Franken Calls for Oversight of Ratings Agencies

Joe Conason / Truthdig Aug 12, 2011 Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., is disturbed by the monopolistic power of the ratings agencies -- and still determined to curb their abuses, as he tried to do last year with an amendment to the Dodd-Frank banking reform bill. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

The Surprising New Class Politics

E.J. Dionne Jr. / Truthdig Mar 28, 2011 The battle for the Midwest is transforming American politics. Issues of class inequality and union influence, long dormant, have come back to life. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

The High Cost of a Broken Metaphor

E.J. Dionne Jr. / Truthdig Mar 14, 2011 "We're broke." You can practically break a search engine if you start looking around the Internet for those words. Just one problem: We're not broke. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Al Franken Blasts the FCC

Staff / Truthdig Jan 21, 2011 Speaking to a Netroots gathering, the Minnesota senator called net neutrality the "free speech issue of our time" and condemned the FCC's decision to "create essentially two Internets" Franken also said of the FCC-approved union of Comcast and NBC, "I hate this merger" (more). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

FCC Set to Vote on Net Neutrality

Staff / Truthdig Dec 21, 2010 It may seem as though the Federal Communications Commission might be onto something with the set of guidelines its members will probably approve Tuesday, but do these rules actually add up to what Sen. Al Franken and other skeptics are calling "fake net neutrality"? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Daily Show’: Jim Bunning Feels Jim Bunning’s Pain

Staff / Truthdig Mar 3, 2010 Objection-raising robot Sen. Jim Bunning sure had his day, and his night, on Friday, what with his single-handed stymieing of the proposed extension of health care and unemployment benefits for out-of-work Americans. But, as he pointed out near the end of Friday's jousting session on the Senate floor, it's not as if he wasn't inconvenienced himself. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Senators Still in Health Care Huddle

Staff / Truthdig Dec 19, 2009 It could be a long and snowy weekend on Capitol Hill for our sparring US senators, who were busy antagonizing each other and making various accusations and threats Friday as they wrestled over the health care bill The Democrats' lone holdout, Sen Ben Nelson, was the subject of a woo-in conducted by his peers (continued). Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Franken Limits Lieberman’s Talking Time on Senate Floor (Update: Video)

Staff / Truthdig Dec 18, 2009 Perhaps reflecting a frustration among Democrats over Joe Lieberman's role in shaping the Senate's health care proposal, Sen. Al Franken nipped in the bud the Connecticut senator's discussion of amendments to the bill Thursday. Updated: Now with video! Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Daily Show’: ‘Rape-Nuts’ on Capitol Hill

Staff / Truthdig Oct 16, 2009 If ever there were magic words guaranteed to provoke instant fury in America's far-right ranks (besides "Nobel Peace Prize"), they might sound a little like "Al Franken." The comedian-turned-senator's recent proposal -- related to the rights of rape victims who are employees of government contractors -- met with some baffling resistance from Republicans in Congress. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Party of Franken, Party of Palin

Joe Conason / Truthdig Jul 9, 2009 Al Franken left showbiz to prove himself a serious policy wonk as well as a devoted family man; Sarah Palin transformed herself and her family into a reality television show. Their long, odd trips reflect the journeys of their respective parties. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Alec Baldwin Considering Congressional Bid

Staff / Truthdig Jul 8, 2009 After the likes of Ronald Reagan, Sonny Bono and Al Franken, Alec Baldwin's (still tentative) musings about taking up the celebrity-politician mantle carry a certain sense of dramatic inevitability. The "30 Rock" star may play a Republican on TV but leans to the left in his offscreen life. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Franken Takes On New Role in D.C.

Staff / Truthdig Jul 7, 2009 Following his arrival on Capitol Hill on Monday, Al Franken downplayed his status as the winner of the 60th Democratic seat in the U.S. Senate and emphasized what his Minnesota constituents need their "second senator" to accomplish. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )