Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

"I would never put money on politicians being willing to increase taxes or cut spending," said Marc Goldwein, policy director for the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a bipartisan advocacy group. "That's a losing proposition for them. But if there is ever going to be a time for that, the next two to three years is a golden opportunity." Original article

The Blue Dog Coalition, a group of House Democrats that bills itself as fiscally conservative, has successfully pressured House leaders to make sure the bill keeps within the contours of the chamber's PAYGO, short for "pay-as-you-go" rule, which requires new expenditures or tax cuts to be offset by tax increases or spending cuts...

WASHINGTON — Since forming in 1994, the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of House Democrats who call themselves fiscal conservatives, has argued for trimming federal spending. Now, with the Iraq supplemental-spending bill in limbo, its members find themselves defending legislation President Bush and Republican members of Congress have characterized as fiscally irresponsible.

As gay marriage opponents guard the traditional legal boundaries of adult relationships, Arkansas child welfare officials are defending a policy that denies abused and neglected children relationships with supportive foster families.