Republicans

2012 Could Be Another GOP Blowout

July 28, 2011 By Ben 7 Comments

Matt Mackowiak, FloydReports.com

The debt ceiling fight currently being waged in Washington will have a major impact on the 2012 elections, because it’s presenting a clear contrast between the Republican and Democratic parties — something that rarely happens.

Republicans have skillfully used this moment to push fundamental budget reform uphill. The forces of the status quo, who have gotten fat and happy from federal spending levels of 24 percent of gross domestic product, are violently resisting the overspending straitjacket that the Cut, Cap, Balance plan represents.

It would be very easy for Republicans to wash their hands of a president who is biologically incapable of leading. If a speech or a lecture were necessary, he would be the most qualified person in the world for the task. But alas, what is needed in the White House is a statesman, a negotiator, a legislator. What is needed is trustworthiness and commitment, not hope and change.

But conservatives and the more than 180 groups who make up the Cut, Cap, Balance Coalition (for whom, in full disclosure, I have consulted) have driven this political battle from the very beginning. Now, as it nears some kind of conclusion, it’s important to consider the ramifications it will have on policy and politics.

Several courageous leaders in Congress, like Senators Jim DeMint (R-SC), Mike Lee (R-UT) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Congressmen Jim Jordan (R-OH), and Joe Walsh (R-IL), have consistently put the next generation ahead of the next election. Republicans aren’t stupid — they know that if they simply increased the debt limit and maybe made Democrats vote against a reasonable plan to cut and restrict spending, it would redound to their political benefit next November. As a result, they’d likely maintain a majority in the House, take back the Senate and perhaps win the White House. But these conservative leaders have said winning an election is not enough. They’re worried about the country’s future.

The last three elections (2006, 2008 and 2010) were wave elections — which is unusual. Four consecutive wave elections would be even more unusual.

But, it’s possible.

In order for Republicans to create the circumstances for a fourth consecutive wave election, they should….

The “Gang of Six” Deal is the Antithesis of Reform

July 23, 2011 By Ben 16 Comments

Floyd and Mary Beth Brown, FloydReports.com

The media frenzy over Republican Senators and Barack Obama making nice over the debt ceiling crisis exposes for all Americans to see the extent to which both parties are aligned with Wall Street interests, and against the interests of Main Street and small business. The subject of this latest bipartisan love fest is the Gang of Six plan.

Americans want reform. The Republican majority in the House of Representatives was swept into office by promising reform. The Gang of Six solution is the antithesis of reform.

Supposedly it offers the “balanced approach” of which Obama rambles on about endlessly. But in reality, the Gang of Six is one-sided. It offers only vague language about spending cuts. At best the Gang of Six plan might cut $500 billion, and even these cuts cannot be guaranteed. In real terms, government would continue to grow.

Also the Gang of Six solution would dramatically increase taxes. It calls upon the Senate Finance Committee to craft a tax reform plan that would actually increase taxes by $2.3 trillion over a 10 year period. Some members even cynically call it a tax reduction by using a baseline that everyone knows is phony. This is a baseline that predicts all of the middle class tax cuts signed into law by President Bush was repealed.

All of this because rejecting the debt ceiling increase would require the U.S. government to right size itself and begin a pay as you go diet.

The secret they don’t want you to know is that the U.S. government is currently taking in over $200 billion a month. This could easily service the debt and forestall any default. It could pay current Social Security and Medicare bills. What would have to be cut is discretionary spending, and Congress doesn’t like this idea.

Gone would be money Obama wants to expand the EPA. Gone would be ethanol subsidies. Gone would be the billions poured into universities and colleges to subsidize the “intelligentsia.” Foreign aid money wouldn’t gush out. The cuts would hurt many in government employment, but default would never have to result, and grandma would still get her Social Security.

Neither party cares much about anything other than perpetuating their power….

McConnell Prepares to Betray Tea Party, Aid Obama’s Debt Ceiling Power Grab

July 20, 2011 By Ben 2 Comments

Ben Johnson, The White House Watch

(Presidential historian Doug Wead says, if Obama raises the debt limit on his own, he is “absolutely” impeachable.)

Even as freshman Congressmen passed the Cut, Cap, and Balance proposal last night, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell quietly planned to sell them out. Insiders report McConnell is going through the motions of voting on the House measure but has invested his energy in cutting a deal with Democrats and give Barack Obama unconstitutional and near-dictatorial powers to raise the debt ceiling.

The Hill newspaper exposed the betrayal:

Publicly, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) have made votes on the Cut, Cap and Balance Act and a balanced-budget amendment their priority this week.

But GOP aides say the leaders are already looking past those votes to a potential deal with Democrats to raise the debt limit before an Aug. 2 deadline and spare Republican lawmakers from a political backlash.

“McConnell is going to let cut, cap and balance have its vote and then immediately move to plan B,” said a GOP aide in reference to the fallback debt plan McConnell is negotiating with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

McConnell’s “Plan B” would allow Barack Obama to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling in three portions over the next year. Only a supermajority of more than two-thirds of Congressmen could override him.

The plan is the apparent preference of the inside-the-Beltway crowd, as they have already launched one of their typical campaigns to make it appear “centrist.” On Monday….

Republican Deals With Obama Are Killing Us

July 11, 2011 By Ben 11 Comments

Floyd and Mary Beth Brown, FloydReports.com

Writing a syndicated column in 2011 is night and day different from when we started writing for publication in the 1990′s. The overriding change is the volume and immediacy of feedback. In the 1990′s we would receive the occasional letter applauding or challenging our thesis, facts and motives. Today we find our email inbox and comment sections so full it is difficult to read it all.

We take our readers seriously, and even if we don’t personally respond, we read and ponder their many times insightful thoughts. Ironically, as hard as we work to provide clarity through our own words, sometimes they fail to accurately convey our passion and hopes for America.

After last week’s column was posted, we were accused of hoping for the collapse of the country. We couldn’t be more misunderstood by a reader. We see collapse coming, and like Paul Revere we ride the countryside in the hope that the country will mobilize to meet the dangers.

Here are three reasons we are frightfully concerned about the future of the economy and country:

The first is the dedication of John Boehner to cutting deals with Barack Obama. The Republican majority wasn’t returned to Congress so that they could strike a mega-deal to balance the budget on the backs of the people. The growth of government must be stopped before it consumes what meager wealth the country has left. The current grand scheme as reported would increase taxes in exchange for budget cuts someday off in the future. We have seen how this bargain works. Taxes go up, but spending never goes down.

Second….

A Congressman Confirms GOP is Talking Impeachment

July 9, 2011 By Ben 240 Comments

Ben Johnson, The White House Watch

Barack Obama’s threat to bypass Congress and raise the debt ceiling has stirred significant talk of impeachment — and not just on talk radio. A Republican Congressman has confirmed some of his colleagues are talking about initiating impeachment hearings. Scott Keyes of ThinkProgress.org asked Rep. Pete Olson of Texas: “Congressman Tim Scott of South Carolina yesterday in a town hall said if President Obama were to just ignore the debt ceiling, then he might be favoring bringing up articles of impeachment. Is that something that you’ve heard discussed much among your colleagues?” Olson replied, “A little bit.” Olson quickly pivoted to repeating talking points about the debt ceiling, so Think Progress’s Lee Fang followed up: “So Congressman Scott, is he just a lonely voice or are there a large number of people who are talking about this?” Olson answered, “He’s not a lonely voice.”

Congressman Olson’s statement confirms that a number of Congressmen are discussing a motion to remove Barack Obama from office.

(Story continues after the video)

Tim Scott is not the first member of the present Congress to raise impeachment….

2012 Could Be Another GOP Blowout

McConnell Prepares to Betray Tea Party, Aid Obama’s Debt Ceiling Power Grab

Republican Deals With Obama Are Killing Us

A Congressman Confirms GOP is Talking Impeachment

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