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Washington (CNN) - As Washington watches and prays for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, it remains a time of herculean issues and complex debate. Yes, we know it's a new, Republican House, but what did they actually do in their first week? There is a significant list, filled with change and easy-to-miss tricks.

Listen here or read below to see our breakdown.

This week, in the podcast we also look at how to erase government debt. We analyze, piece by piece, how one town government took car of a looming $1 million deficit. Finally, we check-in with a woman trapped in the maze of loan modification. If you want to understand the foreclosure mess, listen.

So, what did Congress do last week?

Senate: This is easy. The Senate met for one day (Wednesday) and then adjourned until January 24th. The battle is staged for a debate on the filibuster, but first, the Senate went back home.

The House: Three main things happened. Republicans changed House rules. The House voted to cut is spending. And lawmakers opened up the next health care debate. Let's get into specifics.

1. Rules changes.

Overall, Republicans made some 53 changes to the rules last week. Here are the most significant ones.

- The thee-day rule: It was a Democratic pledge (yes, it was broken), now it is an official House rule. Non-committee bills must be posted three days before the House votes on them.

- Committees: Must now post vote results within 48 hours, make text of bills/amendments available and provide both audio and video of meetings.

- "Cut as you go": Any proposal with a cost attached must cut that same amount of spending from elsewhere in the federal budget. Differs from Democrats "Pay-Go" because Democrats allowed members to propose tax or fee increases to pay for their bills.

Loophole alert: Republicans exempted the Bush tax cuts, a fix for the Alternative Minimum Tax and current estate tax levels from this requirement. The GOP does not consider tax cuts "spending." They argue it is money that belongs to taxpayers. However, by allowing tax cuts to happen without finding the money to compensate for them, this policy could add trillions of dollars to the national debt. Republicans have not yet said how they would offset the decrease in revenues specifically but say they believe that lower taxes boost the economy.

- Must vote on the debt: The new rules eviscerate the so-called "Gephardt Rule," which allowed congressmen to raise the national debt as a side effect of voting on other, budget legislation. Now House members will have to vote separately on whether to raise the debt. (Note: the U.S. is expected to hit the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling in early April or May.)

- Budget "super tsar": The rules give unprecedented power to House Budget Chair Paul Ryan, R-WI. He can now write the budget proposal on his own, without a vote from his committee.

2. Spending cut

The House voted 410-13 Thursday to cut its own office budgets 5 percent. The Appropriations Committee, known for its beefier staff and budget, will be cut 9 percent.

- Amount Saved: $35 Million.

- Cut per Congressman: About $75,000 or the equivalent of one staff member.

- Thirteen Congressmen voted "no" on the cut, all Democrats: Ackerman (New York), Clarke (New York), Conyers (Michigan), Ellison (Minnesota), Filner (California), Honda (California), Jackson (Illinois), Lee (California), Moran (Maryland), Payne (New Jersey), Schakowsky (Illinois), Towns (New York), Woolsey (California).

3. Health care debate, round five

The House voted 236-181 Friday to hold a least a day of debate on repealing the health care law, known as the Affordable Care Act. This sets up another eyeball-to-eyeball vote on the law, possibly next week.

Four Democrats voted with Republicans on the procedural vote Friday and are expected to vote for repeal itself.

Those were: Dan Boren, D-Oklahoma, Larry Kissell, D-North Carolina, Mike Ross, D-Arkansas and Mike McIntyre, D-North Carolina.

What do you think about the 112th House's first week? Any of the other rules changes I should add? Leave a comment.

You can also listen to American Sauce on iTunes or subscribe to the podcast via RSS.

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Giffords Shooting

John Green--True American Hero: R&R
The Left Puts a Bullseye on the Right: RedState
Did Sheriff Dupnik Dismiss the Loughner Threat?: Moe Lane

While we're raising questions--I have a few about Dupnik: Patterico
Dupnik Jeopardizing Prosecution; Must Resign Now: RWN
Details Emerge About AZ Shooter, None Involve Palin: Bruce

Nation

Free Speech in the Crosshairs: AT
Shaping the Message: Progressives Living in the Past: Bookworm
Hillary Hauls Out Old 'Extremist' Rap: IBD

Economy

Jerry Brown skips biggest budget problem: pensions: SFgate
The $17M Foreclosure (in Beverly Hills): DHB
VA looking at alternative currency in case of Fed 'breakdown': ZH

Climate & Energy

Met Office Spins Itself Deeper Into The Hole: GWPF
Ecotards: Eat bugs, not meat, to “save the planet”: WUWT
Global Warming Panic explained: HyScience

Media

Motivations for Murder and Manipulation: Wolf Howling
When Your Best Hope is a Blood Libel: Hindenblog
Socialist Party Lays Blame for Arizona Murders: NoisyRoom

Yes, We’re Putting Liberals In The Crosshairs: RWN
Naturally: Rush Limbaugh Added to Sheriff’s Blame List: Malkin
Taranto: Dupnik Distracting Public from Examining His Contacts With the Killer: GWP

The Heroes In Our Midst: IBD
A Bizarro World NYT Editorial : CFB
Tragedy In Tucson: On Palin's Hands?: IBD

World

The Israeli Way of War: Totten
Mexican drug cartels strike again: 25 killed, 15 decapitated in Acapulco: Cubachi
Iran bans 'tight jeans', tattoos at some universities: Maktoob

SciTech

LinkedIn scam - the fraudulent survey which wasn't: Sophos
AT&T Should Shut Up About Verizon iPhone: Insider
Google lets apps tap into goo.gl URL shortner: CNet

Cornucopia

Rest in Peace, Dick Winters: Leadership: P&F
iPhone case? Bottle opener? Both.: AllTop
The History Of What Things Cost In America: 1776 to Today: 247 Wall St.

Image: Blog Prof
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Fire Andrea Mitchell

QOTD: "Even before the dead were buried, the left was attempting to use this tragedy for political purposes, even while the high-minded leftist punditry called for a discussion of the state of our "political discourse" (thinking that conservatives would be hurt by that discussion).

Turns out that the left and the punditry were far, far off-base factually in trying to blame Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, Fox News, George Bush, etc. for the shooting. We now learn that this guy is a nutcase who is, if anything, a lefty. (Professes admiration for the Communist Manifesto and disdains the U.S. Constitution, plus he has been obsessed with Rep. Giffords since 2007, well before Palin even arrive on the national scene.)

The left made a gamble here -- that the facts that would come out would support their anti-conservative speculation. That gamble failed . . . badly.

Soon, folks, after we've paid our proper respects to the dead and considered the facts that have emerged, let's consider what the shameless and distracting conduct of the left indicates about who is to be entrusted with the levers of power in this country, going forward." -- Commenter on E.J. Dionne's disgusting column

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Monday, January 24, 2011

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