A very sobering piece to write, no doubt, but needed nonetheless. Especially when you consider the revised GDP numbers from 2008. From Frum Forum: Two years ago, Commerce estimated the decline of the US economy at -0.5% in the third quarter of 2008 and -3.8% in the fourth quarter. It now puts the damage at [...]

In an op-ed I HOPE will get picked up across the country, Henry Bloch explains why taxes need to be raised on the rich ASAP. From KC Star: I do not understand some Republicans’ resistance to the idea of tax increases on the wealthy. The argument we have been hearing from some politicians about the [...]

I’m not trying to lay blame, but context about who has added more to this problem is important. Because Republicans voted to raise the debt ceiling every single time it came up under Bush 2.0 and now they’re not so cooperative. NY Times has more: A few lessons can be drawn from the numbers. First, [...]

Look Who Doesn’t Want To Be VP This Month… You know the games we play at this time in the election season. Don’t act like you want it. Keep your head down. Show your dedication to the job. Make them court you. Finally agree to it once the media has responded favorably and every important [...]

Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) just may have come up with something to bridge the gap between Dmes and the Repubs on the debt ceiling negotiations. It even has Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) coming back to the table… “The plan has moved significantly, and it’s [...]

This is one of those times that I don’t know if this is a brilliant political move or absolutely foolish. Wash Post has details… It works like this: The plan “would give the President the ability to request smaller increases in the debt ceiling — coupled with proposed spending cuts of at least $2.5 trillion [...]

JinBmore tells me what I don’t want to hear: I have two words for you: “President Bachmann”. They laughed about Reagan the same way they do about her. My immediate feeling is that independents and centrists will never vote for her and they will decide the 2012 election. After some consideration it seems that less-informed, [...]

I think David Brooks frames the debate pretty effectively… If the Republican Party were a normal party, it would take advantage of this amazing moment. It is being offered the deal of the century: trillions of dollars in spending cuts in exchange for a few hundred billion dollars of revenue increases. A normal Republican Party [...]

Truly a double header. Not only does the New York Times provide a reasonably accurate description of the virtues of divided, but we also get their graphic version of the tortured creature known to us fondly in these parts as the “Donklephant”.

Over at The Daily Caller, there is a piece up that features Congressman Keith Ellison (D-MN) commenting on Herman Cain’s famous ‘Muslim litmus test’. In his comments, Rep. Ellison makes the point that: “Well, you got violent Christians and good Christians,” he said. “You got violent Jews and good Jews. You got people of all [...]

What can you get the man who has nothing and no power? Apparently, a new campaign team. From Politico: Newt Gingrich’s top staff quit en masse Thursday, throwing into question whether his already troubled presidential campaign can continue. Two sources close to the situation confirmed that campaign manager Rob Johnson, strategists Sam Dawson and Dave [...]

The Minnesota Governor kicked off his 2012 in Iowa today with the mantra “A Time For Truth” and the promise that he’ll finally level with the people of the United States. From Wash Post: “Conventional wisdom says you can’t talk about ethanol in Iowa or Social Security in Florida or financial reform on Wall Street,” [...]

What?!?!?!?!? He wasn’t really running? That’s nuts!!! I was certain he was!!! Okay, so I never thought that The Donald was serious about the 2012 GOP nomination, and now he confirms it. And, in the process, he has made Republican challengers who have ever made birther noises look completely ridiculous. You know who you are! [...]

In my opinion, Huckabee was Obama’s biggest threat in 2012 given his personal appeal and ideas like the Fair Tax, which could be an easy populist sell in difficult times. From Fox News: “All the factors say go, but my heart says no,” Huckabee, who was considered the GOP frontrunner in several national polls, said [...]

Will he? Won’t he? Nobody knows until tomorrow night. And he’s doing it on Fox News: Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is expected to announce whether or not he will run for president on his Fox News Channel show Saturday evening, a major moment in the nascent 2012 contest. “Governor Huckabee will announce tomorrow night [...]

We all knew this would happen sooner or later, but Romney seems to be finally throwing his Massachusetts healthcare plan under the bus. ABC takes a look at the upcoming speech: Former Massachusetts Governor and likely Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney will outline his approach to health care reform in Michigan Thursday, announcing a plan [...]

I wouldn’t want to be Donald Trump today. Ouch. Obama’s part opened with the theme song “I Am A Real American,” and it just got worse for Trump from there. Trump jokes are at 9:45 in, but you’ll probably want to watch the whole thing. And then SNL’s Seth Meyers weighed in. His Trump jokes [...]

The ironic thing about all of this is that Obama’s actual birth certificate isn’t even allowed for official use in Hawaii, but the Certificate of Live Birth, the document he has been using since the get go, is allowed. The only reason Trump opens his mouth these days is to change shoes… “Well I’ve been [...]

He’s in! From National Journal: Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, whose outspoken libertarian views and folksy style made him a cult hero during two previous presidential campaigns, will announce on Tuesday that he’s going to try a third time. Sources close to Paul, who is in his 12th term in the House, said he will unveil [...]

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