New child nutrition law strikes a healthy balance
Given the sky-high rates of childhood obesity, it's hard to believe that some are pondering overturning the common-sense provisions passed by the previous Congress and being implemented by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to improve children’s access to healthy school meals.
A recent House Education and Workforce subcommittee hearing examined the “regulatory overreach†of the new child nutrition law. But the new law does not extend federal reach, nor is it an unfunded mandate for states and localities.
A petty manipulation of the Senate rules and customs
Sen. David Vitter’s brazen, and now successful, bid to block a scheduled pay increase for Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is a petty gesture that Vitter’s fellow senators should apologize for having permitted.
By manipulating the Senate’s rules and customs, Vitter singlehandedly denied Sec. Salazar compensation provided to other cabinet officers, from both political parties, for decades. His shameless offer to accede to the raise in exchange for the secretary’s approval of new oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico borders on extortion.
Sarah Palin exploits the vets; Fox should file for campaign donations to Palin's PAC
Sarah "the quitter" Palin just set a new standard of shame for exploiting American heroes by trying to turn the Rolling Thunder veterans rally into another celebration of herself. And most media, by using the Rolling Thunder veterans as nothing more than a prop to bring the same old pundits to talk about the alleged Palin for President campaign, were just as shameful.
All cable media blew it, but Fox News in particular should now file with the Federal Election Commission. The FEC should treat monies Fox pays to Palin and airtime Fox gives her as real or in-kind campaign donations by Fox to the Palin PAC.
Enviro elitists keep America unemployed
This Friday will mark the release of the May unemployment report. A report that will reflect the last effects of the Obama trillion-dollar stimulus and of the Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing (QE2).
The report is likely to show that job creation is mediocre at best, with unemployment insurance claims continuing well above the 400,000 weekly level, housing in a double-dip recession and the gross domestic product contracting to a paltry 1.8 percent growth rate for the second quarter of 2011.
The situation is so dire on the economic growth front that The New York Times has awoken from its slumber to opine, in a May 30 piece titled “The Numbers Are Grim,†that:
First lady to campaign in Calif.
First lady Michelle will travel to California later this month to headline three events for the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
The first lady, who is one of the most popular public figures in the country, is scheduled to speak at a DNC luncheon in Pasadena on June 13, then headline a dinner in Los Angeles.
The next day, Obama will head up to the Bay Area to attend a breakfast in Oakland and a luncheon in San Francisco.
Democrats are looking to ramp up their fundraising and organizing activity ahead of the 2012 campaign, when President Obama faces reelection. California is home to many wealthy Democratic donors and supporters.Â
Obama will also speak at an event for military families sponsored by television and film workers on June 13.
Ron Paul could be GOP kingmaker
The mainstream media continue to underestimate Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), who is making a strong bid for third place and a potential kingmaker role at the Republican convention. This has been my take all along. As the wannabes fade away, drop out, don't run or evaporate, Dr. Paul is the tortoise sneaking up on the hare.
The Trump fraud is over. The Gingrich fiasco is fading fast. Pundits who say Gingrich has a good chance should have their pundit license taken away. Palin will ultimately not run; she is another media creation. She almost certainly has a private deal with Roger Ailes at Fox that she will not run. Chris Christie is not close to ready, and he knows it. But Paul and his followers keep moving on, straight ahead.
Impact of Bin Ladenâs death on homeland security
When Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy Seals, our nation achieved a critical victory in our fight against al-Qaeda and other terrorists who seek to harm our country. It took nearly ten years to capture America’s most wanted terrorist, and the brave and relentless actions of our military and intelligence professionals were nothing short of heroic.Â
Unfortunately, the death of Osama bin Laden does not mean the end of al Qaeda or terrorist threats to the United States. Bin Laden’s death may have brought a form of closure Americans needed after that horrendous Tuesday morning in 2001, but it did not eliminate the terrorist threat at home and abroad. In fact, intelligence officials warn that the killing of the al Qaeda leader may lead to a surge in terrorist threats to U.S. interests.Â
DoD files capital charges against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
The Department of Defense on Tuesday filed capital charges against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other alleged 9/11 co-conspirators, as the Obama administration moved forward with plans to try the men before a military commission.
Military prosecutors filed eight charges against each of the men that included attacking civilians, hijacking aircraft, and terrorism. The five are all being held at the Guantanamo Bay prison.
“The charges allege that the five accused were responsible for the planning and execution of the attacks on New York, Washington D.C. and Shanksville, Pa. that occurred on September 11, 2001,†stated a release by the DOD. “Those attacks resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.â€
President George W. Bush’s administration filed similar charges against the men, but Obama dropped those charges while his administration reviewed the military commission process.
Obama promised to close the Guantanamo Ba! y detention facility by 2009, and hoped to hold trials in federal court for many of the detainees. But the president ran into stiff opposition from both parties in Congress, which passed legislation prohibiting the use of federal money for the transfer of any Guantanamo detainee to the United States for the purpose of a civilian trial.
Nearly three months ago, in a signal of defeat, Attorney General Eric Holder announced the administrations plans to stop its pursuit of civilian courts as a trial venue and said that military commissions would resume.
The Obama administration held that it wanted to close the facility because of alleged torture and physical abuses that were committed against suspected terrorists. Terrorist groups use the prison as a recruitment tool, the White House argues.
Administration efforts to hold civilian trials were also hurt by Ahmed Ghailani’s acquittal on more than 224 counts of murder and other charges last year.! Ghailani was sentenced to life in prison for his role in bomb! ing two U.S. embassies in Africa, but the acquittal on the other charges led to doubts on the ability of civilian courts to handle detainee trials.
The trial date for the alleged 9/11 co-conspirators has not been scheduled yet, but is expected to begin in several months, close to the 10-year anniversary of the attacks.
Carney: Obama 'not paying much attention' to Palin bus tour
White House spokesman Jay Carney on Tuesday brushed aside questions about former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) nationwide bus tour.
Asked about the tour, which began in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, Carney said that the president has been busy with other matters.
{mosads}"I don’t think he's paying much attention to that," he told reporters during his daily briefing.
Palin is considering a run for the GOP presidential nomination, and many believe she could contend for the chance to face Obama in 2012.
The ex-governor took pointed jabs at Obama in 2008 as the GOP's vice presidential nominee and continued to campaign for Republicans in 2010 with an anti-Obama message.
But Palin has not said whether she will enter the field; likewise, the White House appears reluctant to comment on her.Â
While many believe Palin's tour is designed to boost interest in her potential candidacy, she says it is not related to a possible campaign and has declined to take significant shots at the president during the tour.
Poll: Gingrich's numbers tumble in recent weeks
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's (R-Ga.) support among Republicans has tumbled somewhat following a brush with the congressional GOP over its budget, a new poll said Tuesday.
Thirty-two percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents who recognized the former Speaker said they have an unfavorable opinion of him, the highest unfavorable rating among the GOP figures running or considering a run for the party's presidential nomination in 2012.
Sixty-one percent said they have a favorable opinion of Gingrich, according to a Gallup ! poll released Tuesday. That means he still enjoys a wide net-favorable rating among Republicans, but that's well down from the 75 percent of Republicans who said they viewed Gingrich favorably as recently as early April. His favorable numbers are the second-lowest of other GOP presidential contenders.
The diminished numbers follow a rough stretch for Gingrich following his criticism of Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget and its proposed reforms to Medicare, from which the former Speaker was forced to backtrack after facing tough criticism from conservatives. He also had to clarify his stance on the use of an individual mandate to implement healthcare reforms.
The poll, conducted May 16-29, has a 3 percent margin of error.
Liberal-backed candidate in Wisconsin Supreme Court race concedes
The liberal-backed candidate in a Wisconsin state Supreme Court race said Tuesday she was conceding the election.
Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg said she would not challenge a recount in the state Supreme Court election against the Justice David Prosser, who was backed by conservatives.
The race received national attention as many considered it a referendum on a controversial law backed by Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, which rolls back collective bargaining rights for state employees.
The state Supreme Court is likely to hear challenges to the law and Kloppenburg would have probably supported overturning it.
Last week a judge ruled in favor of striking down the law, meaning the lawsuit is on its way to the state's top court. Backers of the law have said they are confident the state Supreme Court will uphold it.
According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Kloppenburg requested the recount after losing the April 5 election by 7,316 votes.
The Wisconsin Government Accountability Board certified early last week that Prosser won the race by 7,004 votes, according to the Associated Press.
Startup app from SBA
There’s a lot going on in Washington, people trying new ways to provide real help to citizens in a cost-effective manner. Often that involves social media or other such tech.
Here’s something new from the Small Business administration … and remember, small businesses are the big job creators in the U.S.:
SBA’s Mobile App helps entrepreneurs find local resources so they can start or grow their business through professional mentors, workshops and introductions to funding or contract opportunities. SBA’s resource partner network includes 10,000+ business mentors, 3,000+ locations, and hundreds of procurement centers and commercial lenders throughout the US. Aspiring entrepreneurs can use the built-in startup cost calculator to get their plans in action before meeting with a mentor or attending a business planning workshop. SBA videos and official notices are also available via the app so entrepreneurs have info on-the-go.
Palin opposes ethanol subsidies
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) said Tuesday that she opposes ethanol subsidies, a position that could make waves in Iowa should she decide to run for president.Â
Palin said that all energy subsidies, including ethanol, should be eliminated. That's different from her position in 2008, when she talked up alternative energy subsidies as the GOP's vice presidential nominee.
{mosads}"I think that all of our energy subsidies need to be re-looked at today and eliminated," she told reporters in Pennsylvania during a stop on her nationwide bus tour, according to CNN.Â
Palin has provided few hints as to whether she will announce a run for president during her bus tour.
If she does run, her position could put her at odds with voters in Iowa, the first-in-the-nation caucus state and a state that has a large ethanol industry.Â
It would also drive a wedge between her and former Massachusetts Gov! . Mitt Romney (R), the presumptive frontrunner who said last week he supports subsidies. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), another contender, was the first major candidate to say he opposes ethanol subsidies.Â
The politics of ethanol in the GOP field, however, could be different in 2012. Conservative Tea Party activists and other fiscal conservatives have come out against subsidies, saying they contribute too much to the deficit. Palin, a Tea Party favorite, echoed those tones.
"And we need to make sure that we're investing and allowing our businesses to invest in reliable energy products right now that aren't going to necessitate subsidies, because â€" bottom line â€" we can't afford it," she said.
Sen. Schumer: I'm 'virtually certain' Rep. Weiner had nothing to do with lewd tweet
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) defended Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) Monday, saying he's sure the congressman had nothing to do with a controversial tweet that appeared on Weiner's Twitter account.
"I don't know the details. But I know him to be a person of integrity and I am virtually certain he had nothing to do with this," Schumer said, according to the New York Daily News.
Schumer was referring to a tweet that was sent from Weiner's account Saturday and featured a lewd photo of a man from the waist down, wearing nothing but underwear.
It was quickly deleted, and Weiner said the tweet was the result of someone hacking his account.
"This was a prank, and a silly one. I am focused on my work," he said in a statement to the Daily News.
The scandal was deemed "Weinergate" by the New York tabloids.
The seven-term lawmaker has retained counsel and plans to take legal action against the hacker, who so far has not been revealed to the public.
"We are loath to treat it as more, but we are relying on professional advice," Weiner's spokesman Dave Arnold told the paper.
(hat tip: Azi Paybarah)
State Dept. spokesman resigns after comments on WikiLeaks suspect
P.J. Crowley is stepping down because the administration is angry about his comments on Manning's treatment, according to a report.
Herat: the human consequences
It’s my first time in Herat, a 2,500-year-old city in Afghanistan’s “wild west.†Compared to other Afghan cities, it certainly feels wealthier and is better organized with its tree-lined avenues and stoplights, which are actually respected by drivers and motorcyclists. Despite some semblance of order, criminality and the drug trade abounds and insecurity looms just outside the city limits.Â
My colleague and I traveled to Guzara, about an hour outside Herat City, where forty displaced families arrived in February. They came from eastern Badghis, which has been the focus of military operations and airstrikes by coalition and Afghan forces against the Taliban over the past year. No humanitarian organizations have access to their area because of the insecurity. Â
Republican presidential calculus with Palin in the race
Her posse has loaded up a big RV, and she’s taking a bus tour around some of the most historic sites in the land. All of this launched, of course, during Sunday’s Rolling Thunder â€" a must-attend event for any biker or Harley rider to roll through downtown Washington to honor the fallen, POWs and MIAs during the Vietnam conflict.
Full of class, the riders welcomed Palin so long as she didn’t turn the event into a political circus and away from its true and needed purpose.
Obama seeks common ground on guns
In a Sunday op-ed, the president affirmed the right to bear arms but said some rules need to be tightened.
State Dept. spokesman stepping down after comments on alleged Wikileaks leaker
P.J. Crowley is stepping down because the administration is angry about his comments on Manning's treatment, according to a report.
Dem: Obama 'failed to lead' on budget
"This debate will be decided when the president leads these tough negotiations," said Sen. Joe Manchin of the spending battle.
Democrats need to meet GOP halfway on $61 billion cut, Rep. Shimkus says
Republican says Congress will keep funding the government for weeks at a time until Democrats move toward a $30 billion reduction.
White House to Muslims ahead of Rep. King hearings: Terror threat 'real'
Deputy national security adviser Denis McDonough told a Muslim group in Virginia the U.S. won't "stigmatize or demonize entire communities."
White House to Muslims ahead of King hearings: Terror threat 'real'
Deputy national security adviser Denis McDonough told a Muslim group in Virginia the U.S. won't "stigmatize or demonize entire communities."
Ohio senator: GOP tries to take down unions, and so did Hitler and Stalin
Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said "some of the worst governments we've ever had ... went after the trade unions."
Christie: 'I love collective bargaining'
That stance puts the New Jersey governor at odds with Wisconsin Gov. Walker and others looking to limit bargaining rights.
Gingrich: Voters must 'render their judgment' about past infidelity
"I've made no bones about the fact that there were times I did the wrong thing," the former Speaker said.
Obama: Cut spending 'without slowing our economic momentum'
President Obama touted the decline in the unemployment rate in calling on Congress to reach a budget agreement.
Barbour: 'RomneyCare' bad for states
"We don't want that. That's not good for us," Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said of the healthcare plan in Massachusetts.
Hatch: Health law a 'dumb-ass' program
Sen. Orrin Hatch also reportedly called it "an awful piece of crap," then said he'd repent for using such language.
Former Sen. Bennett: GOP should be 'careful' before nominating Tea Partier
Republicans must "be careful" before nominating a presidential candidate identified with the Tea Party movement, he said.
Gingrich rips Obama on DOMA but denies call for impreachment
Newt Gingrich raised the specter of impeachment in criticizing the president on DOMA, then denied he advocated such an action.
Sen. Ensign breaks with Reid on prostitution, calling it a local issue
It's a remark likely to raise eyebrows as Sen. Ensign tries to rebuild his reputation after admitting to an affair.
Go to Wisconsin to support labor, liberal leader urges Obama
Rep. Keith Ellison ramped up pressure on the president to "stand with the workers" against Gov. Walker's union reform proposal.
Go to Wisconsin to support labor, liberal leader tells Obama
Rep. Keith Ellison ramped up pressure on the president to "stand with the workers" against Gov. Walker's union reform proposal.
White House hoping to avoid shutdown, but has contingency plans
The administration said it's ready with contingency plans if there is a government shutdown, but it's optimistic there won't be.
White House, hopeful of no shutdown, has contingency plans
The administration said it's ready with contingency plans if there is a government shutdown, but it's optimistic there won't be.
Sen. Scott Brown says 'I'm not a Tea Party member,' welcomes GOP primary
"You're talking about being an ideologue? If you're looking for one, I'm not it," said Sen. Scott Brown.
Huckabee calls Obama tough to beat, but historical rationale falls short
The former Arkansas governor said Monday that President Obama’s detractors might be overestimating his weakness in 2012.
Scott Brown: Republicans don't want government shutdown in cuts standoff
Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) said Monday that both parties need to come together to tackle the nation’s deficit problems.
Administration treads carefully on Libya, Bahrain pro-democracy protest violence
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice was Sunday if strongman Moammar Gadhafi is killing protesters.
State leaders hope Wu gets help for alleged psychiatric needs
Boehner accuses Obama backers of 'colluding' with unions
House Speaker says the president's political organization is "meddling" in the protests against the Wisconsin governor's budget plan.
Advice to freshmen: Don't be a jerk
Two House lawmakers, including Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, offered some simple advice to the freshman class: Be nice and work hard.
Thune: GOP can't 'minimize' social issues in picking president
"I think there are issues that people feel deeply about, and they’re profound issues," said Sen. John Thune.
Panetta: If captured, bin Laden would be held at Guantánamo
The ranking Republican on the Senate Intelligence panel asked the CIA director what would happen to the heads of al Qaeda.
Cantor: Spending debate could cut into planned recess
The House majority leader said consideration of hundreds of amendments to the CR could extend the debate past Thursday afternoon.
Senate GOP whip: Budget fight will not shut down government
Sen. Jon Kyl is the second major GOP voice in two days to express confidence that a shutdown will be avoided.
'America's toughest sheriff' considering Arizona Senate run
Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio said he's open to the possibility of running for the seat of retiring Sen. Jon Kyl.
Boehner on birthers: 'It's not my job to tell the American people what to think'
"The president says he's a Christian. I accept him at his word," House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said.
Michelle Obama urges Latino community to pressure GOP to back immigration bill
Asked if the president pushed hard enough to pass an immigration bill, the first lady defended her husband.
White House to Iran: Allow opposition demonstrations there
"The Iranian government has declared illegal for Iranians what it claimed was noble for Egyptians," Tom Donilon said.
Rep. Chris Lee resigns N.Y. seat in wake of online scandal
His abrupt departure came after the website Gawker.com published a report claiming Lee, who is married, solicited a romantic encounter.
Rep. Chris Lee resigns his seat in wake of online scandal
His abrupt departure came after the website Gawker.com published a report claiming Lee, who is married, solicited a romantic encounter.
President: U.S. won't allow resurgence of Taliban in Afghanistan
In an interview to air Monday night, Obama also urges Hamid Karzai to make "big changes" to win more political support.
Daniels: I could have beaten Obama
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who has opted not to join the Republican presidential field, said he would have won the White House.
Cantor: Disaster relief must be offset
Rep. Eric Cantor said that disaster relief funds for tornado-ravaged Missouri would have to be offset in the federal budget.
Reports: Obama taps top adviser as Russia envoy
President Obama plans to tap his top adviser on Russia as the next ambassador to Moscow, according to news reports.
If confirmed, Michael McFaul, the top White House adviser on Russia, would head there after helping plan a well-publicized “reset†between the two countries.Â
GOP freshman: We don't want to repeat George W. Bush's economic record
Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) criticized the economic record of his party’s last president on Sunday, saying George W. Bush’s administration was not committed enough to limiting government.Â
“He grew government. And he increased the government’s spending,†the freshman congressman, a Tea Party favorite, said on “Fox News Sunday.â€
“And, so, you cannot have a cut in taxes and also have a gross enlargement of government. That’s one of the things we don’t want to see happen,†West added.
Obama to meet with House GOP, Dems this week
Every single House member has an invitation to the White House next week.Â
The White House’s press office announced Sunday that President Obama will meet with House Republicans on Wednesday, and then the chamber’s Democrats on Thursday. (An earlier announcement had put both those meetings a day earlier.)
The White House release did not say what the meetings would be about, but it would be hard to imagine the $14.3 trillion debt limit, which the administration says needs to be increased by Aug. 2, not coming up.
Cantor to Democrats: See, cutting spending's not that hard
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Sunday that the deficit discussions led by Vice President Joe Biden have been “all positive†so far.
The House majority leader, one of the bipartisan group of lawmakers meeting with Biden and administration officials about a deal to raise the debt ceiling, also reiterated that his party would not get behind any new tax revenue.
But he also said on CBS’ “Face the Nation†that everything â€" including entitlement programs â€" was on the table when it came to cuts, and that the participants in the sit-downs may have found more common ground than they expected.
New DNC chief: Republicans support Ryan budget at own peril
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) said Sunday that her party will have a successful 2012 election if Republicans continue to back their current budget proposal.
The new chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee told CBS’ “Face the Nation†that Republicans backed their 2012 budget plan â€" largely crafted by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and which significantly overhauls Medicare and Medicaid â€" at their own peril.Â
Her comments came just days after Democrats won a House seat in New York that has been traditionally Republican, an outcome both sides say was at least partly because of the GOP plan on Medicare.Â
“If Republican candidates cling â€" as my Republican colleagues in the House have â€" to the Ryan plan to end Medicare, to focusing on tax cuts for the wealthiest and insisting on that, and balancing all the pain that they’re imposing on middle-class and working families â€"then I think that Democratic candidates for Congress, an! d President Obama, and other Democrats up and down the ballot, are going to find some success,†Wasserman Schultz said.
Cantor to Democrats: Finding cutting spending not that hard
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Sunday that the deficit discussions led by Vice President Joe Biden have been “all positive†so far.
The House majority leader, one of the bipartisan group of lawmakers meeting with Biden and administration officials about a deal to raise the debt ceiling, also reiterated that his party would not get behind any new tax revenue.
But he also said on CBS’ “Face the Nation†that everything â€" including entitlement programs â€" was on the table when it came to cuts, and that the participants in the sit-downs may have found more common ground than they expected.
McCain: Americans "war-weary"
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has expressed concerns that Americans are “war-weary,†after the House narrowly voted down a measure last week that would have sped up the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
McCain also said on “Fox News Sunday†that he could understand Americans’ frustration, calling Afghan leaders “ungrateful†and saying that Pakistan had responded aggressively to the U.S.
“But we’ve also got to remember that it was Afghanistan where the 9-11 attacks began,†the Arizona senator added. “If the Talban and then Al Qaeda take over in Afghanistan, we could see a very, very serious threat to United States national security.â€
Rand Paul: $32B GOP budget cut 'not going to touch the problem'
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and other conservative Republicans are criticizing the spending cut announced by the House GOP on Thursday.Â
State Dept. condemns 'campaign to intimidate' U.S., other journalists
"There is a concerted campaign to intimidate international journalists in Cairo and interfere with their reporting," a department spokesman said.
Rep. Giffords's husband to speak at prayer breakfast
Mark Kelly, husband of injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), will deliver the closing prayer Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast.
Axelrod: Obama faces wide-open, 'unpredictable' GOP field in 2012
"This is the most unpredictable, unfathomable nominating process on the Republican side in my lifetime," David Axelrod said.
White House crisis team meets on Egyptian unrest
Those present at the two-hour White House meeting included Vice President Biden and Secretary of State Clinton.
Obama 'willing' to golf with Boehner
Outgoing White House senior adviser David Axelrod said that the chances are "good" that they'll hit the links.
Former Rep. Hoekstra weighing 2012 run against Sen. Debbie Stabenow
Former Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) said he'll make up his mind about the Senate race in the next few months.
White House official: Obama will tackle gun control
David Plouffe responded to criticism that the president did not mention gun control in his State of the Union address.
President urges passage of contentious immigration bill
The DREAM Act proposal focusing on illegal immigrant students passed the House in December but not the Senate.
Human rights panel chairman: Hosting Hu gave Beijing moral legitimacy
Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) said Obama "should have looked him in the eye... and said, you must free the dissidents."
Obama: Immelt to help guide economy on a 'new mission'
In naming GM's CEO head of new advisory council, Obama said the goal is to "put our economy in overdrive."
Obama: Council chief Immelt to help guide economy on a 'new mission'
In appointing GM CEO's to a new advisory council, Obama said the goal is to "put our economy in overdrive."
'Young Gun' Ryan to deliver GOP's State of the Union response
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan is "uniquely qualified" to address "fiscal challenges that face our country," Speaker Boehner said.
Pelosi to China: 'Play by the rules'
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi promoted the Democrats' "Make it in America" agenda Wednesday with a warning for China.
Obama jokes about 2012 challenge from Huntsman
President Obama made light of the suggestion that his ambassador to China might challenge him for the White House in 2012.
Issa's first hearing: TARP scrutiny
The Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold its first hearing of the 112th Congress on bailouts and the foreclosure crisis.
Husband of Rep. Giffords: She's a 'really, really tough woman'
In a television interview, Mark Kelly also says he might be willing to meet the parents of the shooting suspect.
Former Capitol Hill staffer found dead in aftermath of early morning car fire
Ashley Turton, a former senior aide to Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), was found dead in a burned car early Monday morning.
Surgeon: Giffords is making good progress
Surgeon said Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) could be taken off her breathing apparatus in the next few days.
Obama backs plan to allow more Polish visitors to U.S.
President Obama has gotten behind legislation that would make it easier for Polish citizens to visit the United States.
As it stands, unlike many of its European neighbors, Poland is not part of a visa waiver program that gives visitors the chance to stay in the U.S. for three months visa-free
At a joint press conference with Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland, Obama explained that, under current U.S. guidelines based on visa rejection rates, Poland didn’t qualify for the program.
But, the president added, he had endorsed a plan that would alter current policy.
Michigan redistricting plan targets suburban Detroit Dems
A draft redistricting plan in Michigan would place two incumbent Democratic congressmen in the same district, the Detroit News reports.
The Republican plan would, as many observers have expected, place longtime Rep. Sandy Levin and Rep. Gary Peters, now in his second term, in the same suburban Detroit district.
Michigan is set to lose one House seat in the next Congress, giving it 14 seats. Republicans hold all the power in the redistricting process, controlling the governorship and both houses of the state legislature. Â
Obama sharply criticizes Belarusian strongman
President Obama slammed the authoritarian leader of Belarus on Saturday, during the final portions of his European tour and a day after indicating the administration would pursue new sanctions against the country.
Speaking at a joint news conference with the Polish prime minister, Obama said Aleksandr Lukashenko, the Belarusian strongman, had showed “total disregard for democratic values, the rule of law and the human rights of his own people.â€
The president’s comments came not long after several candidates who opposed Lukashenko in a December presidential election were convicted and sentenced to prison for protesting the election’s results.Â
Lukashenko won 80 percent of the vote in a race that neutral observers have called rigged and tainted by fraud.
Clinton calls Giffords shooter an 'extremist'
Secretary of State said "we should work to try to prevent the extremists anywhere from being able to commit violence."
Dem planning bill that would outlaw threatening lawmakers
Rep. Robert Brady (D-Pa.) wants using language or symbols that could be perceived as inciting violence to be a federal crime.
Joint conference Wednesday to discuss security concerns
The chairman of the House Democratic Caucus said Sunday that lawmakers will meet for a special joint conference.
Report: DHS says shooting suspect 'possibly linked' to anti-Semitic group
Jared Lee Loughner, 22, is scheduled to appear in court via video on Sunday, facing counts of killing six.
House postpones healthcare vote after attack on Giffords
Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said “all legislation currently scheduled to be considered by the House next week is being postponed."
Poll: Tax hikes on rich first step to balance budget
Raising taxes on the wealthy beat out cuts to defense spending, Medicare and Social Security as respondents' No. 1 preference.
Blaming both parties, Chief Justice Roberts decries nominee stalls
Roberts said the partisan bickering has led to "acute difficulties" for the federal judiciary in "critically overworked districts."
Sneak peek: Final blooms put on 100th birthday Reagan Rose Parade float
At the front of the unprecedented presidential float is a replica of the Reagan statue that stands in the Capitol Rotunda.
Obama lauds Ukrainian steps to move his nuclear security program forward
The Energy Department announced Friday that enough uranium for two atomic bombs had been delivered from Ukraine to Russia.
Napolitano visits Afghanistan
The Homeland Security secretary planned to spend New Year’s Eve visiting troops, then travel on to Qatar.
Leading Pelosi ally envisions 'rancorous' period in politics
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) expects partisan bickering to heat up next year with a GOP-led House and bolstered Senate Republicans.
G-8 leaders pledge $20B to support Arab Spring reforms
They said political changes there could bring a "transformation" like in central and Eastern Europe after the Berlin Wall fell.
GAMBLING WITH YOUR RE-ELECTION: â¨How Obamaâs New War on Poker Can Bring Him Down
No, you’re not seeing things. Those are indeed a bunch of conservative white guys from the heartland running around Capitol Hill this week, begging their representatives for more taxation and regulation.
The truth about energy profits
America's largest oil and natural gas companies just reported quarterly earnings, and as expected, profits were up. But the caricature of fat-cat energy executives lining their pockets at the expense of the everyman doesn't hold up to scrutiny.
Will Sarah Palin denial now turn to panic?
“The horror! The horror!†Kurtz's last words.
The Wall Street Journal reports today that Sarah Palin might run for president in 2012. The Washington Post headline is “Palin signals she still has White House ambitions, stokes speculation with latest moves.†The New York Times reports today that “Signs Grow That Palin May Run.â€
Honor and remember our veterans
This Memorial Day weekend, Americans honor and remember those who have given their lives in service to protect our exceptional nation. As we pay tribute to the brave men and women who have died for our freedom, we also honor those defending our liberties around the world today. For more than two centuries, Americans have been called to defend the founding ideals of our democracy. On Memorial Day, a grateful nation remembers the proud patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of liberty’s blessings.
For Memorial Day: A Clean Energy Future For Our Military
Congress is debating the Defense Department authorization bill, the legislation that allocates the $700 billion needed to fund our military through 2012.
Wrapped deep in the legislation is an important issue we can all relate to - fuel costs. The DOD consumes 2 percent of the nation's fuel, and fuel costs are among the military's biggest expenses.
Regrettably, the issue of where and how the military gets its gas is lost amid more high-profile topics such as wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result, dirty energy industry groups have quietly launched a sneak attack to shoot down current initiatives designed to help wean the military off fossil fuels and move it toward cleaner domestic fuels.
On Medicare, a battle and a war
Every once in a while, former President Bill Clinton hits one out of the park. This week we have the Big Dog to thank once more, for telling Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) he hopes Democrats don't use their victory in a special election in NY-26 to do nothing on Medicare reform. Then he told Ryan to give him a call, which Ryan said he plans to do.
That race, to replace former Rep. Chris Lee (R), saw a Democratic victory in a GOP stronghold for more than four decades. The headline of the campaign was Ryan's ambitious, controversial reform plan for Medicare, which would transform the popular program so that Medicare recipients would instead receive vouchers to purchase coverage in the private market.
Palin continues to intrigue
As Sarah Palin launches a bus tour beginning in D.C. with the annual Memorial Day "Rolling Thunder" event where thousands of motorcyclists ride through the nation's capital in honor of military servicemen and -women, the political chattering class still can't get enough of her.
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Will she? Won't she? If she runs for president, who will it hurt in the GOP primary? Who benefits? And just how worried are Democrats at the specter of Gov. Palin jumping in?
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Palin doesn't have to go the traditional route â€" she has name ID and can get press attention just by sneezing. But without an organization in key states, can she get past square one? Other GOP candidates are building their organizations and campaign infrastructure, raising money, developing white papers. Palin is not, although her fundraising at the grassroots level can be strong.
Rep. Clyburn attributes NY-26 win to Medicare and oil subsidies
Democrats' victory in New York's 26th District was because of the party's recent calls to end oil subsidies and protect Medicare, Assistant Minority House Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) said.
Clyburn's comments, during an interview with Bloomberg News set to air Friday evening, come the same week that Democrat Kathy Hochul emerged the victor from a three-way special congressional election in New York which many said was a referendum on House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget proposal.
"Well, I don’t think Medicare was the only thing on the table. If you were just talking about Medicare, that would be one thing," Clyburn said. "But we were talking about reducing Medicare while continuing to give these big tax breaks to millionaires, to oil companies, subsidies that they don’t need, and people saw the correlation between that. And I do believe that those two things working together produced that victory."
Part of Ryan's ! proposal replaces the current Medicare system with a voucher-system for Americans under 55. Democrats have mostly attributed Hochul's win to Hochul's opposition to Ryan's proposal on Medicare. They have said they hope to win more seats elsewhere by recreating the Medicare debate in New York 26th.
Democrats have also said they plan on hammering Republicans on opposing closing tax loopholes for oil companies. So far though, the focus, has been on Ryan's plan and Medicare.
Pitching a penny for trade
Imagine that someone presented you with the following proposition: You can have $10, with more to come. You’re just asked to pitch in a penny to improve your neighborhood. You’d probably be quick to take that deal, right? Well, that’s basically the offer on the table right now for the American economy, yet some in Washington are waffling.
Each year international trade adds one trillion dollars to our economy â€" translating into $9,000 in annual benefits for the average household. Trade supports 1 out of 5 American jobs, and jobs sustained by exporting products pay 13-18 percent more than the national average. Overall, trade is a very good deal for America.
But, even as the vast benefits of trade are broadly enjoyed, we can’t pretend that they come for free. It’s been estimated that about 500,000 jobs are lost due to trade each year. These displaced workers, who represent about 3 percent of the large churn in our permanent labor market, essentially f! oot the bill for the greater good that trade does for our economy.
Poll: Giuliani could loom large in GOP field
Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R) could have a significant impact on the Republican primary field if he chooses to run, a poll released Friday showed.
A CNN/Opinion Research survey showed Giuliani, who ran a failed presidential campaign in 2008, statistically tied with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) in a hypothetical matchup. Giuliani received 16 percent support from Republicans, Romney got 15 percent and Palin received 13 percent.
{mosads}The poll can be seen as a testament to the unsettled nature of the Republican field of candidates looking to unseat President Obama in 2012.
Romney is seen as the presumptive front-runner, but many Republican activists appear unsatisfied with the current crop and are waiting f! or a dark-horse to jump into the race.Â
Overall, 61 percent of Republican voters say they are satisfied with he current crop of candidates while 39 percent say they are unsatisfied.
Giuliani has not yet said whether he intends to run. But his close political ally, Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.), said this week that he is "very close to running."
Should Giuliani not run, the CNN poll, like others, shows Romney topping the field at 19 percent, with Palin and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) coming in second and third at 15 percent and 13 percent respectively.
Out of the dark-horse candidates on the sidelines, 48 percent of Republicans say they would like to see Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) run, 45 percent want New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) to run, 40 percent would like Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) to run and 39 p! ercent want former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) to enter the field.
The results of the CNN poll, conducted between May 24 and 26, is based on a sample of 473 Republicans. The margin of error is 4.5 percentage points.
The politics of shared sacrifice
According to recent polls, most Americans believe that the dangers of further debt increases outweigh the dangers of defaulting on our current debt. The politicians have done an excellent job of selling the obvious. Bankers and economists, the holders of that debt, largely disagree with mainstream sentiment because it ultimately means they don't get paid back. But the political calculus among the general electorate is more complicated ...
Netanyahuâs address to Congress is a recipe for disaster, not peace
Taking advantage of his New York accent while addressing Congress on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an eloquent speech offering only more obstacles to a lasting and just peace in the Middle East. He not only failed to provide a vision for the peace process in a changing Middle East, but also introduced new terms and phrases that will likely hamper any peace efforts in the future.Â
Harry Reid set the Medicare trap, Senate Republicans jumped in smiling
It is no coincidence that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) led Senate Democrats to majority status, has kept them in the majority since 2006 and won a crushing victory over the hapless hope of the right, Sharron Angle.
It has been a banner few weeks for Democrats. President Obama triumphed where President George W. Bush failed and Osama bin Laden is now conversing with Hitler in hell. House Democrats fought like tigers to save Medicare, and the Speaker's gavel is again within sight for Nancy Pelosi after a crushing victory in the New York House race.
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell: A cable star with substance
Don't miss the Friday Washington Post profile of MSNBC's primetime host Lawrence O'Donnell, whom I would call the prime time star with substance. I told someone at MSNBC recently that I was going to write a piece similar the Post's. I'll give kudos to the Post (a rarity for me) for beating me to the punch.
What makes O'Donnell so good? Above all, when he lambastes the right, and Fox News, he does so from a position of substance based on his long high-level experience. He usually avoids the "why the left hates the right,†"why the right hates the left†and the latest gibberish from politicians and insiders that makes so much of "cable news" so similar to when one makes love to oneself with one's pitching hand.
Netanyahu's speech to Congress is a recipe for disaster, not peace
Taking advantage of his New York accent while addressing Congress on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an eloquent speech offering only more obstacles to a lasting and just peace in the Middle East. He not only failed to provide a vision for the peace process in a changing Middle East, but also introduced new terms and phrases that will likely hamper any peace efforts in the future.Â
Cantor says GOP to unveil growth agenda
House Republicans will unveil their growth agenda this week, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said on Monday.
The House GOP leader explained that it was the second “tract†in the Republican effort to revive the economy, pay down the debt and encourage more job creation.
Cantor said that the “growth agenda†set for a Thursday unveiling will focus on growing the economy and job creation, but did not provide details.
Ron Paul would cause a global economic crash
I will give Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) the respect of treating him as a serious candidate for the presidency. Paul is the chairman of an important monetary policy committee in the House and potential president. If his views expressed in The Hill and elsewhere calling for rejection of any debt-ceiling increase were the policy of any president or either house of Congress, he would cause a stock- and bond-market crash and possibly a global depression.
Senate must sustain obesity prevention and treatment
Whether or not a Senate vote on the budget proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan is seen as political posturing, lawmakers must take a stand on what the measure means for our long-term health care spending.
Because the proposal would repeal the Affordable Care Act â€" and specifically its vital obesity treatment and prevention programs â€" it would promote a continuation of the skyrocketing costs and decreased life expectancy that result from the current obesity epidemic.
A surmountable challenge
President Obama recently described the achievement gap between middle-income and low-income children as the "civil rights issue of our time."
"That’s not a white, black or brown problem," the president said. "That’s everybody's problem."
We couldn't agree more. Every 26 seconds, a student drops out of high school. The disparity in positive education outcomes is trapping more and more young children into intergenerational poverty.
Fortunately, we now we know where the education gap begins.
Gore blasts Murdoch
Former Vice President Al Gore has blasted Rupert Murdoch and News Corp. for removing Current TV from Sky Italia. Gore charges that this is an abuse of power triggered by Current TV hiring Keith Olbermann for his long-awaited new show that will begin next month.
Gore's charge rings true. I do not have the smoking gun, but it is outrageous that Murdoch or News Corp. would remove Current TV for any reason. The Italian government should look into this matter.
The unintended consequences of indemnification
For all the key goals that Congress hopes to achieve in financial reform, a little known or understood provision of the Dodd-Frank Act has the potential to derail efforts to increase market transparency and mitigate risk in the over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives marketplace.Â
The obstacle is a requirement that U.S.-based swap data repositories (SDRs) obtain indemnification agreements from foreign regulators prior to sharing critical market data with them â€" a subject highlighted during today’s subcommittee hearing of the House Agriculture Committee.
Aid to women farmers could help alleviate global food crisis
As budget battles continue on Capitol Hill, some officials are calling for reductions in foreign aid and development programs. Before broadly slashing such assistance, it’s important to individually evaluate its effectiveness.
Constructive aid can do two important things: improve living conditions of women around the world and help alleviate the global food crisis.
On the other hand, poorly run or misguided assistance can actually be counterproductive in ameliorating the nutrition outlook of the 1 billion people worldwide who are already undernourished.
Common sense needed in childhood nutrition guidelines
We can all agree that childhood obesity in America is a serious problem, and I commend the First Lady for addressing it directly in her “Let’s Move!†campaign to end childhood obesity within a generation. It is a worthwhile and attainable goal and one that I support.
However, lima beans, peas, corn and potatoes predate any kind of childhood obesity epidemic and needlessly attacking them gets us no closer to fixing the issue. What we need is a solution, not a scapegoat.
A straitjacket for American nuclear strategy
The New START treaty was a success story for American security, but highly politicized parts of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), recently passed in the House of Representatives, threaten to hamstring the American military’s ability to implement this vital agreement.Â
The New START treaty was vigorously debated in the Senate, and was ratified with broad bipartisan support. This was because the treaty is in our national security interest, is supported by every former secretary of state, seven former Stratcom commanders and many other respected voices from both sides of the aisle.
Cicilline's car reported missing in Providence
According to reports, Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) may be without a vehicle the next time he's in his district.
The congressman's Ford Taurus was reported missing from his driveway on Wednesday. His home is on Elmgrove Avenue, on the east side of Providence.
His spokeswoman, Jessica Kershaw, assured reporters that the congressman has not missed any payments on the car, which is leased.
According to the AP, police are investigating.
Cicilline was in Washington at the time of the alleged theft.
Leading themselves to slaughter
Last night, the Senate voted on the notorious Republican budget created by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), essentially cementing the Medicare issue into the foundation of the 2012 elections.
The entire episode, from the “Pledge to America†last fall to the House vote passing the budget earlier this year to the Senate rejection of it, has been a lesson in message discipline for both sides. For the Democrats, on the defensive for two years and following a disastrous midterm election that was a referendum on them, this budget has given them the upper hand and higher ground with seniors and other important constituencies. For the Republicans, who decimated Democrats for two years with their out-of-control spending message and misleading attacks on “ObamaCare,†the budget has destroyed their message discipline and given away their momentum and any discernible advantage.
Kucinich on 20 years of war
War changes people. After the Mexican War, contention between the urban, industrializing Northeast and the rustics of the heartland was no longer metaphysical. It began to take form as physical contention. After the assassination of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, war that had been brewing â€" in Churchill’s estimation â€" since the Boer wars began to bring blood to the streets, and it wouldn’t stop flowing until Yalta. It began in 1914, but America wasn’t fully ready to fight until Pearl Harbor, 1941. And as Ulysses S. Grant said about earlier conflict: If you didn’t serve you would be left out. We have been at war for 10 years now and those pundits, politicians and salon diplomats most reluctant to go at first lead the way here at the end against Gadhafi. Last to serve, they end up at the front of the parade when the war is over. 'Twas ever thus in war. My uncles and cousins and grand-uncles and great-grand-uncles, participants in peace and war from Cem! etery Ridge to Khe Sahn, had a name for them: “flag wavers.â€
Obama hails arrest of accused war criminal Mladic
President Obama on Thursday lauded Serbian authorities for the arrest of Ratko Mladic on charges that he ordered the murder of some 8,000 Bosnian Muslims in 1995.
Obama praised the Serbian government and forces who arrested Mladic and said he looks forward to the former Bosnian Serb general’s "expeditious transfer" to the United Nations’ war crimes tribunal at The Hague.
{mosads}"Fifteen years ago, Ratko Mladic ordered the systematic execution of some 8,000 unarmed men and boys in Srebrenica," Obama said in a statement. "Today, he is behind bars."
The president said Mladic's arrest marks "an important day for the families of Mladic’s many victims, for Serbia, for Bosnia, for the United States and for international justice."Â
"While we will never be able to bring back those who were murdered, Mladic will now have to answer to his victims, and the world, in a court of law," Obama said.
Obama noted U.S. forces an! d diplomats "led the international effort to end ethnic cleansing and bring a lasting peace."
"On this important day, we recommit ourselves to supporting ongoing reconciliation efforts in the Balkans and to working to prevent future atrocities," Obama said. "Those who have committed crimes against humanity and genocide will not escape judgment."
Senators introduce bill to extend FBI chief's term
A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation Thursday to extend the term of FBI Director Robert Mueller by two years.
Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) introduced the bill to approve a one-time extension of Mueller's tenure.
President Obama called on Congress to extend Mueller's term earlier this month.
"The ten-year term for an FBI director is good for the agency and our country. It was designed to insulate the FBI Director from the political process and ensure that no one Director amass too much power. It has worked for thirty-five years," Leahy said in a statement.Â
"Given the complex and uncertain time we live in, the good work of Director Mueller following September 11, and a heightened alert to terrorist attack following the death of Osama Bin Laden, this one-time statutory exemption that will extend the term of FBI Director Muellerâ€! ™s term by two years is the right decision," Leahy continued.
Earlier this month Grassley seemed more cautious about extending Mueller's term.
"I’m open to the President’s idea, but I will need to know more about his plan to ensure that this is not a more permanent extension that would undermine the purposes of the term limit,†Grassley had said in a statement.
DNC chairwoman doesn't drive American
The chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) appears to drive a foreign car, despite criticizing Republican presidential candidates for supposedly favoring foreign auto manufacturers.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the chairwoman of the DNC, ripped into Republican presidential contenders who opposed President Obama's 2009 bailouts for General Motors and Chrysler.
"If it were up to the candidates for president on the Republican side, we would be driving foreign cars; they would have let the auto industry in America go down the tubes," she said at a breakfast for reporters organized by The Christian Science Monitor.
But according to Florida motor vehicle records, the Wasserman Schultz household owns a 2010 Infiniti FX35, a Japanese car whose parent company is Nissan, another Japanese company. The car appears to be hers, since its license plate includes her initials.
The DNC and Republican presidenti! al hopefuls have locked horns this week over the 2009 bailouts, especially as President Obama has looked to build some political report by taking credit for Chrysler's rebound, to the extent that the automaker was able to pay back the remainder of its loans from the federal government.
"They can try to distract from the issue if they want," said DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan. "But if Republican opposition researchers are snooping around garages, they should know that if Republicans â€" who said that we should let the U.S. auto industry go bankrupt â€" had their way, they wouldn’t find a single American made car anywhere."
Major gay-rights group backs Obama for second term
The nation's largest gay-rights groups endorsed President Obama for reelection, praising him for historic accomplishments for the LGBT community.
The Human Rights Campaign posted a page on its website Thursday â€" flagged on Twitter by Obama's campaign press secretary â€" offering its endorsement of the president.
"From signature achievements like passage of the law to end 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' to administrative changes throughout government, President Obama has done more to improve the lives of LGBT people than any President in history," the group said. "The following is a compilation of many of the actions taken by the Administration on LGBT issues."
Obama had for some time faced scrutiny over the extent of his administration's promises on gay rights but won a significant amount of praise for delivering on its pro! mise to repeal "Don't ask, don't tell," the military's ban on openly gay and lesbian service members, late last year.
HRC's endorsement, which comes at an especially early point in the cycle, should go some lengths to quieting criticism of Obama, who's on the record as being against same-sex marriage but has acknowledged his viewpoints are "evolving."
Obama's would-be Republican challengers aren't seen as especially more inclined to support gay rights. Former Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman (R) signed a bill into law during his time as governor of Utah that allowed same-sex couples to enter into civil unions, though he's said he believes in "traditional" marriage.
Pawlenty: I would sign Ryan's budget
After days of pestering from Democrats, Tim Pawlenty said Thursday that if he were president, he would sign Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) budget.
Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor, reiterated that he will release his own budget proposal that differs from Ryan's in key areas like Social Security and Medicare. But he said that if Congress passed Ryan's plan and his was not up for consideration, he would sign Ryan's into law.
{mosads}"If I can’t have my own plan â€" as president, I’ll have my own plan [but] if I can’t have that, and the bill came to my desk and I had to choose between signing or not Congressman Ryan’s plan, of course I would sign it," he told reporters during a campaign stop in New Hampshire.
Pawlenty's move could be seen as a move to silence Democrats, who have peppered reporters with emails for days saying that he has failed to take a definitive stance on Ryan's plan: the ex-governor's campaign team circulated! Pawlenty's remarks to reporters not in New Hampshire.
Questions about his position on the Ryan plan arose after Pawlenty reiterated during the announcement of his candidacy that he would release his own budget that differs from Ryan's. Democrats claimed Pawlenty failed to live up to his pledge to "tell the truth" by not saying whether he would sign the House Republican proposal.Â
Democrats have sought to make the Ryan plan a "litmus test" for Republican candidates up and down the ticket. In particular, they have focused on Ryan's plan to overhaul Medicare, which they say would lead to the privatization of the popular, but fiscally troubled entitlement program.Â
Republicans dispute Democrats' claim that it would privatize the program.
Democrats responded to Pawlenty! by saying that he was taking an extreme position that is unpopular with voters.
"Just two days after the people of New York’s solidly Republican 26th Congressional District roundly rejected the Republican plan for ending Medicare, Governor Pawlenty said that he would sign such a plan into law â€" a plan even Newt Gingrich called ‘radical,'" said Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Tensions build between Paul, GOP over Patriot Act extension
Tensions between Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and GOP leaders burst into the open Thursday over a pro-gun-rights amendment Paul wants to add to the Patriot Act.
Paul said Republican leaders were working to scuttle his measure, which would restrict the federal government from examining some gun records as part of anti-terror efforts.
{mosads}Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is allowing a vote on Paul’s amendment, but Paul told Slate that his party's leaders were working to kill it.
“I'm now being blocked by the Republicans, and the Republicans tell me that they're going to refuse to let me have any votes,†he said.
Allies of Paul also criticized Senate GOP Leader Mit! ch McConnell (Ky.) over the measure.
“We've put on so much pressure that even Democrats agreed" to bring up the amendment, said Matt Hawes, vice president of Campaign for Liberty, a nonprofit aligned with Paul. “We'd expect Republicans of all people to be with Rand. But they are working against him.â€
The group also circulated an email message to supporters, urging them to call the offices of McConnell and his top deputy, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ky.)
“Tell them to show some backbone by joining Senator Paul's historic stand to protect law-abiding gun owners from the federal government's prying eyes,†wrote John Tate, the group's president. “Demand they stop blocking his essential amendment.â€
McConnell's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
McConnell and Paul have had a tumultuous relationship. McConnell supported Kentucky Attorney General Trey Grayson instead of Paul in last year’s GOP Sena! te primary. Once Paul won, McConnell offered his support.
P aul’s first speech on the Senate floor criticized Sen. Henry Clay, one of McConnell’s role models.
McConnell on Wednesday did vote for Paul’s budget blueprint. He was one of only seven senators to do so.
Pelosi says she'll vote for bill to hasten withdrawal from Afghanistan
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday she would back a measure to require President Obama to set a date by which U.S. troops will withdraw from Afghanistan.
Pelosi said she would vote for an amendment offered by Reps. Jim McGovern (D-Wash.) and Walter Jones (R-N.C.) intended to hasten the end of the war in Afghanistan, almost 10 years after its initiation.
Pelosi said on Twitter:
I'm voting aye on @RepMcGovern Jones Afgh amdt-we must transition now w/ significant drawdown of US troops this summer.
Obama has said the U.S. will begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in July, but it's unclear just how quick of a pace his administration will adopt. Critics of the war in Afghanistan have pressed the president to cut the U.S. troop prese! nce aggressively, especially after the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
Obama has set a deadline of 2014 to withdraw combat troops from Afghanistan; the McGovern-Jones bill would seek to speed up that pace by forcing the president to establish an accelerated timeline for the removal of combat troops.
Update, 12:37 p.m.: Pelosi's No. 2, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), also said he would support the amendment.
Judge strikes down Wisconsin union law
A county judge on Thursday struck down Wisconsin's controversial union law that curbs many collective bargaining rights for state workers.
Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi, who previously had placed a stay on the law, ruled that Republicans violated Wisconsin's open-meetings law when they passed the law in March, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.Â
{mosads}"This decision explains why it is necessary to void the legislative actions flowing from those violations," wrote Sumi.
The judge's ruling is the latest twist in ! the struggle over the law, which was championed by new GOP Gov. Scott Walker.Â
The legal proceedings have yet to be settled: the state Supreme Court will hear arguments on June 6 on whether to take up the case, the Journal Sentinel reported.
Walker initially earned a major victory over Democrats by passing the law but has faced backlash among union leaders who say the law is an "assault" on the labor movement.
The law gained national attention after opponents organized massive protests against it. Both political parties have used the law in a proxy debate over the nation's federal deficit and debt.
Cheney hopes Ryan won't run for president
Running for president would "ruin" Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), former Vice President Dick Cheney said Wednesday.
Cheney offered high praise for the House Budget Committee chairman, saying: “I worship the ground that Paul Ryan walks on.â€
But the vice president said at a KPMG Global Energy Institute event in Houston that he hoped Ryan would resist a run for the White House.
“I hope he doesn’t run for president, because that would ruin a good man who has a lot of work to do,†Cheney said, according to The Houston Chronicle.
Ryan's name has repeatedly come up for a number of higher offices. When Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) announced his decision not to seek another term, Ryan was ! touted as a strong Republican candidate to win the seat. In the end Ryan decided against the race.
"I have so much more impact where I am than if I was starting over from seniority in the Senate," Ryan said, according to The Journal Times of Racine, Wis.
Ryan has also been asked if he has any interest in jumping into the 2012 presidential race, but there, too, he has flatly said no.
The House GOP budget authored by Ryan has made him a target for Democrats, who contend the blueprint would radically change Medicare. Democrats attacked the Ryan plan in a congressional race in New York won by the party this week, and they have attributed the victory to those attacks.
Rep. Pete King: Giuliani 'very close to running' for president
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is "very close to running" for president, one of his top political allies said Thursday.
Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.), whose own name has been floated as a possible presidential candidate, said that Giuliani is inclined to make a second attempt for the Republican presidential nomination.
"At this moment, he's very much inclined to run," King said on Fox News. "I would say right now he's very close to running."
Giuliani ran for the nomination in 2008 and was for a period the front-runner in early polling. But he skipped a number of early primary states in order to focus on Florida, by which point a number of voters had moved on to other candidates.
King said that the former New York City mayor had learned from his mistakes in the 2008 c! ampaign, and would focus intensely on New Hampshire, and run a more bare-bones operation.
"As of now, he very much wants to run," King said. "This time he would focus on New Hampshire â€" that's where his main emphasis would be."
Morale versus execution
Morale â€" the esprit de corps or "spirit of the body" â€" is the capacity of a group of people to hold a common spirit of loyalty and comradeship. We think of morale as being deep seeded in the psyche of the individual or group.
Execution, on the other hand, is the process of reaching an objective as the result of performance. A team's ability to execute is more of a surface measurement that's easily evaluated by an outside observer.
Morale and execution are the cornerstones of powerful sales organizations. Most organizations recognize the importance of a sales team's ability to execute, since that is measured by numbers. However, some underrate the importance of morale, which is difficult to measure and is often confused with enthusiasm or situational motivation generated from, for example, a spirited sales meeting. Situational motivation is generally short-lived, but morale is ingrained and tends to have a lasting quality, unless conditions degrade it.
Bin Laden is gone, but the terror threat to our homeland continues
In the three weeks since U.S. Special Operations Forces killed Osama bin Laden at his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, Americans have rightly celebrated the fact that the terrorist leader who orchestrated the murder of nearly 3,000 innocent victims on 9/11 has received the earthly justice he deserved. At the same time, many Americans believe that, with bin Laden now dead, the terror threat has diminished. While the killing of al Qaeda’s founder and top leader is certainly a victory worth celebrating, it is unfortunately not the end of our Global War on Terror.
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There is no doubt that, without the continued leadership of bin Laden, the cohesiveness of al Qaeda as an organization has been diminished. Bin Laden had shown a talent for uniting terrorists from diverse ethnic groups and various countries in the name of jihad. With him dead, we can already see the friction between these groups and individuals as they strategize and maneuver to take over for him.Â!
Gingrich encourages GOP on Medicare after special-election loss
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) encouraged Republicans to push ahead with Medicare reforms despite a loss in New York's special election attributed at least in part to dissatisfaction with the GOP's overhaul plan.
Gingrich, a Republican presidential candidate who hit a political speedbump by criticizing the Medicare plan, only to backtrack on that criticism, sought to encourage the GOP the day after a disappointing defeat in a race viewed as a referendum on the House Medicare plan.
{mosads}"We need to stand firm against these attacks. We need to be bold and offer real solutions that improve Medicare so we can preserve it for future generations," Gingrich wrote to House Republicans, drawing on examples of past Democratic attacks on the GOP based on Medicare. "The Democrats' Mediscare big lie campaign will inevitably collapse if we cheerfully insist on telling the truth."
Gingrich pointed to Republican victories in 1980 and 1996 ! after Democrats raised the specter of serious, GOP-led changes to Medicare as examples of why Republicans shouldn't back down.
Republicans are smarting after losing a seat to Democrat Kathy Hochul in New York's 26th congressional district Tuesday night. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the author of the House budget plan, acknowledged that Democratic attacks on Medicare played a role in the GOP's loss in the typically-Republican district, and! Republicans will huddle in the days to come to consider how t! o regrou p.
Ryan released a video on Wednesday suggesting that Republicans won't back away from the proposal, which would transform Medicare into a voucher-based system for Americans under the age of 55. But Democrats have gleefully seized on the proposal, maling no bones about their intention to use the plan against Republicans in the 2012 elections.
Gingrich called the Democratic attacks "Mediscare 3." His words of encouragement represent a political pivot from his initial skepticism toward the Ryan plan, for which the former Speaker later apologized and said he was mistaken.
Gingrich accused Democrats of trying to "divide" Republicans, and turned Democrats' argument of a new Republican "litmus test" on its head.
"Even though it! is the Democrats who will destroy healthcare for seniors through rationing and who will drive doctors out of Medicare, the Democrats claim: 'Ending Medicare is the new GOP Litmus test,'" he wrote. "In fact, saving Medicare so it is affordable with no government rationing of healthcare for seniors is the new GOP litmus test."
Justice Department plans to indict John Edwards
The Department of Justice is prepared to indict former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) for allegedly violating campaign finance laws in an attempt to hide an affair, according to multiple reports.
Edwards reportedly knows about the plan and is considering his options. He could make a plea arrangement or face a trial, which could be long and costly.
An an indictment or a plea bargain could happen within the next two weeks, according to reports.
The Department of Justice plans to argue that two wealthy supporters donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Edwards campaign -- money that went to support Rielle Hunter, a videographer for Edwards' campaign with whom Edwards had an affair. The government will claim the funds were illegal campaign contributions.
Edwards has admitted to fathering a daughter with Hunter.
The government's case reportedly depends on former Edwards campaign aide Andrew Young who originally said ! that he was the father of Hunters's daughter and later accused Edwards of engineering an effort to hide the affair from the public.
The government's plans to prosecute is the latest step by federal investigators in a two-and-a-half year inquiry into Edwards over the the donations. ABC News first reported the possible indictment.
Steve King: Hard to discourage Bachmann from running
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) said Tuesday evening that he'd be hard-pressed to recommend to Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) that she not run for president.
King, a longtime leading conservative figure in the Hawkeye State whose support could be especially important among social conservatives, said he thought that Bachmann was best-positioned to pick up their supporters.
"She's not only the Tea Party darling, but she is a full-spectrum constitutional conservative and is in the best position to step up and capitalize on some of the dropouts that we've had along the way," King said on the Fox Business Network. "So I think now it would be pretty hard to recommend to her not to run when she has this platform to run from today."
King's known for having a close relationship with Bachmann, both of them often voting in lockstep on bread-and-butter conservative issues. The Minnesota congresswoman has acknowledged that she's thinking about running, and! has said she'll make a decision in early June. The founder of the House Tea Party Caucus, Bachmann could sense an opening for a candidate to appeal to the GOP's activist base.
Iowa's caucuses, which are the first nominating contest of the 2012 cycle, are seen as a wide-open competition following the decision of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), the winner of the 2008 caucuses, not to run for president against next year.
King said he didn't know for sure whether Bachmann had picked up Huckabee's supporters, but he believes that will be the case and "it is likely it is coming through."
After Dem win in NY special election, group eyes NH race
A liberal group that wants to "keep the momentum going†after Democrats’ upset victory in Tuesday’s special election in New York is eyeing a race in New Hampshire where it thinks bashing the GOP’s Medicare reform plan could be a political winner.
In an email sent out shortly after Democrat Kathy Hochul claimed victory, the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) highlighted Democrats’ chances in New Hampshire's 2nd district, where Anne McLane Kuster is hoping to unseat Rep. Charlie Bass (R).
Democrats are holding up the Hochul victory as a referendum, by voters, on Republicans’ plan to reform Medicare. The 2012 House GOP budget, authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), proposes to change Medicare into a type of voucher system for Americans under 55, and polls have shown it to be unpopular with the public.
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As they attempt to win back the House in 2012, Democrats hope to pick up other seats by associating incumbent Republicans! with support for the plan.
"The No. 1 issue in this special election? Medicare, and Paul Ryan's plan to end it! Shall we keep the momentum going?" the email continues. "Annie Kuster â€" the bold progressive House candidate running in a swing New Hampshire district â€" just went on offense with a hard-hitting op-ed holding Republican Charlie Bass accountable for voting to end Medicare."
PCCC co-founder Adam Green suggested Kuster could win her race because of her focus on Medicare.
"Annie Kuster's been very out front on this Ryan Medicare issue," Green said. "And her opponent, Charlie Bass, was one of the top Republicans highlighted in national news stories about angry town halls after he voted for the Ryan plan to end Medicare," Green said in an email to The Hill.
Other Democratic organizations have echoed Green's statement.