Politics

20121126-204608-pic-885944918.jpg

“You either engage them or you become an irrelevant party and movement. We already cannot win California and New York. If we continue like this, it’s [next] going to be Florida, Texas, Arizona. That’s it — Republicans will never win another national election.” - Alfonso Aguilar, a Bush administration official who is now the executive director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles (The Washington Times)

20121126-204401-pic-535910280.jpg

"The first thing is the most important thing. Do away with motion to proceed. Just do away with it.” - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat (Associated Press)

20121126-204401-pic-14399567.jpg

“He’s going to break the rules to change the rules, which is a wonderful way to start the new Congress.” - Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican (Associated Press)

20121126-203258-pic-367776158.jpg

“We cannot afford to educate these foreign graduates in the U.S. and then send them back home to work for our competitors. For America to remain the world’s economic leader, we must have access to the world’s best talent.” - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, the Texas Republican who wrote the bill. (Associated Press)

20121126-202943-pic-506732714.jpg

Sen. Bob Corker, seen in July, says he is “not obligated” to stick to the Americans for Tax Reform pledge, formulated by Grover Norquist in the mid-1980s. Other influential Republicans say they may be willing to abandon it if Democrats will work with them to achieve entitlement reform and debt reduction. (Associated Press)

20121126-201634-pic-295298288.jpg

The most notable instance in the ongoing public relations war centers on the upcoming Matt Damon movie “Promised Land,” which tells the story of small American towns ruined by fracking. (Associated Press)

Congress_Reps.jpg

Sen. Jeff Sessions, Alabama Republican, the ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, speaks with reporters as he boards a tram at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. (Associated Press)

Anti-Tax Man_Reps.jpg

** FILE ** In this Feb. 11, 2012 photo, anti-tax activist Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington. (Associated Press)

20121126-195730-pic-246646174.jpg

A new mobile app from the U.S. Census Bureau provides real-time updates of 16 key economic indicators from federal agencies and offices. (Census.gov)

20121126-193155-pic-345672864.jpg

Rep. Michael G. Grimm, N.Y. Republican, himself a former FBI agent, is under investigation by the FBI. The House Ethics Committee is deferring action in the case. (Associated Press)

20121126-193051-pic-815128508.jpg

Catalan President Artur Mas votes in Barcelona in Sunday’s elections for the autonomous region. He had vowed a referendum on independence if his party won enough votes. (Associated Press)