• Tom Daschle withdraws as Heath and Human Services Secretary because of tax and other problems.

The decision to withdraw his nomination as a member of the Obama cabinet comes as the White House battled across several fronts on Tuesday with tax problems of the president’s top political appointees. Mr. Daschle had expressed regret for not paying about $140,000 in back taxes, but on Monday vowed to press ahead..

Remember that dreary day in social studies when the topic was “How a bill becomes law?” Congress is trying to reenact all those steps “" in what in Washington considers rapid time “" to make sure that no one is denied their beloved television shows.

If nothing happens, current law will force all television stations to stop broadcasting their analog signals on Feb. 17, leaving those without cable, satellite, a late-model television or a converter box without access to over-the-air broadcasts.

At the request of the Obama administration, Democrats tried to move the switch-off date to June 12. They used a procedural shortcut that required a two-thirds vote in the House of Representatives, a mark they didn’t achieve when nearly all the Republicans voted against the bill last week.

  • Stimulus Bill faces amendments in the Senate.

WASHINGTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) – The U.S. Senate on Tuesday began debating possible changes to an $885 billion economic stimulus bill with lawmakers pushing ideas ranging from more money for domestic construction projects to different tax cuts and a new mortgage subsidy for homebuyers.

WASHINGTON: CENTCOM commander General David Petraeus, supported by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, tried to convince President Barack Obama that he had to back down from his campaign pledge to pullout all US combat troops from Iraq within 18 months at an Oval Office meeting on January 21, sources have said.

But Obama informed Gates, Petraeus and Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen that he wasn’t convinced and wanted Gates and the military leaders to come back quickly with a detailed 16-month plan, according to two sources who have talked with participants in the meeting.

About The Author

Trevor Francis is a Blast Magazine staff writer. He manages the Politics, Sports, Anything Blog

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