In the House, Suddenly Righteous Republicans  —  Thirty-one-year-old Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) is not a large man, standing perhaps 5 feet 3 inches tall in thick soles.  But he packed a whole lot of chutzpah when he walked into the House TV gallery yesterday to demand …

W pushes envelope on U.S. spying  —  New postal law lets Bush peek through your mail  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush has quietly claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans' mail without a judge's warrant, the Daily News has learned.  —  The President asserted his new authority …

Negroponte to State: What's Going On?  —  My little hamster wheel has been spinning white hot ever since I read that John Negroponte is leaving his position as Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to take a position as Deputy Secretary of State.  This is some really, really strange stuff.

The Right Minimum Wage  —  A federal minimum wage is an idea whose time came in 1938, when public confidence in markets was at a nadir and the federal government's confidence in itself was at an apogee.  This, in spite of the fact that with 19 percent unemployment and the economy contracting …

The 100 Hours Rush  —  Speaker Pelosi learned a few things from Tom DeLay.  —  Congratulations to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her fellow Democrats, who begin their new control of Congress today.  They also deserve full marks for paying attention while in the minority, because it's clear Democrats learned …

RANGEL BOOTS VEEP  —  EVICTS CHENEY FROM CHOICE CAPITOL DIGS  —  Rep. Charles Rangel has evicted Vice President Dick Cheney from his office in the Capitol, and the Harlem heavyweight is moving into the prime digs today, The Post has learned.  —  Gilded letters were freshly painted atop …

Miers Resigns As White House Counsel  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Harriet Miers, President Bush's failed Supreme Court nominee, has submitted her resignation as White House counsel, the White House announced Thursday.  —  White House press secretary Tony Snow said the president reluctantly accepted …

Majority of Americans View Media Coverage of Iraq as Inaccurate  —  Most likely to say coverage is too negative  —  PRINCETON, NJ — A majority of Americans — 56% — believe that the news media's coverage of the situation in Iraq is generally inaccurate.  About 4 out of 10 Americans agree …

To Win in Baghdad, Strike at Tehran  —  As early as next week, President Bush is expected to give a major speech announcing a new strategy in Iraq.  This is an excellent opportunity for the administration to announce a big strategic change that could dramatically improve America's prospects in Iraq.

A Chance To Change The Game  —  This past Election Day, the American people sent a clear message to Washington: Clean up your act.  —  After a year in which too many scandals revealed the influence special interests wield over Washington, it's no surprise that so many incumbents were defeated …

New Orleans Repeats Mistakes as It Rebuilds  —  Many Houses Built in Areas Katrina Flooded Are Not on Raised Foundations  —  NEW ORLEANS — By ones and twos, homeowners here are reinhabiting neighborhoods, even the most devastated ones, and many view their return as a triumph over adversity.

Our Iraqi Mistake  —  WHAT WAS IT, EXACTLY?  —  Listen to the MP3 audio version of this story here, or sign up for Slate's free daily podcast on iTunes.  —  Virtually everyone now agrees that the war in Iraq has been a vast mistake.  But what, exactly, was the nature of that mistake?

D.C. Notes: Murtha Again Taking the Lead on Iraq  —  Arriving on the Hill, Melinda and I made a beeline for the office of Rep. Jack Murtha, the man most responsible for the Democrats seizing control of the 110th Congress (other than George Bush, that is).  —  His office is filled …