reports.
Weekly Addresses
? Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. took over for the president on Saturday to deliver this week?s address and herald signs of recovery in the American automobile industry. Six years ahead of schedule and two years after emerging from bankruptcy, the Chrysler Corporation announced that it is repaying its loan from the federal government. Mr. Biden pointed to that and the addition of a third shift and 2,500 jobs at a General Motors plant as another victory for the Obama administration. ?And because of what we did, the auto industry is rising again. Manufacturing is coming back. And our economy is recovering and it?s gaining traction,? he said.
? Eric Cantor, House Majority Leader and Virginia Republican, delivered his party?s address this week, asking constituents which they would prefer: more taxes and more government or more growth and more jobs. ?We saw the former when Democrat-controlled Washington enacted the nearly trillion-dollar stimulus program, which drove up our debt and failed to get people back to work,? he said. ?We?ve got to shift from a government that smothers new jobs and business growth to one that nurtures an environment for getting people back to work and back to what Americans do best: innovate, compete and lead.? He unveiled his party?s plan of action for economic growth: help the nation?s job creators by adjusting the tax code, increase the export of American goods through recent trade agreements and repeal regulations that are deemed ?barriers to growth and prosperity.?
Around the Web
? For Newt Gingrich, the threat of climate change is cyclical. He didn?t believe the ?new Ice Age? theorists of the 1970s, and he doesn?t believe the global warming activists of today, Politico reports. ?I mean, if Al Gore had been able to in the 1970s, we could have been building huge furnaces to warm the planet against this inevitable coming ice age,? he said.
Happenings Around Washington
? The Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally and ?ride for freedom? will pay homage to the country?s veterans, particularly those still prisoners of war or missing in action from all wars. Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates are scheduled to speak at the rally.
? Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska, will begin her One Nation Tour in Washington on Sunday.
In Iowa, Romney Hears Applause, and Alarms
Mitt Romney?s first visit to Iowa this year was cut short when burned popcorn set off fire alarms, but not before assuring voters that he was ?fully committed? to competing in the state?s caucuses.
Video: Palin?s Potential Impact
Matt Bai offers his assessment of the influence of Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor, on the 2012 presidential race if she does indeed choose to enter the Republican primary.
McConnell Downplays Politics of Medicare
Senator Mitch McConnell knows one of the golden rules of politics: when your friends are down, do some punching on their behalf.
Is Sarah Palin Pulling a Donald Trump?
Is Sarah Palin pulling a Donald Trump on the political universe?
Is Sarah Palin Pulling a Donald Trump?
Is Sarah Palin pulling a Donald Trump on the political universe?
White House Looks to Cast Obama as ?Tough?
Senior officials at the White House want to make sure President Obama is associated with one word: tough.
Senate Gadfly Who Isn?t Shy About Buzzing
By JENNIFER STEINHAUER
Senator Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, has used tactics that have enraged both Democratic and G.O.P. leaders.
Political Memo: A Republican Stays Connected in Democratic Massachusetts
By ABBY GOODNOUGH
No high-profile Democrat has emerged to take on Senator Scott P. Brown, a popular leader and the lone Republican in the state?s Congressional delegation.
Texas Governor Hints at G.O.P. Run for White House
By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
With a few offhand words, Gov. Rick Perry joined a list of Republican leaders who are testing the waters for 2012.
Judge Voids Ban on Campaign Donations by Business
By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE
The ruling drew from the Supreme Court?s landmark decision last year that the government may not ban political spending by corporations in candidate elections.
Making Legislative History, With Nod From Obama and Stroke of an Autopen
By MICHAEL D. SHEAR
Although the autopen, a mechanical signature-producing device, has been in wide use for decades, it had apparently never been used to sign a bill into law before.
Source: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/28/the-weekend-word-forward/
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