We don't know what we don't know, so we don't really know whether the war of words between two Democratic congressmen is a genuine dispute or was contrived to help one win re-election in a tough year for incumbents.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger summoned the four legislative leaders to his office the other day for a "Big Five" meeting on the long-stalled state budget, the first such meeting in more than two months.

It's an election year, and Rep. Dennis Cardoza's intense criticism of the Obama administration's handling of the foreclosure crisis is being viewed by critics in his district as political gamesmanship.

If you're a Democrat running for a lesser office, don't bother asking what Jerry Brown can do for you.

During the first half of this year, German and American political leaders engaged in an epic debate. American leaders argued that the economic crisis was so bad, governments should borrow billions to stimulate growth. German leaders argued that a little short-term stimulus was sensible, but anything more was nearsighted. What was needed was not more debt, but measures to balance budgets and restore confidence.

The American people were promised they would save money and that their jobs and health insurance would be more secure if health reform passed. But the promises already are being broken, and workers will pay the price for ObamaCare's failures.

As we continue to slowly climb out of the worst economic recession since the Great Depression, I am constantly taking stock of what Congress must do put us back on the path to prosperity.