Rep. Himes: 'Got hacked or virused'
Watch out for messages from Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.).
Himes, who does his own tweeting, revealed Tuesday he either got hacked or hit with a virus sometime on Tuesday morning and may have sent out direct messages to followers.
Himes tweeted: "Got hacked or virused this morning. Sorry if you got a direct msg from me about 'nasty things'. Be smarter than me and don't click the link!"
Read Himes' Twitter profile by The Hill here.
Forget gas prices - It's the cost that counts
Recently, it seems the debates on Capitol Hill make even less sense than usual.
Look closely and you will find that the same politicians who demand more domestic oil production to “relieve pain at the pumpâ€, simultaneously and inconsistently, attack the Obama administration’s efforts to increase fuel economy standards.
Take Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), for example, the chairman of the powerful House Oversight Committee. He’s launched a needless investigation into the administration’s new mileage standards, even though they were negotiated withâ€"not imposed uponâ€"Detroit. Most importantly, Rep. Issa blindly ignores that boosting fuel efficiency is a sure-fire way to lower gas costs for American families.
Report: Romney to receive Secret Service protection
Mitt Romney is set to receive Secret Service protection Thursday, according to a report from ABC News.
The former Massachusetts governor is receiving the protection because of the increasing size of his campaign events, according to campaign sources who spoke with the network.Â
He will be the second GOP candidate to receive a security detail after Herman Cain requested and was granted protection in November.Â
The decision to authorize Secret Service protection is made by a congressional advisory committee and Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano. They are tasked with identifying "major" candidates in need of protection.
Commission calls for permanent nuclear waste facility
Nearly three decades since the debate over America’s high-level nuclear waste disposal began, the science remains clear that permanent geological
storage of spent fuel is superior to our present quagmire of on-site storage.
Yet in the wake of the Administration’s political blockade of an independent technical evaluation of the repository at Yucca Mountain, the resulting Blue Ribbon Commission found what many of us have long been saying about the failed management of nuclear waste. The Commission’s report correctly advises control of the Nuclear Waste Fund be removed from the purse strings of political ideologues and entrusted to “a new organization dedicated solely to implementing the waste management program†set forth under law.
Employers look to Congress to balance labor scale
Over the course of the last three years, President Obama has waged a rhetorical campaign against special interests and their influence in Washington DC, while at the same time spearheading an effort to deliver unprecedented giveaways to his largest and most influential campaign contributor, labor bosses.
The heads of unions have been the most frequent visitors to the White House and they have openly bragged about having access to
administration officials every day of the week, including weekends. They have also candidly spoken about using administrative agencies full of unelected bureaucrats to create policies that they have been unable to move forward in the Congress due to their lack of popularity with workers and business owners.
President Obamaâs discussion of college costs is timely but needs to be expanded
President Obama’s State of the Union address and his speech at the University of Michigan made broad sweeping comments about education and the issue of rising college costs. As Chairwoman of the Higher Education Subcommittee, I share his concern about exploding college costs and the burden of student loans.Â
According to the College Board, tuition and fees have spiked over the last decade. In-state tuition and fees at public four-year colleges and universities rose approximately 72 percent since 2001, at public two-year institutions of higher education by 45 percent and private four-year institutions by 29 percent. Over the same period of time, the rate of inflation was approximately 27 percent. Obviously, there is a big gap between inflation and these rising costs; consumers want to know why. Â
Pelosi tells Hollywood fundraisers Dems have 'a real chance' to take back House
Pelosi met with a group of more than 50 fundraisers and consultants Monday at the house of Haim Saban, the billionaire television producer who leads the ownership group of Spanish-language television network Univision.
"They identified between 50 and 75 seats that are definitely vulnerable," one attendee told the Reporter. "They went through each of the races. It was truly one of the more focused presentations that I've seen."
Gingrich raises $5 million in January, revises up 4Q fundraising estimate
Newt Gingrich raised $5 million in January and revised up his estimate for the fourth quarter of 2011 by $1 million, his campaign tweeted Tuesday.
But it's still not clear the level of debt the Gingrich campaign is carrying after bruising and expensive fights in early voting states. Full financial disclosure documents for the fourth quarter are due by midnight Tuesday. Those numbers will not include any fundraising bounce Gingrich would have gotten from his win in South Carolina's primary earlier this month.
Gingrich had previously said that he raised $9 million in the fourth quarter, but revised that estimate up to $10 million in the tweet. That amount is 10 times what Gingrich raised in the third quarter, when his campaign was considered all but dead, and should help to erase some of the debt he was carrying.!
An energy bill that Congress can and should pass
In last week's State of the Union address, President Obama issued a call to action to Congress to bring him an energy efficiency bill that will help manufacturers eliminate energy waste and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings. He promised energy savings of $100 billion over the next decade, with less pollution, more manufacturing, and more jobs - if Congress can enact the right legislation.
What legislation could deliver these benefits?
Let me start by saying that the following ideas all embody what I believe to be the most effective role for government to play in bolstering this industry and creating jobs - creating an environment of enablement, as opposed to purely investment. Tax credits to encourage energy efficiency programs will absolutely spur action. But there are a set of more lasting initiatives the federal government can advance that will encourage businesses to drive and fund these energy efficiency programs without plac! ing burden on taxpayers.
Don't throw the green jobs out with the bathwater
In Tuesday's State of the Union Address, President Obama issued a call to action to Congress to bring him an energy efficiency bill that will
help manufacturers eliminate energy waste and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings. He promised energy savings of $100 billion over the next decade, with less pollution, more manufacturing, and more jobs - if Congress can enact the right legislation.
What legislation could deliver these benefits?
Let me start by saying that the following ideas all embody what I believe to be the most effective role for government to play in bolstering this industry and creating jobs - creating an environment of enablement, as opposed to purely investment. Tax credits to encourage energy efficiency programs will absolutely spur action. But there are a set of more lasting initiatives the Federal Government can advance that will encourage businesses to drive and fund these energy efficiency programs without! placing burden on taxpayers.
Top Obama fundraisers come from Hollywood, media
The Obama campaign provided additional details about its' $222 million fundraising haul Tuesday, revealing that many of the president's top fundraisers were leading figures in Hollywood and the media.
Among those who have raised more than $500,000 throughout the president's reelection effort are Vogue editor Anna Wintour, producer Harvey Weinstein, and DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. Actress Eva Longoria brought in more than $200,000 for the president, while disgraced MF Global Holdings CEO and former Sen. Jeffrey Corzine brought in more than half a million for the president.
Other donors had ties to the environmental-tech sector, defense contractors, and Wall Street. A Center for Public Integrity report release earlier in January found that of Obama's previously released top bundlers, 68 had r! eceived high-level appointments in the administration and hundreds had been invited to White House events.
But Obama's campaign team pointed out that in the fourth quarter, when Obama raised $68 million, they received donations from 583,000 individuals in the fourth quarter, around 200,000 of whom had never donated to either this or the president's initial campaign. The average contribution to the president's campaign was $55, with the vast majority â€" 98 percent â€" of donations coming in at $250 or less.
The FDA has it dead wrong
Hamburg, perhaps the Senators' letter will.
In 2011, Congress passed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which among other things, required the FDA to provide clarification on when supplement manufacturers must file New Dietary Ingredient notifications (NDI) and what information they must provide to the agency. The NDI filing system was meant to be a streamlined! way for makers of new supplements to notify the FDA of the proper dosage and uses for the product, as well as why it is reasonably expected to be safe. As noted in the Senators' letter, the guidance required by the FSMA was meant to clarify the NDI filing process and work in conjunction with legislation already on the books - namely, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), which Hatch and Harkin wrote and which created the regulatory framework for the dietary supplements market.
Sen. Schumer coaxes Sen. Shaheen to make Super Bowl bet
A Democratic senator from New York tried to coax a fellow Democrat from New Hampshire into a Super Bowl bet on Tuesday.
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Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) tweeted his suggestion: “#SuperBowl bet: when @Giants beat @Patriots, @SenatorShaheen will buy every Senator a NY craft brew. Go Giants!â€
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“We'll see,†Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) tweeted in response. No telling whether her reluctance is over making the wager or Schumer's choice of beer.
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Democratic Sens. John Kerry (Mass.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.) also made a friendly wager over their Super Bowl picks last week, staking New England clam chowder against New York cheesecake.
The New England Patriots will play the New York Giants in the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.
Employers need healthcare price transparency
What if I told you there was a cost-effective way to help businesses and employees lower their health care costs without sacrificing quality of care? Better yet, what if the solution could be easily implemented by businesses alone, without requiring government intervention or legislation? Finally, what if this solution could be launched today, with information that already exists, and deliver savings in a year?
While this may sound like a fantasy, the reality is that such a solution to rising health care costs already exists: price and quality transparency. And the need for transparency is greater than ever. Currently, healthcare does not function as an efficient market because consumers do not know price and quality before they purchase a service, such as a colonoscopy or X-ray. This lack of transparency has resulted in massive price variations for medical procedures between providers â€" even within a single health plan. As a result, far too many employees pa! y excessive health costs or even forgo care altogether simply because they do not know that more cost-effective options exist.
Employers need health care price transparency
What if I told you there was a cost-effective way to help businesses and employees lower their health care costs without sacrificing quality of care? Better yet, what if the solution could be easily implemented by businesses alone, without requiring government intervention or legislation? Finally, what if this solution could be launched today, with information that already exists, and deliver savings in a year?
While this may sound like a fantasy, the reality is that such a solution to rising health care costs already exists: price and quality transparency. And the need for transparency is greater than ever. Currently, healthcare does not function as an efficient market because consumers do not know price and quality before they purchase a service, such as a colonoscopy or X-ray. This lack of transparency has resulted in massive price variations for medical procedures between providers â€" even within a single health plan. As a result, far too many employees pa! y excessive health costs or even forgo care altogether simply because they do not know that more cost-effective options exist.
Why Newt is good for the GOP
I thought long and hard about this blog title. It could take on many meanings. But more than any other, I believe Newt Gingrich's decision to remain in the primary race until the bitter end is good for the party because it will keep Mitt Romney battle-ready. Think about it. We saw just a little bit of a threat from Newt in South Carolina (many would call that a MAJOR threat!), and look at how the Romney machine mobilized. It was quite impressive. And if you weren't paying attention, you can be sure the Obama campaign in Chicago was.
One of Romney's closest advisers â€" former Bush 41 political director Ron Kaufman â€" used to ask any candidate who ever considered running for office, "Do you have a primary opponent?" If the candidate answered, "No,†the story goes, he would tell them, "Well, see if you can get one ... It only makes you tougher for your general-election opponent."
GOP looking to president's State of the Union speech for signs of compromise
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said he expects President Obama to lay out "significant spending cuts."
DNC head challenges Republican Party on spending, deficit reduction
Tim Kaine warned that Republicans hoping to cut federal spending will have to break from past habits.
Obama condemns attacks, one 'clearly targeting Christians'
President Obama offered assistance to the Egyptian and Nigerian governments to bring the perpetrators to justice.
GOP lawmaker likens healthcare repeal to the battle of Fallujah
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) stressed that congressional Republicans have "got a chance to repeal" the healthcare law.
Obama to ring in the new year with talent show tradition
White House spokesman Bill Burton said that the president was spending the evening with family and friends.
Obama praises NFL's Eagles for giving Vick second chance
Philadelphia quarterback Michael Vick pleaded guilty in 2007 to bankrolling a dog-fighting ring at a house in Virginia.
Candidates look beyond Florida
Given Mitt Romney's likely win there Tuesday, attention is turning to the rest of the GOP primary calendar
Gingrich hits Romney as favorite of Wall Street, George Soros
"George Soros said he would be perfectly happy with both Obama or Romney," said Gingrich Monday.
DeMint warns people âdependent on governmentâ will soon have majority
Conservatives are too busy with “real life†to keep up with liberals who “want more from government,†the senator said.
Sen. Kirk upgraded to âfairâ condition
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), who suffered a stroke last week, has been upgraded to “fair†condition following two surgeries at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
South Carolina governor starts her day with Adele
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley started her Monday morning with a popular song she described as "fun":
Haley tweeted:Â
Obama fall surprise
As the fall election for the presidency nears it will become increasingly clear that President Obama has no credible record of positive results on which to run.
The Obama campaign will and must resort to negative and demagoguery campaigning. However, will it be adequate for his return for four more years? Obama is in need of a huge bang such as the one he received after Osama bin Laden was killed, and it must occur in relatively close proximity to the election.
Axelrod tweaks Romney over strapping dog to car roof
President Obama's chief political consultant is making a play for one of the country's most passionate interest groups: dog lovers.
Axelrod tweeted a picture of Obama riding in the presidential limousine with his dog, Bo, and included a veiled swipe at Mitt Romney:
"How loving owners transport their dogs," Axelrod wrote.
'American Idol' producer wants Obama to sing on the show
Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer of popular reality singing competition “American Idol,†is using Twitter to campaign for his goal to get President Obama to sing on the show.
Lythgoe tweeted the idea Friday and followed up on Monday even though Obama has yet to reply.
Lythgoe tweeted: “@BarackObama we loved your vocal performance so much we'd love to invite you on to #AmericanIdol this Season for a duet with Al Green.â€
A safer and stronger Wall Street is already here
In the State of the Union, the president continued to harangue the financial services industry as if nothing had changed over the last four years, saying “It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: no bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts.â€Â
But the reality is a lot has changed.
The system is safer and stronger than ever. Â And the startling truth is that many of these changes have been the result of industry initiative, since 70% of the Dodd-Frank Act has not been implemented yet.
Consider the following:
Newly discovered JFK assassination tapes made public
The public can listen to newly discovered audiotapes of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, 48 years after the tragedy.
The National Archives and Records Administration is providing public access to the recordings, which consist of conversations among individuals in Washington, Air Force One pilots and officials on board the flight from Dallas to Andrews Air Force Base following the assassination on Nov. 22, 1963.
The two-hour-and-22-minute recording, long thought to be lost or destroyed, was found “among other papers and memorabilia of Army Gen. Chester 'Ted' Clifton Jr., who served as senior military aide to President Kennedy,†according to a statement Monday from the Government Printing Office (GPO).
Due process, detention and defense
In the halls of Congress, many issues divide us, but there are also issues that unite us as Americans. Protecting the due process rights of American citizens and legal permanent residents should be at the top of the list. Every American deserves their day in court. Every American is innocent until proven guilty. These are core values enshrined in our founding document â€" the United States Constitution.
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A few months ago, Congress voted on legislation to fund our national defense. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) secured a pay increase for American military personnel, funded the operations at every base and national laboratory in our country and continued vital cybersecurity programs that are keeping America safe.
Sen. Feinstein joins Twitter
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) joined Twitter over the weekend.
Feinstein was one of the few remaining hold-outs to Twitter â€" more than three-fourths of Senate members are accessible through the microblogging service. As of Monday, she has sent four tweets from @SenFeinstein and quickly jumped to 376 followers.
Feinstein's fellow senator from California, Barbara Boxer (D), is already on Twitter as @SenatorBoxer. She is one of the 6 accounts Feinstein was already following on Monday, along with the California governor's office, Stanford University, the San Francisco Giants and 49ers and the White House.
CHIPRA - an accomplishment to be proud of
Members of Congress aren’t getting a lot of credit for things they got right these days so we would like to point one outâ€"passage of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA). On the anniversary of the Children’s Health Insurance Program reauthorization, let’s celebrate a popular law that was approved with bipartisan support. Since its passage three years go, the law has helped drive the number of uninsured children under 18 down by one million. This progress, which has brought the children’s uninsured rate in this country to its lowest level on record, is even more striking given that childhood poverty and adult uninsured rates jumped sharply over the same time period.
So if congress isn’t going to pat itself on the back, we will do it for them. On behalf of all the families who have had the peace of mind of knowing their children’s health was insured through CHIP during these tough economic timesâ€"THANK YOU!
Ensuring responsible practices begins with oil and gas industry
America is at a crossroads when it comes to determining our energy future.
Armed with new technology and funded by record profits, the oil and gas industry is developing new ways to find supplies: extracting natural gas by fracking; squeezing oil from dirty tar sands; erecting drilling rigs in the most remote places of our earth.
Yet today’s boom in oil and gas production also comes at a time of ever-increasing energy alternatives, from biofuels and electric cars to wind farms and concentrated solar.
As we debate the role of domestic fossil fuel resources in our energy future, there has never been a more important time for
Vitter: Republicans 'frustrated' by excessive presidential debates
Republican presidential candidates could be hurting their general election chances by way of the grueling schedule of hotly contested debates, Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) warned Monday morning.
"Like every Republican out there, I'm frustrated by the process," Vitter said during an interview with CNBC. "I like debate, and discussion, but I think it's so many debates in particular and the nature of this back-and-forth between Newt and Mitt is really hurting, so I hope we get beyond that and I hope we get back on issues, particularly economic issues and the Obama economy."
Vitter said that the primary had devolved into a contest of personality and momentum rather than substance.
A popular accomplishment congress should celebrate
Members of Congress aren’t getting a lot of credit for things they got right these days so we would like to point one outâ€"passage of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA). On the anniversary of the Children’s Health Insurance Program reauthorization, let’s celebrate a popular law that was approved with bipartisan support. Since its passage three years go, the law has helped drive the number of uninsured children under 18 down by one million. This progress, which has brought the children’s uninsured rate in this country to its lowest level on record, is even more striking given that childhood poverty and adult uninsured rates jumped sharply over the same time period.
So if congress isn’t going to pat itself on the back, we will do it for them. On behalf of all the families who have had the peace of mind of knowing their children’s health was insured through CHIP during these tough economic timesâ€"THANK YOU!
Cain: Finishing second a 'win' for Gingrich in Florida
Former presidential candidate and freshly minted Newt Gingrich surrogate Herman Cain downplayed the former Speaker's chances for a win in Florida's pivotal primary, citing the Romney campaign's aggressive spending in the state.
“My expectation isn’t necessarily that he will win because of the sheer difference in spending. But my expectation is that he is going to have a much stronger showing than the weekend polls have been showing. There was one last night that showed that Gingrich is a lot closer to Romney," Cain said during an interview Monday with Fox News. "So this thing is so dynamic, we won’t know until the votes are counted tomorrow night in Florida.â€
Cain said that considering the circumstances, he would consider a second-place finish a "win" in the Florida primary â€" and reiterated Gingrich's pledge to carry forward past Florida.
Erskine Bowles for North Carolina governor
President Obama’s invitation to Bush family members to the White House makes him seem an Everyman, all things to all people, and Caroline Kennedy’s open letter to vote for Obama a second time because her name is Kennedy â€" both mark the turning of the times, and suggest that Obama, like the Kennedys and the Bushes, is no longer a rising part of the times.
We have left the age of two-family politics, honoring Northeastern gentry who bask in Kennebunkport or Hyannis, and have entered instead into a full-bore Jacksonian heartland awakening. Tea Party has taken the mantle these past two years. But Jacksonian populism, channeled today by Gingrich, Sarah Palin, Ron and Rand Paul, all started in Virginia with Mudcat Saunders. 

DNC chairwoman: Remarks likening Obama to cruise ship captain âincendiaryâ
The DNC chairwoman blasted her Republican counterpart for comparing Obama to the disgraced captain of an Italian cruise ship.
Trump won't rule out run, but praises Romney campaign
Donald Trump again refused to rule out a presidential bid Monday amid the increasing likelihood that Mitt Romney would win the Florida primary and the eventual Republican nomination.
The reality show television host, who at one point last year was leading the GOP polls, said that he planned to endorse a Republican candidate shortly, but that he would consider entering the race as an independent candidate if his choice did not emerge from the GOP field.
"I really want to endorse somebody and i'm going to be doing that over the not so distant future, and I'm going to be doing that, and if that person doesn't win, you know, we'll see what happens," Trump said on Fox News. "My preference is to endorse somebody, I love what I'm doing, as you guys know very well, I love it, I want to keep doing it, but I also love this country and we have to get somebody who is going to do that."
President Obama tells Hispanic caucus he won't give up on immigration bill
The president reiterated his support for the DREAM Act and comprehensive immigration reform during a meeting Tuesday.
Sen. Nelson skeptical Senate can ratify START treaty with Russia by year's end
Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson thinks there won't be enough time for a Senate vote to ratify START.
Clinton endorses tax deal following Oval Office powwow with Obama
Former President Clinton said Friday that he supports President Obama's deal on tax cuts with congressional Republicans.Â
White House says Democrats partly to blame for tax-cut deal
The White House said Wednesday that Capitol Hill Democrats are partly to blame for the tax-cut deal.Â
Rep. Gutierrez: House will take up DREAM Act legislation next week
"I'm encouraged," he told The Hill, "because the obstacles appear procedural in nature â€" it's not the votes."
Earmarks indelible in Congress
Bipartisanship is alive and well. Just look at earmark reform, it’s making both parties squirm.
GOP primary fight a 'godsend' for Obama, says former governor
CAMBRIDGE, Md. â€" Ed Rendell said the Republican "clown show" is giving President Obama time to find his voice.
Romney blasts Gingrich over attacks on debate moderators, news media
“It’s very easy to talk down a moderator,†Romney said Wednesday of his GOP rival's debate performances.
Rep. Cleaver comes to aid of ailing woman
Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver spotted an injured woman on the side of the road and called for help.
Justice Dept. releases more 'Fast and Furious' documents
The Justice Department released almost 500 pages of documents night to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Rubio lying low in Florida this weekend
He will stay on the sidelines as the GOP candidates make their last push ahead of the Tuesday primary.
Rubio laying low in Florida this weekend
He will stay on the sidelines as the GOP candidates make their last push ahead of the Tuesday primary.
Barney Frank to marry longtime partner
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), who announced in November he is retiring from Congress, will marry his partner, Jim Ready.
Gingrich says Pelosi is living in a fantasy world
Newt Gingrich said Nancy Pelosi is living in a fantasy world if she thinks she has dirt on him.
Gingrich won't 'allow' moderators to silence crowd at future debates
Speaking Tuesday, Gingrich took the opportunity that was denied him at the previous night's debate, and blasted the media.
Sen. Kirk recovering 'more rapidly'
Kirk is "alert, responding more rapidly to questions and the swelling in his brain has stabilized," neurosurgeon Richard Fessler said.
Report: Rep. Brad Miller won't seek reelection
Five-term Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.) said Wednesday he would retire after his district was redrawn into a GOP stronghold.
DNC chairwoman says Rubio on GOP ticket canât âsalvageâ Florida
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said that even with Rubio as a vice presidential pick, the GOP had no chance in Florida.
Romney deploys supporters to Gingrich campaign events
Gingrich did not appreciate the surprise guests, saying the former CEO was using his surrogates to do his dirty work.
Dems: Romney 'not paying his fair share'
The Democratic National Committee also questioned Romney's investment accounts based in "famous tax havens" like the Cayman Islands and Switzerland.
Filmmaker Oliver Stone would vote for Ron Paul over Obama
Paul is the only candidate "who's saying anything intelligent about the future of the world," according to the "Platoon" director.
Sen. Paul claims airport X-ray machines are programmed to go off at random
Paul said he was told by TSA employees that many security employees are not told of the machines' random programming.
Filmmaker Oliver Stone would vote for Ron Paul over President Obama
Paul is the only candidate "who's saying anything intelligent about the future of the world," according to the "Platoon" director.
Cantor says debate over Warren Buffettâs secretary will âplay out this electionâ
The billionaire investor's secretary was invited to Obama's address to highlight the president’s call for higher taxes on the wealthy.
Obama hosts the Bushes at White House
Former President George H. W. Bush and his son Jeb made an unannounced visit to the White House.
Park Police to enforce no-camping rule at Occupy DC sites
Protesters are still allowed to hold around-the-clock vigils, but use of the land for sleeping, temporary shelters will be prohibited.
Paul Ryan expects spending âwish listâ from president tonight
“It’s going to be a very political speech,†Ryan predicted of the president's State of the Union address.
GOP Debate: Romney denies knowing about ad he approved
Romney said he was unaware of an attack ad his campaign ran, but in the ad he said he approved it.
Rick Perry back on the shooting range
Now that he’s out of the GOP presidential race, Texas Gov. Rick Perry is taking the opportunity to get back on the shooting range.
Dem Governors rip GOP candidates
A roundtable of Democratic governors slammed Republican members of the House, as well as the GOP presidential candidates, ahead of the Democratic Governors Association conference in New York on Friday.
Carney: House GOP is obstructionist
Obstructionism in Congress has “been thrown up by Republicans, unfortunately, and House Republicans in particular,†the White House spokesman said.
Rand Paul tweets speech he âwould have deliveredâ
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Monday tweeted out the text of the speech he was going to give at Monday’s March for Life rally had it not been for his high-profile run-in with the Transportation Security Administration.
Warren Buffett: Blame Congress, not Romney, for his tax rate
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who has been a vocal proponent of the Obama administration’s proposed “millionaire’s tax,†defended GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s tax rate on Monday, saying that it’s natural to leverage the tax code to your own advantage if Congress provides the opportunity.
Newt, 1. Media Elite, 0
Former Speaker Gingrich should thank CNN's John King and Fox News commentator Juan Williams for his resounding defeat of Romney in South Carolina. For sure, Romney lost his momentum in the state when Gingrich was blindsided with the bias and unconscionable questions from the media elite hosting the debates.
Cantor: Warren Buffett's secretary will be important topic in election
House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Wednesday that Warren Buffett's secretary will be one of the defining topics of the 2012 election.
"The issue I think that's going to play out this election is that question of Warren Buffett's secretary," he said on CNN.Â
Doctor says Sen. Kirk recovery progressing, could lose some motor function
A doctor for Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) said he continues to recover as expected after suffering a stroke over the weekend.
"Sen. Kirk continues to progress as expected and we continue to be hopeful about his long-term prognosis," Northwestern Memorial Hospital neurosurgeon Richard Fessler said. "He remains in serious condition and is being monitored closely."
Connecticut Democrats compete for new followers on Twitter
Two Connecticut Democrats battled it out to the very end in a one-on-one race for new followers this week.
Rep. Jim Himes eventually graciously conceded to Rep. Chris Murphy on Friday, following a five-day challenge Murphy issued Monday.
Kirk âgetting irritated,â âmaking jokesâ during recovery
Recovering from a stroke he suffered earlier this week, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) is showing more signs of recovery, according to one of his Senate colleagues.
In statements released Saturday by Kirk’s Senate office, both Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and the Kirk family said the senator is showing signs of progress. Manchin brought get-well cards, political magazines and proposals to review.
“I spent the morning with his family, and I'm so encouraged with his prognosis and progress. He's getting more irritated at being in the hospital, which means he's definitely getting better. I look forward to coming to visit my friend again soon,†Manchin said in a statement.
GOP senator responds to Obamaâs criticism of blocking confirmations
Facing criticism in President Obama’s weekly address over his pledge to block nominees, Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) responded Saturday that he was adhering to the Constitution.
Lee has promised to block nominees because he believes the president’s recent appointments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the National Labor Relations Board are unconstitutional.
“Sadly, the President has sought to make this a partisan issue; but the Constitution is not partisan. The Constitution does not allow any president, Republican or Democrat, to circumvent the Senate in making appointments, and I will resist, just as vigorously, members of my own party who would attempt to do the same thing,†Lee said in a statement.
Doctor says Sen. Kirk recovery progressing, may lose some motor function
A doctor for Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) said he continues to recover as expected after suffering a over the weekend.
"Sen. Kirk continues to progress as expected and we continue to be hopeful about his long term prognosis," Northwestern Memorial Hospital neurosurgeon Richard Fessler said. "He remains in serious condition and is being monitored closely."
Evolving narrative of Barack Obama
President Obama’s State of the Union Address earlier this week provided the Global Language Monitor the opportunity to analyze the changing Obama Narrative since he rose to the national prominence some five years ago. GLM found three distinct narratives with the communication styles supporting each narrative forming arcs of their own, characterized by their specific word choices, styles of delivery, rhetoric, and diction.
Bachmann says sheâll run for re-election, then quickly backtracks
Speaking on FOX News, Bachmann seemed caught off guard when asked directly if she’d be running for a fourth term.
Rep. McCotter dismisses bipartisan 'date night'
It seems not all members of Congress agree that bipartisan seating for Tuesday's State of the Union address is a helpful show of unity.
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) tweeted: “Regarding a 2nd SOTU Rep-Dem ‘date night,’ I note the 1st SOTU bipartisan ‘date night’ preceded a year of epic partisan rancor.â€
Last holdout from Nebraska delegation signs up for Twitter
“I am excited about expanding my use of social media, which has proven to be an effective way of sharing important and timely information about the critical issues facing our country,†Smith said in a statement released by his office.
Nevada will be first state to announce caucus results through Twitter
The Nevada Republican Party will announce caucus results with live updates through Twitter and Google as the state’s vote is counted Feb. 4, the party announced Friday.
The Nevada Republican Party tweeted: “Thrilled to announce a fantastic partnership with @Twitter and @Google for a new and innovative way to report the #nvcaucus results.â€
Huntsman steps away from politics in new job
Jon Huntsman accepted a new position as chairman at the Huntsman Cancer Foundation on Thursday, the cancer research center announced this week.
Huntsman’s position was effective immediately on Thursday, meaning he had a new job just 10 days after he dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
Huntsmanâs new job steps away from politics
Jon Huntsman accepted a new position as chairman at the Huntsman Cancer Foundation on Thursday, the cancer research center announced this week.
Huntsman’s position was effective immediately on Thursday, meaning he had a new job just 10 days after he dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
Which Newt Gingrich will show up in the Sunshine State?
As the world knows by now, South Carolina has thrown us another election shocker. Instead of anointing Mitt Romney as the Republican Party nominee, South Carolinian voters blew the race wide open. Three different candidates have won the first three races. This is an amazing first for Republicans.
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Obviously, Saturday night was a dramatic turnaround for Newt Gingrich. He has gone from afterthought to front-runner to flame-out to first place. Who knows what is next!
A long road for Newt and Obama
Few stalwarts in the Republican tribe are not afraid of giving money and support to whomever the party chooses. Before we continue our rejoicing and being awestruck by Newt's resurgence, let’s remember that there are two states where Newt has not made the ballot. He continues to live cheaply on debates and, to my knowledge, still hasn't girded for the long haul and done the real work of organizing a 50-state machine (pace not making it on to two state ballots).
Rep. Ellison brings Elmo to Congress
Elmo made a cameo appearance before Congress on Tuesday.
“Haven’t seen that before,â€Â tweeted Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.).
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) brought an Elmo prop with him to the House floor on Tuesday morning to help illustrate the difference between the Sesame Street character and Farfour, a mouse character on the controversial Palestinian TV show “Tomorrow's Pioneers.â€
Vilsack to serve as State of the Union 'designated survivor'
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is serving as the "designated survivor" for Tuesday's State of the Union address, according to White House officials.Â
One member of the Cabinet does not attend the president's address to a joint session of Congress as a "designated survivor" to ensure that if something were to happen to the government officials gathered at the Capitol, there would still be someone to serve as head of government.
Vilsack is ninth in the chain of presidential succession.
In 2011, Interior Secretary Ken Salazaar was the "designated survivor."
Vilsak to serve as State of the Union 'designated survivor'
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak is serving as the "designated survivor" for Tuesday's State of the Union address, according to White House officials.Â
One member of the Cabinet does not attend the president's address to a joint session of Congress as a "designated survivor" to ensure that if something were to happen to the government officials gathered at the Capitol, there would still be someone to serve as head of government.
Vilsak is ninth in the chain of presidential succession.
In 2011, Interior Secretary Ken Salazaar was the "designated survivor."
Patriots player Ochocinco sends cheer to Boehner after State of the Union
An NFL player thought House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) needed some cheering up after the president’s State of the Union this week.
New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, a prolific tweeter, watched Obama deliver his annual speech on Tuesday. He tweeted that Boehner, who sat behind the president while he delivered the speech to Congress, “doesn't seem very happy and he's not smiling.â€
Patriots player Ochocinco seeks to cheer up Boehner
An NFL player thought House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) needed some cheering up after the president’s State of the Union this week.
New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, a prolific tweeter, watched Obama deliver his annual speech on Tuesday. He tweeted that Boehner, who sat behind the president while he delivered the speech to Congress, “doesn't seem very happy and he's not smiling.â€
Report: Tea Party lawsuit involves Rep. Bachmann
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) was named, along with several other high-profile conservatives, as a witness for the defense in a lawsuit against Tea Party HD, according to a report published Friday.
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The Tennessean reports that Bachmann is included on a list of 50 anticipated witnesses for a multimillion-dollar federal lawsuit debating the demise of the Tea Party-funded television project Tea Party HD.
Mainstream media blatant socialist agenda
The mainstream media basically gets to choose our president based on the degree to which they choose to scrutinize each candidate. Those they champion (Obama) are barely vetted at all, whereas those they disdain are dissected to the nth degree. Hopefully the American people will awaken to this phenomenon and not allow themselves to be so easily manipulated. Ideally, the elite media will regain a sense of responsibility and integrity as they carry out a most important function in a society blessed with the freedom of the press.
Promises, promises
How many times must we hear some candidate say, "When I am president, on day one, I will … †â€" you fill in the blanks. Close the Department of Something; reform the tax code; nuke Iran; balance the budget, repeal ObamaCare ... As if any of them could do that, given the limited (thank God, and the Founding Fathers) powers of the president. Why do their opponents or the moderators (there ought to be a better word for these weak links) let them get away with these patently phony boasts? They couldn't do these things they promise if they wanted to, so constrained is the political process.
Connecticut governor won't challenge Gov. Christie's Super Bowl pick
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) tried to stir up trouble between Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy (D) and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Friday.
Himes tweeted: "Wondering if @GovMalloyOffice will take the @Patriots and make a #Superbowl bet w/@GovChristie #provocation"
Malloy turned down the challenge, though, tweeting the hashtag "#ThingsThatWillNeverHappen" in response. "Go @Giants!" he added, siding with Christie's team over the New England Patriots.
Ron Paul will defeat Mitt Romney in the Virginia primary
In a dramatic head-to-head contest that will win huge attention throughout the political world, I now believe that Ron Paul will defeat Mitt Romney in the Virginia primary. The implications could be enormous. This result would dramatize the fact that a majority of Republican primary voters favor a candidate more conservative than Mitt Romney. This prospect could also inspire the mother of all money bombs for the Ron Paul campaign.
If I were the campaign manager for the Gingrich and Santorum campaigns, I would be suggesting that all conservatives vote for Ron Paul in Virginia. Ditto the conservative movement leaders from all conservative points of view and throughout the conservative media.
Gingrich talks Puerto Rican statehood, Cuba policy at Hispanic forum
During the Hispanic Leadership Conference meeting Friday in Miami, Newt Gingrich refused to express an opinion on Puerto Rican statehood and said that he would prevent human-rights abuses in Cuba by flooding the country with camera-phones.
Gingrich was speaking about how he believed Puerto Rico should be allowed to vote on whether it would seek statehood, independence or a continuation of its current status as an incorporated territory when he was interrupted by a Puerto Rican woman who had asked a question on the issue during Thursday's GOP debate.
She accused Gingrich of equivocating, saying he should say in no uncertain terms whether he would support and advocate for Puerto Rican statehood.
Gingrich: Muted debate result of Romney's 'blatantly dishonest performance'
Newt Gingrich said that his uncharacteristically muted tone at Thursday's GOP debate - the last before the pivotal Florida primary - was a response to Mitt Romney's "blatantly dishonest" statements at points throughout the debate.
“I think it’s the most blatantly dishonest performance by a presidential candidate I’ve ever seen,†Gingrich said during an interview with the Washington Post.
Romney turned in one of his most animated performances of the cycle, blasting Gingrich for his rhetoric on immigration and a proposal to build a colony on the moon. But Gingrich said that certain moments - including Romney insisting that he had ! never seen an ad by his campaign critical of Gingrich - were "totally dishonest."
The debate winner(s) and loser ...
Watchdog calls for DOJ investigation of Romneyâs financial forms
A watchdog called for an investigation Friday into Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney’s inaccurate financial disclosure filing.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) wants the Justice Department to look into the incorrect filings that “omit at least 23 investments†and were filed with the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the group states.
“Mr. Romney says the errors are minor, but then again he also claims earning $374,000 in speaking fees isn’t much money,†CREW executive director Melanie Sloan said in a statement.
“In reality, filing an inaccurate disclosure form can be a criminal offense. As a result, the Office of Government Ethics should forward the matter on to the Department of Justice to determine whether Mr. Romney deliberately withheld information.â€
Report: Aides claim Ron Paul approved 'offensive material' in old newsletters
New allegations surfaced on Friday that could renew the controversy over old newsletters containing inflammatory passages sent out in Rep. Ron Paul’s (R-Texas) name in the 1980s and 1990s.
A report by The Washington Post quotes former Paul aides who claim they witnessed Paul proof the material before it was published.
The former employees quoted include personal assistant Eric Dondero Rittberg and secretary Renae Hathway. Hathway described Paul as “hands-on†when it came to the newsletters.
“It was his newsletter, and it was under his name, so he always got to see the final product,†said Hathway. “He would proof it.â€
Gingrich, Romney continue to spar over Reagan ties
Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney continued sparring Friday over which candidate better represented the legacy of former President Reagan, with dueling conference calls from former White House officials who served with the conservative icon.
Rich Williamson, a foreign policy adviser in the Reagan White House, accused Gingrich of overstating his importance in helping to shepherd the Reagan agenda through Congress.
"It was an honor and a privilege to serve with President Reagan, to know him, and to support his transformational presidency. And we see in Mitt Romney many of the same characteristics of a steady hand, reliability, consistency," Williamson said in a conference call with reporters. "And I think that Speaker Gingrich, by exaggerating his role in the Reagan Revolution, evinces an effort to be grandiose and for political reasons, try to overstate the role he played in supporting Ronald Reagan. He was a backbencher. He took opportunities to criticiz! e President Reagan’s efforts to the four of us, who all were involved in foreign policy matters and defense matters."
Top donor: Santorum will be front-runner 'very soon'
The top funder for the pro-Rick Santorum super-PAC predicted the former Pennsylvania senator will be near or in the lead in the Republican presidential primary "very soon."
"I believe Rick Santorum will become one of the front-runners very soon," Foster Friess, a major donor to the Red White and Blue Fund said in an interview with Bloomberg Television.
{mosads}Friess's optimistic comments come just ahead of the Republican primary in Florida, where Santorum has been polling in last place. After his campaign previously suggested that the candidate might stop campaigning in the state early, Santorum announced that he would stay in the state up until the day before the primary.Â
Santorum's campaign has said it wouldn't drop out after one or even a few primaries in which the former Pennsylvania senator doesn't perform well.
Friess said he would be willing to fund any candidate in the field going up against Obama but that he prefers San! torum because he's known him for more than a decade and a half "on a personal basis."
"I have an open checkbook," Santorum said. "I know both Mitt and Newt personally. I have huge admiration for both of them. Sometimes I sit back in my armchair and say it would be neat if we could have Santorum as president and put Mitt Romney in charge of the entire economy."
Friess hasn't given much to Red White and Blue Fund during the Florida primary but he told The Wall Street Journal earlier this week that he planned to continue donating money to help Santorum in the future. According to the Journal, Friess and his family have donated more than $700,000 to Santorum's various political campaigns over the years! .
"I'm committed to Rick Santorum, and I'm going t! o be giv ing more to Rick Santorum," Friess told the newspaper.
Top fundraiser: Santorum will be frontrunner 'very soon'
The top funder for the pro-Rick Santorum super PAC predicted the former Pennsylvania senator will be near or in the lead in the Republican presidential primary "very soon."
"I believe Rick Santorum will become one of the frontrunners very soon," Foster Friess, a major donor to the Red, White, and Blue Fund said in an interview with Bloomberg Television.
{mosads}Friess's optimistic comments come just ahead of the Florida Republican primary, in which Santorum has been polling in last place. After his campaign previously suggested that he might stop campaigning in the state early, Santorum announced that he would stay in the state up until the day before the Tuesday, Jan. 31 primary. Santorum's campaign has said it wouldn't drop out after one or even a few primaries where the former Pennsylvania senator doesn't perform well.
Friess said he would be willing to fund any candidate in the field going up against Obama, but he prefers Santorum be! cause he's known him for more than a decade and a half "on a personal basis."
"I have an open checkbook," Santorum said. "I know both Mitt and Newt personally. I have huge admiration for both of them. Sometimes I sit back in my armchair and say it would be neat if we could have Santorum as president and put Mitt Romney in charge of the entire economy."
Friess hasn't given much to Red, White and Blue Fund during the Florida primary but he told The Wall Street Journal earlier this week that he planned to continue donating money to help Santorum in the future. According to the Journal, Friess and his family have donated over $700,000 to Santorum's various political campaigns over the years.
"I'm committed to Rick Santorum, and I'm going to be giving ! more to Rick Santorum," Friess told the Journal.
Supporting the Arab world, and not breaking the bank
Facing serious economic and political constraints, how can the United States effectively engage Arab countries in the midst of transition and help support Arab voices for dignity, opportunity and greater inclusion? At the Institute for Education’s first session of its 21st INFO season, Undersecretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs Robert Hormats weighed in on this critical question, and Indonesia’s ambassador to the United States, Dino Djalal, pointed to the power of example in Indonesia’s experience with democracy.
Fresh from a trip to the Middle East, where he met with students in Tahrir Square, Secretary Hormats argued that the United States cannot â€" and should not â€" try to micromanage transitions in the Arab world or dictate what democracy should look like in each Arab nation trying to find its way.
Toomey 'disappointed' in Gingrich over Bain attacks, moon base
"I haven't made an endorsement, so I'm not going to pick a preference at this point, but I do have to say I've recently been critical of some of the things that I've seen Speaker Gingrich saying or doing in this campaign," Toomey said during an interview with Scranton radio station WILK-FM.
Toomey said he was dismayed by Gingrich's criticism of Mitt Romney's record at Bain Capital, which the Pennsylvania senator characterized as "attacks, really, on capitalism and free enterprise." Gingrich has knocked the former governor's time leading the venture capital firm, pointing out that Bain would sometimes make millions in consu! lting fees from companies that went bankrupt and laid off employees.
Note to Gingrich: The â70s called â¦
“The spaceship has landed.†â€" Steve Jobs, 2011
Note to Gingrich: To paraphrase from the movie “Joe Dirtâ€: The ’70s called, they want their space program back. Gingrich is the disco paragon: a conservative reaction to the ’60s in double-poly leisure suit, white patent leather belt and shoes and all the baggage trailing from the very end of a century of total war. Like David Bowie’s Major Tom, Newt is stuck in ’70s space-time. His comment re: the moon base, egging us on to get there before the Chinese, might be looked at in view of the singular American conservative genius barely mentioned in the Republican debates, Dwight D. Eisenhower, who saw the moon project as a stunt. It wasn't then, but it is now. China flies blindly to the moon with no purpose but competition with America, but it is a competition we do not share in.
Gov. Brewer releases letter to Obama
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) has released the letter she gave to President Obama during a tense confrontation on Wednesday.
In the letter, Brewer writes that she and Obama “fundamentally disagree on how to best make America grow and prosper once again.â€
She then invites Obama to visit the border with her and then discuss over lunch the "hard choices" Arizona has made.
Brewer had previously said she would not release the handwritten letter but reversed her decision as the fight with Obama gained more media attention.
Brewer gave Obama the letter just as he got off of Air Force One during his visit to Phoenix, Arizona. The two got into an argument over Brewer's description in her book "Scorpions for Breakfast" of a meeting she had with Obama at the White House.
In her book, Brewer writes that Obama "lectured" her on border security and immigration during the meeting. Immediately after the meeting, however, Brewer h! ad described it as a cordial meeting to reporters.Â
Read the text of the letter below:
Biden: 'Middle class has been hammered'
Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday repeated the president’s State of the Union call for economic equality, urging Republican leaders to work with the administration to pass measures to aid the middle class.
“The middle class has been hammered, hammered,†said Biden on CBS This Morning. “We think we should be focused on what’s fair, to give them a shot.
“It’s not about good guys or bad guys,†he added. “Without the middle class growing nothing good happens in this country.â€Â
Biden answers question from fictional âWest Wingâ character
Vice President Biden exchanged tweets with a fictional character on Thursday.
A Twitter user identified as Joshua Lyman, “Chief of Staff, Dark Prince of American Politics and 101st Senator,†sent Biden a question during a White House question-and-answer session, and the vice president replied personally.
Joshua Lyman is a fictional character played by Bradley Whitford as the deputy chief of staff to the president on the NBC drama “The West Wing,†which ran 1999-2006. The Lyman twitter account is not formally affiliated with the television show.
Pelosi âwasnât particularly interestedâ in sharing a sofa with Gingrich
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is not Newt Gingrich’s biggest fan and wasn’t “particularly interested†in sharing a couch with him in 2008, she said in an interview airing Thursday night.
“I wasn't particularly interested in sitting on the sofa with him,†Pelosi told MSNBC for a segment airing Thursday on “The Ed Show.â€
Gingrich and Pelosi shared a couch in 2008 for an ad advocating action on climate change legislation.
“The point is we came together to talk about the climate crisis, which I thought he had an interest in,†Pelosi continued.
Reps. Hoyer, Hensarling liked Obama's speech, but focus on work ahead
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Rep. Jed Hensarling (R-Texas) both expressed  on Wednesday separately a blend of hope and skepticism that President Obama's State of the Union speech could inspire change in an often gridlocked Congress.
"We had a big thing about who you're going to sit with last night," Hoyer said on CNN, referring to the bipartisan seating arrangements shared by much of Congress as a show of unity for the president's speech. "It's not so much who we sit with it's who we work with" that overcomes partisanship, he said.
Rep. West insists no racial coding in Gingrich's "food stamp president" comments
Florida Republican Allen West - the lone Republican in the Congressional Black Caucus - said Monday that there was nothing racially coded about Newt Gingrich's characterization of President Obama as a "food stamp president."
"There is no race code. In fact, since President Obama has been in office you've seen a 4 to 1 increase in food stamp recipients in the United State of America," West said.
The Tea Party freshman said that candidates campaigning in his state would need to draw a contrast with Obama to win.
Landlubber diplomacy won't work in Fiji
In Samoa, when a tauta (landman) advances an opinion about fishing or navigation, he is met with the reply "O le va’ai le tauta" â€" or, "that is the opinion of a landlubber."
In response to Fiji’s 2006 coup, Australia and New Zealand have advanced a policy to force Fiji back to democracy. Based on a Eurocentric mindset that fails to take into account Fiji’s colonial history, complex ethnic mix and chiefly, provincial, religious and family rivalries, Australia and New Zealand imposed a wide range of sanctions on Fiji and cut off diplomatic channels.Â
Democrats congratulate Rep. Frank on engagement to longtime partner
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) received scattered congratulations from Democratic colleagues in Congress on Thursday.
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The retiring congressman, who became the first openly gay member of Congress in 1987, confirmed Thursday he plans to marry his longtime partner, Jim Ready.
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Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) tweeted: “Congrats to my friend Barney Frank. If he marries before retiring, he'll be first congressman in a same sex marriageâ€
Welcome to the new America
Are Americans prepared for another four years of excessive spending, class warfare and unremitting political correctness if President Obama finds a miraculous way to win reelection?
Ronald Reagan succeeded wildly running for president with the slogan “It’s morning in America.†Would anyone believe it if a candidate tried that now? The most optimistic any of us could muster in the past decade was “hope and change,†and hope, as Spinoza said, is a form of sadness; it’s what you cling to when the present is too hard to bear. Now that even hope and change have left us, what are we to do?
McCain: Brewer fight shows Obamaâs âprickly personalityâ
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) seemed unsurprised by President Obama’s reported tense exchange with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R).
“Apparently Bobby Jindal, the [Republican] governor of Louisiana, had a similar exchange with the president,†McCain said Thursday morning on Fox Business Network.
“It is very well-known [that Obama] has a prickly personality, and I think it has been displayed in both of those cases. Jan Brewer is very concerned about the security on our border. I think it’s a very legitimate concern.â€
Gingrich: Romney's latest attacks 'hypocritical,' 'desperate'
Newt Gingrich said that rival Mitt Romney must think voters are "stupid" if he thinks that "hypocritical" and "desperate" attacks on the former Speaker's campaign ahead of the Florida primary would be successful.
"He is counting on us not having YouTube. That's how much he thinks we're stupid, and we're not stupid," Gingrich said on CNN. "The message we should give Mitt Romney is, you know, 'We aren't that stupid and you aren't that clever.' "
Gingrich blasted Romney for attacking his consulting work with Freddie Mac when the former governor of Massachusetts held stock in the troubled mortgage giant.
Romney tells supporters to âstormâ the next GOP debate
Mitt Romney on Thursday encouraged supporters to “storm†this evening’s GOP debate in Florida, asking them to be in the audience and make some noise.
“We are getting ready for another debate tonight,†Romney said at a campaign stop in Florida. “I can’t wait."
He said the debate would be "fun."
"If you all can get there, we'd love to see you there, cheering and being part of that," he said. "No tickets? Just storm in."
Cheering will be allowed at Thursday night’s debate, in contrast to Monday’s debate, when CNN host Brian Williams asked the crowd to hold any verbal responses.
Free New England: Repudiate the National Defense Authorization Act
New England was a Jeffersonian region of independent-minded yeoman farmers and freethinking independents before the Civil War. We lost that earthy colloquialism to the abstraction of federalism after teaming up for the conquest of the West and the South in 1857 and 1865, and again to globalism after the conquest of Europe and Asia in 1946. But today New England begins to find its yeoman soul again. We have always been Jeffersonian. We just forgot. When it starts to catch on, any step outside the prescribed constitutional reservation by the feds will be considered overreach, domination, totalitarianism. And it is starting to catch on. The National Defense Authorization Act is a giant step in the direction of the benign American police state.
Sen. Kirk undergoes additional surgery
Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) remains "in serious but stable condition" after undergoing surgery on Wednesday night, Northwestern Memorial Hospital neurosurgeon Richard Fessler said on Thursday.
Kirk, who suffered a stroke on Saturday, had an additional surgery late Wednesday to help relieve brain swelling as a result of the stroke, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
"The procedure, which removed two small pieces of tissue previously destroyed and rendered non-functional by the senator's stroke, was completed successfully and without complication," Fessler said.
Cooperation with Gulf allies essential
A noticeable increase in tension between Iran and its neighbors demands closer defense and security cooperation between the United States and its key Arab partners in the region.  While the U.S. and its Gulf allies rightly continue to focus on diplomacy to hinder Iran’s nuclear ambitions, there is more that can be done between our defense establishments to achieve deterrence, and to be better prepared for any outcome.
For their part, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain have invested varying degrees of resources to establish themselves as vital economic hubs, servicing the region and the global economy.  Further, each country has a community of American workers and the presence of U.S. military bases and personnel.  In addition to the free flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz, each country’s economy increasingly depends on the unabated movement of international trade through their sea and air ports.
Gradual phase-in of Medicare regulation is logical
With the nation’s skilled nursing facility (SNF) sector already surviving on the lowest operating margins of all provider groups, facing $127 billion in Medicare funding cuts in the FY 2012-21 budget window, and reeling from a deep 11.1-percent Medicare funding reduction that went into effect late last year, facility job losses now occurring places the well being of seniors in clear and present danger.
The sheer weight of the federal Medicare funding pressures put on a sector where three of every four patients’ care is government-funded -- combined with state Medicaid cuts -- has destabilized America’s second largest health facility employer to an extent not experienced in more than a decade. Today’s economic stress on SNFs, more commonly known as nursing homes, is increasingly reminiscent of the 1997 Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) aftermath, where facilities across the nation were forced to close. Some providers were even driven into bankruptcy, creat! ing access issues for seniors seeking intensive post-acute rehabilitative SNF care.
Congress must end partisan politics for all Americans
President Obama delivered a State of the Union address with a blueprint for the future of our country that is not Republican or Democrat, but a common sense plan that is simply American. The time for partisan agendas has long ago come and gone, and now these uncertain times call on us all to rise above partisan politics to face the dire issues facing our nation.
As the President delivered his speech in the U.S. Capitol, the unemployment rate continues to hover around double digits in some areas, the housing market continues to operate in disarray and reckless Wall Street investments continue to haunt our financial system and consumer confidence. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. We are also failing to prepare a future workforce that is ready to enter the 21st century economy; our transportation corridors are in desperate need of improvements; and an out of balance tax code is disproportionately benefiting the most fortunate at the expense of those less w! ell off.
Lessons from Iraq
With U.S. troops now home from our military operation in Iraq, there has been a flurry of debate around our mission there, the future of Iraq, and our security interests in the region. Whatever one may think of the reasons for going into Iraq in 2003 or the effects of our travails there, it is a given that the United States has invested a great deal of blood and treasure  in order to leave a Iraq a more stable country. Our stabilization and reconstruction efforts following the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime were well â€" intentioned, but fraught with mismanagement and waste. The U.S.-led rebuilding program in Iraq was met with mixed success, producing a plethora of painful lessons that should be closely examined. Iraq’s current difficulties must not obscure or impede Congress’s careful review of our experience as we seek to develop a more integral and effective system for managing overseas stabilization and reconstruction operations. Strict Congressional oversight! is in our national interest. As then-Senator Harry Truman found when fighting waste and mismanagement of funding during World War II, effective Congressional oversight can not only save money and lives, it can make our efforts stronger.
Tactical desire supplants strategic good in payroll tax cut debate
Prior to the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Admiral Yamamoto â€" the architect of the assault on Pearl â€" held serious reservations about his ability to continue pressure against the United States, even if Japan scored an early tactical victory. In fact, Yamamoto expressed his anxiety by declaring, “I can run wild for six months ... after that, I have no expectation of success.â€Â The rest, of course, is history.  Â
Critical to remember though, is the real lesson of Yamamoto’s prophetic stance: There is always danger in valuing short-term tactical victories over long-term strategic imperatives. Unfortunately, this warning recently went unheeded in Washington DC, whereupon Congress and the administration agreed to extend the Social Security payroll tax cut for two months. Despite the ways in which the tax cut threatens Social Security and despite larger concerns about fiscal responsibility, elected officials passed the extension anyway! , basically allowing a short-term gain to overrule the long-term good. Â
While many argue that extending the Social Security payroll tax cut is essential to promoting economic vigor, doing so is not without significant cost. In fact, for the first time ever in the history of Social Security, roughly $110 billion from the U.S. Treasury will be transferred to the Social Security trust fund to finance the first payroll tax cut from 2011. An additional $19 billion is now required to cover the two-month extension just passed. What is more, 20 members of a bipartisan conference committee have been chosen to determine how to pay for a potential year-long extension in February when the current two-month vehicle expires.
Obama's speech long on rhetoric, short on substance
As I listened to President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, I found myself thinking of the movie Groundhog Day. In the film, Bill Murray’s character, Phil Connors, awakes each morning to find himself reliving the same day again and again. As each day passes exactly as the one before, Phil becomes increasingly despondent and frustrated. As the President’s State of the Union address unfolded, I couldn’t help feeling the same way.
The State of the Union flowed like dozens of campaign speeches that then-candidate Obama gave in 2008. It was heavy on rhetoric, class warfare and divisiveness, and straw men. At one point, he invoked the legacy of his predecessor, George W. Bush, to tout his own record on federal regulations.
To his credit, there were aspects of the President’s speech I was glad to hear. To recognize and honor our brave men and women in uniform, while encouraging the American people and our Congress to be more like tho! se selfless men and women who serve our nation, is most appropriate. And, to give credit where credit is due, this is indeed the first time in two decades that Osama bin Laden has not been a threat to America.
Obama's speech high on rhetoric, low on substance
As I listened to President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night, I found myself thinking of the movie Groundhog Day. In the film, Bill Murray’s character, Phil Connors, awakes each morning to find himself reliving the same day again and again. As each day passes exactly as the one before, Phil becomes increasingly despondent and frustrated. As the President’s State of the Union address unfolded, I couldn’t help feeling the same way.
The State of the Union flowed like dozens of campaign speeches that then-candidate Obama gave in 2008. It was heavy on rhetoric, class warfare and divisiveness, and straw men. At one point, he invoked the legacy of his predecessor, George W. Bush, to tout his own record on federal regulations.
To his credit, there were aspects of the President’s speech I was glad to hear. To recognize and honor our brave men and women in uniform, while encouraging the American people and our Congress to be more like those s! elfless men and women who serve our nation, is most appropriate. And, to give credit where credit is due, this is indeed the first time in two decades that Osama bin Laden has not been a threat to America.
President's words aren't represented by his actions
Over the past 35 months, our nation’s unemployment rate has consistently remained above eight percent. Over 14 million Americans are searching for employment while 46 million Americans are living in poverty and relying on government assistance for survival. As I listened to the president’s State of the Union Address, it became increasingly clear to me that his words do not resemble his actions, not even by the slightest bit.
Throughout the past three years, this administration has made higher taxes and government regulation a destructive trend instead of encouraging job creation and capitalism. Giving taxpayer money to politicians does not create jobs. Overregulation is the reason why these companies chose to relocate overseas.
Over the past year, the president and his Big Labor Bully allies at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) have threatened thousands of jobs at Boeing in Charleston, SC. Additionally, the president’s opposition to ! the Keystone Pipeline, a project expected to create 120,000 jobs without costing taxpayers a single dime, destroys jobs in the Second District of South Carolina, the area I am proud to represent. Michelin Automotive in Lexington produces 12 feet-tall tires, costing approximately $60,000 dollars a piece, and MTU Diesel in Aiken creates engines that are shipped to Canada to be used for the recovery of petroleum. Instead of helping to create jobs readily available within the United States, the president has placed politics over effective policy and delayed the decision to invest in the environmentally sound project until after the 2012 elections.
Santorum counters Florida exit talk, says he will be in state through Monday
His campaign released the candidate’s schedule to push back against talk Santorum is pulling out of the state.
Rick Santorum’s campaign countered reports that the former Pennsylvania senator is considering pulling out of the Florida GOP primary by releasing his schedule for the next few days, showing he’ll be in the Sunshine State through Monday.
The campaign had previously indicated it was considering leaving Florida to concentrate on the next round of voting states. On Wednesday, Santorum spokesman J. Hogan Gidley said it was unclear whether the campaign planned to stay through the weekend and up to Tuesday’s vote. Gidley noted that either way, Santorum planned to continue in the race.Â
{mosads}The former senator is trailing Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich in the state by double digits. Money is likely also an issue, as Florida is an expensive state in which to advertise and run a campaign.
Santorum said Wednesday that he planned to return to his Virginia home over the weekend to prepare his tax returns and attend a pair of fundraisers in the Old Dominion and Pennsylvania.
He plans to make a number of radio appearances Friday in Florida, and then return to the state Sunday for a campaign rally. On Monday, he plans to participate in a candidate forum in Boca Raton, Fla., and he is scheduled to take part in Thursday night’s debate.
Santorum also went on the attack against Gingrich on Thursday. A day after the former Speaker said the United States would have a base on the moon by the end of his second term as president, Santorum accused Gingrich of being unrealistic.
“NASA and the space coast and Houston and Alabama and all of those places have done remarkable work and are huge assets to the country, but there are other assets to the country,†Santorum said, according to Talking Points Memo.