Defense Budget Proposal for FY15 Already Meeting Resistance from Obstructionist GOP in Congress

Will be taking some time off this summer from the blog to get ready to concentrate on elections this fall when the American people have a chance to oust a lot of Tea Party and hard right from the Congress, statewide offices, and legislatures across the Country.  Time to return the Country back to having office holders with common sense as you will there is none in the second article posted today out of two of Oklahoma's Congressional delegation.  First article is from the Secretary of Defense and talks about the budget of the Defense Department.  Finally a Secretary of Defense attempting to bring sanity to the Defense budget which is a rare happening.  From Jan 2001 - Jan 2009, the Defense Department under Bush-Cheney spent money on defense that was way beyond common sense.

Two fighters in production with numerous flaws were pushed by the GOP with the  F-35 put into production before flight testing was complete and has cost mega bucks to fix the fleet when they find the problems during flight test.  It was abject stupidity.  Then there was Sen McCain's hold put on getting a new Tanker fleet for almost ten years when the planes should have been replaced years ago. Finally last year Boeing was given a contract for new production of new Tankers which was much more costly than if they had been replaced years ago.  The old tankers have been an accident waiting to happen but thanks to Tinker Depot Maintenance, they have been kept flying accident free.  McCain wanted a smaller tanker at one time which would never work to refuel the wide bodied planes.

Then there was AWACS which had not had a major upgrade in years and had actually fallen behind the European AWACS who had the upgrades.  The amount of money Bush-Cheney and the GOP spent on new weapons systems should be a crime.  The F-16 didn't need replaced by a plane that is not as maneuverable and with a stealth coating that will increase maintenance cost.  Finally someone after Pres Obama was elected decided the F-16 was the best fighter we had and was going nowhere.  Congress after much pressure finally capped the number of F-22's at a much lower number than the GOP wanted to save money.

Today we have a Secretary of Defense with a budget which is the beginning of common sense from DoD, but chances of getting it passed through the Obstructionist Republican House are slim to none:

Hagel: Proposed Defense Budget Tailored to Meet Future Threats  06/18/2014 11:31 AM CDT  By Nick Simeone American Forces Press Service  WASHINGTON, June 18, 2014 - After more than a decade of large, land-based operations driven by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the proposed Defense Department budget for the coming fiscal year focuses on new and emerging threats, including those in cyberspace, with the department proposing significant reductions in the size of the Army and Marines, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told a Senate panel today.  "After 13 years of long, large stability operations, we must shift our focus onto future requirements shaped by enduring and emerging threats," Hagel told the Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee, largely recapitulating the main points contained in the proposed Pentagon budget first unveiled in February.  "We must be able to defeat terrorist threats and cyberattacks and deter adversaries with increasingly modern weapons and technological capabilities," Hagel added.  Even so, Hagel said, the department is taking a $75 billion hit in its budget this year and next, and he warned lawmakers "we cannot keep our current force structure adequately ready and modernized" under the strict budget limits being imposed on the department. And unless Congress changes the law to prevent another budget sequester, he added, another $50 billion will come out of the department's budget every year through 2021.  This, he said, could occur at a time when America's and the world's and security are increasingly being challenged.  "Recent crises in Iraq and Ukraine remind us how quickly things can change in the world and they underscore why we must assure the readiness, agility and capability of our military," the secretary told the senators.  Even so, as outlined in the president's budget request sent to Congress earlier this year, Hagel said the department still proposes drawing down the active duty Army by 13 percent over the next five years to as low 440,000 soldiers, which he said he believes is still adequate to defend the nation and respond to future threats.  The Marine Corps, he said, will continue its planned drawdown to 182,000 members while devoting an additional 900 Marines to stepping up security at U.S. embassies around the world. The Navy will have 11 carrier strike groups, but 11 cruisers will be set aside for modernization and retrofitting, while the Air Force will see the 50-year-old U-2 surveillance plane replaced by the unmanned Global Hawk aircraft, as well as an end to the aging A-10 attack aircraft.  Compensation for those in uniform is being adjusted, Hagel said, with the department slowing the growth in pay increases, while subsidies for off-base housing will be reduced as well. Co-pays for retirees and family members under the TRICARE health care plan will face modest increases, but health care for active duty personnel will remain free, the secretary told the panel, adding that the adjustments are tied to resourcing readiness.  "Under our plan, 100 percent of the savings from compensation reform will go toward ensuring that our troops have the training and tools they need to accomplish their missions," he said.  But Hagel warned that if Congress does not provide the department the money it needs, "it will jeopardize the readiness and capability of our armed forces and shortchange America's ability to effectively and decisively respond when global events demand it."  Today's hearing comes midway through a congressional calendar that is not likely to see final action on a Pentagon budget for months.  (Follow Nick Simeone on Twitter: @simeoneAFPS) Last night while checking weather at The Oklahoman, I came across an article on AWACS and pretty much went ballistic because two members of the OK Congressional delegation Cong Tom Cole and Senator Jim Inhofe are opposed to the Air Force's plan to deactivate a Reserve Squadron of AWACS.  Right now seven of the AWACS are flown by the Reserve Squadron and those crews would go away to leave 20 active duty AWACS with active duty crews flying them. When B-52's drew down, they had planes that they would put into rotation but drew down the number of crews and rotating planes without crews into the rotation which allowed for major overhaul of the B-52 fleet. When the Air Force went out with solicitations for upgrade proposal submittals, they included a larger number of planes then they were actively flying.   It sounds like what they are going to do with AWACS.  This would allow AWACS to rotate their planes into depot maintenance for major work and upgrades to lengthen the life of the plane.  Makes perfect sense but not to Cole and Inhofe who are worried Tinker will lose some people -- where were they when we lost units to Texas during the BRAC from Will Rogers or demanding that AWACS be upgraded years ago when European AWACS had more upgrades than US AWACS -- like crickets chirping. From the Oklahoman on 17 June: WASHINGTON — The White House came out strongly on Tuesday against the defense spending bill set to be considered by the full U.S. House this week and specifically cited a provision that would protect AWACS planes stationed at Tinker Air Force Base.  A statement from the White House budget office says a section of the spending bill authored by Rep. Tom Cole "would prevent the Air Force from using funds to divest or to disestablish any units of the active or reserve component associated with E-3 airborne warning and control system aircraft.  "This provision would force the Air Force to take funding from higher priority defense needs in order to operate, sustain, and maintain aircraft that are not needed and are unaffordable in today's constrained fiscal environment."  The Air Force had proposed cutting seven of the 27 AWACS planes at Tinker. And, under the proposal, a Reserve unit at Tinker would no longer be allowed to fly any of the remaining planes. Cole, R-Moore, whose district includes Tinker, added a provision to the defense spending bill that would provide $34.6 million for AWACS operations and maintenance, $24.9 million for personnel and $31 million for parts and modifications.  Cole is a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and influential on the subcommittee for defense spending.  U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine, R-Tulsa, a former Navy pilot who has also fought the Air Force proposal, recently called AWACS “the only airborne asset capable of performing command and control and battle space management. ... If you take it out, we can’t fight, and we can’t win.”  Sen. Jim Inhofe, of Tulsa, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has added language to the Senate defense authorization bill to protect all of Tinker's AWACS. That bill is separate from the spending legislation that must follow.  We don't need 27 AWACS with crews when our allies also fly AWACS -- we are not fighting two wars, we do not have a no fly zone like we did in Iraq and there is absolutely no need today for 27 with full crews as 20 AWACS will work just fine.  Are people going to believe politicians like Cole/Inhofe/Bridenstine or the people whose job it is to keep our Armed Forces armed and ready to protect this Country.  I just wanted to scream at the three that we don't fly the only AWACS in the world in case they missed that part.  It is always about politics with the Oklahoma Republican delegation not about what is best for America or the Department of Defense. Same delegation that voted against Hurricane Sandy relief except for Cole and Lucas -- same delegation that voted against the veterans jobs bill and the list goes on but now they are in full attack mode to keep seven AWACS with Reservist and cost other programs in the Defense Department.  Forgot Cong Lucas from OK chaired the Ag Committee that cut food stamps including for active military while keeping subsidies for big farmers. If only the people in this state would wake up to the millions left on the table by Republicans by turning down the ACA exchanges and defeating common core, not to mention loopholes and tax breaks for wealthy, big business and oil and gas, Oklahoma would be in better shape.  It is hard to figure out what these people support as they are so negative and selfish if it doesn't benefit them politically. Wouldn't give you two cents for the whole delegation when I used to support some of them but they actually had common sense back then and were not part of the obstruction we are seeing out of the GOP in Congress today. We were at Wright-Patterson AFB when the decision was made after studying various options to assign the new AWACS to Tinker AFB in the 70's as they had the room and ability to do the security upgrades required.  In the early 90's they were joined by the Navy E-6's from Hawaii as they share the same platform and made depot maintenance easier as the Navy was a little bit slow with maintenance of wide bodied aircraft (told to me by a former Commander of the E-6's).  After 9-11, we saw the European AWACS arrive here so our AWACS could be flying all the missions necessary for the US overseas.  That right there shows the cooperation with our allies in making sure we all stay safe. My more than two cents.  I think Chuck Hagel is doing an outstanding job as Secretary of Defense against all odds with the obstruction by Republicans in the House and Senate who are more concerned about Benghazi then they are our active duty military and our veterans.

House Republicans Expected to Pass Ryan Budget Which Hurts Senior Citizens

When you think Republicans cannot sink any lower, along comes Speaker Boehner and Ryan to prove otherwise as I just learned from an email:

Republican Speaker John Boehner just broke the news that Republicans in the House expect to pass Paul Ryan's disastrous budget this year. As you know, Paul Ryan’s budgets have called for slashing seniors’ health care benefits, ending the Medicare guarantee, and handing huge tax breaks to the top 1%. 

Some things don't change with today's Republicans favoring the top 1% and the rest of us can pound salt for all they care.  Never seen anything like it and it is starting to filter down to Republicans in the States.  What happened to the Republican Party of old?  How long have they been like this and many of us missed the signs?  Many of the office holders some of us worked for their elections and know personally are not the same people and come up with some of the dumbest comments day after day.  Hard to equate a party many of us worked for to today's party of the rich.  Can remember for years being told the Democrats have the most wealth -- more narrative versus facts.  Have to admit the GOP PR machine has been better at churning out lies then the Democrats over the years.

How can you not guarantee Medicare when it has been guaranteed for years?  Makes no sense but then little of what the GOP does today makes sense.  Their oath is to support and defend the Constitution not support and defend the Koch Bros and their millions.

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

Rep Ryan (R-WI) who heads the House Committee on the Budget and was Romney's VP candidate, is one of the more dishonest people in the house as he says one thing about his budget but when you read it, his comments are hollow.  Just went to the site of his Committee and all I can find is info from the 2013 budget -- it is like the 2014 budget is cloaked in secrecy.

Why do they want to cut Medicare benefits to the people but protect what doctors get paid?  Talk about class warfare -- that describes the GOP efforts today to make sure their wealthy donors, Koch Bros, and others get what they want out of Congress.  We now know the attacks on the EPA over the years was to lessen regulations on polluting and other things so the Koch's had a free reign to pollute at will.  

Republicans have launched a party-wide attack blitz against Democrats over payment cuts to private insurers under Medicare Advantage, which covers one-third of Medicare beneficiaries. The savings were enacted under Obamacare, then included in the Ryan budgets for each of the last three years. Nearly all Republicans voted for them.  

Instead of using the money to finance Obamacare, Republicans used the roughly $150 billion in savings to help cover the cost of their tax cuts and meet their deficit reduction targets. (The Medicare cuts to providers and insurers under Obamacare total about $700 billion.) Without them, it'd be harder to make the Ryan plan's numbers add up. It's already awkward for Republicans to attack cuts they've supported without a fuss in the past, but it'd be more embarrassing to vote for cuts they're simultaneously using as a key campaign issue in the 2014 elections. 

Then there's Social Security. Republican leaders have been attacking President Barack Obama for rescinding a provision in his budget to cut future benefits. "This reaffirms what has become all too apparent: the president has no interest in doing anything, even modest, to address our looming debt crisis," said Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Speaker John Boehner (R-OH). 

Notably, the provision -- known as Chained CPI, which slows the rate of inflation for benefits -- was not included in any of the GOP's own budgets, which left Social Security untouched. But if it's a mere modest step toward avoid a debt crisis, as they now say, Republicans would have a tough time justifying excluding it from their budget. 

That said, if they do take up the policy, Republicans would make themselves vulnerable to attacks for seeking to cut the highly popular retirement program. Democrats would pounce, and the attacks could be especially damaging among elderly voters, who vote in large numbers and tend to prefer Republicans. They would also be undercutting their own election arm's attacks on Democratic candidate Alex Sink of Florida for speaking favorably about a comprehensive deficit-reduction plan that cuts Social Security. 

Read More at Talking Points Memo

These people are not fit to govern when you only consider what is best for the top 1% of the Country.  Let's vote them out in 2014!

Are Tea Party Anarchists Pulling the Strings of the House GOP Leadership on the Budget Continuing Resolution?

"We're now waiting to see what the House of Representatives is going to do, how absurd it's going to be, what they're going to send us," Reid said Wednesday. "We know it's going to be something really strange and weird because the speaker has to do everything he can to mold a piece of legislation that will meet the needs of the tea party -- the anarchists -- and I say that without any equivocation. They do not want government to work on any level."  Majority Leader Reid

After coming down off the ceiling most of the morning, I went to lunch and then did a few errands only to come home to this nonsense from the Republicans in the House.   Senate Majority Reid is right that some of these people are anarchists:

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) vowed Wednesday to push ahead with a bill to defund Obamacare or shut down the government -- an effort that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) panned as an "absurd" ploy inspired by tea party "anarchists." 

With Congress facing a Sept. 30 deadline to figure out how to keep paying for the federal government, Boehner said in a Capitol Hill news conference that defunding President Barack Obama's health care reform was a key part of that effort. 

"We're going to continue to do everything we can to repeal the president's failed health care law," Boehner said. "This week, the House will pass the CR [continuing resolution] that locks the sequester savings in and defunds Obamacare." 

Many mainstream Republicans have repeatedly slammed such an approach as "stupid," and Boehner himself has tried to avoid linking Obamacare to a potential government shutdown. But after a summer break in which tea party leaders toured the country pushing for the defunding bid -- and Boehner failed to find a compromise -- the Republican House leader has decided to push ahead. 

"We've got a lot of divergent opinions in the caucus," Boehner acknowledged, but suggested that tea party demands were still leading the way. "I was here in the Gingrich era. He had a little plaque that was in his office. It's a management model: 'Listen, learn, help and lead.' We listened to our colleagues over the last week. We have a plan that they're happy with. We're going forward." 

But Obama is expected to veto any bill that defunds his signature domestic accomplishment, and Reid has insisted such a measure would not pass the Senate, guaranteeing an upcoming government shutdown. 

Reid hammered those Republicans insisting on such a path, suggesting they would like a government shutdown.   Excerpted:  Read More a Huffington Post

Boehner wouldn't know what it is like to lead as he has been led around by the Tea Party since they hit Congress in 2010.  What a joke for a speaker.  Will no one look into to how Boehner went from being middle class to millionaire in Congress or his investment in the Keystone Pipeline?  Why does this all stay buried from the MSM that the GOP loved to hate which seems to be in their back pocket today.

We may have the answer to the media.  If you listen to some of the media like Chuck Todd at MSNBC, you find out has determined it is not his responsibility to point out the Republican lies when reporting.

MSNBC host Chuck Todd said Wednesday that when it comes to misinformation about the new federal health care law, don't expect members of the media to correct the record. 

During a segment on "Morning Joe," former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) speculated that most opponents of the Affordable Care Act have been fed erroneous information about the law. Todd said that Republicans "have successfully messaged against it" but he disagrees with those who argue that the media should educate the public on the law. According to Todd, that's President Barack Obama's job. 

"But more importantly, it would be stuff that Republicans have successfully messaged against it," Todd told Rendell. "They don't repeat the other stuff because they haven't even heard the Democratic message. What I always love is people say, 'Well, it's you folks' fault in the media.' No, it's the President of the United States' fault for not selling it."

Already been disgusted by lack of ethics in our media in Oklahoma over an SI story about corruption at Oklahoma State University where the local media mantra was to take aim at the authors of the story not researching for facts.  Todd is no different -- not his job to find facts.  Todd needs fired at MSNBC but then there probably be another unethical person to take his place.  Once Congress is cleaned out, then time the media got cleaned out.  How do you do that?  Quit talking to them so they have no stories and tell their bosses until you get honest reporters my door is closed.


Boehner is going to save us all by taking away our health care?   The word that comes to mind starts a 'b' and ends with 'd' because that is exactly how I feel about the man today.  I apologize for putting this video on the site but you have to see just how bad the Republicans have become so they can be voted out of Congress.  Jason Easley of Politicususa has the full story today:

In a speakership that has been full of blunders, this one takes the cake. At a press conference today, Speaker John Boehner promised to protect America’s families by denying them healthcare.   

Video:

At a press conference today, Boehner said, “We’re going to continue to do everything we can to repeal the president’s failed health care law. This week, the House will pass a CR that locks the sequester savings in, and defunds ObamaCare. The president has signed seven bills over the last two and a half years to make changes to ObamaCare, and I sincerely hope our friends in the Senate have plans to make this an eighth time. The law is a train wreck. The president has protected American big business, it’s time to protect American families from this unworkable law.” 

John Boehner is currently under federal investigation for taking illegal campaign contributions from corporations in 2012, but he is trying to convince the American people that he is fighting for them. More odious than Boehner’s claims of middle class hero are the tactics that he is using to “protect America’s families.” Speaker Boehner is fighting tooth and nail so that the American people never have to know the horror of being able to go to the doctor. Boehner is battling hard so that the American people never have to fear the trauma of not being buried in a lifetime of medical debt. 

(snip) 

In case you didn’t understand what the Speaker was really saying today, John Boehner went on the record as promising to takeaway healthcare to millions of uninsured Americans. He is also promising to deny people with preexisting conditions coverage, and to put the insurance companies back in charge of your medical decisions. 

John Boehner’s leadership of the House majority has been a historic disaster, but vowing to take away the healthcare of the American people might be the biggest and final mistake of his tenure as speaker.   

Excerpted:  Read the Full Story at Politicususa

How can people support Republicans?  Having been one for years, I quit supporting them when I found out they were lying about President Obama and a lot of other things.  The Tea Party in 2010 did me in completely and now there is no way I would ever vote for any Republican including my Congressman who doesn't have the backbone to stand up to them and tell them they are dead wrong and quit this nonsense.

Do you know how bad it is going to be with a Government shutdown?  Going to be horrible as programs get shut down one by one from DoD to food inspection to safety for employees to clean water, worker's salaries, etc. as the list is endless.   First hit should be checks to members of Congress and their staffs - they don't deserve to get paid anyway as few of days as they have worked.  The very idea they are voting this week to defund Obamacare as part of a continuing resolution and taking off next week is totally irresponsible and they should be booted from the halls of Congress.

That doesn't even including the anarchy they are supporting.  As mad as I was at Democrats over the years, it does not come close to the anger I feel at today's Republicans who are right there with the scum of the earth with their lack of empathy for the American people.  These House Republicans don't deserve to be called Congressman because they have broken their oath they took as they turned their back on all but the wealthy donors:

The oath used today has not changed since 1966 and is prescribed in Title 5, Section 3331 of the United States Code. It reads: “I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.” In contrast to the presidential oath, where it’s used only by tradition, the phrase “so help me God” has been part of the official oath of office for non-presidential offices since 1862. 

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” — U.S. Constitution, Article VI, clause 3

Unfortunately some of the enemies of the United States sit in the House of Representatives with their obstructionists and failure to do their job according to the Constitution:

“All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments as on other Bills.”
— U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 7, clause 1 

“No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.”
— U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 9, clause 7

Republican leadership has refused to send representatives to a Conference Committee on the Budget to reconcile differences with the Senate budget passed in the spring.  For a few years the House ranted and raved the Senate did not pass a budget.  Now that the Senate passed a budget on time, the House refuses to negotiate which means they are refusing to do their Constitutional duty and should be recalled by their States which is not going to happen but should IMHO.

Vote these 'Tea Party clowns' out of office ASAP.  BTW, the word 'clowns' is what Senator Graham used about their bonehead moves on the continuing resolution containing defunding of Obamacare.  Most of Obamacare is not discretionary spending which is the only spending they are talking about in the budget.  Obamacare, Social Security, and other things are mandatory spending not subject to the whims of the 'Tea Party clowns.'

This whole debacle by Republicans shows they cannot govern because they are beholden to wealthy donors who pull their strings.

President Obama's Week in Review

This was the President and First Lady's week.  What did Republicans in Congress accomplish?  All I hear from the House Republicans is they want to shut down the Government if Obama doesn't give in on Obamacare and delay for a year which is not happening.  That's their plan and threat to stop Government in its tracks to get him to agree to their agenda.  Are Republicans dumb or what?  
Some Republican office holders even agreed with Putin from Russia when he attacked Obama for his words on Syria about American Exceptionlism.  Suggested on Twitter that they pick up and move to Russia since they loved Putin so much.  Looks like there is no common sense left in the GOP when they had the hard right Senator, Rand Paul, give a counter to the President's speech.  That's scrapping the bottom of the barrel.
The President did an outstanding job with his speech and now the diplomatic channels are open to end chemical weapons in Syria without firing a missle or bombing.  Now can we get rid of chemical weapons from Israel?  No chemical weapons should be in the volatile Middle East for some rogue group to get their hands on them.   Neither Syria nor Israel ratified the ban on use of chemical weapons treaty.  Israel did sign unlike Syria but yet refused to ratify.  
Enjoy this synopsis of the week of the President and First Lady:

Alicia Oken

September 13, 2013 

06:06 PM EDT

Syria: On Tuesday, the President traveled to the Capitol to meet with the Senate Democratic Caucus and the Senate Republican Conference to discuss the situation in Syria.

A little after 9:00 PM that night, President Obama addressed the nation on the Syrian regime’s use of chemical weapons.

America is not the world’s policeman.  Terrible things happen across the globe, and it is beyond our means to right every wrong.  But when, with modest effort and risk, we can stop children from being gassed to death, and thereby make our own children safer over the long run, I believe we should act.  That’s what makes America different.  That’s what makes us exceptional.  With humility, but with resolve, let us never lose sight of that essential truth. 

During his address, he explained his reasons behind calling for a military strike, laid out his reasons for asking Congress to authorize the use of force, and described how the threat of U.S. action has created the potential for a diplomatic breakthrough. See the President’s remarks on Syria here.

Remembering September 11^th: On Wednesday, the First and Second Families honored those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. At 8:46 AM, President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Biden and Dr. Jill Biden were joined by White House staff to observe a moment of silence on the South Lawn—marking the moment the first plane hit the World Trade Center twelve years ago.

The President then traveled to the Pentagon Memorial for the September 11^th Observance ceremony, where he laid a wreath at the Zero Age Line and observed a moment of silence for the 184 victims of the attack at the Pentagon. “They left this Earth. They slipped from our grasp.  But it was written, ‘What the heart has once owned and had, it shall never lose,’” the President said. Read the President’s full remarks here.

President Obama then volunteered at Food & Friends, a D.C. service organization that provides meals to people with serious illnesses, to commemorate the September 11^th National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Meanwhile, First Lady Michelle Obama visited the USO Warrior and Family Center and the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) at Fort Belvoir, VA. The First Lady started her visit crafting with military children before touring the NICoE and meeting with recovering military personnel.

Later that evening, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden hosted a BBQ at their home to honor Wounded Warriors and their families.

Drink More Water: The First Lady traveled to Watertown, WI to launch a nationwide effort to encourage Americans to drink more water. “Drink just one more glass of water a day and you can make a real difference for your health, for your energy, and the way that you feel,” she said.

Meeting with the Cabinet: On Thursday, President Obama met with his Cabinet for the third time this year. They discussed steps to improve education, how to put people back to work, along with other issues going on with the government. Check out his full remarks here.

Speaker Boehner Threatens Democrats on Debt Ceiling from a Position of Weakness

Only three of the 12 annual spending bills have even been debated — by far the worst record since the GOP took over the House.   

Now the worthless Republican House with its inept and weak Speaker is trying to threaten the White House that they will not pass a budget ceiling increase without spending cuts.  What does Boehner think the Sequestration is which BTW is hurting our military readiness which the GOP House doesn't seem to care about.  Their austerity plan which includes sequestration is not working and hasn't worked from Day One.  Raise taxes a little and see how fast everything turns around.  Republicans in Congress voted for every debt ceiling of Bush, but now with a Democrat, black President they want to threaten what they are going to do instead of what is best for the Country.

Are Republicans prepared to shut down the Government?  After the debacle in the 90's you would think they would have learned, but today's Republicans are as stubborn as you can get and will cut off their nose to spite their face.   Obama's words "Please Proceed" to Romney during the debate keep resonating when I think of the GOP House.  House Republicans are truly are on a path of destruction that is going to leave them asking what they did wrong because they don't seem to be able to take responsibility for anything.

Rebranding is an abject failure in the Republican Party and no where is there a better example then the Republicans in the House of Representatives with their threats and attacks almost on a daily basis.  The hypocrites must have gotten their talking points from the Koch Bros and their various organizations to give them a backbone to stand up against the debt ceiling.

Believe the Koch's and other wealthy GOP donors are on the losing side when it is all said and done because the vast majority of the American people are on to their trying to tank this Country,  We are determined to defeat them and their wealthy friends who put greed ahead of what is best for the Country.  A good start will be throwing out the Republican obstructionist who keep threatening the President's agenda and what is good for the Country.  

If Nancy Pelosi becomes Speaker again in January 2015, will Boehner if re-elected quit?  I don't think he can handle Pelosi as Speaker and frankly the Tea Party group he has played up to in the House will take him out as Minority Leader in a nano second.  Time for Boehner to retire like yesterday.  The Country deserves better then a Speaker who keeps making threats:

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Tuesday that the House would not vote to raise the debt ceiling without spending cuts, setting up a potential fight with President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats. 

"We're not going to raise the debt ceiling without real cuts in spending. It's as simple as that," he said at a press conference. 

"I believe the so-called Boehner Rule is the right formula for getting that done," he said, referring to the notion that any increase in the statutory debt limit should be accompanied by an equivalent amount of spending cuts. 

The White House has insisted that President Barack Obama will not negotiate over the debt limit, which until 2011 both parties in Congress had raised without linking it to spending cuts. In 2011, House Republicans used the threat of the looming debt limit to negotiate the package of spending cuts known as sequestration. In January, the House voted to suspend the debt limit until May without concessions. 

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said that the United States government has enough room to borrow through Labor Day. 

UPDATE: 4:00 p.m. -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) rejected the idea on Tuesday. "We are not negotiating on the debt ceiling," he said. "I don't know how many more times we need to say that."

Beginning to really like this new version of Harry Reid who is not afraid to stand up and be counted.  When he negotiated the filibuster deal with Senator McCain, it showed the wrong Republican was in charge of the Senate.  McConnell who cannot keep his word should be ousted from his Senate seat in Kentucky.  Been in the Senate so long he forgets what it is like to be a Senator of all constituents just not hard right Republicans and the wealthy GOP donors.

Speaker Boehner left himself wide open when he said on Sunday that Congress “should not be judged on how many laws we create” but “on how many laws we repeal.”  That was an idiotic statement to make which I have never heard in all my years around politics.

Challenged about Congress' low productivity, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said the measure of success for Republicans should be how many laws they've repealed. "We've got more laws than the administration could ever enforce," he said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday. But so far this session, the House has also been notably unsuccessful in passing repeal bills that become law.

One thing Republicans in Congress are good at is wasting tax dollars.  Spending $3M of taxpayer dollars to defend DOMA before the Supreme Court or $40M+ to repeal Obamacare is a waste of tax dollars which could be put to good use.  Having to pass a Farm Bill without SNAP is more waste of our tax dollars as the House Farm Bill is doomed in the Senate without SNAP.  Never saw a House who passed more bills knowing they are going nowhere but the trash can then the Boehner/Cantor GOP House.  Republicans are not fit to lead in the House the way they act.

Knew it was only a matter of time before Major Leader Reid had a field day with the Boehner comments on Sunday.  I was not disappointed with his response above.

The House of Representatives is failing at its own goal to roll back laws and is “doing nothing” legislatively, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday morning. 

Responding to Speaker John Boehner’s comment on Sunday that Congress “should not be judged on how many laws we create” but “on how many laws we repeal,” Reid said Boehner and his leadership team aren’t even making headway on repealing laws, despite taking dozens of votes to roll back President Barack Obama’s health care law. 

“House Republicans are failing even by their own metric. They’ve replaced virtually nothing. So by the speaker’s own admission, they’re not getting anything passed and by his own analysis, they’re getting nothing repealed,” Reid said. “So they’re doing nothing.”

The latest from the media is that the Republican budget strategy in Congress is starting to unravel which should not be a shock to anyone as the head of the House Budget Committee Paul Ryan is all talk and little substance.  Because he talks a good game, the media swallowed what he said hook, line, and sinker when he was running for Vice President, but now are taking a closer look to find that just maybe Ryan and the truth are not friends as we are seeing with the budget.  Maybe the budget guru of the Republican House isn't such a guru after all.

Like an army that’s outrun its supply line, the Republican budget strategy in Congress shows almost daily signs of coming apart. 

The central premise, as sold by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, was that Washington could wipe out deficits in 10 years and protect defense spending, all while embracing the lower appropriations caps dictated by sequestration. 

Four months later, it’s proving to be a bridge too far. 

Only three of the 12 annual spending bills have even been debated — by far the worst record since the GOP took over the House.     (my bold)

Against their better judgment, Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee have been required to cut important investments in science, community development and foreign aid. Senate Republicans are peeling off in protest — setting up a crucial procedural vote at noon Tuesday on the transportation and housing budget. 

Time is running short. 

After the August recess just nine legislative days remain on the House calendar before the next shutdown crisis Oct. 1. Already there are discussions of retreating into a stopgap continuing resolution calibrated to the post-sequester appropriations level of $988 billion. 

But this begs the question: Is the CR a bridge to a larger deal or just another ramp down to the “new normal” of sequestration that President Barack Obama, for one, will find hard to accept?

The month of August the Congress goes on recess and only has nine days remaining before the end of the fiscal year when they return.  The House Budget Guru Ryan only has three annual spending bills that have been debated so far out of 12 spending bills that encompass government agencies.  It is a travesty that the do nothing, 3-day work week Republicans have only debated three spending bills and one of them, the Farm Bill, had to have SNAP removed in order to pass.  This 3-day work week is an affront to the US Taxpayers.  I think that they should only get 3/5ths of their salary since they only work three days.  Nine days left in the fiscal year in September to pass the budget bills?  Not happening.

Years ago the date of the fiscal year was moved from 1 July to 1 October with a three-month transition period the first year.  It was done so Congress could get a budget passed and appropriated in an efficient manner.  Since the Republicans have been mostly in charge since 1994, it has been a joke as the House gets farther behind each year and we have more continuing resolutions.  Still cannot get over the GOP House passes bills without Democrat support knowing full well they are going nowhere.  What kind of leadership is that?  Pretty bad and way below the standards of what the American taxpayers deserve.

Now the GOP is sending their House Members back to their districts for August with their blueprint of what they are to say to their constituents.  Instead of being honest they are now all going to be talking from the same talking points paper.  Republicans think that is going to get them support from the middle of the road constituents - not happening.  Only the hard right Tea Party types will be happy with their obstructionists tactics.  GOP should have learned in the Presidential election when Romney lost big that going hard right was not a prescription for winning.  Obvious they still don't get it that they have a lot of disgruntled Republicans and former Republicans who will do everything they can to defeat them.

The 31-page document from the House Republican Conference, first reported by Roll Call, offers instructions to members for meeting with constituents, promoting the House GOP's agenda and garnering media attention. The document suggests many ways to gain visibility, including placing an op-ed (sample provided) in a local paper, running a health care forum for millennials and touring gas stations, grocery stores, hospitals and senior centers.

"We know that Washington is broken," writes Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), chair of the House Republican Conference, in the guide. "It spends too much, borrows too much, and takes too much. It targets people for what they believe. It chokes out jobs with more red tape, blocks new energy resources and makes our health care crisis worse. Our government is out of control." 

The guide suggests that Republicans hold private "meetups" with "women, Asian-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and milennials [sic]." (African Americans are not mentioned.) "A meetup event should be closed [to] press so everyone feels comfortable to candidly speak about the issues," it says. Before and after, however, the document encourages promoting the event to the media.

The nerve of the House GOP to talk about Washington being broken when they are one of the primary causes with their obstructionists tactics and refusing to work with Democrats for the good of the Country.  Today's House Republicans seem bent on destroying this Country with their 'my way or no way' hard right attitude.  We need to keep reminding voters that today's Republicans cannot be trusted as they will say or do anything to get re-elected.

How many women want to meet with a Republican today after how they treat women with their being against Equal Pay for Women, Violence Against Women Act,  Against Paid Birth Control, and for horrendous anti-abortion bills which get between a woman and her doctor.  My guess is not many.  Wonder if you have to check your cell phones at the door of these meet-ups since they are closed to the media.  It is duly noted that McMorrisRogers didn't bother to include blacks in these meet-up instructions which show the hard right Republican Party is about rhetoric not real change.

New polling is starting to show how Republican voters have doubts about the GOP progress on issues. That is probably the understatement of the year.  A lot of longtime Republicans don't trust the new hard right Republican Party and are pledged to helping Democrats win in 2014.  We are the problem the GOP wanted to go away since we wouldn't march in lockstep with the hard right and raised questions about going too hard right.  Now we are a bigger problem for them by supporting Democrats with all of our background and knowledge of how the GOP works in campaigns.  The GOP needs to be defeated soundly in 2014 for their obstructionists tactics and some of the laws passed in the states that are draconian which has driven the old base father from the GOP.

More than eight months removed from a 2012 presidential election loss, a new poll finds that GOP voters are still having doubts about their party's progress. 

An ABC-Washington Post poll released Tuesday finds that 52 percent of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents see the right going in the wrong direction. 

That marks a 20-percent jump from August 2012, and a majority for the first time among six polls conducted since 1994, according to ABC News.

If you are not registered to vote, please register as soon as possible as we need as many votes as possible to throw out the obstructionist GOP from Congress and get the Country back on track.  

Republican Rebranding Failing!

“If you’re a freshman — the guys who’ve been up here the last year, we can go home and say listen, we voted 36 different times to repeal or replace Obamacare. Tell me what the new guys are supposed to say,” he said. “We haven’t had a repeal or replace vote this year.” (Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC)

Have you been in a store when a child wants something that their Mother says they cannot have and they throw a fit?  That is what Freshman Republican Representatives are doing as they have never been able to vote on repeal of Obamacare.  Poor babies!  What a bunch of whiners make up the GOP Conference in the House.  How many times do they have to vote to end Obamacare when they know full well it will never pass the Senate.  They spend time and our tax dollars (almost $50M) to repeal Obamacare 36 times but don't have the time in their 3-day work week to pass jobs bills including one for veterans or the farm bill for small farmers not the conglomerate farms owned by Republican big donors.

The reason for all the votes is so they can tell Republicans in their districts that they voted against Obamacare:

"this is the issue that so many people around the country who love the Republican Party are frustrated with.” (Rep Mick Mulvaney (R-SC)

Are they too dumb to realize that all these votes have actually turned long time 'common sense' Republicans against the GOP in the House?  I find this demeaning to the oath they took because it is all about politics with the hard right conservative Tea Party crowd.  Their whole aim seems to be to make Obama look bad and screw up the Government by allow the sequester to take place,  Bet Republicans are the first ones to complain about flight delays as they leave DC to return home after a three-day work week where they spent their time deciding whether to debate Obamacare again or to send Representatives to the Joint Resolution Committee on the Budget.

Sal Kupur from Talking Points Memo as this to say this morning:

Part of the reason House Republicans may not be able to put their futile efforts to repeal Obamacare behind them is that party freshmen won’t let them. 

Now, four months in to Obama’s second term, as House GOP leaders promote modest measures and a gentler tone to rebrand the party, freshmen and their conservative allies are kicking it old school, demanding a frontal assault on the Affordable Care Act they know will fail. 

At a Wednesday panel organized by the Heritage Foundation, conservative Republicans lamented that it’s been too long since they had the opportunity to vote to wipe out the Affordable Care Act in its entirety — and that the newest members haven’t had the chance yet.
“We need to get a vote on full repeal, and I’ve asked leadership for this. I’m a cosponsor of Michele Bachmann’s bill … that just goes straight at it for full repeal,” said Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), the chairman of the influential and deeply conservative Republican Study Committee. 

“We need to continue fighting for repeal. We need a clean vote on repeal.” 

Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) urged leadership to hold a repeal vote so freshman members can serve up the same anti-Obamacare talking points for their conservative constituents that more senior Republicans enjoy. 

“If you’re a freshman — the guys who’ve been up here the last year, we can go home and say listen, we voted 36 different times to repeal or replace Obamacare. Tell me what the new guys are supposed to say,” he said. “We haven’t had a repeal or replace vote this year.” 

“We have not had a chance as freshmen to do that,” said first-term Rep. Trey Radel (R-FL). 

“Even if it’s just symbolic — and even if we understand that process-wise we are not going to be able to say, okay we want repeal, it’s done, and it’s over. But this is the issue that so many people around the country who love the Republican Party are frustrated with.”

Excerpt:  Full article at Talking Points Memo 

If Obamacare wasn't enough, for four years we have had the Republicans in the House complaining the Senate never passes a budget.  The Senate has now passed a budget and the House Republican leadership refuses to appoint anyone because of some rule -- excuses, excuses:

Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and his team are preparing to turn up the pressure on Republicans over a budget conference committee aimed at reaching a broad debt deal.
Senior aides said the top Democrat was expected to seek a deal with the GOP this week to formally appoint Senate budget conference negotiators. They said the move was a response to the statement by Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio last week that he will not name House conference negotiators unless both chambers can first work out a framework for agreement.  

Boehner cited concerns about a House rule that would allow rank-and-file members on both sides to force votes, or what Boehner called “politically motivated bombs,” on motions to instruct conferees if no agreement has been reached within 20 days once a conference committee is named.

(snip)
It remains unclear, for now, whether Republicans would block the appointment of conferees, either to provide political cover for Boehner or to force a second budget debate with amendments. “It would seem they are not sincere about wanting a budget resolution if they block the appointment of conferees,” said Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin of Illinois.

Excerpt:  Full article at Roll Call 

Speaker Boehner seems to be afraid of his own shadow these days seeing everyone out to get him on both sides.  There may be some truth to that because from the day he allowed the hard right Tea Party to dictate to leadership, it has been downhill ever since.  When he does stand up to them, he usually backs down and gives into their demands.

If the House Republicans are a reflection of the makeover of the Republican Party, it has failed completely.  All you have to do is look at some of the dumb statements still coming out of Republican elected office holders and candidates.  There are so many examples that it is hard to pick a favorite, but mine is the South Carolina House race with former Appalachian hiker Mark Sanford broke into his ex-wife's home for camping gear and boots and then is photographed debating a cardboard cut-out of Nancy Pelosi.  Truth is stranger then fiction when it comes to Mark Sanford.  He is so bad that even though he won the run-off, the NRCC has stopped all funding!  Would you fund a candidate who debates a cardboard cutout?

This latest poll shows the Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch pulling away from Sanford.  What I find extremely interest was this comment from PPP:

Although Sanford's unpopularity is clearly the main reason Democrats have a chance to win in this district, it's interesting to note that there is some backlash against Republicans over last week's vote on background checks. 86% of voters in the district say they support them to only 12% opposed, and 45% of voters say the GOP's opposition to them makes it less likely they'll support the party in the next election compared to only 21% who consider it a positive. That anger over the gun vote comes despite Barack Obama having only a 41% approval rating in the district with 51% of voters disapproving of him.

Been saying for sometime as readers of this blog and those on Twitter know that the disgruntled Republicans like myself and others are going to tip the balance to the Democrats in 2014 because we refuse to support or vote for Republican candidates in 2014 when they are truly the Party of "NO" with their refusal to pass simple legislation on firearms or vote for the Violence Against Women Act.  They are so bought and paid for by the NRA and wealthy donors, they have blinders on to the rest of the American people.

This race in a very red Congressional District is a microcosm of Republican voters across the Country who are totally fed up with the GOP today.  No amount of rebranding and rhetoric is going to work.  When you have trouble winning a race in SC as former Governor, the GOP may be in for a bad night in November 2014.  They may discover they cannot take GOP voters fore granted while treating us like we are to dumb to notice their rhetoric has no basis in fact.  With being a former member of the House and Governor, Sanford should be having high favorable numbers among Republicans but it is not working out that way with some Republicans refusing to even go vote.  Be interesting to watch this play out because the big loser in all of this could be the NRA and their puppets in the Congress.

Colbert Busch expands lead22 April 

PPP's newest poll on the special election in South Carolina finds Democrat Elizabeth Colbert Busch expanding her lead to 9 points over Mark Sanford at 50/41. Green Party candidate Eugene Platt polls at 3%. 

Colbert Busch's lead is on the rise for several reasons. She has a 51/35 advantage with independents. She's winning over 19% of Republicans, while losing just 7% of Democrats. And it also seems that after last week's revelations about Sanford that a lot of GOP voters are planning to just stay at home- while the district supported Mitt Romney by 18 points last fall, those planning to turn out for the special election voted for him by only a 5 point spread. 

Sanford continues to be unpopular in the district with 38% of voters rating him favorably to 56% with a negative opinion. 51% say the revelations about his trespassing last week give them doubts about his fitness for public office. Interestingly the events of the last week haven't hurt Sanford too much with Republicans though- 65% say the trespassing charges don't give them any doubts about him, and his favorable with GOP voters has actually improved from 55/39 a month ago to now 61/32. 

Although Sanford's unpopularity is clearly the main reason Democrats have a chance to win in this district, it's interesting to note that there is some backlash against Republicans over last week's vote on background checks. 86% of voters in the district say they support them to only 12% opposed, and 45% of voters say the GOP's opposition to them makes it less likely they'll support the party in the next election compared to only 21% who consider it a positive. That anger over the gun vote comes despite Barack Obama having only a 41% approval rating in the district with 51% of voters disapproving of him.

Continue reading "Colbert Busch expands lead" »

Should be an interesting night to watch the results come in on the Busch/Sanford race.  Stay tuned to see what the hard right loon Sanford pulls next in his quest to return to the House and create even more havoc!

Rep Paul Ryan (R-WI) Gives Weekly Address, June 26, 2010

NJ Gov Chris Christie Interview on CNBC his Plans for the Future of New Jersey

Newly elected Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie had his first interview on CNBC's "Squawkbox" on Thursday morning, Feb 18, 2010, and left the tax and spend crowd of New Jersey fighting for air. Gov Christie has a plan for New Jersey which will put the state on a road to recovery with a strict no frills budget along with not raising any taxes.

Thanks to the former Governor Corzine and his Democrat friends in the Legislature, New Jersey is basically bankrupt. They threw money like it grew on trees at all kinds of new programs to keep the unions happy which in turn has helped bankrupt the state with a downtown in revenue which they ignored. N

Gov Christie has been elected by the voters of New Jersey to clean up the mess left behind by Corzine and the Democrats. His plan is receiving rave reviews from taxpayers and howls from the union heads. That means is plan is a Winner!

Watch the interview and ask yourself if this isn't what we should be doing at the Federal level as well. To implement even a portion of this plan at the national level, progressives need to be sent packing on November 2, 2010.

Pawlenty unveils deep cuts to balance the budget

Gov Pawlenty is showing he is not afraid to make the touch choices and understands the way to get business and the economy moving is through tax cuts. That will give business more money to invest and hire more people. Smaller government with tax cuts are the roadmap out of a recession.

Now the ball is in the Minnesota Democrat legislature's court so we will see what they have planned to continue to grow government and how they like business tax cuts. Our guess is not well.

Pawlenty unveils deep cuts to balance the budget
The governor's proposal hit hardest at aid to local governments and health and human services. He also proposed corporate and small-business tax cuts

By BAIRD HELGESON and RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER
Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: February 15, 2010 - 3:20 PM


Gov. Tim Pawlenty presented a supplemental budget Monday morning that outlines how he wants to erase a $1.2 billion state budget deficit.

Aid to cities, counties and health and human services took the deepest cuts in Pawlenty's proposal.

The governor, who is in his last year in office, pledged to protect programs for the military, veterans, public safety and money for K-12 classroom education.
According to the governor's office, the budget proposal cuts $250 million from aids to local units of government; $347 million from health and human service programs; $47 million from higher education funding, and $181 million from state agencies and other programs.

The proposed budget balancing reflects the need to refocus state spending away from areas the state has traditionally held in high regard, Pawlenty said.
"As we have this debate about recalibrating our state policies, we need to balance them in favor of areas where we are in obvious default or deficit or misdirection, and that is we need to improve our job climate and our business climate," Pawlenty said.

Along with cuts, the governor's proposal includes a 20 percent reduction in the corporate tax rate, which would cost the state $10 million through next year and $150 million in the following two years, and a 20 percent reduction in small business taxes, which would cost the state $118 million in fiscal years 2012 and 2013.

Read More at Star Tribune