BY GARY ANDRES
Reprinted from weeklystandard.com
If the Republicans win enough seats in Congress this November, GOP leader John Boehner will become the next speaker of the House. The Ohio Republican would assume the gavel amid a maelstrom of polarization not seen since the late nineteenth century.
BY TONY BLANKLEY
Reprinted from townhall.com
The New York Times has written, in explaining why the political parties have lost the confidence of the public: “Their machinery of intrigue, their shuffling evasions, the dodges, the chicanery and the deception of their leaders have excited universal disgust, and have created a general readiness in the public mind for any new organization that shall promise to shun their vices.”
BY MICHAEL S. JOHNSON
What were they thinking?
The Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration last month turned an official hearing on a serious issue—migrant farm labor—into a 3-ring circus starring comedian Stephen Colbert. Colbert didn’t even testify, he performed a comedy routine as a character from his television show, mocking farm workers, immigrants and the U.S. Congress.
The Colbert comedy performance left absolutely no doubt why the American people are disgusted with Congress and some of those who serve there.
By GARY ANDRES
Reprinted from Realclearpolitics.com
With all the focus on the Tea Party this election cycle, another strong predictor of political behavior – religion – has not received as much attention.
Historically, religious groups have played central roles in electoral contests, but their impact and alliances have shifted over time.
BY DAVID WINSTON
Reprinted from Roll Call
“I won.”
Those were President Barack Obama’s pointed words to Republican Congressional leaders when they challenged his proposed stimulus package in a White House meeting held just three days after his swearing-in. As he was to do for the next 20 months, Obama ignored GOP concerns and went on to cram a nearly trillion-dollar stimulus package through Congress, promising unemployment would not go above 8 percent.
BY JOHN FEEHERY
From the Feeherytheory.com
Bill Murray’s character in the movie “Ghostbusters,” Dr. Peter Venkman, had the iconic line: “He slimed me!”
The Democratic Party has taken on the role of the Ghosts in “Ghostbusters”: They are all about the slime.
I was on the Ed Schultz Show last night when Ed showed Louisiana Congressman Charlie Melancon’s new commercial against David Vitter, who he is running against for the Senate.
Louisiana has had some tough times lately. It is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. The oil spill has had a grave impact on the economy. According to some analysts, the job situation down there is reaching Depression type levels.
Serious issues.
BY RICH GALEN
Reprinted from townhall.com and Mullings
While everything else has been going on, two senior Democratic Members of Congress, Maxine Waters (DEMOCRAT-Calif) and Charles Rangel (DEMOCRAT- New York ) have been, essentially, indicted by the House Ethics Committee for violation of House rules.
Both of those findings came well in advance of the House resuming its back-breaking schedule of a two-week work period between the August-September recess and the October-November pre-election recess.
When the Ethics Committee reported its findings, the expectation was that both Waters and Rangel would have their hearings/trials prior to the pre-election break.
BY GARY ANDRES
Reprinted from Weeklystandard.com
The 2010 federal fiscal year ended unceremoniously this week – a political and substantive fiasco for the Democrats. It included a cascade of miscalculations that could haunt the party in the November elections. But that pales in comparison to the serious harm they’ve inflicted on the American economy.
Never before has a party so bungled fiscal policy in the United States , leaving citizens, businesses, and investors with head-spinning uncertainty.
Continue reading
By JOHN FEEHERY
Reprinted from the Feehery Theory
The jobless rate and economic growth are not necessarily connected.
An economy can grow without people going back to work. Companies can make profits and not necessarily hire people. We are now going through a jobless recovery, despite President Obama’s delusional declaration that jobs are coming back.
Continue reading