Internal Democratic Fights Come to a Head This Week. At Hill meetings and a Philadelphia retreat, the House minority will debate term limits and an economic message.

The National Journal reports:

In the first weeks of a new Congress, House Democrats are like an army in retreat: They're outnumbered, isolated, and divided over how—or if—to make a stand.

Even the weather is being uncooperative: Later this week, as a blizzard envelops the Northeast, they'll head to Philadelphia for rallying cries and tough discussions about the future of their party. And before that retreat, members will have to address a growing debate over whether the party's reluctance to impose term limits on its committee leaders is stifling opportunities for the up-and-comers who will define the party's future.

Public details about the retreat are so far sparse, though President Obama is slated to address the caucus Thursday, followed by Vice President Joe Biden the day after. While the gathering will no doubt feature its share of rah-rah moments, senior staffers for both moderate and progressive coalitions within the caucus agreed that its substance will center on the search for a consensus economic message.

"There seems to be a debate happening about what kind of economic populism House Democrats are going to be pushing this Congress," said one aide to a prominent liberal member. The staffer requested anonymity to discuss internal debates, comparing members who want to grow the gross domestic product and ease regulations with those who seek to raise the minimum wage and put curbs on Wall Street. "Those conversations will happen at the retreat," he added. "Coming out of the retreat, people want there to be a tight definition of the things we see as economic populism."

The struggles of the big government coalition.