Nancy Pelosi and the House Democrats pulled off a neat little trick yesterday. The two-month extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance really only allows for one month of negotiation in the conference committee, since Congress stands in recess until the end of January. But there’s no reason that the conference committee cannot begin its work beforehand. So Pelosi stood in Washington yesterday, with House Democratic conferees, and demanded to know why Republicans wouldn’t come back to Washington to finish the deal.

In their pro forma session, the Senate passed by unanimous consent the latest – and final – version of a two-month stopgap bill to extend the payroll tax cut, unemployment insurance and the doctor’s fix. They actually deemed this version passed pending approval from the House, which must originate any tax bills. The House followed suit, without objection, so now the bill has passed, and I would expect the President to sign it expeditiously.

Usually, when Max Baucus tries to craft a grand bargain, oversized legislation starts by getting progressively worse, at which point the legislation finally dies.

But he has finally succeeded in getting a grand bargain, with a deal to extend Trade Adjustment Assistance in exchange for votes on the Korea, Colombia, and Panama trade deals.

As bad as it is too see the Obama Administration caving on worker protections, it is good to see Representatives like Sander Levin standing up and saying no.

Yesterday, Ben Smith broke the story that the AFL-CIO had drafted a statement opposing Obama’s NAFTA-Style Korea Free Trade Deal, and it has been sitting on Richard Trumka’s desk since last Thursday (the day before the White House announced the deal). A member of congress, however, is spreading the rumor that the AFL-CIO might sit [...]

Jamie Dimon, Vikram Pandit, Tom Donohue, Barack Obama, and the UAW: goodbye, US jobs! The official White House press release on the NAFTA-style Korea Free Trade

FDL has learned that the UAW, which was bailed out by American taxpayers two short years ago, will endorse the South Korean Free Trade Agreement and act as the liberal “postage stamp” for the deal. UAW President Bob King decided to endorse it despite strong opposition from his staff. This is a terrible, terrible deal for America, at a time when unemployment is soaring and the White House has zero plans for creating jobs — unless you’re in the international bank looting business. Everyone involved should be deeply, deeply ashamed of their participation in this, and we will do everything in our power to organize against its passage.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will address a rare public meeting of the Bowles-Simpson fiscal commission today and tell them that the best deficit reduction strategy at this time of mass unemployment would be job growth. Over 15 million Americans are out of work, and therefore the huge opportunity loss of economic and tax revenue creates a deficit that could easily bring down the debt over the long term.

Rangel has been dogged by long-simmering ethics investigations and charges that he violated house rules. GOP House members have vowed to bring a resolution to the floor calling for the Harlem Democrat’s removal as chairman. When CBC member Arthur Davis and 13 other Democratic representatives called on Rangel to step aside earlier today, leadership no doudt feared that additional defections in this election year could push the resolution over the top. Rangel and Speaker Pelosi met earlier this evening, where it is believed Rangel agreed to step aside.