But some wonder whether they can survive the politically painful votes they will cast this week to raise taxes.

The options for closing the gap have always been financially straightforward but politically painful.

But this morning, it was the Republicans who pursued legal remedies first, in an abrupt reversal of positions that they must have found politically painful.

In future years, the upshot of these trends is likely to be a politically painful choice between higher taxes and lower government benefits.

To guarantee long-term solvency, this plan would require politically painful benefit cuts.

These politically painful measures are known as - what else?

The Grace Commission noted that base closing is "politically painful."

Russia has refused to undertake many politically painful economic reforms, but still insists on a resumption of aid.

These efforts reflect the mounting pressure on Congress to swallow politically painful cuts in military spending.

The announcement today represented the cheapest and least politically painful part of the overall aid package.