President Newt Gingrich
On a recent Lou Dobbs show, The Hill commentator Dick Morris was asked about the primary outcome: Mitt Romney wins Michigan and then goes on to sweep Super Tuesday and wins the nomination. He beats Obama and is elected president in 2012.
Makes sense. But Laura Ingraham, who brings intuition to her take, said Tuesday morning on Imus that if Romney wins Michigan, look for a Gingrich insurgence on Super Tuesday. In a word, Gingrich will finally have commandeered the insurgent’s role, taking it finally from Santorum (and Perry, Cain, Bachmann and Paul). And since Sarah Palin was named VP by John McCain in 2008, conservative culture has been in a grassroots insurgency; it is an authentic insurgency in search of its Trickster, and that could well be Newt Gingrich.
Out of touch: GOP candidates choose political posturing over smart policy in Iran
You may have noticed that unleaded gasoline prices are approximately 10 percent higher than at this time last year. Unsurprisingly, one contributing factor in this spike in oil prices is also making headlines: Iran.Â
Recently, CNN Money reported that, “Tensions with Iran are adding at least 30 cents to a gallon of gasoline in the United States, and experts say gas prices have only just begun to rise.â€
Over the past few months, inflammatory rhetoric at home and abroad has led to widespread concern that a conflict with Iran is imminent. While military and intelligence leaders continue to strongly oppose a military strike and make the case for the current American policy choices, including sanctions and diplomacy, Republican Presidential candidates have added fuel to the fire by calling for a military solution before other options have been given time to bear fruit.
Romney says he now owns guns, but won't 'tell you where they are'
Mitt Romney waded back into the debate over gun control Wednesday, telling a man at a town-hall meeting that he would defend the Second Amendment because he was a gun owner â€" but added he wasn't "going to tell you where they are."
"I have guns myself. I'm not going to tell you where they are," Romney said at an event in Columbus, Ohio, according to ABC News.
The comment raised eyebrows, particularly after a moment in the last presidential campaign when Romney made a similar claim. He was forced to retract the earlier remark when an interviewer pointed out that, in fact, his son owned the guns.
It's unclear whether Romney has purchased a firearm himself since then.
Here are the women
What if, two weeks ago, instead of letting five men discuss what insurance coverage of contraception means to them (photo here), House representatives let five women speak? What might they have said?
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One would tell how embarrassed and powerless she felt when, standing at the pharmacy counter, she first learned that contraception was not covered by her insurance. She had to walk away, unable to afford it.
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Another would say that she recently gave birth, and her doctor explained that she needed contraception because it would be physically detrimental to become pregnant again too soon. But her insurance coverage doesn’t cover contraception when used to prevent pregnancy, even when it’s medically necessary to do so.
Romney: Obama, Michael Moore encouraged Democrats to vote Santorum out of fear
Mitt Romney said that Democrats like President Obama and Michael Moore were trying to "play mischief in the Republican Party" by encouraging votes for Rick Santorum because "they don't want to face me in the fall," during an interview with Fox News slated to air Wednesday night.
But Romney said Republicans "saw through" the ploy, elevating him to victory in his home state.
"They got the news from Michael Moore to Barack Obama’s team to, frankly, Rick Santorum as well â€"saying, ‘Go play mischief in the Republican Party. Vote against Mitt Romney and try to give this to Rick Santorum,'" Romney said. "They don’t want to face me in the fall. They would rather face Rick Santorum, so they came in large numbers and voted for Rick. I think that was a huge mistake on his part. Republicans saw right through that. And saw if Barack Obama wants Rick Santorum to run against, we’re not going to give him Rick Santorum to run against.â€
Obama's misguided energy policy
Despite his recent spin about presiding over an increase in domestic production, since the beginning of his Administration, President Obama has worked to sabotage American energy development. As a result of restricting access to domestic resources and implementing restrictive regulations which hike energy costs, American families are suffering.
With gasoline near $4 per gallon around the country, the President is under increasing political pressure from the left to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). However, lowering gas prices requires a sensible, long term solution, not a one-time short-term fix. Dumping our emergency reserve into the market with a moment’s notice will only make a bad situation worse.
Tapping the SPR in this environment won’t have a meaningful impact on gasoline prices. Last summer, when President Obama released oil from the SPR, prices rose again the next week. A one-time infusion won’t fool OPEC nations! into believing that America can manage world oil prices. A unilateral draw on our own reserve would do little to affect world price because other producing nations, especially OPEC, would simply reduce production to offset our meager addition.
Abandon failed Middle East foreign policy strategies
For nearly a decade, the United States has invested money, sweat, blood and tears all in the name of a free and democratic Iraq. Before the war, Iraqis suffered under the oppressive dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. Recent events have led me to believe that perhaps the new government does not value freedom any more than the last.
As a member of Congress, I have been fortunate enough to go to Iraq several times to visit our troops. During my last visit with a bipartisan Congressional delegation we also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. During a nearly two hour-long discussion I asked one simple question: "Can we go see Camp Ashraf?"Â
I represent a number of Iranian Americans who have family members in the camp. They were particularly worried at this point since Iraqi forces had killed 36 residents at the camp just weeks before. But our simple request was met with a defiant, “no.†All of a sudden, the meeting was over. It left me wond! ering -- what does the prime minister have to hide? Later that day we learned that Prime Minister Maliki had ordered us evicted from Iraq. We did not leave the country until we finished visiting our troops and other Iraqis.
Congress can ensure U.S. remains worldâs most entrepreneurial nation
For all the talk about how broken Washington seems to be these days â€" and there is a lot to fix â€" considerable progress has been made over the last few months around the issue of improving the environment for entrepreneurs to start new businesses, grow existing companies, and create jobs.  There is broad bipartisan agreement that entrepreneurs have played a critical role in creating the leading economy in the world, and that we need to double down on our nation’s commitment to our entrepreneurs. Now’s the time to push pro-entrepreneurship legislation over the goal line, so we can ensure the United States remains the world’s most entrepreneurial nation.Â
On Tuesday, Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), unveiled the JOBS Act â€" a legislative package that will make it easier for fast-growing, job-creating companies to go public by putting in place an IPO on ramp, increase access to capital for entrepreneurs by permitting crowdfunding, and make a! series of other common-sense changes that will help businesses grow, hire, and compete in a global economy. Many of these bills have strong bipartisan support and have already passed the House with more than 400 votes. Also on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), announced plans to push forward a series of jobs bill designed to help entrepreneurs.
Sen. Manchin will vote for Blunt amendment on contraceptive care
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) will vote for Sen. Roy Blunt's (R-Mo.) amendment on the Obama administration's contraception mandate.
"While I would have preferred that both sides would have come together around a solution like we had in West Virginia, I am voting in favor of this measure to protect the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America," Manchin said in a statement.
Manchin also notes that in his home state, West Virginia law requires contraceptive coverage but also guarantees "religious freedom for employers or institutions that object to such services." The law requires health insurance companies to also provide contraceptive care but exempts religious institutions that object based on "religious tenets."
Manchin's announcement comes as Democrats and Republicans clash over an amendment by Blunt that would allow insurance companies and employers of certain religious institutions to opt out of the Obama admi! nistration's law requiring insurance provers make available contraceptive care to employees without a co-pay.
The administration originally required the institutions to provide contraceptive care, but after strong criticism from religious organizations and Republicans, it altered the rule so that the organizations themselves would not be forced to provide the coverage.
The Senate will vote on Blunt's amendment Thursday.
Santorum campaign expects Michigan delegate tally to be a tie
The Santorum campaign is expecting Michigan's delegates to be split evenly between Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney.
Speaking on a conference call Wednesday, a day after Romney beat Santorum in the Michigan presidential primary 41 percent to 43 percent, Santorum adviser John Brabender said the two candidates will "likely" be awarded 15 delegates each.
Brabender cautioned that his estimates were not based on calculations of news outlets or any official counting. No official announcement about how many delegates will be awarded has been made.
"Again, I want to be clear, I am basing this on anecdotal and empirical data that's been shared with us," Brabender said. He added that he thinks "it's highly likely that Michigan is going to end up in a tie."
By Brabender's math, because Santorum and Romney each won seven congressional districts in Michigan, they will each be awarded seven delegates and also one at-large delegate.
Brabender and Santorum spokesman Hogan Gidley said though Santorum didn't win the state, the results were a disaster for Romney given that Michigan is where he grew up.
The campaign seems to be working to portray the Michigan results as an actual victory for Santorum, given expectations. Shortly after the conference call, the Santorum campaign sent an email to supporters saying the former Pennsylvania senator was outspent 6-to-1 and Romney "struggled" to win his home state.
At the beginning of the presidential race, Santorum campaigned virtually exclusively in Iowa and was able to eke out a victory by a slim margin there.
Immigration detention is no hospitality suite
On February 28, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) issued a statement criticizing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for releasing new national standards for immigration detention facilities. Entitled, “Deportation Manual: a Hospitality Guideline for Illegal Immigrants,†his statement makes imprisonment sound like a hotel visit. In so doing, Mr. Smith belittles the fact that each year 400,000 people â€" including thousands of asylum seekers, trafficking victims, families with children, the elderly and the sick â€" are jailed while they await civil immigration court proceedings in facilities that bear no resemblance even to the cheapest motel.
In 2008, Francisco Castaneda died of penile cancer after detention staff refused his numerous attempts to obtain diagnosis and treatment at a San Diego detention facility. Over the years cases like his and the substandard conditions in immigration detention have been well-documented by 60 Minutes, National Public Radio,! The New York Times, and The Washington Post. In many facilities, detainees endure a myriad of abuses including a lack of adequate medical and mental health care that has led to numerous unnecessary deaths. As recently as October 2011, PBS Frontline revealed frightening accounts of sexual abuse by guards in the Willacy, Texas detention center.
Detention facilities should not jeopardize the health and safety of those in custody and that is why stricter standards are absolutely necessary. The national standards ICE announced last week are an important step. They are not a hospitality guide, but minimal standards to prevent mistreatment, injury, or death. Moreover, concerns remain that these new standards are insufficient to hold accountable the hundreds of facilities under ICE contract.
Santorum claims support of Sen. Inhofe, who hasnât endorsed him
Rick Santorum is touting the support of Sen. James Inhofe (R) even though the Oklahoma senator has not endorsed him.
Speaking Wednesday to an Oklahoma radio station, Santorum said Inhofe has praised him as having the best record on issues important to him.
"Jim's the real deal, too, and it's an honor to have his support," Santorum said.
But Inhofe, previously a Rick Perry backer, hasn't endorsed Santorum, and the senator’s communications director disputed Santorum’s assertion that Inhofe had previously said he’d vote for him.
"He has said positive things about Santorum, but he has not endorsed anyone since Rick Perry," Young said in an email.
Young said Inhofe does no! t plan to endorse another candidate until the Republican Party has a nominee.
The Santorum campaign, however, does not consider the former senator's statement misleading and said he was not suggesting an endorsement from Inhofe.
"I would consider that support, however you look at it," Santorum campaign adviser John Brabender said.
Brabender recalled that at the 2012 Conservative Political Action conference, Inhofe said he probably knows "Rick better than anyone in this audience."
Even as Santorum has skyrocketed to the front of the Republican presidential field in national and key state polls, he's struggled to win over the support of sitting legislators on Capitol Hill. Only a few House Republicans have backed Santorum, while Mitt Romney has the support of almost 80 legisla! tors, ac cording to The Hill’s list.
Oklahoma will hold its Republican primary on March 5, along with 9 other states that will head to the polls for Super Tuesday contests. Santorum has led in recent polls of Oklahoma, though it remains to be seen how his defeat in Tuesday’s Michigan primary will affect his momentum.
Former Sen. Feingold: Super-PACs making Supreme Court 'squeamish'
Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) says he is increasingly optimistic that the Supreme Court will act to reverse the Citizens United ruling that rolled back limits on campaign spending. Â
Feingold has long been an opponent of the ruling, which cleared the way for corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections as long as there is no coordination with campaigns.
"I think there's all kinds of signs that the justices are getting squeamish â€" that they know they've done something even worse than Bush v. Gore in terms of the credibility of the court," Feingold said Wednesday on "The Bill Press Show."
"The credibility of the court is greatly diminished because of this, and I'm getting more optimistic that something's going to happen about this decision at some point," Feingold continued.
Feingold was the co-author â€" with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) â€" of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance la! w, which limited the amount of money individuals could donate to political campaigns. The Citizens United ruling struck down a portion of that law, saying Congress should not be allowed to put limits on independent corporate spending, spending by unions, or other, similar entities.
Feingold criticized President Obama earlier this month for backing a super-PAC that supports his reelection bid, saying the president was "dancing with the devil."
Olympia Snowe: A red-meat Republican after all?
Many people in Washington will miss Olympia Snowe, the Maine Republican and bipartisan bridge-builder who announced Tuesday evening that she has decided not to seek a fourth term in the U.S. Senate. But perhaps none more so than Charlie Palmer.
Though the confirmed centrist hardly fits the image of a "red-meat Republican," the Charlie Palmer Steakhouse, a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol, appears to be one of her favorite venues. Records compiled by Sunlight Foundation's Political Party Time show that the GOP lawmaker held 27 fundraisers there between May and December of last year. On three occasions, she headlined two events at the Charlie Palmer Steakhouse in one day, most recently on December 14. It's one indication of how sudden and surprising Snowe's announcement was: She ended 2011 with more than $3 million in her campaign warchest.
Standing up for the Farm Bill
One might wonder why two heads of Jewish organizations are writing about the Farm Bill. After all, most American Jews do not live on farms. Â But this legislation touches almost every aspect of our food system and is as important to communities in New York and Miami as it is to those in Lincoln and Dubuque. In ancient times, our ancestors were commanded to leave the gleanings of their fields for the poor and the stranger. Today, we have an obligation to step up to the plate and make a difference in the debate over our national food and agriculture policies.
In an effort to achieve our values-inspired vision of food justice, American Jewish World Service and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs have come together with four other national Jewish organizations â€" the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, Hazon, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, and the Union for Reform Judaism - to form the Jewish Farm Bill Working Group. These organizations are join! ed by several others in endorsing a statement of principles called the “Jewish Platform for a Just Farm Bill.â€Â
We are united in the belief that as people of faith we cannot stand idly by when millions go hungry at home and abroad. The link between food and faith obligates our community to challenge the injustice of hunger, to champion the rights of all for nutritious food, and to steward the land on which our sustenance depends.The reauthorization of the Farm Bill is an opportunity to put these principles into practice.
State Department announces North Korea agrees to moratorium on nuclear tests
North Korea has agreed to a moratorium on its nuclear tests, long-range missile launches, and uranium enrichment program, the State Department announced Wednesday.
The Department announced that North Korea would cease nuclear tests at its main nuclear facility in Yongbyon.
"The DPRK has also agreed to the return of IAEA inspectors to verify and monitor the moratorium on uranium enrichment activities at Yongbyon and confirm the disablement of the 5-MW reactor and associated facilities," The State Department said in a statement.
The announcement cautioned that the U.S. still has "profound concerns" on North Korea's nuclear activities but said the moratorium reflects "progress in addressing some of these" concerns.
Following bilateral talks between United States officials and North Korean officials, in Beijing, the State Department said that the U.S. does not have "hostile intent" toward North Korea and is willing to improve re! lations. In the statement, the State Department also stressed that any sanctions imposed on North Korea are not meant to hurt the "livelihood" of North Koreans.
Evangelical Franklin Graham apologizes to Obama for questioning his faith
Evangelical minister Franklin Graham apologized on Tuesday for questioning the personal Christian faith of President Obama.
He said Obama's faith has "nothing to do with my consideration of him as a candidate."
"I regret any comments I have ever made which may have cast any doubt on the personal faith of our president, Mr. Obama," Graham said in the statement. "I apologize to him and to any I have offended for not better articulating my reason for not supporting him in this election."
Obama broke promise to Senate on Defense spending
In selling his New START treaty with Russia, President Obama promised senators he was committed to improving U.S. missile defenses and modernizing America's aging nuclear arsenal.
Earlier this month, the administration unveiled the fiscal year 2013 budget to Congress, revealing that the president has utterly failed to make good on his promises.
Senators, led by Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ), pressured the Obama administration to provide assurances that if the U.S. reduced its nuclear arsenal, the remaining weapons would maintain a credible deterrent. In order to achieve this, the U.S. must upgrade its nuclear weapons and the facilities that house them.
PDUFA critical for innovation and patientsâ¨
Just a few decades ago, a company could submit a new drug application and commonly wait up to 30 months before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rendered a verdict. FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg says the Prescription Drug User Fee Act â€" better known as PDUFA â€" has become a “game-changer†in the agency’s efforts to more efficiently review and approve potential new treatments.
GOP Rep. King: Top Republicans are âwhispering and mumbling,â âconcernedâ Romney cannot ...
Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, predicted Tuesday that if Mitt Romney loses Michigan, there will be “more activity among the Republican establishment†toward the goal of recruiting an alternative candidate.
He said “top Republicans†are “concerned that Gov. Romney has not been able to break loose†in the primary race.
“I have no inside knowledge, just whispering and mumbling,†he said.
NFL reschedules kickoff to avoid conflict with Obama DNC speech
The National Football League rescheduled its 2012 kickoff in September so it won't conflict with President Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention.Â
The season will begin on Wednesday, September 5 rather than September 6 when Obama is set to deliver a speech at the convention, according to ESPN.Â
Pivotal Michigan
Short of a huge victory, there is no good road out of Michigan for Mitt Romney â€" and no quick resolution to the problems facing the GOP in November. Should Rick Santorum beat Romney in his home state, it is safe to say the former Massachusetts governor will face enormous challenges not only broadening his support and winning the nomination but convincing his nervous supporters and donors that he can hang on and win the nomination first and then in the fall.
Scotland, England, USA: One world
I knew the ’60s was over when the hippies started staying home to watch “Upstairs, Downstairs.†In our time we are staying home again to watch “Downton Abbey.†It seems a lesser tale than that narrated by William F. Buckley, Jr. of Evelyn Waugh’s “Brideshead Revisited†in 1981. Another recent offering, “The Tudors,†today goes to our beginning: Which strong force will dominate? That of the Catholic wife, Catherine, and her daughter, Mary? Or reformer Anne and her daughter, the Protestant monarch who institutionalized the modern world, Elizabeth I? These shows are longings that arise when we face uncertainty. And when we do we return to England.
Mitt Romney's ârich manâ problem, Ron Paul's Mitt Romney problem, Rick Santorum's women problem
Mitt Romney has a very big problem. His wife drives two Cadillacs? He is friends with NASCAR team owners? He likes firing people and doesn't care about the very poor?
Ron Paul has a very big problem. He increasingly looks like a shill for Romney and as he does, his numbers go down. In Virginia, where Paul is on the ballot against Romney, he will have to come out of the closet and criticize Mitt or be exposed as a Romney front.
And Rick Santorum, who opposes the separation of church and state, is solidifying a gender gap of epic proportion that favors Democrats.
For Democrats, anything goes
It really does seem like anything goes this election season. Â
The controversy over the HHS mandate requiring “free†coverage of contraceptive services â€" and the recent hearing on religious liberty â€" has breathed new life into the already tired Democratic message that Republicans are waging “war on women.†(Read what I’ve already written about it here.)
Leading the charge for the Democratic Party is Rep. Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.), who yesterday signed a fundraising letter for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that is absolutely absurd:
Michael Moore to Michigan: 'Send the Republicans a message'
Michigan native and documentary filmmaker Michael Moore is ready to "send the Republicans a message" on primary day in Michigan.
In a tweet on Tuesday, the progressive activist urged his followers to do the same.
Good morning fellow Michiganders! It's a great day to send the Republicans a message, and it makes me happy that we're the state to do it.
â€" Michael Moore (@MMFlint) February 28, 2012
Presidential candidates must address our debt
After a year in which the country was on the verge of declaring bankruptcy and the federal deficit surpassed the $1 trillion mark for the third straight year, you would think that the number-one priority for the president and Congress would be to put America’s fiscal house in order. But instead, both sides seem content to sit on their hands -- at least until the election is over -- while the Treasury issues more and more IOUs.
That’s unfortunate, because the most important issue facing our nation is our worsening debt situation, and we are rapidly running out of time in which we can restore fiscal sanity on our terms, rather than allowing an economic fiscal crisis to occur.
RNC targets gas price woes to hurt Obama
The Republican National Committee wants voters to tweet at the pump.
The RNC launched a social media campaign on Tuesday doubling down on their criticism of President Obama over high gas prices.
Today when you are at the station, take a picture of the pump and tweet us the photo- use the hashtag #ObamaonEmpty. Great response so far!
â€" RNC (@RNC) February 28, 2012
RNC targets gas price woe to hurt Obama
The Republican National Committee wants voters to tweet at the pump.
The RNC launched a social media campaign on Tuesday doubling down on their criticism of President Obama over high gas prices.
Today when you are at the station, take a picture of the pump and tweet us the photo- use the hashtag #ObamaonEmpty. Great response so far!
â€" RNC (@RNC) February 28, 2012
McCain: GOP race is like a 'Greek tragedy'
Following the race for the Republican presidential nomination "is like watching a Greek tragedy," according to Sen. John McCain.
"It’s the negative campaigning and the increasingly personal attacks ... it should have stopped long ago," the Arizona Republican said in an interview with The Boston Herald on Monday. "Any utility from the debates has been exhausted, and now it’s just exchanging cheap shots and personal shots followed by super-PAC attacks."
Why we support school choice
Colorado’s citizens pride themselves on independence and a practical ability to get things done. This mix of autonomy and pragmatism is paving a new trail for public education by providing broad, bi-partisan support to a simple principle: school choice.
Colorado is politically purple. The most recent elections saw a narrow democratic U.S. Senate victory, its Congressional representatives include three Democrats and four Republicans, and the State’s General Assembly is evenly divided. Successful politicians in Colorado reflect their constituents, demonstrating autonomy and focusing on practical solutions regardless of party affiliation.
Embracing this independent pragmatism, Colorado’s political leadership has now coalesced around school choice. Governor Hickenlooper has proclaimed January 22 â€" 28th School Choice Week in Colorado, receiving public support from traditional democratic strongholds including the Colorado Education Association, as ! well as elected officials on both sides of the political aisle.
Santorum said Republicans only should vote in GOP primaries
Rick Santorum’s campaign is running robocalls urging Democrats to vote for him in Michigan’s GOP primary after Santorum a month ago said only Republicans should vote in the party’s primaries.
CNN reported on Tuesday that during a telephone town-hall event on January 29th, Santorum argued that participation in Republican primaries should include only GOP voters
"We want the activists of the party, the people who make up the backbone of the Republican Party to have a say in who our nominee is as opposed to a bunch of people who don't even identify themselves as Republicans picking our nominee," Santorum said in a telephone town-hall on January 29th according to CNN. "I don't like that. I believe that states sho! uld only allow Republicans to vote in Republican primaries."
The CNN report came the day of the Michigan Republican primary and a day after Santorum's campaign said it was pushing a robocall in Michigan urging Democrats to vote for Santorum in the primary. In Michigan, voters can vote in either primary if they are of the opposing party.
"It's the Republican nomination, not the independent nomination or the Democratic nomination," Santorum added during the call. "If you're a Democrat and you want to be a Democrat, then vote in the Democratic primary, not the Republican. If you want to vote in the Republican Party then become one."
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On Tuesday, Mitt Romney and Santorum exchanged criticism over the calls. Romney said the former Pennsylvania senator's campaign had resorted to "dirty tricks." Meanwhile Santorum defended the robocall saying it was meant to "prove the point we can attract voters we need to win states like Michigan," according to A! BC News.
The Santorum campaign did not immediately ! respond with a comment.
America's IMBY era for energy
Last week during a speech at the University of Miami, President Obama called for an “all-of-the-above energy strategy that develops every available source of American energy.†The plea in itself was far from surprising â€" the president himself made it during his most recent State of the Union address and members of both houses of Congress have been citing a variant of this for some time now as a way for the country to finally take control of its energy future.
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The surprising part was that this message came from a president who has done so much to hamstring U.S. energy development. Take the development of natural gas, which the president used as evidence that “we don’t have to choose between our environment and our economy.†U.S.-based innovation has opened vast reserves of shale gas deposits. More than 200,000 jobs have been created over the last several years as part of efforts to extract natural gas from massive shale formations.
Fundamental shift needed to tackle deficit, health care
American health care spending continues to rise, and by 2019, health care costs will approach $4.5 trillion â€" nearly 20 percent of our projected GDP. With this spending trajectory and our significant debt in mind, serious deficit reform must tackle rising health care costs, particularly in Medicare and Medicaid, and do so by sustainably removing costs from the system.Â
Traditionally, cost-cutting efforts in health care have involved tweaking eligibility, increasing out-of-pocket costs, and squeezing reimbursement to providers of health care goods and services. Though these actions may achieve a small favorable score from the Congressional Budget Office, they fail to contain costs over the long term. They also often create other problems, primarily because they address symptoms of the problem in our system and shift them to someone else instead of addressing the source of the problems directly.Â
It’s like rearranging the deck chairs on the Tit! anic to make it harder to reach the lifeboats while doing little to alleviate the need to abandon ship.
IPAB repeal: good policy and good politics
What if I told you there was a country where medical decisions were made not by doctors in consultation with their patients, but by a panel of 15 unelected bureaucrats who determine the fate of millions of Americans? You would probably think that such a system would only exist thousands of miles off our shores, where access to even the most rudimentary healthcare is reserved for the privileged few. You would be incorrect.
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When the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was passed, it created the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) with the intent of slowing future spending growth of Medicare, which already consumes $468 billion of our federal budget and is projected to rise ever higher. But Congress decided to give the Board unprecedented power to make cuts to Medicare where they see fit, and only a supermajority vote can overturn them. On Wednesday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Health will vote on HR 452, the Medicare Decisions Accoun! tability Act, which would repeal IPAB and send a clear signal that the American people will only fully except the ACA when all of its fatal flaws, chief among them IPAB, are rectified.
Greece should serve as a wake-up call
Just last week, a financial shock wave swept across Europe as Greece narrowly averted economic collapse by securing its second major bailout in as many years.
While markets everywhere breathed a sigh of relief that the $172 billion rescue package temporarily saved Greece from insolvency, the forecast for continued stability remains in doubt.
Could what’s happening in Greece actually happen here in America? To some extent, it already has. Greece and the United States are two of the seven countries in the world with a national debt that exceeds total economic output.
Among advanced economies, the United States and Greece join Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan and Portugal on the list of nations whose debt is greater than their gross domestic product (GDP). The last time America’s debt topped the size of its overall economy was in 1947, due to the costs incurred in World War II. Today there is no excuse for spending more than we’re taki! ng in. Frankly, it’s a recipe for disaster.
Santorum regrets "throw up" response to Kennedy speech
Rick Santorum regrets saying that he wanted to "throw up" in response to watching a video clip of President John F. Kennedy's 1960 speech about the separation of church and state.
"I wish I had that particular line back," Santorum said Tuesday on Laura Ingraham's radio show.
Two days earlier, while making an appearance on ABC's "This Week", Santorum was asked to respond to a clip of Kennedy's speech in which the Democratic presidential candidate said he believes "in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute."
Santorum didn't hold any punches in reacting to the quote.
"I don't believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute. The idea that the church can have no influence or no involvement in the operation of the state is absolutely antithetical to the objectives and vision of our country," Santorum said on the Sunday news show.
Santorum has worked to make social issues and religion a primary theme of his campaign. He recently said that President Obama's political agenda was motivated by "some phony theology, not a theology based on the Bible." Santorum later said he was not questioning the president's religion, rather, he was "talking about his world view, and the way he approaches problems in this country."
(h/t: Igor Volsky)
Santorum to Romney: 'Don't complain if I hit back'
Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney, battling neck and neck in the polls on Election Day in Michigan and Arizona, blasted each other over the Santorum campaign's attempt to reach out to Michigan Democrats.
In the new robocalls launched this week in Michigan, a speaker urges Democrats to come out and vote for Santorum over Romney. Mitt Romney on Tuesday blasted the calls as a "dirty trick."Â
“If you want to hit me, hit me. But don’t go out and complain if I ! hit back,†Santorum responded on conservative Laura Ingraham's radio show. “In New Hampshire when 53 percent of people who voted in the primary weren’t Republicans and [Romney] encouraged them to vote, that’s OK? But the voters that are going to be necessary for us to win, that he says he can attract, [it’s not OK to appeal to them]?â€
Romney and Newt Gingrich accused Santorum of appealing to the unions with the calls. “Romney supported the bailouts for his Wall Street billionaire buddies, but opposes the auto bailouts. That was a slap in the face to every Michigan worker, and we're not going to let Romney get away with it,†says the speaker on the call.
Santorum dismissed the criticism by saying he cannot be considered a “Big Labor Republican†when the labor unions are spending money opposing him.
Federal regulations are stifling higher education
The last place we need the federal government is in our classrooms. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly clear that President Obama’s Department of Education is intent on imposing its will on our institutions of learning, whether K-12 or higher education. Like many 9th-district residents, I believe education is a state and local issue. The federal government can play a supporting role in education, but the issue is best left to state and local officials.
For months, I have been challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s lack of understanding when it comes to the impact of a costly federal accounting requirement on Missouri career and technical schools when applying for Title IV funds. This federal regulation, which conflicts with existing state standards, has been in place since 1997. The regulation requires postsecondary education institutions to submit annual financial statements to the U.S. Department of Education prepared on an accrual basis.! Â
For years, the U.S. Department of Education has allowed Missouri career centers to continue to operate under its current reporting system - cash accounting - because Missouri allows school districts to adopt any comprehensive basis of accounting. Missouri is unique from many states in that many of its career centers are part of local school districts. There are at least 32 vocational technical schools in Missouri that currently participate in the Title IV programs and are affiliated with local school districts. Over 90 percent of Missouri schools, regularly subjected to audits, use cash accounting. For most schools, many of which are rural, changing an entire school district’s accounting system for one affiliated career center necessitates an expense that many school districts simply cannot afford. This means career center programs will close down. Â
Former Oklahoma senator endorses third-party White House bid
Former Sen. David Boren (D-Okla.) said Tuesday that he would lend his efforts to the third-party Americans Elect organization, a group dedicated toward building an infrastructure for an outside White House challenge in the 2012 election.
“The country is going to really be in deep trouble if we don’t act soon,†Boren told the New York Times. “I think this is really a cry from many of us who are really concerned for the future of the country.â€
The former senator and governor - who now helms the state's flagship university - said that he was disheartened by the lack of bipartisanship in Washington. Americans Elect has said the their ticket will require the eventual presidential nominee to select a running mate from the other party.
Polls show Michigan primary a toss-up between Romney and Santorum
Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are knotted atop the polls heading into Tuesday’s critical primary in Michigan.
Election day polls show Michigan further tightening
A pair of election-day polls show the contest in the pivotal Michigan primary closer than ever, with Rick Santorum again narrowing Mitt Romney's lead headed into Tuesday's contest.
A Public Policy Polling survey released late Monday night showed Santorum with a one percentage point lead. That represents a three point swing back in the former senator's favor from a survey released late Sunday that showed Romney with a two-point lead. According to the Democratic pollster's survey, Santorum edges Romney with 38 percent of likely voters, while Romney earned 37 percent, Ron Paul got the nod of 14 percent of voters, and Newt Gingrich pulled in 9 percent.
“It looks like things in Michigan are swinging back toward Rick Santorum in the final hours before the polls open,†said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling, in a statement. “The big questions are whether Romney’s absentee vote lead is too large for Santorum to make up, and whether Democrats really will turn out to support Santorum in the GOP primary.â€
Gingrich: Obama's call for higher education 'perfectly reasonable'
Newt Gingrich said President Barack Obama's call for Americans to “commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training" seemed "perfectly reasonable," the latest Republican to draw into question Rick Santorum's weekend comments in which he denounced the president as a "snob" for encouraging higher education.
Santorum was referencing comments Obama made during a 2009 address to Congress in which he called on all Americans to commit to seeking some sort of higher education.
"So tonight I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training," Obama said. "This can be a community college or a four-year school, vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma."Â
Polls show Michigan a toss-up between Romney, Santorum
Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are knotted atop the polls heading into Tuesday’s critical primary in Michigan.
Poll: Swing-state voters sour on Obamaâs healthcare reform law
More than half of voters in swing states perceive Obama’s signature domestic legislation negatively, a new poll finds.
Stop apologizing, Mr. President
President Obama should stop apologizing to the Afghan people about American troops burning the Quran.
The Afghan prisoners converted a holy book into an implement of war by using it to distribute subversive literature.
In doing so they desecrated their holy book and took it out of the realm of being a sacred object. The object the U.S. troops burned was an implement of war and not a holy relic.
Mr. President, please don't apologize for our troops destroying an object our enemies often use in the war of terror against us.
House Democrat slams Santorum over separation of church, state
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) took GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum to task this week over comments on the separation of church and state.
“Santorum doesn't believe in an absolute separation of church and state. Ok, loose about the 1st Amendment. Think he's loose about the 2nd?†he tweeted, continuing: “And if church and state aren't "absolutely" separate, does that include synagogue and state? Mosque and state?â€
Payroll tax cut extension: just another quick fix
Policymakers of both parties may be hailing the recent bipartisan extension of the current payroll tax cut, but it’s really just one more example of the short-term tax fixes to which lawmakers have grown addicted â€" and that are making our tax code an increasingly undecipherable patchwork of temporary provisions.
House Republicans reached the compromise by dropping their demand for spending cuts that would offset the estimated $1 billion cost of the tax measure. Economists estimate that the average American family would have seen a tax increase of more than $1,000 per year if the temporary payroll tax cut had not been extended.
Buffett derides Christie 'write a check and shut up' comments as 'touching response' to debt crisis
“It’s sort of a touching response to a $1.2 trillion deficit, isn’t it? That somehow the American people will all send in checks and take care of it?†Buffett said.
Christie made headlines when he told CNN last week that Buffett should just write a check to the government rather than advocating for tax reform that would increase the burden on the wealthiest of Americans.
Sen. McCain wonât watch HBOâs depiction of 2008 election in 'Game Change'
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) doesn’t plan to watch the depiction of himself in the new movie “Game Change.â€Â
"This new movie that comes out, [people] ask me if I'm gonna watch it," McCain said in Arizona on Saturday, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times. "I tell them it'll be a cold day in Gila Bend, Ariz."
Gila Bend is located in the desert, so McCain’s viewership can likely be ruled out.
Santorum adviser says Romney will be hurt even if Santorum loses Michigan
"We have already won," Santorum adviser John Brabender said on CNN. "No matter what the results are, we've won. This is Romney's home state."
Brabender's comments come just ahead of Tuesday's Michigan primary. Recent polls have found a tight race between Santorum and Romney, who grew up in Michigan and won the state handily in the 2008 presidential race. Romney's father was also governor there.
Sen. Toomey memorializes the Berenstain Bears
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) on Monday noted the loss of author Jan Berenstain, a Pennsylvania native and author of enduring children’s book characters the Berenstain Bears.
Thanks to PA's Jan Berenstain for teaching generations of kids to learn (and to love) to read. apne.ws/zrlXcg
â€" Senator Pat Toomey (@SenToomey) February 27, 2012
Celebrating the Oscars
On Sunday, millions of Americans tuned in for the 84th Academy Awards. The movie industry undoubtedly enjoys the public’s speculating which films deserve the highest honors. However, the largest studios do not like Wall Street speculation about how successful movies will be before they are actually released.
In true Washington fashion, movie industry titans lobbied Congress to ban movie futures â€" financial contracts that pay out based on box office earnings. The Motion Picture Association of America got a special, and barely noticeable, ban inserted into the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill to prohibit trading based on expected box office earnings. The new ban hurts independent filmmakers looking for financial partners to bring their films to life and ultimately fans of their films, like “The Artist†and “The Descendants.â€Â
Romney tells Michigan crowd about attending event that happened before he was born
Mitt Romney might have been stretching the truth â€" and the space-time continuum â€" earlier this week while telling a Michigan crowd about his fond memories of attending the Golden Jubilee, the 50th anniversary celebration of the American automobile.
“My dad had a job being the grandmaster. They painted Woodward Ave. with gold paint,†Romney said.
The problem: the June 1, 1946, event took place a full nine months before Romney was born.
The parade â€" one of the last public appearances by automobile pioneer Henry Ford â€" could not possibly have been attended by Romney, who said he was "probably 4 or something like that" when describing the event, according to the Toron! to Star.
Buffett mocks Christie for 'write a check and shut up' remark
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett fired back in an increasingly contentious war of words with Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) Monday, sarcastically calling the governor's suggestion he "just write a check and shut up" a "touching response."
“It’s sort of a touching response to a $1.2 trillion deficit, isn’t it? That somehow the American people will all send in checks and take care of it?†Buffett said in an interview on CNBC.
Christie made headlines when he told CNN last week that Buffett should just write a check to the government rather than continue advocating for tax reforms that would increase the burden on the wealthiest of Americans.
“I’m so tired of talking about Warren Buffett,†Christie said. “What are you going to bring up next, his secretary? I mean, this is the old song."
Care work in America: Expected but not respected
Last month the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that home care is the fastest-growing occupation in the United States. More jobs will be created in home care than in any other occupation through 2020.
But this positive news is tempered by the negative realities facing many workers in the industry. Home care work is too often “expected but not respected,†in the words of worker Tracy Dudzinski, dismissed as neither skilled nor demanding enough to qualify as a real job. That may explain the surprising fact that home care workers are denied federal minimum wage, overtime, and other protections under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), a law that was passed over 70 years ago.
Reform is long overdue, but it may be finally taking root. On December 15, Tracy stood proudly behind President Obama as he announced a proposed rule that would provide most home care workers with FLSA coverage. Unfortunately, an opposition movement led by highly profitabl! e national home care corporations is trying to keep the rule from being issued.
Hauling hedge funds into the 21st century
Over the last few years, hedge funds have moved into the mainstream of the U.S. economy. Once restricted to a small number of super-wealthy “sophisticated investors,†they now receive hundreds of billions of dollars from public and private pension plans acting as fiduciaries for schoolteachers, truck drivers, construction workers, first responders and others whom we have lately come to call “the 99 Percent,†those who share little in common with fund managers stocking the Forbes 400 list. Surfing upon this incoming tide of money, some individual funds now manage enough assets to exert significant influence in the markets.
But the widespread acceptance of hedge funds among institutional investors has not been matched by commensurate improvements in their level of transparency, accountability and corporate governance. In recent months, we’ve witnessed the dismal result: a parade of inside-trading scandals evoking the fraud-riddled implosions of Worldcom, ! Tyco, Enron and Global Crossing that rocked corporate America a decade ago. It’s time for hedge funds to be brought into the 21st century and reflect their new broader role and fiduciary responsibilities. And this means the legal regime that sets the rules for hedge funds must change.
Obamaâs IMF bailout dodge
Human Events political editor John Gizzi got an interesting sidestep by Obama deputy press secretary Josh Earnest on Friday. When queried about Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers’s (R-Wash.) legislation that would rescind the IMF’s ability to access $100 billion directly from the U.S. Treasury without any congressional approvals, he feigned ignorance of the legislation, agreeing with Gizzi’s statement that “additional tax dollars are off the table.â€
Â
Congress needs to take the White House at its word immediately and bring the McMorris Rodgers legislation to the floor, forcing the president to either support a massive raid on the U.S. Treasury to bail out Greece and other socialist countries in Europe or allow the funds to be rescinded.
Santorum: Daytona driver should employ 'Santorum strategy,' wait for others to crash
Rick Santorum joked that the NASCAR car sponsored by his campaign should employ the "Santorum strategy" at Monday's Daytona 500: "hang back and let the other cars in front get in wrecks or drop out of the race."
The former Pennsylvania senator made the joke - alluding to his late rise in a bruising GOP presidential race - during a lighthearted morning appearance on Fox News.
"I will tell you I talked to the driver, Tony Raines, yesterday and told him since he's starting at the back of the pack, in the 21st row, I said, you know, let's use the Santorum strategy - hang back and let the other cars in front get in wrecks or drop out of the race and then move up in the end, thats hopefully the pattern he'll use," Santorum said.
Comprehensive approach is the only way to control gas prices
With gas prices climbing and many experts predicting that U.S. gas prices will peak as high as five dollars a gallon this summer, public voices are rising as well, asking how we can bring prices down and avoid straining our still-recovering economy. Still, with so many factors impacting the price we see at the pump, our focus must go beyond any short-term fix, and focus on how we can finally relieve ourselves of the ongoing burden of our nation’s petroleum addiction.
We know that gasoline prices are cyclical, typically increasing during the summer; it was in the summer of 2008 that we saw our previous average high price for gas, at $4.11 a gallon.
However, this summer’s prices also reflect - once again - ongoing tensions in the Middle East. While sanctions against Iran have slightly reduced oil supplies, more general fears of how tensions in the region will affect future oil shipments are having a greater impact on oil prices overall. With one fi! fth of the world’s oil supply transiting the Strait of Hormuz - a flow of roughly 17 million barrels a day - Iranian threats to blockade the Strait, along with fears of the effects of an Israeli attack on Iran, are leading to efforts to stockpile crude, driving up prices.
H.R. 7 - more than just roads and bridges
As the House debates an infrastructure bill, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that the legislation at hand is more than just roads and bridges. For example, H.R. 7 would help our nation’s veterans obtain their Commercial Driver’s License, and with it the prospect of a good-paying private sector job. Perhaps more importantly, it would also help to ensure that teen drivers are better prepared for the challenges of the road.
I firmly believe that our commitment to our nation’s men and women does not end when their time in uniform ends. Instead, for all they do for us, we need to ensure that their transition back to civilian life and civilian employment is as simple as possible. As part of this, we should do what we can to help veterans transition from their military specialties into civilian employment. Under the VALOR Act, federal agencies would collaborate to assist veterans with relevant skills in getting their commercial driver’s license. It’s j! ust common sense to me that after you’ve driven a truck in the service of your country, it shouldn’t be hard for you to get the license you need to get behind the wheel of a truck and help move America forward.
USPS's "Plan to Profitability" - triaging the patient
Apply the Tourniquet Now
The U.S. Postal Service is hemorrhaging red ink. The Postal Service recently placed a 911 call to Congress, pleading for permission to address a wound caused by a plummeting first-class mail rate and explosive adoption of electronic communication. The USPS’s proposed five-year business plan, “Plan to Profitability,†must be approved and immediately enacted in order to constrain the bleeding and sustain the USPS until 2016.
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It is a critical situation â€" the USPS is losing money at a lethal rate. By its own projections, the Postal Service could incur annual losses of $21.3 billion and accumulate $92 billion in debt by 2016. Instead, the USPS rescue plan calls for $22.5 billion in annual cost reductions by 2016, nearly $10 billion of which depends on Congress approving significant legislative reforms: allow the USPS to provide employee health benefits outside federal health programs, increase the First-Class Mail ! stamp price to $0.50 and authorize a move to a 5-day delivery schedule. When fully applied with the operational and compensation initiatives, this plan is designed to keep the Postal Service alive.
Falling apart
Russia without Putin, England without Elizabeth, America without Kennedy and Bush. We are people of personalities and archetypes and when they go, the age goes. As it did with Jefferson, with Victoria, with Roosevelt. Wisconsin is right to plan for its own future with schemes of coining its own cash as Ron Paul suggests. Vermont and Texas and Scotland ready to go alone as well. Kansas seems about to roll and Alaska never quite fit. Arnold Schwarzenegger had some good ideas for California and saw it as a great, rising city-state. Sadly, no one else did. Maybe there really is no California. Maybe it is all just an idea. Then they all go home to New York and New England. Because that is the big problem in America and the world: mistaking ideas for places. Places â€" Texas, Quebec, Russia, Scotland â€" remain. Ideas â€" USSR, Britannia and the USA they are saying now â€" are made of air. And that Rick Santorum wants to be president is sure sign of the end times.
Trump: Romney will win Michigan, should embrace wealth
Reality television host Donald Trump predicted Monday that Mitt Romney would prevail in Michigan, and suggested the former Massachusetts govenror speak more openly about his wealth and success on the campaign trail.
"The fact is I think he's doing fine and you know, I think he's starting to realize and I think he had realized, but didn't want to admit it, that there's nothing wrong with the American dream, there's nothing wrong with success. And I actually heard him say that this morning and I thought it sounded great," Trump said, responding to a question from the "Fox and Friends" hosts about how Romney could improve his messaging when speaking about his personal wealth.
Romney raised eyebrows on the campaign trail Friday when he mentioned that his wife, Ann, drove a pair of Cadillacs. The campaign later explained that she had a car at each of the fmaily's two homes. In Michigan, still reeling from the effects of the recession and decline of the auto industry, some argued the comment came off as tone-deaf.
Santorum hits Obama on economy, says Romney 'tinkering at the margins'
Rick Santorum touted his economic proposals while arguing Mitt Romney's tax reform plan is too similar to President Obama's in a new op-ed.
In The Wall Street Journal op-ed on Monday, Santorum blames Obama's policies for a high poverty rate and writes that America needs proposals that aren't "tinkering at the margins."
"Millions seek jobs and others have given up," the former Pennsylvania senator writes. "Meanwhile, my opponent in the Republican primaries, Mitt Romney, had a last-minute conversion. Attempting to distract from his record of tax and fee increases as governor of Massachusetts, poor job creation, and aggressive pursuit of earmarks, he now says he wants to follow my lead and lower ! individual as well as corporate marginal tax rates."
Both Santorum and Romney propose reducing the corporate tax rate to 28 percent and Romney's plan cuts the bottom tax rate from 10 percent to 8 percent while Santorum's plan installs a new 10 percent tax bracket.Â
After Romney introduced his plan a week ago, Santorum suggested that Romney was merely following his lead. In the op-ed, Santorum doubled down on that argument.
"It's a good start," Santorum continued in the op-ed. "But it doesn't go nearly far enough. He says his proposed tax cuts would be revenue neutral and, borrowing the language of Occupy Wall S! treet, promises the top 1 percent will pay for the cuts. No pr! o-growth tax policy there, just more Obama-style class warfare."
Santorum goes on to lay out the economic policies he would put in place in his first hundred days in office. He proposes approving the Keystone Pipeline project, repealing an Environmental Protection Agency rule on carbon emissions, cutting the corporate tax rate in half, repealing the Obama administration's healthcare reform law, and introducing $5 trillion in federal spending cuts over five years.
The op-ed comes just a day ahead of the Michigan primary. Recent polls have found Santorum and Romney in a tight race in the state. On Friday, two new polls found Romney moving ahead of Santorum in Michigan. One poll, from Mitchell Research-Rosetta Sto! ne, found Romney with 36 percent support against Santorum's 33 percent. Another poll, from the conservative Rasmussen Polling, found Romney leading the field with 40 percent with Santorum in second with 34 percent.
Sen. Durbin shrugs off poll's findings on Obama admin. healthcare law
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) brushed off a new poll Monday which found a majority of Americans think part of the Obama administration's healthcare law is hurting his reelection chances.
"Give me one or two followup questions, I'll turn that poll for you," Durbin said Monday on MSNBC. "When I say to people do you think as a family you would like to keep your child, fresh out of college, looking for a job, on your family's health insurance plan? Of course."
Durbin was responding to a question by MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski who cited a Gallup/USA Today poll that found that of those surveyed, 30 percent say they are less likely to vote for President Obama because of the healthcare law while 15 percent say they are more likely to vote for him due to the legislation.
A separate Gallup Poll also released on Monday found that 72 percent of Americans view the individual mandate in the healthcare legislation as unconstitutional while 20 percent say it's constitutional. Broken down by party affiliation, 56 percent of Democrats said it was unconstitutional while 37 percent said it is constitutional. Meanwhile, 94 percent of Republicans said the mandate is unconstitutional while just 6 percent say it is constitutional.
On the 2012 election, Durbin said a brokered convention was unlikely. Some political observers have mentioned a longshot possibility of a brokered convention in response to a number of Republican candidates surging to the head of the GOP field and overtaking Mitt Romney. Recently, a number of polls have found Romney in a close race nationally and in key battleground states with Rick Santorum.
A recent Gallup Poll found Romney overtaking Santorum nationally, 31 percent to 29 percent.
"It's not likely to happen and in this day and age, it's not likely when you consider the limited amount of time that would be left, the amount of money that needs to be raised, the organization that needs to be put together but you can tell there's a roiling in the ranks of Republicans," Durbin said. "They don't think they've found the candidate yet that could defeat President Obama."
Virginia's McDonnell takes over for Perry at Republican governors association
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is replacing Texas Gov. Rick Perry as chairman of the Republican Governors Association.Â
Toomey: Debt panel to focus on cutting spending, regulations
Sen. Pat Toomey, one of the appointed Republicans, said the "supercommittee" will take on President Obama's policies.
LIVEBLOG: GOP debate in Iowa
Keep up with the developments from the GOP debate on our notes and news from our reporters.
Poll: Democrats oppose primary challenge to Obama
Just 32 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents wish to see a primary challenge to the president.
Poll: GOP more unpopular than during Clinton impeachment
Fifty-nine percent of voters polled by CNN said they had an unfavorable opinion of the Republican Party.
DNC chairwoman blames Tea Party 'tyrants' for US credit-rating downgrade
In a tweet, Rep. Wasserman Schultz accused Tea Party "tyrants" of blocking a more comprehensive debt-ceiling deal.
DNC chairwoman blames Tea Party 'tyrants' for US credit rating downgrade
In a tweet Rep. Wasserman Schultz accused Tea Party "tyrants" of blocking a more comprehensive debt-ceiling deal.
Reid: No deal reached at White House
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid returned to the Capitol without an agreement to raise the debt ceiling.
Kyl: Dems using debt debate for 'much broader tax increases'
In the GOP's weekly address, Sen. Jon Kyl said Democrats want new taxes on the middle class.
Obama pays tribute to nationâs governors at White House dinner
"I’ve always said that governors have one of the best, but also one of the toughest jobs around," said Obama. Â
GOP ponders debt repercussions
Some Republicans worry their party could take blame if Congress fails to raise debt ceiling by Aug. 2.Â
White House says there's no wiggle room on Aug. 2 debt-ceiling deadline
The Aug. 2 deadline for raising the debt limit "is very real," OMB Director Jack Lew said Tuesday.
Administration: No wiggle room on debt-ceiling deadline
The Aug. 2 deadline for raising the debt limit "is very real," OMB Director Jack Lew said Tuesday.
Al Gore says GOP is in debt ceiling denial
Former Vice President Al Gore said that some Republicans are living in an "alternative version of reality."
Pelosi calls for ethics investigation of Wu
Allegations surfaced Friday that Rep. David Wu (D-Ore.) had an 'unwanted sexual encounter' with a young woman.
Jeb Bush says current GOP candidates âcapableâ of 2012 win
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said he is optimistic about the current field of Republican presidential candidates.
House GOP Whip McCarthy expects no debt surprises, deals over the weekend
The House's third-ranking Republican said the GOP will not rush a bill to meet Treasury's Aug. 2 deadline.
Boehner sees no need for Camp David summit
Don't look for a Camp David summit this weekend on the debt talks, at least for now.
Obama calls for a 'balanced approach,' sacrifices in debt deal
In his weekly address, the president tries to move above the political fray and calls for compromise.
DeMint would accept 'serious disruptions' to economy in debt debate
Sen. DeMint called on Republicans to stand firm in the debate over raising the debt-ceiling limit.
The White House Twitter town hall
The White House hosted a Twitter town hall to respond to questions about the economy and jobs.
Obama: We can't afford to keep every tax break
In his weekly address, the president reiterated his demand for ending tax breaks along side budget cuts.
New York to allow same-sex marriages
New York State on Friday became the sixth state to allow same-sex marriages.
Santorum regrets endorsing Romney
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me," Santorum said of his 2008 endorsement.
Kochs: âDisturbing behaviorâ from Obama camp looks to limit free speech
Charles and David Koch slammed the Obama campaign for its attacks on the brothers' advocacy efforts and business practices.
Herman Cain: I 'loved' controversial Hoekstra Super Bowl ad
"I thought it cut through the clutter," the ex-presidential said. "I don't think it was racist at all."
John Edwards sex tape suit settled
The settlement awards ownership of the sexually explicit tape to the lover of former presidential candidate John Edwards.
Russ Feingold slams GOP candidates on foreign policy
The Obama campaign co-chairman said the Tea Party has pushed foreign policy to the backburner for the GOP
Buddy Roemer to make third-party bid
He is dropping his GOP presidential bid to run on either the Americans Elect or Reform Party ticket.
Kochs: âDisturbing behaviorâ from Obama campaign looks to limit free speech
Charles and David Koch slammed the Obama campaign for its attacks on the brothers' advocacy efforts and business practices.
Ariz. governor won't appear in hearing on immigration law
GOP Gov. Jan Brewer’s spokesman told The Hill that the hearing had “every mark of a publicity stunt.â€
Obama campaign names co-chairmen
The list of 30-some chairmen includes Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Caroline Kennedy and actors Kalpen Modi and Eva Longoria.
Romney holds four-point lead over Santorum in latest Arizona poll
A new poll shows Romney with the edge in Arizona a week before that state's Feb. 28 primary.
Judge: Twitter must release the name of man who threatened Rep. Bachmann
A federal grand jury, investigating whether the tweet constitutes a genuine threat, has subpoenaed the identity of the Twitter user.
Kirk keeps low profile during recovery
Staffers and friends of Sen. Kirk, who suffered a stroke last month, say he's recovering quickly but seeing few visitors.
Senate, House offices sent mail containing suspicious powder
Congress is again under threat, this time from suspicious powder, days after authorities foiled a suicide bombing at the Capitol.
High court will hear challenge to affirmative action policy
Abigail Fisher, who is white, claims she was discriminated against based on race when rejected by the University of Texas.
Simpson calls Santorum 'homophobic'
Former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), a Romney supporter, said Santorum's view on homosexualty is ' startling and borders on disgust.'
Tea Party Patriots co-founder resigns
Mark Meckler, co-founder and national coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots, resigned on Friday, according to a press release from the group.
Warren hits Sen. Brown over bill to reverse birth-control mandate
Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren released a new radio ad critical of the GOP response to Obama’s contraception mandate.
Actor Kal Penn returns to politics as Obama campaign co-chairman
Actor Kalpen Modi, better known by his screenname "Kal Penn," who plays Kumar in the “Harold and Kumar†movie series, will play a role in President Obama’s reelection campaign.
House Republican apologizes for suggesting budget will only pass the Senate if he kills 'a ...
Santorum responds to Romney tax plan: 'Welcome to the party, governor'
Rick Santorum sarcastically thanked Mitt Romney for proposing a tax program similar to his.Â
"Welcome to the party, governor. It's great to have you along," Santorum said at a campaign event in Tucson, Ariz., on Wednesday.
RNC's Spicer dismisses idea of brokered convention, 'magical' candidate who can take nomination
The communications director for the Republican National Committee on Tuesday dismissed rampant speculation that the topsy-turvy GOP primary could lead to a brokered convention.
"I've spent about as much time thinking about that as I have winning Powerball," Sean Spicer told CNN.Â
The new Obama tax system
President Obama has called for a major reform of our corporate tax system. The good news is that this will reduce the marginal corporate tax rate to 28 percent.
This would put the U.S. corporate income tax in line with most of our global competitors.
Bill Maher unveils 'surprise' $1 million donation to Obama's super-PAC
Political commentator and comedian Bill Maher publicly donated $1 million to the super-PAC supporting President Obama's re-election on Thursday night.Â
According to reports, Maher brought an oversize check on stage with him during a performance in San Jose, Calif. that was also broadcast by Yahoo! online.
The Fed finances the deficit
If the Federal Reserve didn't keep interest rates abnormally low, the federal deficit would soar by nearly $500 billion in the first year.
The arithmetic is simple: Rates are 2 to 3 percent lower than they should be; the outstanding federal debt is $15 trillion; 3 percent additional on $15 trillion is $450 billion additional deficit.
Morality and education
President Madison once opined that if you educate a man without teaching him morals, you create a menace to society.
With education you give people the tools to have tremendous effects on their environment. If that power is not tempered by morality, the changes that are wrought are not likely to be beneficial.
Judge: Twitter must release name of man who threatened Bachmann
A district court judge ruled this week that a federal grand jury is allowed to subpoena the identity of a Twitter user who threatened Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.).
The man, who was notified by Twitter of the request, had asked the court to squash the request in order to protect his identity.
If Romney loses Michigan â¦
A marketing pattern has occurred in presidential races now, following Reagan then Romney: If you want to be president you should run twice, the first time for practice. It seems to be going well for Romney, who knows how to do things. But all hangs on the Michigan primary, in which Santorum and Romney are in a virtual tie.
Fiddlers, foreign oil and failed policy
One-fifth of the world's oil supply travels through the vital Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East.
Iran recently threatened to blockade the Strait and choke off crude oil shipments from Middle East suppliers. Punctuated with a 10-day naval exercise, Iran clearly intends to hamper, obfuscate and pester the West and its Arab allies even if not actually able to sever this vital artery of the world's economy.
Mitt Romney's secret weapon: Ron Paul
Ron Paul's donors should consider asking for a refund and making donations to Mitt Romney. Paul now has an extreme truth-in-advertising problem. Money donated to Paul is not promoting the cause Paul allegedly supports. It is promoting the Romney campaign. Ron Paul should stop the holier-than-thou libertarian shtick and tell the truth to his supporters about why he is doing everything he can to make Romney the nominee. I am calling out Ron Paul. His campaign looks increasingly phony.
Democratic governors discuss bypassing Congress with Obama
President Obama met with a group of Democratic governors on Friday and discussed plans to work around Congress toward policy goals.
Gov. Jack Markell, the Democratic governor of Delaware and the vice chairman of the National Governors Association, told The Hill that the meeting was “very good†and said many of the governors were responsive to ideas about bypassing Congress.
“There was a sense that none of us should wait, we can’t wait for things to happen in Congress,†Markell said of the meeting. “We’re going to do what we can do [now].â€
Poll: Strong debate propels Romney to biggest Michigan lead in weeks
A new poll released Friday shows Mitt Romney with a three-point edge in his home state of Michigan, the largest lead the former governor has posted in a poll since Rick Santorum's surprise wins in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota earlier this month.
But the lead is still squarely within the Mitchell/Rosetta Stone poll's margin of error, providing more evidence that the pivotal Feb. 28 primary could go down to the wire.
Romney was the choice of 36 percent of likely Michigan voters, edging Rick Santorum's 33 percent. Ron Paul earned the nod from 12 percent of those surveyed, while Newt Gingrich struggled to break double digits, earning just 9 percent.
Getting Outdoors for Healthier Families, Children and Economies
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Outdoor recreation employed an estimated 6.5 million people and contributed $730 billion to the national economy, according to a 2006 report by the Outdoor Industry Foundation. In 12 of the Western states, outdoor industries employed 1.3 million people and contributed $143 billion to the region’s economy. The economics alone are a good reason to protect the West’s natural assets and enhance tourism, but there is another, perhaps less obvious reason, and that is our nation’s youth.
Gingrich: Washington state did gay marriage 'the right way'
Newt Gingrich said Friday that a new law in Washington state that allows for same-sex marriage was enacted "the right way," decrying courts in other states like Iowa where bans on gay marriage were found to be unconstitutional.
"I think at least they're doing it the right way, which is going through voters, giving them a chance to vote and not having a handful of judges arbitrarily impose their will," Gingrich said at the Washington state Capitol, according to The Associated Press.
The Washington bill was passed by the state's legislature and signed by the governor last week, although opponents are attempting to gather signatures to force a referendum on the November ballot.
Poll: Strong debate fuels Romney to biggest Michigan lead in weeks
A new poll released Friday shows Mitt Romney with a 3 point edge in his home state of Michigan, the largest lead the former governor has posted in a poll since Rick Santorum's surprise wins in Colorado, Missouri, and Minnesota earlier this month.
But the lead is still squarely within the Mitchell/Rosetta Stone poll's margin of error, providing more evidence that the pivotal Feb. 28 primary could go down to the wire.
Romney was the choice of 36 percent of likely Michigan voters, edging Rick Santorum's 33 percent. Ron Paul earned the nod from 12 percent of those surveyed, while Newt Gingrich struggled to break double digits, earning just 9 percent.
Poll: Obama opens modest leads over Romney, Santorum
A new poll from Rasmussen shows President Obama with sizable leads in hypothetical matchups against either of the leading Republican candidates, with Obama besting Mitt Romney by 7 points and Rick Santorum by 6 points.
That's a far stronger showing for the president than a similar poll from Gallup released Friday, which showed Romney with a 4-point lead on Obama and the president leading Santorum by a single percentage point.
What accounts for the numbers swing discrepancy is unclear, although the Rasmussen poll had a larger sample size â€" 1500 respondents compared to 898 for Gallup â€" and was taken more recently. The Republican candidates may have been hurt by recent discussion over social issues and contraceptive access, issues many Democrats believe could serve as a wedge with female voters.