Liz Elsewhere

HIV/AIDS policy is hardly the gripping stuff of tax cuts or universal health care proposals in the mind of the average American. But in the wake of World AIDS Day celebrations earlier this month, it's gaining increased attention in the nation's capital.
That's thanks to a political "odd couple" -- the Bush administration and a bloc of 36 Democratic House members, including Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wa. Both want changes to existing policy under which the Department of Homeland Security...

In just over a month, the first round of presidential decision-making will kick off with the 2008 Iowa caucuses. Yet, despite the early state focus, several Republican front-runners already are directing their attention to the Evergreen State, which they believe could be competitive next year.
Surprising, isn't it? Washington has not gone to a Republican since Ronald Reagan in 1984, and the state boasts two Democratic senators, six Democratic members of Congress, a Democratic...

Immigration is a hot topic across America, with Democratic presidential contenders sparring over the issue of driver's licenses for illegal immigrants and Republicans striving to out-do one another on promises to improve border security.
It's also a subject that has caught the attention of Rep. Brian Baird, D-Vancouver. He is a co-sponsor of the Secure America with Verification and Enforcement Act, an immigration bill that's generating controversy within Baird's own party.
At...

Next week, the House of Representatives likely will vote on a new free trade agreement with Peru, legislation that could prove controversial and place the Evergreen State's Democratic legislators in the spotlight. After all, while trade skepticism has been growing of late in the Democratic Party, Washington's progressives in Congress remain noticeably pro-free trade -- and that's something that could split them from many in their caucus as the debate over Peru and other pending trade...

Wasteful government spending is a pet peeve of most voters. But it's also something we're guaranteed to see more of as Congress moves to pass a glut of fiscal year 2008 appropriations bills over the coming weeks.
After all, those bills contain vast numbers of earmarks -- those pesky legislative provisions dishing out money to specific companies, organizations or localities and all too often associated with waste and corruption. For that, readers can thank the D.C. crowd as a whole...

Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate passed the fiscal year 2008 Defense Authorization bill.
It was a largely unremarkable event, except in two respects. The Democratic-moved bill contained no language to force President Bush to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq; and the bill passed by a 92-3 margin, with just two Democrats opposing it.
The vote should have the Democratic base, and anti-war voters, more generally, asking questions -- especially in Washington, home of Sen. Patty...

Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate passed the fiscal year 2008 Defense Authorization bill.
It was a largely unremarkable event, except in two respects. The Democratic-moved bill contained no language to force President Bush to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq; and the bill passed by a 92-3 margin, with just two Democrats opposing it.
The vote should have the Democratic base, and anti-war voters, more generally, asking questions -- especially in Washington, home of Sen. Patty...

Heading into 2008, Washington's 8th Congressional District is set for round 2 of last year's Darcy Burner-Dave Reichert battle -- and attention is already focusing on the question of whether Reichert's Democratic challenger can reverse last year's result.
In 2006, Burner came close to unseating Reichert, forcing him to take less than 52 percent of the vote. Yet, in an extremely anti-Republican year, and in a district that went to Al Gore and John Kerry and was won by Sens. Patty...

In the wake of the Democratic takeover of Congress, Rep. Brian Baird, D-Wash., has stepped into the spotlight as something of a maverick. But, as much as independence is one of the traits that pollsters and focus groups consistently say voters like to see in their elected officials, Baird's new position is not shaping up to be especially comfortable for the man from the 3rd District.
Baird was one of the original 126 House Democrats who voted against the use of force in Iraq in...