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by Molly McCall
Mon, July 02, 2007, 3:00 am PDT

This four-part series from The Washington Post delves into the "largely hidden and little-understood role" that Dick Cheney plays in the Bush White House. ("Angler" is the Secret Service code name for Bush's second-in-command.) Offering photos, video, an annotated cast of characters, and quotes from a range of D.C. power brokers, this multimedia package returns from its biographical deep-dive with a cache of scintillating details: What did the newly elected vice president say to Dan Quayle at a meeting intended to give the Wyoming politician the lay of the land? How did Cheney react as the second tower fell on September 11? And why did the nation's V.P. once call the 19th-ranking official in the Interior Department? No other vice president has wielded the power of his office so fully. Regardless of your opinion of the man, you will surely find something fascinating—and entirely new—in this series.

Filed under: Politics, Government, People

by Molly McCall
Fri, March 23, 2007, 3:00 am PDT

There are a lot of ways to park a car illegally in Manhattan. You could block the sidewalk, obstruct the crosswalk, cozy up to the fire hydrant, overstay the meter, or pull up the parking break under a sign proclaiming "No Stopping Any Time." And that's just recounting the activity of municipal employees. According to the outraged citizens behind this site, "a lack of enforcement and an unchecked proliferation of government-issued parking permits" has allowed (or encouraged) public employees to leave their rides in any number of illegal spots. Uncivil Servants documents these violations with photographs, interactive maps, testimonials, and a list of top offenders. It's an impressive display, not only of parking pique, but of web design and social activism working together. As for the discourteous officials currently stalled in the position of Most Violations? Say it ain't so, officer—it's the NYPD.
by Molly McCall
Mon, March 12, 2007, 3:00 am PDT

It's been awhile since the presidential pardon enjoyed such heated attention. Just the thought of President Bush issuing a pardon for Lewis "Scooter" Libby has bloggers and pundits from both sides of the political spectrum pounding their keyboards and roaring. But as TIME magazine reminds us, this is far from the first time that an act of forgiveness by the big guy in the Oval Office has created a brouhaha. Should Libby get word that he's off the hook, he will join such charged characters in the annals of U.S. history as the citizens of Confederate states, draft dodgers from the Vietnam War, two FBI agents, one legendary chief of the Teamsters union, and the current owner of the New York Yankees. Of course, President Clinton's unforgettable "eleventh-hour" move for Marc Rich makes the list of infamous acts. And the party couldn't even get started without the one guy to both pardon and be pardoned, Richard Nixon.
by Jon Brooks
Mon, December 12, 2005, 3:00 am PST

Ask not what your government can do for you and actually find out what it's doing for, against, or to you, with this deep political resource from The Washington Post. Every vote in the U.S. Congress since 1991 has been gathered here. Check out the outcomes of the latest bills, see how senators and House members vote, and sign up for RSS notification on individual members of Congress. Also discover who's missed the most votes (hello former-Senator Corzine), what's happening in the dead of night, and which votes have passed by the narrowest margins. And most important: how votes break down by astrological sign. As an example of what's available, here's a look at that wacky John McCain. The Web and democracy go together like peanut butter and jelly -- take a big bite with this site.
by Jon Brooks
Mon, July 25, 2005, 3:00 am PDT

In the category of Associate Supreme Court Justice, the nominee is Judge John Roberts. But the winner is...who? Conservatives? Moderates? It's anyone's guess. If Roberts is confirmed, liberals will hold out hope for a left-of-center, Souter-esque surprise. Conservatives are itching for an ironclad right-winger. Sorting it out in seemingly nonpartisan fashion are the lawyer-bloggers of Goldstein & Howe. Posts include analyses of Roberts' judicial opinions and temperament; a rundown of which Court precedents could be in jeopardy (everything from campaign finance to late-term abortion to religious displays); Roberts' separate concurrences and dissents on the D.C. Circuit Court; and speculation that the new judge could -- along with Kennedy and Breyer -- form a new moderate "gang of 3." Also of note are transcripts from Roberts' past Senate hearings and a collection of other commentaries. Let the voting begin.

Filed under: Blogs, Government, Law


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