“You’re focusing on a few specific trees that give a very wrong impression of the forest. But perhaps we will just not see eye to eye here. … I think you will regret staking out that claim.” – Gene Sperling to Bob Woodward GENE SPERLING‘s conversation with Bob Woodward has exploded into a tale where [...]
Tag Archives | debt ceiling
Byron York on Sequester: Could GOP Message Be “Any More Self-Defeating?”
The effect of Boehner’s argument is to make Obama seem reasonable in comparison. After all, the president certainly agrees with Boehner that the sequester cuts threaten national security and jobs. The difference is that Obama wants to avoid them. At the same time, Boehner is contributing to Republican confusion on the question of whether the [...]
House Republicans are Hopeless, Debt Ceiling Edition
REPUBLICANS IN the House have figured out a way to kick the can down the road on the debt ceiling without touching the can. These people are hopeless. From the Washington Post yesterday, the full explanation on how the bill works, but make sure your feet are on the ground or you might spin into [...]
Top Story — As Obama Inauguration Nears, Republicans Realize They’re Powerless
THE LIGHT dawns on the Republican Party, just as President Obama’s inauguration is about to drive salt into their wounds. “We will raise the debt ceiling. We’re not going to default on our debt,” Cornyn told the Houston Chronicle editorial board. – Cornyn: Congress Will Not Allow Default It may be a dim bulb, but [...]
TOP STORY — President Obama’s Last News Conference of First Term [Video] *Updated with FULL REMARKS*
“We are not a deadbeat nation.” – President Barack Obama THE PRESS conference is the last of President Obama’s first term. The video above is an important highlight. Formal remarks about the debt ceiling were the main topic, with immigration reform also on the agenda. With V.P. Joe Biden sending recommendations to the White House [...]
Obama Versus the Republican Right in Congress on the Debt Ceiling
In the event that Republicans make good on their threat by failing to act, or by moving unilaterally to pass a debt limit extension only as part of unbalanced or unreasonable legislation, we believe you must be willing to take any lawful steps to ensure that America does not break its promises and trigger a [...]
Speaker, But No One’s Champion
Boehner won a bare majority in a vote that saw nine Republicans vote for other GOP members, and several others who abstained from voting or voted “present.” Two years ago, Boehner won all 241 available GOP votes. [The Hill] NEXT FIGHT for Speaker Boehner is getting Republicans to raise the $16.4 trillion debt ceiling, educating [...]
Obama Reaffirms Grand Bargain Pitch, as Debt Limit Looms Over Fiscal Scheme Debate [Video]
Boehner and the Republicans don’t want to give up the leverage of the debt ceiling forever, or for 10 years, or even, as John Engler, head of the Business Roundtable and a former Republican governor suggested, for five years. But the White House isn’t very interested in compromising on this issue, as they figure that [...]
Woodward’s Obama Saga: The Debt Deal Collapse
“I was pretty angry,” the president told Woodward about the breakdown in negotiations. “There’s no doubt I thought it was profoundly irresponsible, at that stage, not to call me back immediately and let me know what was going on.” – Bob Woodward Book: Debt Deal Collapse Led to ‘Pure Fury’ From President Obama THE DEBT [...]
Speaker Boehner Calls the Senate’s Bluff
“The tea party Republicans are wagging the Republican dog and saying to your leadership, ‘we don’t want to do this,’” charged Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). – Politico The two-month payroll tax extention deal is ridiculous and came about because Democrats couldn’t figure a way to stand on a line and force the issue, caving on [...]
Gloria Steinem to Headline Obama Park Avenue Fundraiser
“… Without the women’s vote — because women comprise the majority of the electorate — it’s virtually impossible for a candidate to win the election.” – Jennifer Lawless, director of the Women and Politics Institute at American University This is the alternate, political version of why buy the milk if the cow is free?, with [...]
Can New Hampshire Save America?
Many say 2012 could be another 1964, with Republicans nominating a crazy person like Perry, but I’m not so sure. Of course, if Sarah Palin gets in, which I still doubt (she’s got her big fat contract with Fox), that’s exactly what it will turn out to be. With the issues facing our country so [...]
Romney Gets Into it in Iowa
“If you don’t like my answer, you can go vote for someone else,” he said. “If you want someone who will raise taxes, you can vote for Barack Obama.” – Romney gets in heated exchange with hecklers at Iowa State Fair The exchange came on the same day as what’s being billed as a big [...]
Romney Raised Taxes to Get S&P to React (…and other disingenuous moves by Republicans meant to fake out the people)
As Republican presidential hopefuls descended on Iowa for their second major debate on Thursday in Ames, the return of Mr. Romney came at a turning point in his candidacy. His wait-and-see approach toward campaigning in Iowa has been complicated by the expected candidacy of Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, whose strategy includes waging a full [...]
It’s Official, We’re Screwed
As McConnell and Boehner make their picks for the Super Congress, Pres. Obama must survey the land he helped create, while Democrats swallow hard that they’ve lost any chance to change the economic narrative and aid the working class. The President is not a progressive – he is not what Americans still call a “liberal.” [...]
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