Daschle Faces Questions From Senators on Tax Glitch  —  After a quarter-century in Congress, Thomas A. Daschle will return to Capitol Hill today in an unfamiliar role, summoned by former colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee to defend his reputation and his nomination to be secretary …

How Government Prolonged the Depression  —  Policies that decreased competition in product and labor markets were especially destructive.  —  The New Deal is widely perceived to have ended the Great Depression, and this has led many to support a “new” New Deal to address the current crisis.

Bailouts for Bunglers  —  Question: what happens if you lose vast amounts of other people's money?  Answer: you get a big gift from the federal government — but the president says some very harsh things about you before forking over the cash.  —  Am I being unfair?  I hope so.

As Obama Talks Of Bipartisanship, Definitions Vary  —  After a week of legislative successes for President Obama, Republicans seized on one asterisk: his inability to line up support from their ranks.  As he heads into his second full week in office, members of both parties are waiting …

Democrats Set High Goal Of Sweeping Fiscal Reform  —  As Senate Opens Stimulus Debate, Sacrifices Become More Urgent  —  It's the holy grail of Washington politics: a federal budget that generates ample funds through a simpler and fairer tax code, defuses the spending time bomb for health …

PETER HITCHENS: We show tolerance to ‘gays’ and get tyranny in return … If I never again had to read or write a word about homosexuals, I would be very happy.  I really don't want to know what other people do in their bedrooms.  But these days they really, really want us all to know.

Carville: A history lesson for Rush Limbaugh  —  Editor's Note: James Carville, a Democratic strategist who serves as a political contributor for CNN, was the Clinton-Gore campaign manager in 1992 and political adviser to President Clinton.  He is active in Democratic politics and a party fundraiser.

Palin pushes for road to Nome  —  PIPE DREAM?  Project would cost $3 million to $4 million a mile.  —  scockerham@adn.com  —  JUNEAU — Boomers talked for decades about building a road to Nome, an epic 500-mile plus project that would run through some of the most remote wilderness of forest, tundra, rivers and valleys in the world.

Major Flip-Flop by Human Rights Watch: Organization Waiting for Obama to Develop Kinder, Gentler Rendition Program  —  I can stomach some political flip-flops.  —  Politicians run with the popular opinion for the most part, but sometimes their positions legitimately change in the face of new factual information.

Charges against George Obama dropped  —  NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) — All charges against George Obama, half-brother to U.S. President Barack Obama, have been dropped after his arrest in a drug raid, according to police in Kenya.  —  He was released on Saturday hours later, police added.

Sirius Faces Debt Payment in Test of Its Viability  —  Sirius XM Satellite Radio Inc. is facing an important test of its viability this month: how it handles $174.6 million in debt coming due Feb. 17.  —  Questions over how the company can pay it, along with $750 million more in debt due later in the year …

Permanent vs. temporary increases in government spending, a Keynesian approach  —  Let's say government can spend $100 billion today or spend the present expected value of $100 billion, stretched out over time so it is a commitment in perpetuity.  Both spending programs are financed by bonds.

Rahm Emanuel may want to reclaim House seat some day, contender says  —  By Abdon M. Pallasch  —  CHICAGO—Yes, President Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel did express an interest in running for his congressional seat again someday, a candidate for his seat said Sunday.

Obama plans financial oversight board  —  WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama promised on Monday to establish a review board to oversee the government's $700 billion rescue package aimed at averting a financial meltdown, declaring that some of the nation's banks would have to write down bad debts, while other banks may fail.

Justice Dept. Under Obama Is Preparing for Doctrinal Shift in Policies of Bush Years  —  WASHINGTON — The Justice Department, probably more than any other agency here, is bracing for a broad doctrinal shift in policies from those of the Bush administration, department lawyers and Obama administration officials say.

Out of Gaps In Treaties, First Salvos Of Trade War  —  The world may be on the brink of a gentler kind of trade war.  —  In 1930, Congress fired the first shot in a protectionist battle that prolonged and deepened the Great Depression.  After passing a bill aimed at saving American jobs …