Economy Shed 598,000 Jobs in January  —  WASHINGTON — The United States lost almost 600,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent, its highest level in more than 16 years, the Labor Department said Friday.  —  It was the biggest monthly job loss since the economy tipped …

The Fierce Urgency of Pork  —  “A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe.”  —  Catastrophe, mind you.  So much for the president who in his inaugural address two weeks earlier declared “we have chosen hope over fear.”  Until, that is, you need fear to pass a bill.

Labor To Open Fire Over Solis Confirmation  —  The country's largest labor and Hispanic groups are ratcheting up the confirmation fight over Labor Secretary nominee Hilda Solis, preparing a full-out political and media blitz to get the California Democrat approved and into the Obama cabinet.

Bush Jacketless In Oval Office: Photo Uncovered After Bush Chief Of Staff Slams Obama's Informal Appearance (SLIDESHOW)  —  One day after President Bush's former Chief of Staff Andrew Card blasted President Obama for breaking the Bush dress code, which reportedly required that a jacket be worn …

Japan's Big-Works Stimulus Is Lesson  —  HAMADA, Japan — The Hamada Marine Bridge soars majestically over this small fishing harbor, so much larger than the squid boats anchored below that it seems out of place.  —  And it is not just the bridge.  Two decades of generous public works spending …

AQ Khan freed by Pakistan high court  —  Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan's best known nuclear scientist, was freed after five years of effective house arrest for his alleged role in sharing nuclear know-how and technology with Iran, Libya and North Korea.  —  Mr Khan, a metallurgical engineer …

On the Edge  —  A not-so-funny thing happened on the way to economic recovery.  Over the last two weeks, what should have been a deadly serious debate about how to save an economy in desperate straits turned, instead, into hackneyed political theater, with Republicans spouting …

GOP Opposes Pay Limits On Bailed-Out Bankers  —  Wall Street bankers, with their $18 billion in bonuses, private jets and gaudy conferences, are causing headaches for the GOP.  —  President Obama has proposed capping compensation for executives at banks that take taxpayer bailout money at $500,000.

Obama Calls Delay on Stimulus Bill ‘Inexcusable’  —  WASHINGTON — Prodded by President Obama's reaction to yet another dismal economic report on Friday, the Senate resumed its efforts to reach an accord on his economic stimulus plan, with Democrats calling for quick action and Republicans arguing …

Limbaugh Well-Liked by Many, but Not All, Republicans  —  Strong majority of Democrats have negative opinions of the conservative talk-show host  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh is viewed favorably by 60% of Republicans nationwide, while 23% have an unfavorable opinion of him.

Mitt Romney: The GOP's Top MBA  —  It's been a year since Mitt Romney dropped out of the Republican presidential race, but he remains an influential conservative voice— particularly on economic issues.  The former Massachusetts governor and star business consultant earned ovations …

Latest Cuts To The Stim Package: Head Start, Child Nutrition, Food Stamps Public Transit  —  I've just obtained an internal Senate committee memo detailing the latest cuts being eyed by the gang of Senators being led by Dem Ben Nelson and GOPer Susan Collins.  Here is what's being eyed in the bill right now:

REPORT: GOP Lawmakers Outnumber Dem Lawmakers By Almost 2 To 1 In Cable News Stimulus Debate Again  —  Last week, ThinkProgress released a report showing that, in the debate over the House economic recovery bill on the five cable news networks, Republican members of Congress outnumbered …

Bracing Ourselves  —  America prepares for the worst, and Republicans suddenly seem serious.  —  All week the word I kept thinking of was “braced.”  America is braced, like people who are going fast and see a crash ahead.  They know huge and historic challenges are here.

Please Raise My Taxes  —  I'M the chief executive of a publicly traded company and, like my peers, I'm very highly paid.  The difference between salaries like mine and those of average Americans creates a lot of tension, and I'd like to offer a suggestion.  President Obama should celebrate our success …

Tax Court Takes Swipe at Daschle-Geithner-Killefer-Solis in Making Koko Taylor Sing the Tax Blues  —  I previously blogged the sad case of Grammy-winning blues singer Koko Taylor, who is 80 years old and in poor health: … The Tax Court yesterday held that the IRS did not abuse its discretion …

The Gang System  —  Barack Obama is a potentially transformational figure.  In political style and intellectual outlook, he is unlike anything that has come before.  On matters of policy substance, however, he's been pretty conventional.  The policies he offered during the campaign matched those of just about every other Democrat.

Exclusive Interview: Conservative Evangelical Leader Tony Perkins Sours on the GOP  —  Doing some reporting on how the religious right is greeting the election of Michael Steele—who's been portrayed as squishy on some social issues—as Republican Party chairman, I called Family Research …

Obey on Stimulus Waste: ‘So What?’  —  How money is spent should be far from the biggest concern about the stimulus package, its chief author, House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wisc.) said Friday.  —  “So what?”  Obey asked in response to a question on NPR's “Morning Edition” …

Harkin, Grijalva push Dean for HHS  —  Two prominent Democrats are urging President Obama to nominate former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D) as secretary of Health and Human Services.  —  Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee with jurisdiction over HHS and sits on the Health …

Mass Layoffs Hit RNC  —  Newly-elected RNC Chairman Michael Steele cleans house.  (Photo by Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)  —  One week after Michael Steele won a hotly contested race to be the chairman of the Republican National Committee, he has cleaned house and laid off almost the entire RNC staff.

As Layoffs Surge, Women May Pass Men in Job Force  —  With the recession on the brink of becoming the longest in the postwar era, a milestone may be at hand: Women are poised to surpass men on the nation's payrolls, taking the majority for the first time in American history.

DeLauro For HHS?  —  Two Democratic sources say that White House is considering Rep. Rosa DeLauro for the now-vacated Health and Human Services Dept. nomination.  DeLauro has the health care chops; she knows the issues cold.  She is personally close to the two men who will lead healthcare through …

A Far From Unimpeachable Impeachment  —  BLAGOJEVICH'S OUSTER WAS NOT A RAILROADING, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE ONE.  —  Suppose, at least for the time it takes to read the next several paragraphs, that the ousting of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was a political railroading.

Obama's Preemptive Strike  —  President Obama's desire to talk — and talk, and talk — to the American public could cost broadcast networks millions, and millions, and millions of prime-time TV dollars.  —  Broadcasters are bracing themselves for the likelihood of three prime-time interruptions …

Museum stays mum on honoring Cheney … Published reports that former Vice President Dick Cheney will be the guest of honor at the Manchester-based American Museum of Fly Fishing's annual dinner at the New York Angler's Club on March 5 has the organization re-examining that decision.

The Bredesen Experience  —  The White House and Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee are in serious discussions about the Health and Human Services Secretary position; Bredesen is being vetted for the job.  Some activists and health care experts are very anxious because they know that Bredesen …