David R. Sands

Lawmakers say they’re out of the loop

DEVELOPING -- Lawmakers from both parties are complaining they've been kept out of the loop as the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department have struggled to contain Wall Street's exploding financial crisis.

September 18, 2008

New financial watchdog considered

The federal agency that managed the bailout of the savings and loan industry in the 1980s and 1990s has emerged as the leading model to contain the fallout from Wall Street's current meltdown.

September 18, 2008

Fidel’s fading but what is next?

For the first time since the Kennedy administration, the next U.S. president won't have Cuban President Fidel Castro to deal with when he takes office in January.

September 16, 2008

Freeze sought on foreclosures after takeover

Four Democrats on the Senate banking committee Thursday called for a temporary freeze on foreclosures for trillions of dollars in home loans held by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, just four days after the Treasury Department ordered a taxpayer-financed takeover of the two mortgage giants.

September 12, 2008

Unity proves divisive for third parties

While the nation's two major political parties bicker over name-calling, a collection of smaller third-parties came together Wednesday in a so-called unity event that, in the end, only produced yet more bickering.

September 11, 2008

Third-party unity bid produces fresh division

While the nation's two major parties bicker over name-calling, a collection of smaller third-parties came together Tuesday in a so-called unity event that, in the end, only produced yet more bickering.

September 10, 2008

Congress: Short session likely partisan

Opening a legislative session likely to be short on bill-passing and long on point-scoring, congressional Republicans and Democrats on Tuesday tried to tag one another as being weak on key national-security issues ahead of November's election.

September 10, 2008

Overseas debt drives bailout of Fannie, Freddie

Foreigners own a big chunk of the debt issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, broadening the fallout of any failure beyond U.S. borders and giving the Bush administration one more powerful reason to take over the mortgage giants.

September 9, 2008

12-term Democrat faces tough fight in Pennsylvania

Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski is bucking the national trend this year - not exactly welcome news for his campaign.

September 9, 2008

Democrats tentatively back mortgage bailout

Key Democratic lawmakers cautiously welcomed the Bush administration's takeover plan for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac but made it clear Monday that the move was meant to save the two mortgage giants, not bury them.

September 8, 2008

GOP fares best without lawyers

When the Republican Party formally nominates its presidential and vice-presidential candidates Thursday, it will achieve something the Democrats have managed to do only twice since the two parties began contesting elections in 1856 - keep a lawyer off the ticket.

September 4, 2008

Global prices unfazed by milder Gustav

World oil prices fell Monday as energy traders concluded that Hurricane Gustav is unlikely to pack anything like the one-two punch to the nation's oil and gas infrastructure delivered by Katrina and Rita in 2005.

September 2, 2008

Palin’s rise a model for maverick politicians

Right from the start of her political career, Sarah Palin has shown a willingness to take on the powers that be in her home state of Alaska.

August 30, 2008

Times appoints digital editor

Jeffrey Birnbaum, a veteran Washington journalist, TV commentator and award-winning author, has been named managing editor of The Washington Times' digital media operations, Executive Editor John Solomon announced.

August 25, 2008

Obama says he’s picked his VP

It's for him to know and us to find out.

August 22, 2008

McCain erases Obama’s edge with swing voters

Sen. John McCain is having a very good summer, as a trio of new polls show the Republican presidential candidate pulling even with or slightly ahead of rival Sen. Barack Obama and erasing what had been the Democrat's clear edge on appealing to swing voters and dealing with the economy.

August 21, 2008

Democrats eye Dole’s seat as foe cuts gap to 6 points

Time was, Democrats in Southern states such as North Carolina were tied to the national party the way a boat is tied to its anchor, holding them back when it wasn't halting their progress completely.

August 19, 2008

Caucasus ally hears mixed U.S. signals

Georgia is routinely described as Washington's friend in the Caucasus region, but Georgia and the United States have found it hard to coordinate policies and public statements as regional tensions grew and led to the outbreak of hostilities nearly a week ago.

August 14, 2008

Blocked network blames U.S.

The federal agency that oversees Voice of America and Radio Free Asia shares at least some of the blame for the problems preventing a private Chinese-language television network from broadcasting into mainland China, officials from the New York-based New Tang Dynasty TV (NTDTV) contend.

August 11, 2008

Border attack draws focus on Uighurs

An attack Monday that Chinese authorities called the deadliest terrorist act in more than a decade focused an international spotlight on China's Muslim Uighur minority.

August 5, 2008