Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank announced Monday that he will not seek re-election next year, after representing his district in Congress for more than 30 years. The announcement brings to an end the career of one of Congress's most quotable and cantankerous members. Frank leaves behind a legacy of notable achievement in economic policy, and will be remembered by history as the first member of Congress to come out as gay.

The "super committee" has failed. Obama is pushing his Jobs Act. Congress is coming back from a week-long Thanksgiving holiday still looking for ways to stimulate the economy and score political points for 2012. And up this week in the Senate — your taxes. Democrats are looking for a way to extend the payroll tax cut while Republicans are opposing this proposal.

After months of budget negotiations, tensions between Congressional "super committee" members have reached what seems to be a breaking point. With only three days left before their deadline to cut 1.2 trillion dollars from the federal debt, 12 super committee members made the rounds to the Sunday political news outlets and publicly aired their grievances. Republican Jeb Hensarling told "Fox News Sunday," the following: "Unfortunately, what we haven't seen in these talks from the other side is any Democrats willing to put a proposal on the table that actually solves the problems." 

The Joint Deficit Reduction "Super Committee," put in charge with finding $4 trillion to cut from the deficit, held their fifth public meeting on Tuesday. But the fate of the Super Committee remains unclear as it is unlikely they will come to consensus any time soon. Todd Zwillich, The Takeaway's Washington correspondent, says the hearing was both a pep talk to the committee but also partly a threat. There is a lot riding on them to succeed and a lot of heads could roll if they fail.

A New York Times/CBS News poll released Tuesday reveals a deep sense of frustration with government as both political parties have failed to give voters a sense that they can fix the economy. Seven in 10 Americans think the policies of Republicans favor the rich, while two-thirds support raising taxes on millionaires. A report from the Congressional Budget Office also out on Tuesday says that incomes for the top 1 percent of earners have grown by 275 percent in the last 30 years, versus just 40 percent for people in the middle income scale. The poll's findings are bad news for both Republicans and Democrats alike as they prepare for a pivotal election in 2012. New York Times national political correspondent Jeff Zeleny helps parse the numbers and explains what this means for the country.

Republicans will hold their next debate in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday. Maggie Haberman, senior political writer for Politico thinks this is a make or break moment for Rick Perry. "If Perry has a bad performance," Haberman said, "it'll be virtually impossible for him to come back." Herman Cain's performance will also be closely watched as he is running very high right in the polls now. If Perry falters, could Cain be a valid challenger to Romney? In response to the GOP's debate, Democrats began their Project New West summit on Sunday, also in Vegas.

On Wednesday, Senate Democratic leaders proposed a five percent surtax on Americans with incomes of $1 million or more per year. Senate majority leader Harry Reid said the surtax would raise nearly half of $1 trillion over the next decade, which is the amount necessary to cover President Obama's jobs bill. A recent CBS news poll showed that 64 percent of Americans think that those who earn more than $1 million per year should pay more in taxes, which means the public may be on board for the new tax. Now, Democrats will need to gain Republican support for the measure.

President Obama's jobs speech is already shrouded in partisan controversy, after the president attempted to schedule his talk for 8 p.m. on Wednesday, September 7 — the same date as the second debate for GOP presidential candidates. House Speaker John Boehner asked Obama to reschedule, and Obama complied, changing the date for the speech to September 8. Could this be a preview of future party wars over the jobs agenda?

After a day of Congressional leaders of both parties courting skeptics in their rank-and-file, the House of Representatives passed a deal to raise the debt ceiling and slash federal spending by a vote of 269-161. The legislation is scheduled to be voted on by the Senate today at noon. Among the 161 "no" votes were both Democrats and many Tea Party Republicans, united in opposition for ideologically different reasons. One of those Democrats who voted against the bill was Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, who is a member of the president's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform.

Today, as the Tea Party Patriots rally outside the Capitol Building, lawmakers might actually be close to a compromise on the federal budget. Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee met with their House counterparts last night to see if they could strike a deal to avoid a government shutdown. But the compromise in question would include $33 billion in cuts — $28 billion less than the budget Republicans passed in the House. How will the Tea Party react to a deal with Democrats? What are the implications for Speaker of the House John Boehner?

It's been a big week as Washington gets back to work. There are questions about whether the Republican-dominated House can actually repeal the health care plan. Meanwhile, Democrats are finally "finding their voice" on health care, says Takeaway Washington correspondent, Todd Zwillich, as they prepare to counter GOP claims about the bill.

Lawmakers get back to work as the 112th Congress begins today. Republicans take the majority in the House of Representatives and Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), gets sworn in as its new Speaker of the House. At the same time, there is a move in the Senate to change the filibuster rule. The first day of Congress is the only day that lawmakers can change the rules with only 51 votes and some Democrats hope to use this to their advantage. The Takeaway's Washington correspondent, Todd Zwillich, looks at the new Congress and the top five things to watch out for in 2011.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on President Obama's tax cuts bill today, most people are confident it will pass. The real battle will then come as the bill heads to the House, where many Democrats have staked out a clear position against the deal.  Some House Democrats support the bill, however, including Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who represents the 28th District of Texas. He shares with us his reasons for supporting the bill, and what he thinks is the likelihood of it passing.

President Obama is reaching out to Republican lawmakers this week in an attempt to foster bipartisanship. However, a growing number of state Democrats are turning their backs on the party and joining Republicans. So far 13 politicians in five states have switched parties. Is the move a reaction to anti-Washington sentiment, an expression of personal political ideology or a reflection of a changing constituency?

After Tuesday's elections, Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, and Democrats managed to hold on to the Senate.  We asked you: Can Democrats and Republicans get along? Also: Where can President Obama and Republicans find common ground? You've been weighing in with a variety of responses.

Republicans made major gains in the House of Representatives in yesterday's mid-term elections. What's next? Investigations of the Obama administration, a de-funding of the president's agenda, or a total legislative stalemate? Rep. Steve King knows. The Republican from Iowa's fifth Congressional district handily won reelection last night over his Democratic challenger.

Two years after landslide victories for Barack Obama, Democrats were soundly defeated in many races across the country last night. Will today begin a process of soul searching for the Democrats so they're not defeated again in 2012? Jim Kessler, vice president of policy and co-founder of Third Way, a moderate-progressive think tank, and former legislative and policy director for Senator Chuck Schumer, says Democrats need to move from the party of fiscal security to the party of fiscal growth.

These mid-term elections are seeing massive amounts of money being raised and spent both left and right, from party committees to outside independent groups — much, much more money than the last mid-term elections in 2006. Over $260 million has been spent by outside groups, who have been able to remain largely anonymous since the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. FEC, earlier this year. 

But what are contributors expecting in return for their millions of dollars? 

If Democrats are able to hold a majority in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi will have to decide if she will run for House Speaker again. However, many Democrats are already saying that they would not support her if she does run.

The Takeaway's Washington correspondent, Todd Zwillich, has the details of this developing story.

In 1994 during the Republican Revolution, which former House Speaker Newt Gingrich led, the rhetorical artillery of the right was wrapped up in his “Contract with America.” Could a similar rhetoric work this time around?