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Video: Can 8-28 rally-goers match spending facts with the right president?

August 28, 2010 By Jeff Leave a Comment

The gang over at Bankrupting America took their camera’s to the Restoring Honor rally in D.C. today to test the attendees government spending IQ… The result are interesting.

Before watching the video see if you can answer the following questions:

  1. Bush or Obama? This president spent a record-breaking $3 trillion in a single year.
  2. Bush or Obama? This president bailed out hundreds of large banks and corporations.
  3. Bush or Obama? This president spent billions of taxpayer dollars on “stimulus” spending during a recession.
  4. Bush or Obama? This President increased spending by many times the rate of inflation across most non-defense categories – such as education, Medicare, Medicaid, income security and regional development.
  5. Bush or Obama? This president passed an expensive healthcare bill.

The answers are here and supporting documentation are here.

That’s right the answer to all five questions is both… I’ve made this point before, but it’s worth repeating:

Every presidential administration and every Congress since Ronald Reagan left office has grown government.

When Richard Nixon left office the Federal Register, where the government publishes all current and proposed regulations, contained just over 29,000 pages. It ballooned to roughly 58,000 pages under Ford, and to nearly 73,000  pages under Carter. Under Ronald Reagan it shrank to roughly 55,000 pages, since then it has grown steadily to over 79,000 pages at the end George W. Bush’s term.

Yes, I know, counting the number of pages in the Federal Register is crude way measuring the size or intrusivenss of government, but it helps illustrate the the problem… Neither party has been particularly faithful to our Founders Fathers idea of limited, fiscally responsible government.

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Poll: American’s Don’t Much Like Congressional Republicans

August 28, 2010 By Jeff Leave a Comment

Tom Jenson, writing on Public Policy Polling’s blog notes that Congressional Republicans aren’t terribly popular Americans… or even their own base:

Our last national generic ballot poll found the Republicans ahead 45-42 despite the fact that Congressional Republicans had a 24/61 approval rating. Even among respondents who said they were going to vote Republican the Congressional GOP could muster only a 44/35 approval.

John Boehner and Mitch McConnell are going to claim a mandate when their party does well at the polls this fall but they don’t even have much of one with the people who are going to vote Republican this fall, much less with the population at large. If they keep on doing what they’re doing the GOP may well take control of the House this fall and then lose it right back in 2012.

To be honest I’m not at all surprised by PPP’s findings, first American’s aren’t terribly happy with of Congress in general. Second grassroots conservatives still haven’t forgiven the Congressional Republicans for their big spending, big government bender during the Bush years.  And third I suspect if you asked American’s what they really think of Congress they’d say both parties pretty much suck… The current generation of Congressional Democrats only seem to care about expanding the size and intrusiveness of government while spending us into bankruptcy. While Congressional Republicans only seem to care about… To be blunt I don’t know the hell Congressional Republicans care about these days.

Yeah, sure, they’re paying lip service about returning to commonsense conservative principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense and vibrant free markets, but given their big spending, big government bender during the Bush years they don’t have much credibility there…

Anyway, despite their credibility problems Republicans appear to be headed for significant gains November’s mid-term elections… The question will they hold true to commonsense conservative principles or will they go another big spending, big government bender?

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Pete Stark: The Federal Government can do most anything in this country

August 3, 2010 By Jeff Leave a Comment

This video of Congressman Pete Stark (D-CA) has been making the rounds… it’s extraordinary, the woman question Rep. Stark lays out one the clearest examples of the Constitutional issues surrounding health care reform I’ve seen and Rep. Stark simply has no answer for them saying:

I think that there are very few constitutional limits that would prevent the federal government from rules that could affect your private life. Now, the basis for that would be, how does it affect other people. In other words… The federal government, yes, can do most anything in this country.

His answer is rather chilling, but it seems to reflect the broader attitude of many in Congress… Screw the Constitution we can do whatever we want and you rubes had better get used to it.

Every member of Congress swears an oath to defend the Constitution of United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic:

“I, [State your Name], 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 faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”

Frankly, I don’t see how Rep. Stark can bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution when he so clearly has no respect for it or the limits it places on the powers of the Federal Government. Ronald Reagan said it best, The federal government has taken too much tax money from the people, too much authority from the states, and too much liberty with the Constitution.

I should note that while the woman questioning Rep. Stark argues very effectively against health care reform on 13th Amendment grounds, as Ed Morrissey notes, Fifth Amendment protections against the confiscation of private property and the Article I, Section 8 mandate that Congress protect ownership ones “exclusive right to their Writings and Discoveries” for those in the sciences and arts also apply.

Update (Wednesday, August 4, 2010): Michelle Malkin has more on Pete Stark’s remarks at last weekend’s town hall… Rep. Stark apparently didn’t know what the Government’s E-Verify program is and mockingly told his constituents that denying jobs to illegal aliens could be “unconstitutional.”

Wow, Pete Stark is another great example of why we need Congressional Term limits. Never mind his convoluted views on the Constitution, he’s openly contemptuous of the people he was elected to represent. Rep. Stark seems to have forgotten that he is an elected representative who serves at the will of the people, it’s time for the people of California’s 13th congressional district to send into retirement.

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House Ethics Committee Outlines Charges Against. Rep. Rangel

July 29, 2010 By Jeff Leave a Comment

The House Committee on Standards of Official Contact today released a detailed Statement Alleged Violation which charges Congressmen Charles Rangel (D- NY) 13 violations of House rules:

A public trial into ethics charges against New York Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel began today. Lawmakers cast the proceedings as a necessary exercise to regain the public’s trust in Congress.

The 20-term representative is charged with 13 “very serious” allegations, said Texas Rep. Mike McCaul, the ranking Republican in the House Ethics Committee. The charges are related to allegations Rangel inappropriately solicited donations for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York, left errors and omissions on his financial dicslosure forms, failed to report and pay taxes on rental income for a beach villa, and inappropriately allowed his campaign committees to use a rent subsized apartment.

Rangel attempted to reach a settlement with the committee to avoid a humiliating public trial, but no deal was reached. The start of trial now marks the culmination of a two-year investigation into the charges against him.

The charges against Rep. Rangel include using his office to solicit of contributions to the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York; the  acceptance of four rent-stabilized apartments in Harlem; errors and omissions on his financial disclosure forms; and his failure to report and pay taxes on rental income from a beach villa he owns in the Dominican Republic.

If convicted Rep. Rangel could face a range of penalties ranging from censure to expulsion from the House or Representatives.

Bottom line, Charlie Rangel is the poster child for Congressional term limits. If he had any shame he’d resign and save himself and and his party the embarrassment of a trial.

You can read to full Statement of Alleged Violations and supporting documents related to Statement of Alleged Violations on the Ethics Committee’s web site.

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House Ethics Commitee Charges Charlie Rangel With Violating House Rules

July 22, 2010 By Jeff Leave a Comment

It’s taken two years of investigations, but the House Committee on Standards of Official Contact has finally charged Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) with multiple ethics violations:

House ethics investigators have accused the once-powerful Rep. Charles Rangel (D., N.Y.) of breaking a series of congressional rules.

Mr. Rangel will have the opportunity to defend himself at a public trial before the House ethics committee beginning next week, according to a statement Thursday from the panel, formally called the House Committee on Standards of Official Contact.

The committee did not detail the charges or its findings. Congressional ethics investigators had been reviewing whether Mr. Rangel failed to disclose $75,000 worth of income he received from a rental property he owns in the Dominican Republic. Mr. Rangel has admitted what he called a mistake on that matter and has paid back taxes.

Lawmakers are required to fill out a financial-disclose statement once a year listing their assets, debts and sources of income. But Mr. Rangel has repeatedly failed to report all of his assets, and he recently filed amended reports that disclosed an additional $500,000 in assets.

Investigators have also been reviewing whether Mr. Rangel used official congressional letterhead for fund-raising letters he sent to corporations and others seeking donations for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York. In addition, investigators were looking at whether Mr. Rangel have violated congressional rules by occupying several rent-stabilized apartments provided by a Manhattan real estate developer. The congressman himself had asked the ethics committee to look into those two matters.

If  he’s found guilty of violating House rules Congressman Mr. Rangel could face a variety of penalties including expulsion from Congress. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out… So far Nancy Pelosi’s “most ehtical Congress ever” has had a rather lackluster reputation on ethics. Even if Rep. Rangel, who turned 80 in June, beats the rap I suspect party insiders will be pressuring to step aside lest they hand another talking point to Republicans come November.

James Richardson has more on the Charlie Rangel’s history of ethical lapses over at Red State.

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Rahm Emanuel On The Way Out?

June 21, 2010 By Jeff Leave a Comment

I’m a little skeptical about this report from the London Telegraph claiming President Obama’s powerful Chief or staff Rahm Emanuel is planning to resign later this year, but it’s making the round so here’s my two cents.

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, is expected to leave his job later this year after growing tired of the “idealism” of Barack Obama’s inner circle.

Washington insiders say he will quit within six to eight months in frustration at their unwillingness to “bang heads together” to get policy pushed through.

Mr Emanuel, 50, enjoys a good working relationship with Mr Obama but they are understood to have reached an understanding that differences over style mean he will serve only half the full four-year term.

Friends say he is also worried about burnout and losing touch with his young family due to the pressure of one of most high profile jobs in US politics.

“I would bet he will go after the midterms,” said a leading Democratic consultant in Washington. “Nobody thinks it’s working but they can’t get rid of him – that would look awful. He needs the right sort of job to go to but the consensus is he’ll go.”

An official from the Bill Clinton era said that “no one will be surprised” if Mr Emanuel left after the midterm elections in November, when the Democratic party will battle to save its majorities in the house of representatives and the senate.

It is well known in Washington that arguments have developed between pragmatic Mr Emanuel, a veteran in Congress where he was known for driving through compromises, and the idealistic inner circle who followed Mr Obama to the White House.

His abrasive style has rubbed some people the wrong way, while there has been frustration among Mr Obama’s closest advisers that he failed to deliver a smooth ride for the president’s legislative programme that his background promised.

Personally, I would get overly excited about this, first Chiefs of staff often don’t serve for a Presidents entire term… Bill had four of them during his two terms in office. Second the White has issued a rather strong denial telling Fox News the “ludicrous” story was “not worth looking into.”

That said, it may very well be the mid-term elections that decide Mr. Emanuel’s fate for him, if Democrats lose control of the House of Representatives and/or Senate in November Pres. Obama may be forced to replace Mr. Emanuel with a more pragmatic Chief of Staff as he tacks back towards the center. If he doesn’t he’s risks seeing his presidency to run completely off the rails in its final two years.

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Poll: Blumenthal Loses Ground, Leads McMahon By Just Three Points

May 19, 2010 By Jeff Leave a Comment

The latest Rasmussen Reports survey of likely voters in Connecticut shows Attorney General Richard Blumenthal’s lead over potential Republican challengers has shrunk significantly following yesterdays revelations he exaggerated his military record:

Following a New York Times report that he exaggerated his military record, Democratic Senate hopeful Richard Blumenthal has lost ground in match-ups against all his potential Republican challengers in Connecticut.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Connecticut finds Blumenthal with just a three-point advantage over Linda McMahon, 48% to 45%. Two weeks ago, he led the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment by 13 percentage points. The New York Times story broke late Monday; the survey was taken Tuesday evening.

When matched against former GOP Congressman Rob Simmons, Blumenthal leads by 11 – 50% to 39%. Two weeks ago, the longtime state attorney general held a 23-point lead over Simmons.

Blumenthal now leads Peter Schiff, a high-profile Wall Street investment banker, 53% to 37%. In the previous survey, he posted a 54% to 29% lead over Schiff.

Still, just 26% of voters say Blumenthal should withdraw from the Senate race. Only nine percent (9%) of Democrats hold that view.

Ouch, this is a good news bad news thing for Blumenthal and Democrats… The bad news is that his lead over McMahon has basically evaporated, the good news is he still has a lead. Normally revelations like this will destroy a political career in hours, but Blumenthal seems to have stopped or at least arrested the bleeding. I still think he’s toast, but to be honest I think the story may have broken to early for it to have any real impact in November. Time and the polls will tell whether he rebounds or continues to weaken.

Realated

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Rep. Mark Souder Resigns After Affair With Staffer

May 19, 2010 By Jeff Leave a Comment

I should have mentioned this yesterday, but the Blumenthal and Bysiewicz stories put it on the back burner… Eight term Indian Congressman Mark Souder resigned yesterday after admitting to an affair with a female aide who worked in his district office:

Eight-term Indiana Rep. Mark Souder announced his resignation Tuesday after admitting to an affair with a female aide who worked in his district office.

Souder, a Republican, will will step down on Friday. He said in remarks obtained by Fox News that he “sinned against God, my wife and my family by having a mutual relationship with a part-time member of my staff.”

“I wish I could have been a better example,” he said. “In this poisonous environment of Washington, D.C., any personal failing is seized upon, often twisted, for political gain. I am resigning rather than to put my family through that painful, drawn-out process. … We are a committed family but the error is mine and I should bear the responsibility. Not only am I thankful for a loving family but for a loving God.”

Multiple senior House sources indicated that the extent of Souder’s affair with the staffer would have landed him before the House Ethics Committee. Sources told Fox News that the aide, identified as Tracy Jackson, a woman in her mid-40s, would accompany the congressman to events and to record ads at a Christian radio broadcast station.

First of all, I’m really getting sick of these so called “family values” politicians who nothing more than bottom feeders… If you don’t walk the walk, don’t talk the talk.

Second, why couldn’t this schmuck have resigned a month ago? Mr. Souder won hotly contested Republican primary just two weeks ago to keep his seat, Republicans will now have to find a replacement for him at the state convention next month.

Anyway, Congressman, just go and don’t let the door hit you were the good Lord split you.

Filed Under: Culture of Corruption, Politics Tagged With: , , ,

Breaking: Connecticut Supreme Court Rules Bysiewicz Not Eligible To Run For AG

May 18, 2010 By Jeff Leave a Comment

The Connecticut Supreme Court today overturned a lower court ruling that would have allowed Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz to run for attorney general.

The court’s 7-0 decision found that Bysiewicz’s duties as secretary of the state did not qualify as the practice of law, meaning she does not have the minimum 10 years of experience required under state law to hold the office of attorney general.

The ruling comes just four days before state Democrats meet to endorse a candidate for attorney general and other statewide offices, apparently throwing the nomination to George Jepsen the only other Democrat in the race.

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NYT: Blumenthal Lied About Vietnam Service

May 18, 2010 By Jeff 1 Comment

The New York Times is raising questions about Senate candidate and current Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal’s claims he served in Vietnam:

At a ceremony honoring veterans and senior citizens who sent presents to soldiers overseas, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut rose and spoke of an earlier time in his life.

“We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam,” Mr. Blumenthal said to the group gathered in Norwalk in March 2008. “And you exemplify it. Whatever we think about the war, whatever we call it — Afghanistan or Iraq — we owe our military men and women unconditional support.”

There was one problem: Mr. Blumenthal, a Democrat now running for the United States Senate, never served in Vietnam. He obtained at least five military deferments from 1965 to 1970 and took repeated steps that enabled him to avoid going to war, according to records.

The deferments allowed Mr. Blumenthal to complete his studies at Harvard; pursue a graduate fellowship in England; serve as a special assistant to The Washington Post’s publisher, Katharine Graham; and ultimately take a job in the Nixon White House.

In 1970, with his last deferment in jeopardy, he enlisted in the Marine Reserve, landing a coveted spot in a unit in Washington, which virtually guaranteed that he would not be sent to Vietnam. The unit conducted part-time drills and other exercises and focused on local projects, like fixing a campground and organizing a Toys for Tots drive.

Mr. Blumenthal’s campaign manager, Mindy Myers, called the Times article “an outrageous distortion of Dick Blumenthal’s record of service.” She noted his six years of service in the Marine Corps Reserve and said he “received no special treatment from anyone.” Ok, fine he did serve honorable in the Marine Corps Reserve for six years, but that’s this is:

Mr. Blumenthal’s words couldn’t be more clear (emphasis mine):

In fact, we are failing many of our veterans again.  We are failing them just as we did after the Vietnam War, just as we did our World War II and Korean [sic] veterans.  This nation has a way of sending young men and women to war, and then forgetting them when they come home.  And that is unforgivable.  And I know Congressmen like Chris Shays are working hard to change that situation.   We have learned something very important since the days I served in Vietnam, and you exemplify it.  Whatever we think about the war, whatever we call it, Afghanistan or Iraq, we owe our military men and women unconditional support.

He didn’t say “Since I served during the Vietnam era” he said “… since the days I served in Vietnam”. I’d be willing to cut Mr. Blumenthal a little slack if this was one off incident that be dismissed as a slip of the tongue, but as the Times’ story makes clear, Mr. Blumenthal has long used ambiguity and omission to obscure that he served during the Vietnam era not in Vietnam.

Time will tell, but I think it’s safe to say the race to replace Sen. Chris Dodd just got a whole lot more interesting… This was Mr. Blumenthal race to lose, right now he’s attempting to argue that his repeatedly “misstating” that he served in Vietnam is not a big deal,  and for the moment at least every prominent Democrat in the state appears to be agreeing with him… the question is how voters react and what other shoes are waiting to fall?

Personally, I think he’s toast. Actually in a sane world, where  honor and integrity still mattered, he’d resign as Attorney General and quietly withdrawn from public life, even Paul Begala calls his lies “indefensible” and “a catastrophic mistake”… but then this isn’t a sane world and it appears he intends to say in the race.

Update (5:50 p.m.): Former Congressman Chris Shays, friend of Mr. Blumenthal’s interviewed by the New York Times says he “that he had watched with worry as Mr. Blumenthal gradually embellished his military record over the years.”:

Former Representative Christopher Shays of Connecticut, a Republican who says he is a good friend of Richard Blumenthal’s, said in an interview Tuesday that he had watched with worry as Mr. Blumenthal gradually embellished his military record over the years…

Mr. Shays said the change occurred gradually in statements made over time.

“More and more it kept creeping in,” he said. “And it was very different than when he first described his service. I’m not surprised, because he just kept adding to the story, the more he told it. I think what happens in a case like this, it’s a tiny increment of change, but when you haven’t heard him in years you say, that’s a big difference.”…

Mr. Shays said he grew uncomfortable only last month, when he and Mr. Blumenthal attended a memorial for survivors of a building collapse in Bridgeport in 1987, and Mr. Blumenthal again brought up the Vietnam War. “He didn’t say he was there; he said, ‘when we came home’ and talked about soldiers being spat upon,” Mr. Shays said. “The inference was that he was in Vietnam.”

To be honest I don’t think Mr. Blumenthal set out to consciously deceive anyone about his service, he did serve honorably for six years in the Marine Corps Reserve. Unfortunately, it appears over the years he gradually started to embellish his record, and through ambiguity and omission and left the impression he’d served in served in Vietnam when hadn’t. That’s not excuse though, Mr. Blumenthal needs to be held accountable for the statements he’s made, regardless of whether they were made inadvertently or not.

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