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The article discusses the role that the U.S. Army Air Force unit known as the Bamboo Fleet played in providing support to the U.S. forces besieged in Bataan, Philippines and Corregidor, Philippines during World War II. An overview of the U.S. Army Air Force's use of fighter planes to transport supplies and military personnel passengers, which was due to the lack of availability of conventional airlift aircraft, is provided. An overview of the pilots of the Bamboo Fleet, including Captain William "Jitter Bill" R. Bradford, is also provided.

The article discusses claims that American lawyer Clarence Darrow bribed the jury in a 1911 court case in which he defended unionists James McNamara and John McNamara, who were accused of conspiring to bomb the offices of the newspaper the "Los Angeles Times." It notes that Darrow's chief investigator, Bert Franklin, was arrested for offering to pay a juror and comments on the defense of Darrow by lawyer Earl Rogers. The author reflects on sources he consulted in writing a biography of Darrow, presenting evidence that Darrow bribed a juror during his own bribery trial. The diary of Darrow's mistress Mary Field is also considered.

The article presents a profile of American attorney Clarence Darrow and examines how he used aspects of acting and showmanship to fight for justice for his clients in cases against big government and business during his legal career. It explores how his belief in personal liberties led him to take on cases involving poor workers and children, discusses the dramatic and emotional elements of his court summations, and presents comments from client Nathan Leopold and journalist Lincoln Steffens.

The author discusses U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's decision to reopen a decision of the Administration of former U.S. President George W. Bush that allows drilling of the Roan Plateau in Colorado. He argues that Salazar may succeed in controlling drilling of the area with a phased and less-destructive plan. He points out that tradeoffs like these are needed for U.S. energy security, and they are not without cost.

The article discusses Clinton Anderson's motion during the opening day for the 85th Congress to adopt new rules targeting Rule 22 that requires 2/3 of the U.S. Senate agree to end debate before legislation could be voted on. Anderson argued that if the Senate began anew, it will take only a majority to end debate and craft new rules. The civil-rights struggles over Senate rules were settled via negotiation with the number of votes to invoke closure reduced to 60.

The article highlights the changes in the U.S. Senate following the November 6, 2012 election, and emphasizes the need for the legislature to unite to help improve the country's economy. It details the victory of the Senate Democrats in scoring a two-seat gain, holding a 53-45 advantage over the Republicans. The expansion of Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act is cited as a key issue facing the U.S. Senate.

The article covers political and electoral issues in the U.S. as of October 2012. Schumer is said to have suggested to fund deficit reduction through the savings from eliminating tax deductions. The Trust for Public Land has agreed to purchase unwanted federal oil and gas leases in western Wyoming. U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama stated that she tried to look like she was listening during a debate between U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The article discusses about the Twitter efforts of the U.S. Senate, where 86 senators have official Twitter accounts. According to the Smart Politics report of the University of Minnesota, McCain has over 1.7 million followers and has made 4,000 posts on his account. Other U.S. Senators who have posted messages on Twitter often are John Cornyn of Texas and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, where both of them made 7,425 and 4,785 tweets, respectively.

The article explores the declining center in U.S. politics due to redistricting. Among the centrists affected by redistricting was Democratic Representative Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania. It is noted that the upcoming 113th Congress is likely to be a more polarized institution despite the fact that U.S. voters have not yet assigned partisan control of the House of Representatives.

The article presents updates on general issues in the U.S. as of September 22, 2012. 2012 U.S. Republican nominee Mitt Romney turned down an invitation to appear in the television show "Saturday Night Live." A corps of distinguished elders, including Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, is pressing Congress to reach a bargain that will raise revenue and reform the tax code. Trust for America's Health reports that over 44 percent of Americans could be fat if obesity trends continue.

This section offers U.S. politics news briefs as of September 2012. Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller could run the risk of losing a second race to the same family if Shelley Moore-Capito decides to challenge him in 2014. The redistricting process is being cited by analysts as the cause of polarization in the U.S. Congress. Paul Ryan has returned to the Capitol for the first time after he became the running mate of Mitt Romney in the 2012 elections.

The article discusses U.S. political issues as of July 28, 2012. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney went on a foreign trip on July 24 without selecting a running mate from a group that includes Senator Rob Portman and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. The Internal Revenue Service will review the rules governing political nonprofit organizations under 501(c)(4) of the tax code. Former Representative Tom Perriello marvels at the social-media savvy teenagers lobbying for the Dream Act.

The article discusses the difficulty of overhauling the U.S. tax code. It recalls that the Tax Reform Act of 1986 took four years to enact into law, lowering the top individual tax rate from 50% to 28%. The 2012 plan reportedly involves restructuring federal entitlements and start paring down the national debt in 2013. It cites the Tax Policy Center's finding that popular tax deductions such as home-mortgage interest, would have to be reduced 72% to reduce the top rate from 35% to 28%.

The article comments on political issues in the U.S. as of July 21, 2012. It compares Bain Capital, co-founded by U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney, to Bane, the villain in the movie "The Dark Knight Rises." It cites the responses to the move of the U.S. government to grant waivers to states for some requirements in the health care law. It notes the possible events or efforts to be made by the government in relation to the birthday of president Barack Obama.

The article discusses the issues regarding the Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections (Disclose) Act in the U.S. It cites the position of U.S. senate minority leader Mitch McConnell that billionaires need the same protection given to freedom fighters. It mentions the view of the Campaign Legal Center that donors who face harassment can go the courts and have the disclosure requirement waived. The efforts of the Republican Party to support secrecy are mentioned.

The article reports on the defense contractors and other businesses preparing for losses and layoffs due to confluence of budget cuts and tax hikes due to happen at the end of 2012. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said the impact may be felt in September 2012. Rubio says there is a belief in the U.S. Senate that the country needs a balanced package of spending cuts and increased revenue. The Republicans have passed their own choice of Keynesian stimulus, which is tax cuts for businesses.

This section offers news briefs. Implementation of tax increases and spending cuts will take effect over time so the possibility of another recession being triggered is unlikely. Democrats in the U.S. Senate frequently use exaggerations when decrying what they perceive as Republican obstruction. Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe criticizes Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson's policies but claims to like her for being more responsive in telling the truth than her predecessor.

The article presents the political developments in the U.S. Some people are still debating on the reason why five burglars linked to President Richard Nixon has broke in at the offices of the Democratic National Committee in 1972. It examines whether U.S. President Barack Obama will attend or even play a role in the wedding of Laura Jarrett and Tony Balkissoon. Jarrett is the daughter of top Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett.

The article discusses several legislative bills that should be passed by the U.S. Congress in 2012. It says that Prescription Drug User-Fee Act (PDUFA) provides funding to the efforts of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to keep drugs and medical devices safe. It mentions that the defense authorization should be passed into law to support the country's defense in election years. It adds that Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) will likely be approved by the Congress this year.

This section offers news briefs concerning U.S. politics. Texas Republicans Ted Cruz and David Dewhurst will compete in a runoff election on July 31, 2012. The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to provide a response to the ruling issued by the Montana Supreme Court regarding the Corrupt Practices Act of the state. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board planned to establish an archive to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

The article discusses efforts of U.S. Senator Tom Coburn to resolve budget problems of the U.S. government. It mentions his continued lobbying for increasing federal revenues which he believes would be essential to save the country from possible economic collapse due to debt. The way his book "The Debt Bomb" explores potential economic consequences that would result from lack of budget reform is described. Remarks from Coburn regarding common problems of political parties are also presented.

This section offers news briefs related to politics in the U.S. as of May 2012. The campaign of President Barack Obama is hoping to maximize the mileage from his endorsement of same-sex marriage with the launch of the "Obama Pride: LGBT Americans for Obama" national outreach effort. The National Association of Broadcasters has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission to prevent requiring television stations to post the details of political advertising buys online.

The article criticizes the lack of transparency in campaign finance for the 2012 elections in the U.S. It highlights the failure of the Supreme Court to close the legal loophole that allows political parties not to disclose the donors of their political advertisements. The article also explains that the regulations of the Federal Election Commission (FEC) enable partisan interests to use front groups in order to mask the identity of their sources of funds.

The article discusses the political and economic developments in the U.S. It presents the strategic research report by Goldman Sachs analysts in April 2012, in which they claim that the U.S. economy is in a dangerous situation due to such issues as government spending cuts and expiring tax breaks. It examines how House of Representatives speaker John Boehner handle said issues and save the American economy.

The article discusses the position of 2008 U.S. Republican presidential nominee John McCain to discover inappropriate pork barrel spending in the administration of U.S. president Barack Obama. It cites the history of McCain in discovering wasteful spending in appropriations bills. It notes the criticism of McCain against the Supreme Court regarding the 2010 Court's Citizens United ruling. It mentions the preference of other Republican leaders to push for transparency as a solution.

The article analyzes the candidacy of Vietnam War veteran and former U.S. surgeon general Doctor Richard Carmona as a Democratic Senator for Arizona. It observes that Carmona's candidacy will test the political pursuance of demographic changes that are transforming Arizona, the U.S. West and the country. The article also describes the rising influence of the Hispanic vote in the U.S.

The article contends that the organized union victory in Ohio is a proof that Big Labor is finding its hold on the post-Citizens United political terrain. Profiting from Citizens United, unions can tap their treasuries to organize, donate to super PACs, and expand their get-out-the-vote operations. Democrats hope the support of unionized industrial workers in Midwestern states, service employees in Sun Belt states, and public employees could limit losses among white, working-class voters.

The article focuses on the campaign of the U.S. government regarding the use of renewable energy to satisfy its future demand. The author discusses the optimism shown by U.S. President Barack Obama on the creation of jobs by the investment made on new energy technologies. Particular focus is also given to the characteristics which make Mitt Romney a big leaguer in the 2012 presidential election.

In this article, the author focuses on the threats faced by veteran U.S. Republican lawmakers brought by tea party attacks. Tea party challengers gained support to alarm organized incumbents although they have no plans to defeat them. In the U.S. Senate, tea party challengers plan to target Orrin Hatch and Richard Lugar as the two most senior Republican lawmakers.

The article reports on the victories of Republican presidential nominee Rick Santorum in ten primary elections that is considered significant despite his reputation for being an underdog in the campaigns. It discusses the comparison of Santorum to the performance of former President Ronald Reagan in the 1976 primaries by political strategist Ralph Reed. It focuses on the potential of the former senator in the presidential elections.

The article reports on the contributions of billionaires in political campaign committees (PACs) that is expected to increase in the U.S. presidential elections. It examines the interest of donors in getting congressional favors. It compares the sizes of the collections of PACs with the removal of restrictions on corporate giving. It focuses on the statement of American Crossroads president Steven Law on the goal of donors to win the support of the White House, Senate and Congress.

The article discusses the possibility of war with Iran. The author alleges that though conditions are rife for another debate in the U.S. Congress on launching a war with Iran, lawmakers are not about to discuss it and are pinning their hope on the effectivity of sanctions to cripple the economy for Iran to give up its nuclear plans. It also presents the significance of the Iran issue in the 2012 presidential elections.

The article discusses several developments and events in the U.S. in February 2012. These include the stand-off between the House and the Senate over the country's finances and the release of conservative activist Jeffrey Bell's new book "The Case for Polarized Politics," which argues that the inflexibility of America's social conservatives is saving the nation from a descent into socialist misery.

The article looks at the efforts U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations chairman Carl Levin in probing fiscal issues in the U.S. Levin is known for probing on the efforts of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service in cracking down on shell corporations used by people to avoid paying taxes. Levin has also attacked traders and investors at Enron and Goldman Sachs for devising methods to avoid paying corporate taxes and stealing proceeds in U.S. banks.

The article discusses the political developments in the U.S. It cites the criticism made by Stephen Colbert on the presidential campaign finance regulations. It claims that the move posed a question for progressive activists on whether it is time to overhaul the country's political system. The opinion of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor on the developments is also cited.

The article discusses the low job-disapproval ratings of the U.S. Congress. Republican candidates are expected to be hurt by the lowering popularity of the Congress which is a problem for Mitt Romney or whoever claims the Republican nomination. Republicans are advised to maintain unity and to beat U.S. President Barack Obama on economic issues. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi has criticized House Republican Leader John Boehner for failing to discipline the Republicans.

The article recounts the role played by Democrat Tip O'Neill in the departure of former U.S. President Gerald Ford from the Oval Office. It is noted that O'Neill publicly criticized Ford as a lousy president. The aides of Ford reprimanded O'Neill for duplicity. It is suggested that the current conditions in the U.S. Congress are similar to the conditions during the era of Ford and O'Neill.

The article offers a look at the political style of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum. He is widely supported by social conservatives due to his positions on abortion and gay rights. He played a major role in the Senate Republican Party leadership during the presidency of George W. Bush. According to Pennsylvania lawyer Charles Artz, Santorum is driven by family, faith, and freedom.

A blog commenting on Judge Henry Hudson's ruling that the U.S. government cannot require individual Americans to purchase health insurance and its implications for the healthcare reform law supported by the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is presented.

The author believes that if ever the liberals should decide to endorse a candidate to run against U.S. President Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election, the move may favor the President for it may convince independent and moderate voters of his centrist leanings.