The Action Americans Need  —  By now, it's clear to everyone that we have inherited an economic crisis as deep and dire as any since the days of the Great Depression.  Millions of jobs that Americans relied on just a year ago are gone; millions more of the nest eggs families worked so hard to build have vanished.

Sen. Reid: We've got votes on stimulus  —  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters Thursday that he has enough votes to pass a more than $900 billion stimulus bill out of the Senate.  —  Reid said he believes at least two Republicans of “good will” would support the Democratic-crafted package.

White House to Bypass Commerce on Census  —  The director of the Census Bureau will report directly to the White House and not the secretary of Commerce, according to a senior White House official.  —  The decision came after black and Hispanic leaders raised questions about Commerce Secretary …

Sessions: GOP Insurgency “May Be Required”  —  Frustrated by a lack of bipartisan outreach from House Democratic leaders, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, said House Republicans — who voted unanimously last week against the economic plan pushed …

Husband of Rep. Solis, Labor nominee, settles tax liens  —  WASHINGTON — The husband of President Obama's Labor secretary nominee paid about $6,400 Wednesday to settle tax liens that had been outstanding for as long as 16 years against his business, the Obama administration told USA TODAY this afternoon.

Bill Gates Unleashes Swarm of Mosquitoes on Crowd  —  Microsoft founder turned philanthropist Bill Gates released a glass full of mosquitoes at an elite technology conference to make a point about the deadly disease malaria.  —  “Malaria is spread by mosquitoes,” Gates said while opening …

Obama losing the stimulus message war  —  At this crucial juncture in the push to pass an economic recovery package, President Obama finds himself in the most unlikely of places: He is losing the message war.  —  Despite Obama's sky high personal approval ratings, polls show support …

DEA continues pot raids Obama opposes  —  President vowed to end policy  —  Drug Enforcement Administration agents this week raided four medical marijuana shops in California, contrary to President Obama's campaign promises to stop the raids.  —  The White House said it expects those kinds …

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospitalized  —  US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized for surgery for pancreatic cancer.  Here is the court's statement:  —  February 5, 2009  —  U. S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had surgery …

Volcker Chafes at Obama Panel Delay, Strains With Summers Rise  —  Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) — Paul Volcker has grown increasingly frustrated over delays in setting up the economic advisory group President Barack Obama picked the former Federal Reserve chairman to lead, people familiar with the matter said.

Cooper Finds New Ways to Piss Off Everyone  —  Congressman Jim Cooper should stop trying to explain why he was one of only 11 House Democrats to vote against Barack Obama's economic stimulus bill.  Every time he opens his mouth, he steps on his d**k.  It's OK, congressman.  You can stop talking about it now.

Republicans Seize on Nominees' Tax Problems  —  WASHINGTON — Long after President Obama finds a new secretary of health and human services, presumably one who has paid his or her taxes, the damage from this week's failed nomination may still plague him and his party.

White House Now Plans Limited Bank Aid Package  —  The Obama administration has decided on a new package of aid measures for the financial services industry, including a bad bank component, and is expected to announce them next Monday, according to a source familiar with the planning

The GOP Has a Dumb Mortgage Idea  —  It contradicts the ideals of Republicanism and good economics.  —  Few philosophers have done more good than Locke and Montesquieu, whose advocacy of divided government inspired America's Founders.  Our history, and the less happy past of nations without checks …

SAUSAGE FACTORY UPDATE  —  I'm told the group of ‘centrist’ senators (Collins, Nelson et al.) is meeting at this moment.  And the basis of their meeting is a staff paper that was just circulated with a total of $77.9 billion proposed cuts to the existing senate bill.  —  The biggest hit is on education spending.

Sen. Stabenow wants hearings on radio ‘accountability’; talks fairness doctrine  —  This morning, radio host Bill Press brought up the recent closing of liberal station Obama 1260 when speaking with Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow, and talked about whether there needs to be a balance to right wing talk on the radio dial.

Time to Play Hardball  —  The irony of President Obama's Blue Tuesday is that the wall-to-wall television interviews he granted were designed not to apologize for Tom Daschle's fall from grace but to fight back against the Republicans' success in tarnishing his stimulus package.

Sen. Klobuchar steals show at Congressional dinner  —  Sen. Amy Klobuchar's (D-Minn.) surprisingly caustic humor elicited belly laughs from much of the Washington press corps Wednesday night at the Washington Press Club Foundation's Annual Congressional Dinner.

First Trip for Clinton Aims at China, Climate  —  Hillary Rodham Clinton's first day at the State Department.  (Ruth Fremson/ The New York Times)  —  [UPDATED, 11 p.m.] Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has settled on China as an important stop on her first trip abroad in her new job …

AN INSTAPUNDIT EXCLUSIVE: A report from Michael Yon.  —  It's Raining  —  By Michael Yon  —  05 February 2009  —  There had been a light, cold drizzle just before the Muslim taxi driver picked me up in Jerusalem.  It should be a 90-minute drive to Sderot, in southern Israel.

Rangel's Financial Disclosures Omitted Data Over 30 Years, a Report Says  —  Representative Charles B. Rangel's financial disclosure forms had at least 28 omissions in the past 30 years and failed to account for what became of more than $239,000 in assets, according to a report issued Wednesday by a private government-ethics group.

Goldman, JPMorgan Won't Feel Effects of Executive-Salary Caps  —  Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) — Executives at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and hundreds of financial institutions receiving federal aid aren't likely to be affected by pay restrictions announced yesterday by President Barack Obama.