National Republicans
Michele and Newt
At the Iowa debate, without blushing, Tim Pawlenty described himself an ‘Effective, Tested, Conservative Leader’ – two days later he was out of the Presidential race. So much for the power of slogans. This election folks are asking, Where’s the beef? On the other hand, Newt Gingrich breathed a real spark into his flagging…
Read MoreJobs and Debt
The most overused political cliché today is that Washington is wasting time talking about deficits and debt when it should be talking about jobs. But thereâs another political cliché that matters here: He who defines the debate wins the race. By that measure, Republicans are hammering President Obama and the Democrats. And itâs…
Read MoreWho Needs a Super-Committee?
We already had one: the commission chaired by Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson. Here’s a link to their report, The Moment of Truth: Report of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Since Bowles is a straight shooter and Simpson a plain speaker, I was curious what they say about taxes, which appears…
Read MoreThe Camera Shifts
This is how it’s going to be for the next 14 months. Last week, the hot political story was Democrats mad at President Obama. Now, the story is his would-be opponents – especially Romney, Perry and Bachmann. And therein lies a lesson. Here’s what dominated the media/blogosphere chatter this weekend: How weird are Bachmann’s…
Read MorePoor Rick Perry
Rick Perry is the Republican flavor of the month. He’s got it all: a record of bringing jobs to Texas, a direct line to God, money, hair, cowboy boots and support from every wing of the Republican Party, from the right wing to the extreme right wing to the off-the-edge-of-the-earth right wing. But now…
Read MoreTwo Fisted TAPster
Here’s a TAPster who earns two beers by sending me two rants. First, on the debt-ceiling deal. “I respectfully disagree with one of your recent posts regarding the Republicans winning the budget and deficit funding battle. If they won, see what they have given us. Their precious philosophy, commitments to no taxes and…
Read MorePolitics as Usual
Washington has done it again. They’ve appointed a ‘Super Committee’ to cut spending only there’s a hitch – the newspapers report the members of the committee have taken three million dollars in campaign contributions, from the special interests who’s spending they’re supposed to cut. Senator Patti Murray, who’s also taken an additional $1 million…
Read MoreJimmy Obama?
Democrats fear they’re watching another failed Presidency. Like with Jimmy Carter, they see a faltering economy and a President who seems unable to turn the political tide. It was telling that, throughout Carter’s four years in office, editorial cartoons pictured him growing smaller and smaller. In the few cartoons left today, Obama gets skinnier…
Read MoreOutlook for Obama
Public Policy Polling is bullish on President Obama’s reelection prospects. I’m not. Tom Jensen at PPP wrote this week: “A broad theme has been emerging in our state by state Presidential polling over the last couple months: if the Republicans nominate Mitt Romney it’s a tossup. And if they nominate anyone else it’s…
Read MoreBad Outcome for Democrats
Democrats hoped the debt-ceiling narrative would play out like this: Tea Party extremists nearly drive America over the cliff. Instead, it went like this: Government is broken and doesn’t work. That’s a big problem for Democrats. Because voters see them as the government party and Republicans as the anti-government party. Democrats always…
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