04/01/19 Filed in:
Political SystemThe Mueller report has been submitted, but many related issues remain in play. Also, a host of other problems are pending, none with easy and/or agreeable solutions. Read More...Tags: James Thurber, Russian troops in Venezuela, Juan Guaido, NIcolas Maduro, Paul Gigot, Gen. Jack Keane, border crisis, Central American immigrants, asylum, Carla Provost, border barriers, government shutdown, delclaration of national emergency, Resolution of disapproval, Iron Triangle countries, foreign aid, remittances from emigrants to the US, cutoff of foreign aid, plan to close border, Mick Mulvaney, Mueller probe, William Barr, GovCare lawsuit, adminstration position, GovCare replacement, Slow-walking presidential appointments, cloture, nuclear option, Sen. Mitch McConnell
03/11/19 Filed in:
Political System For voters who would favor less partisan strife in DC, don’t hold your breath because the Democratic game plan ensures it’s not going to happen. Read More...Tags: President Donald Trump, James Comey, Robert Mueller, William Barr, Alan Deshowitz, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Elijah Cummings, Rep. Richard Neal, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, joe DiGenova, Green New Deal, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Mitch McConnell , Medicare for all, For the People Act, voter ID, early voting, absentee ballots, same day voting, border security , government shutdown, Declaraton of national emergency, Resolution of disapproval
08/20/18 Filed in:
Political SystemNo Labels posits that unity will result if politicians discuss the issues, but experience suggests otherwise. It might be better to debate the issues and aim for timely and well-informed decisions. Read More...Tags: The Three Musketeers, "No labels" movement, Obama administration, economic redistribution, economic growth , President Donald Trump, A Better Deal, Medicare for all, Kerri Harris, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Tom Carper, Irrational exuberance, SAFE's job manifesto, David Smick, Main Street capitalism, Social Security, John Stossel, Leon Panetta, Illegal immigration, government shutdown
01/29/18 Filed in:
SpendingTo avoid being blamed for the next government shutdown, which is set for February 8, Republicans should consider taking a harder line. Read More...Tags: continuing resolution, GovCare, tax cut , apppriation bills, CHIP, debt limit, DACA Program, government shutdown, defense spending, budget caps, Sen. Tom Carper , dreamers, Sen Chuck Schumer, President Donald Trump, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Schumer Shutdown, Trump Shutdown, Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, Legislative Affairs Director Mark Short, Sen. Mitch McConnell, moderate senators, Sen. Chris Coons, Sen Joe Lieberman, "No labels" movement, path to citizenship, border wall funding, Senate filibuster rule, Sen. Ted Cruz. , nuclear option
12/11/17 Filed in:
Spending | TaxesNo one wants to be blamed for a government shutdown, but there are deep divisions on several issues and neither side will give up easily. Don’t count on anything until the dust settles. Read More...Tags: President Donald Trump, Sen. Chuck Schumer Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Republican tax plan, Sen. Tom Carper, ANWR, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Child Tax Credit, Alternative Minimum Tax, estate tax, GovCare individual mandate, Roy Moore, Sen. Susan Collins, Speaker Paul Ryan, Rep. Mark Walker, DACA Program, Pensacola rally, border wall funding, visa overstays, sanctuary cities, chain migration, E-verify, continuing resolution, omnibus spending bill, Senate filibuster rule, Budget Contol Act, government shutdown
Two deadlines were extended by bipartisan agreement, but don’t expect a new spirit of cooperation in DC. Read More...Tags: debt limit, government spending authority, CHIP, budget resolution, infrastructure, GovCare, hurricanes, North Korean nuclear threat, bipartisan deal, Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, President Donald Trump, continuing resolution, government shutdown, appropriation bills, Sen. John McCain , Defense Secretary James Mattis, Joint Chiefs Chairman Joseph Dunford, proposal to nationalize defense intellectual property, Sen Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. Claire McCaskill, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, Sen. John Cornyn , Sen. Pat Roberts, "Not One Penny" campaign, Sen. Bill Cassidy, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Dean Heller, Sen. Lamar Alexander
04/03/17 Filed in:
Political SystemFilibuster rule leads to: gridlock, congressional decline, one-way ratchet, poor bills, budget blackmail. Read More...Tags: nuclear option, Neil Gorsuch, Sen. Mitch McConnell, advise and consent, Sen. Chuck Schumer, gridlock, one way ratchet, Congressional Budget Office, American Health Care Act, government shutdown, debt limit, spending authority
02/27/17 Filed in:
SpendingThe president will have an ideal forum tomorrow night to urge doing what’s needed to balance the budget. Read More...Tags: federal debt, debt ceiling, government shutdown, continuing resolution, Fiscal year 2018 budget, Budget Hero, balance the budget, deficits , discretionary spending, net interest, Heritage Foundation budget plan, GovCare, Medicaid, repeal and replace, high risk pools, border adjustments, carbon tax, Congressional Review Act, president's address to Congress
09/05/16 Filed in:
SpendingOur political leaders will never solve the fiscal problem if they don’t start acting differently. Read More...Tags: Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, continuing resolution, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, government shutdown, Office of Management and Budget, mid-session review, discretionary spending, mandatory spending, Press Secretary Josh Earnest, log rolling, defense appropriations bill, targeted spending cuts, Prime Cuts 2016, government fees, Federal Communicaiton Commission, Amtrak Loan, Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac, Solyndra, Export-Import Bank, Rep. Jeb Hensarling, lawfare, Volkswagen defeat device, Environmental Protection Agency, don't kill the goose, side payments to activist groups
08/29/16 Filed in:
Political SystemEven with control of both houses of Congress, GOP failed to put the US on a more conservative path. Read More...Tags: Department of Homeland Security, government shutdown, lame duck session, Keystone pipeline, GovCare, Congressional budget resolution, appropriation bills, executive amnesty, REINS Act, Clean Power Plan, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Larry Sabato, continuing resolution, Speaker Paul Ryan, Sen. Mitch McConnell , Trans-Pacific Partnership
02/01/16 Filed in:
Political SystemHouse Speaker Paul Ryan wants the GOP to offer concrete conservative proposals in November, but satisfying everyone may not be easy. Read More...Tags: Speaker Paul Ryan, Ronal Reagan, Sen Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, regular order, Republican retreat, positive message, Charles Krauthammer, ISIS, 21st-century military, fix the tax code, Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congressional Review Act, REINS Act, Clean Power Plan, presidential vetoes, Reconciliation Act, Rep. Fred Upton, War on Poverty, social safety nets, compassionate conservatism, Kemp forum, rubberstamp Congress, filibuster, Rep. Tom Franks, government shutdown
11/09/15 Filed in:
SpendingRepublican vows to reboot the congressional budget process have been put on hold until 2017. Read More...Tags: debt limit, Bipartisan Budget Act, filibuster, power of the purse, policy riders, government shutdown, budget caps, outgoing House Speaker John Boehner, new House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Rand Paul, balancing the budget, defense v. non-defense spending , Social Security disability bailout, Medicare premium fix, omnibus spending bill, Gitmo, executive branch overreach