Assessing Blame | Bill O'Reilly
Did Eric Holder Lie Under Oath? | Katie Pavlich
DNC: Republicans Doctored Emails and Are Making Up These Scandals or Something | Katie Pavlich
Fox News' Roger Ailes: Administration's Excuses Won't Work, Americans Died For Press Freedom | Katie Pavlich
John McCain And Marco Rubio's "Let’s End Conservatism In America Amnesty Bill" | John Hawkins
Obama's Bloody Recipe for More Benghazis | Michelle Malkin
BREAKING: DOJ Confirms Holder Personally "Vetted" Rosen Warrant | Guy Benson
Documents: Lois Lerner Was Directly Involved in Targeting Program | Guy Benson
Posted: 2/13/2009 9:28:26 AM EST
I am a member of the America's Future Foundation, which is a great networking group for young conservative and libertarians. I've been participating in their podcasts for more than a year now and we recorded the latest one this morning..
It's up HERE now. We talked about the Gregg withdrawal and the stimulus package mostly. Spend some time on their site. There's lots of great content provided by feisty, up and comers.
It's up HERE now. We talked about the Gregg withdrawal and the stimulus package mostly. Spend some time on their site. There's lots of great content provided by feisty, up and comers.
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Posted: 2/12/2009 8:22:57 PM EST
What happens when a Democrat is asked to justify a porky line-item in the stimulus bill? Like say, the $335 million for STD prevention?
Well, if you are Democratic Rep. Chris Carney of Pennsylvania you try to brush off the question. No matter whether it's a regular Joe asking him about it on the streets of Washington or whether it's a Republican inquiring while he's on the House floor.
In the video below, Carney says "I haven't seen it." In the one after that, he's asked to justify the spending item on the floor and chooses instead to yield to the Speaker.
On the street:
On the job:
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Posted: 2/12/2009 4:38:00 PM EST
New Hampshire Republican Sen. Judd Gregg has withdrawn his name as Commerce Secretary citing "irrevocable conflicts" with the Obama Admnistration.
Gregg did not resign from the Senate after Obama offered the nomination, so he will remain in Washington although a source tells me Gregg will NOT run for re-election in 2010.
This is a blow for the Obama Administration who sought to rely on Gregg's credibility as a fiscal hawk to sell their stimulus plan, which becomes less and less popular as each day goes by.
It is also the second person Obama has nominated for the slot, who has withdrawn his name. Bill Richardson abruptly withdrew his name from consideration because of an investigation federal authorities were conducting about his relationship with a corrupt consulting firm.
Gregg says could not meet an agreement with the White House over their decision to take control of the census, which can be used for political purposes, and the stimulus package Obama was pushing.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel said in a statement, "Sen. Gregg made a principled decision to return and we’re glad to have him. He is among the smartest, most effective legislators to serve in the Senate—Democrat or Republican—and a key advisor to me and to the Republican Conference. It’s great to have him back.”
(Even if it may only be for 2 years, apparently.)
The GOP has been loudly complaining about the Obama Administration's unprecedented decision to play a direct role in managing the 2010 census. The administration planned to this by requiring the census director report to the White House instead of the Commerce Department.
The purpose of the census is to count all Americans in order to determine how those persons will be represented in Washington.
Republicans and Democrats have quarreled in previous years about the way minorities, who typically vote Democratic, have been counted in the census. Liberals have made a push to use computer models to determine minority populations, which Republicans argue is an unreliable method Democrats support as a means of increasing their political power.
Gregg did not resign from the Senate after Obama offered the nomination, so he will remain in Washington although a source tells me Gregg will NOT run for re-election in 2010.
This is a blow for the Obama Administration who sought to rely on Gregg's credibility as a fiscal hawk to sell their stimulus plan, which becomes less and less popular as each day goes by.
It is also the second person Obama has nominated for the slot, who has withdrawn his name. Bill Richardson abruptly withdrew his name from consideration because of an investigation federal authorities were conducting about his relationship with a corrupt consulting firm.
Gregg says could not meet an agreement with the White House over their decision to take control of the census, which can be used for political purposes, and the stimulus package Obama was pushing.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel said in a statement, "Sen. Gregg made a principled decision to return and we’re glad to have him. He is among the smartest, most effective legislators to serve in the Senate—Democrat or Republican—and a key advisor to me and to the Republican Conference. It’s great to have him back.”
(Even if it may only be for 2 years, apparently.)
The GOP has been loudly complaining about the Obama Administration's unprecedented decision to play a direct role in managing the 2010 census. The administration planned to this by requiring the census director report to the White House instead of the Commerce Department.
The purpose of the census is to count all Americans in order to determine how those persons will be represented in Washington.
Republicans and Democrats have quarreled in previous years about the way minorities, who typically vote Democratic, have been counted in the census. Liberals have made a push to use computer models to determine minority populations, which Republicans argue is an unreliable method Democrats support as a means of increasing their political power.
Recommend this article
Posted: 2/12/2009 9:24:12 AM EST
Fred Tausch was a maxed-out donor to Barack Obama's presidential campaign who has become so outraged about the stimulus bill he's now running a campaign of his own to oppose it.
"I thought that when Obama talked about change, he was including that he would be more cautious about how we spend money," Tausch told the New Hampshire Union Leader. "And that's just not the case."
He's now spending more than $100,000 of his own money to promote his website www.StewardofProsperity.org. "Stimuluate the Economy Without Accumulating Record Debt" is its tagline.
"I thought that when Obama talked about change, he was including that he would be more cautious about how we spend money," Tausch told the New Hampshire Union Leader. "And that's just not the case."
He's now spending more than $100,000 of his own money to promote his website www.StewardofProsperity.org. "Stimuluate the Economy Without Accumulating Record Debt" is its tagline.
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Posted: 2/11/2009 11:08:03 PM EST
Liberals act like they hate the popularity Sarah Palin has earned among conservtive circles, but they're the ones who've been trying to make a buck off her.
When Palin was announced as the GOP vice presidential candidate, Planned Parenthood urged activists to fill their coffers to combat her beliefs. Defenders of Wildlife has similarly enlisted actress Ashley Judd to appear in commercials to raise money and bash Palin's position on controlling the predatory wolf population in her state.
Palin brushed these sort of tactics in a statement today.
"Making donations to Planned Parenthood in my name might be interesting theater in these politically charged times, but it is not going to change my views or the views of many other Alaskans who believe every life is precious," Palin said. "Anti-hunting groups are employing the same tactic of using my name to promote their cause right now."
"Again, interesting theater," Palin said.
I can almost hear her laughing.
When Palin was announced as the GOP vice presidential candidate, Planned Parenthood urged activists to fill their coffers to combat her beliefs. Defenders of Wildlife has similarly enlisted actress Ashley Judd to appear in commercials to raise money and bash Palin's position on controlling the predatory wolf population in her state.
Palin brushed these sort of tactics in a statement today.
"Making donations to Planned Parenthood in my name might be interesting theater in these politically charged times, but it is not going to change my views or the views of many other Alaskans who believe every life is precious," Palin said. "Anti-hunting groups are employing the same tactic of using my name to promote their cause right now."
"Again, interesting theater," Palin said.
I can almost hear her laughing.
Recommend this article
Posted: 2/11/2009 4:30:00 PM EST
As news comes in negotiations between the House and the Senate on the $800 billion-plus economic stimulus bill are being completed the details about its contents keep getting worse.
There's more than a billion tax dollars allocated in the bill to lay the groundwork for universal health care.
Rep. John Shadegg (R.-Ariz.) issued a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) asking language be stripped from the bill to eliminate the creation of a $1.1 billion government agency he says could deny lifesaving medical treatment to Americans under a nationalized health care system.
He has an op-ed up about this up on Townhall as well.
The provision at issue is one placed into the bill by House Appropriations Chairman Rep. David Obey (D.-Ohio) to create a "Federal Coordinating Council." The council would be established to conduct “Comparative Effectiveness” research on the efficiency of health care treatments.
"In other countries where they've done this research they've used it to deny care...It's preparing America, at least in this instance, the worst aspects of universal health care and that's government rationing," Shadegg told me in an interview on the subject. [See below]
There's more than a billion tax dollars allocated in the bill to lay the groundwork for universal health care.
Rep. John Shadegg (R.-Ariz.) issued a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) asking language be stripped from the bill to eliminate the creation of a $1.1 billion government agency he says could deny lifesaving medical treatment to Americans under a nationalized health care system.
He has an op-ed up about this up on Townhall as well.
The provision at issue is one placed into the bill by House Appropriations Chairman Rep. David Obey (D.-Ohio) to create a "Federal Coordinating Council." The council would be established to conduct “Comparative Effectiveness” research on the efficiency of health care treatments.
"In other countries where they've done this research they've used it to deny care...It's preparing America, at least in this instance, the worst aspects of universal health care and that's government rationing," Shadegg told me in an interview on the subject. [See below]
Specifically, the council would evaluate various “items, procedures, and interventions” and then, according to the legislation those treatments “that are found to be less effective and in some cases, more expensive, will no longer be prescribed.”
23 other Republicans have signed Shadegg’s letter protesting the council and its purpose.
A group of Democrats don’t like it, either. 17 House Democrats wrote Speaker Pelosi to ask some kind of protection “against the use of research to deny access to care based soley on cost" be placed in the bill.
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Posted: 2/11/2009 10:20:28 AM EST
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised bipartisanship would flourish under her leadership. So why were Republicans not invited to last night's conference negotiations on the stimulus bill?
(Although no one can really be surprised, House Democrats drafted their version of the bill in secret without any GOP input.)
Dave Schnittger, who works for Republican Minority Leader John Boehner, blogged at the leader's website today, "It appears that Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Reid’s staff met all through the night in secret with Democratic conferees’ staff to cobble together the 'stimulus' conference report. Republican conferees were frozen out."
"The objective appears to be to produce a final conference report on the trillion-dollar spending bill by this afternoon so that floor action can take place in both chambers by Thursday," he wrote.
(Although no one can really be surprised, House Democrats drafted their version of the bill in secret without any GOP input.)
Dave Schnittger, who works for Republican Minority Leader John Boehner, blogged at the leader's website today, "It appears that Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Reid’s staff met all through the night in secret with Democratic conferees’ staff to cobble together the 'stimulus' conference report. Republican conferees were frozen out."
"The objective appears to be to produce a final conference report on the trillion-dollar spending bill by this afternoon so that floor action can take place in both chambers by Thursday," he wrote.
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Posted: 2/11/2009 9:52:26 AM EST
Greg Sargent over at the Plum Line has an interesting scoop this morning about Big Labor's campaign to pressure Republicans to support the stimulus bill.
Americans United for Change, a pro-labor coalition group, has been targeting Republicans with attack ads in national and regional markets.
Sargent says:"White House aides were told in advance what the concept of the ads would be, though they were briefed while the ad was in production, according to a Democrat familiar with the discussions."
The Hatch Act strictly prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan behavior.
The language in the ads, which apparently White House aides signed off on in some manner, is very partisan, although some Blue Dog Democrats has been critiqued by the group as well.
This is a sample text and ad:
Americans United for Change, a pro-labor coalition group, has been targeting Republicans with attack ads in national and regional markets.
Sargent says:"White House aides were told in advance what the concept of the ads would be, though they were briefed while the ad was in production, according to a Democrat familiar with the discussions."
The Hatch Act strictly prohibits federal employees from engaging in partisan behavior.
The language in the ads, which apparently White House aides signed off on in some manner, is very partisan, although some Blue Dog Democrats has been critiqued by the group as well.
This is a sample text and ad:
"Our economy in crisis. Millions out of work. That’s why 80 percent of Americans support a plan like President Obama’s to create jobs. But Republican leaders? They’re 'just saying no,'" says the ad's narrator. "No to changing the failed economic policies of the past 8 years. We’re in an economic crisis and Republican leaders are playing politics instead of doing what's right. Call the Republican Leadership – Tell them NO is not an option."
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Posted: 2/10/2009 7:00:15 PM EST
Don't expect the stimulus bill to improve while the kinks are worked out between the House and Senate versions of the bill. It's likely to get a whole lot worse (meaning more expensive, filled with pork) judging those who have been appointed to conference.
These are your conferees, folks:
Senate: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.), Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D.-Montana), Finance Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R.-Iowa), Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D.-Hawaii), Appropriations Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R.-Miss.)
House: Ways & Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D.-N.Y.), Ways & Means Ranking Member David Camp (R.-Mich.), Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D.-Ohio), Appropriations Ranking Member Jerry Lewis (R.-Calif.), Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D.-Calif.)
You see that? Appropriations Chairmen and Ranking Members from both chambers have seats at the table. That means there's probably going to be a whole lot more pork shoved in the bill while these guys are getting together.
After these men finish their negotiations their version of the bill will be sent back to the House and the Senate for a final vote. If it passes both chambers, it will be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.
These are your conferees, folks:
Senate: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.), Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D.-Montana), Finance Ranking Member Charles Grassley (R.-Iowa), Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D.-Hawaii), Appropriations Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R.-Miss.)
House: Ways & Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D.-N.Y.), Ways & Means Ranking Member David Camp (R.-Mich.), Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D.-Ohio), Appropriations Ranking Member Jerry Lewis (R.-Calif.), Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D.-Calif.)
You see that? Appropriations Chairmen and Ranking Members from both chambers have seats at the table. That means there's probably going to be a whole lot more pork shoved in the bill while these guys are getting together.
After these men finish their negotiations their version of the bill will be sent back to the House and the Senate for a final vote. If it passes both chambers, it will be sent to President Obama to be signed into law.
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Posted: 2/10/2009 11:53:22 AM EST
New York's senior Sen. Chuck Schumer (D.) says nobody cares about all the pork tucked in the stimulus bill.
“And let me say this to all of the chattering class that so much focuses on those little, tiny, yes, porky amendments, the American people really don't care," he said on the Senate floor today.
Roll the the tape:
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