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12 Jul 2011 11:27

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Politics: Debt ceiling drama: McConnell, Boehner muddy the waters

  • In my view the President has presented us with three choices. Smoke and mirrors, tax hikes, or default. Republicans choose none of the above. I had hoped to do good; but I refuse to do harm.
  • Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell • Speaking before another debt ceiling chat with Obama, while doing what he does best: Clouding the waters. Remember the 1980s, where deals like these could be brokered without dudes like McConnell saying things to scare the base into thinking the Democrats were pure, concentrated evil? John Boehner, who we respect a lot more, had harsh but more moderated words: “This debt limit increase is his problem. I think it’s time for him to lead by putting his plan on the table, something that the Congress can pass.” It’s either Obama being a completely evil human being or Obama not coming up with a deal that can actually pass Congress. Choose your boogeyman, guys. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Jul 2011 12:08

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Politics: Debt-reduction plan: The GOP wants the smaller deal. Wait, what?

  • biggish Republicans appear ready to agree to a $2.4 trillion debt-cutting agreement to allow the debt ceiling to go up, and to help prevent the country from defaulting on its loans. It’s something that Republicans have been fighting towards for a while. So what’s this drama we’re hearing about Boehner backing down last night?
  • bigger However, Obama’s eyeing a different deal — a much-larger $4 trillion one, which (over the next decade) would increase taxes for the top-fifth of incomes by cutting back tax credits and deductions — but in the process, trimming the debt significantly. Is it us, or does Obama seem more serious about fixing this issue? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Jun 2011 22:26

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Politics: Anthony Weiner: Disproportionately well-known

  • Only in America can sending a dirty tweet make you more well known than being one of the most powerful people in the country.
  • Tom Jensen at Public Policy Polling • Reflecting on the fact that Anthony Weiner has higher name recognition than John Boehner. Also in that poll: Weiner’s national approval rating is 8%. His disapproval? 70%. Yikes. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 May 2011 11:51

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U.S.: John Boehner: Obama isn’t serious about cutting the deficit

“He’s talking about [the deficit],” Boehner says. “But I’m not seeing real action here.” Obama put the Bush tax cuts on the cutting board. You won’t. Who’s serious again? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 May 2011 16:58

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Politics: Speaker Boehner wants it both ways on debt ceiling debate

  • That would be a financial disaster, not only for us, but for the worldwide economy. I don’t think it’s a question that’s even on the table.
  • Speaker Of The House John Boehner • Commenting on the looming necessity to raise the U.S. debt ceiling, all the way back in late January. See how quickly things change? Seriously, though, the above statement is almost certainly Speaker Boehner’s true opinion on this issue. The fact that he’s now trying to game some more political leverage out of it is unsurprising, as it’s very similar to the way he handled last month’s budget battle. Greg Sargent has a pretty astute take on this — that Boehner knows failure to raise the limit is unthinkable, but wants to push this debate as close to the eleventh hour as possible, hoping that will make it easier to convince members of his own party that he got all he could out of the White House. Sounds about right to us. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 May 2011 15:03

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Politics: Conservatives praise Obama on bin Laden killing

  • question One political question in the wake of the killing of Osama bin Laden is how the President’s political rivals, usually a very vociferous bunch, would react to the news that a person they’d built into such a boogeyman pulled this off.
  • answer All it takes to get bipartisanship is to kill a nationally loathed terrorist, it seems. Rush Limbaugh praised Obama today, as did Dick Cheney and John Boehner — this is a watershed moment for people’s perception of the President. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

30 Apr 2011 15:38

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Politics: Obama, GOP appear to agree: Big oil needs no tax subsidies

  • Obama Today, the president used his weekly radio address to suggest, in the wake of high gas prices and huge oil company profits, to remove the oil subsidies big oil companies enjoy. This might just be the time to pull it off.
  • GOP In this case … it appears that top GOP figures agree. John Boehner recently suggested removing corporate tax breaks for oil companies (which his staffers have tried to walk back), and Paul Ryan recently made a similar pitch. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

14 Apr 2011 13:03

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Politics: Report makes GOP’s budget cut deal look a lot lamer

  • $38
    billion     the agreed-upon spending cuts in the budget compromise struck in a shutdown-preventing bipartisan deal late last week
  • $350
    million     the actual value of the immediate cuts, according to the CBO, since most of the real effect is stretched over future years source
  • » So, what the hell can John Boehner do now? This recent analysis, if it’s both correct and widely disseminated, could have huge implications for the GOP going forward. Since becoming Speaker of the House, the contortions Boehner has made to try to appease the Tea Party contingent have been obvious and striking — it’s clear that his fiscal conservatism is less their sort and more that of establishment Republicanism, by which I mean he doesn’t really care about spending cuts in any significant measure. The $38 billion figure itself was but a minute fraction of the federal deficit, and Boehner looks really ineffective after if these numbers stick. Will the Republican and Tea Party marriage begin to splinter over news like this?
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Apr 2011 23:12

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Politics: Chuck Schumer okay with Tea Party-pandering as long as budget passes

  • We take it for granted that because of the intense political pressure being applied by the Tea Party, [John Boehner] needs to play an outside game as well as an inside game. As long as he continues to negotiate, it’s OK by us if he needs to strike a different pose publicly. Since last week, the two sides have made steady progress on a package of $33 billion in cuts.
  • Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer • Calling out John Boehner, who’s insisting that no deal has been reached with the Democrats, and that $33 billion in cuts just isn’t enough. Who’s fibbing? We’ll find out by Friday, when either a budget will pass, or the government will shut down. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

02 Apr 2011 21:52

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Politics: Americans woefully misinformed, part two

  • 19% of Americans think Nancy Pelosi is Speaker of the House source
  • » Even more discouraging: That number was at 13% after Republicans won the House in November. That means the percentage of people who incorrectly believe that Pelosi is still Speaker has increased since she handed to gavel over to John Boehner (who, by the way, is only correctly identified as Speaker of the House by 43% of Americans). Sigh.
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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