Sen. Warren to GOP: What's the Hold Up?

Since its creation in the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been under attack by Republicans.  In the Senate, the Republican minority has been filibustering every attempt to place someone to head the new agency.  President Obama picked Richard Cordray - his 2nd choice - to lead the agency, and installed him as a recess nomination.  But now, Mr. Cordray is up for a full Senate confirmation and the GOP is doing whatever it can to block it.  The President's 1st choice for the job is not happy about that.  Not happy at all.

The 'Grand Bargain': Does President Obama Really Want It?

Jake Sherman and Carrie Budoff Brown, from POLITICO, wrote a very interesting piece about the President's sincerity when it comes to the 'Grand Bargain.'  The Grand Bargain is a sweeping plan to deal with the nation's tax code, debt, and entitlements.  They point out that the President has generally kept his distance from Congress and his new overtures could be seen as political.  They also talk about the wide gulf between Democrats and Republicans on core issues around taxes and debt.  It is a fascinating and insightful read.

Read the POLITICO piece by clicking on the link below.

Is President Obama serious about a grand bargain?

House Minority Whip on Paul Ryan Budget: HELL NO!!!

House Minority Whip, Steny Hoyer (D-MD), wrote an op-ed for POLITICO in response to the Paul Ryan/GOP budget plan.  In it, he eviscerates Paul, the GOP, and their policies.  As far as the Minority Whip is concerned, it appears that this budget is just like Paul Ryan's last budget - released in 2011. It is highly unlikely, with a split Congress, that the Paul Ryan Budget will become law.  Though it will likely pass the House, it is essentially Dead-On-Arrival in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Read Steny Hoyer's op-ed by clicking on the link below.

Paul Ryan Budget Plan is Same-Old Trickery

Paul Ryan Budget II: Balance by 2023, BUT...

House Budget Committee Chairman, Paul Ryan (R-WI), wrote an op-ed piece for the Wall Street Journal about his latest budget proposal.  His current plan, he says, will bring the Federal Government's budget into balance in 10 years.  It includes an overhaul of the nation's tax code, a change in Medicare to a voucher system, turning over Medicaid and Food Stamps to the states in the form of block grants, and a host of other things that Democrats vehemently oppose.

You can read Congressman Ryan's op-ed piece by clicking on the link below.

Paul Ryan: The GOP Plan to Balance the Budget by 2023 

What Happened This Week: March 1-7

A lot of things happened this week.  Hugo Chavez died.  North Korea threatened (again) to blow up the United States. Rand Paul and company performed the first true filibuster in the Senate in nearly 3 years.  John Brennan was confirmed to be the next CIA chief.  The House Republicans passed a CR that has virtually no chance of becoming law.  The Sequester came and went and the US economy hasn't blown up.  The Dow Jones has reached record highs.  Unemployment ticked down to 7.7%.

And that's just the big stuff.

Some 'Straight Talk' for the Rand Paul Filibuster

Sen. John McCain had some tough words for fellow Republican Senator Rand Paul after Sen. Paul's filibuster speech in the Senate.  Sen. Paul was filibustering the nomination of Paul Brennan to be the head of the CIA, and he held the Senate floor for nearly 12 hours, delivering a speech criticizing the Obama Administration's Drone policy.  It was with some of the particulars of that speech that Sen. McCain took issue with.

Strong issues.

Democrats on 2016: Don't rest too long, Hillary

Despite the fact that most political observers believe the 2016 Democratic Presidential Nomination is hers for the taking, some Democratic insiders are warning that Secretary Clinton shouldn't rest too long if she really wants it.  There are some up & coming Democrats out there who would love to take a shot at 2016, and if Secretary Clinton waits to long to decide, she may not get a chance to.

Obama tries to engage rank-n-file GOP lawmakers

President Obama invited several Republican Senators out for Dinner last night.  The President picked up the tab himself.  He also invited Rep. Paul Ryan and Rep. Chris Van Hollen out for lunch.  They are the top ranking Republican and Democrat on the House Budget Committee.  These moves are widely seen as the White House shifting strategy on how it deals with Congress.  During most negotiations, the President deals with the House and Senate leadership to get a deal done.  Now, it appears that The White House is reaching out to the rank-n-file lawmakers, on both sides of the aisle.

The Passing of Hugo Chavez

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez died after a 2 year battle with cancer.  The poor and working class in his country considered him a hero.  Notable liberals around the world heralded him as a hero to the 'little guy.'  Economists and business executives scorned him, calling him a Socialist dictator who trampled over capitalism.  And then there are the alleged human rights violations.

Say what you will about Hugo Chavez - and plenty has been - but he left a mark on the conscious of our world, both politically and practically.  His death will open a power vacuum in South America, as one of the world's largest producers of oil begins a new chapter and tries to find a new leader.

CNN has a piece on Chavez's death and the aftermath.  Read it by clicking on the link below.

What's next? Chavez's death leaves many questions

OMG, GOP!!! Figure it out, already!!!

The Republicans are (still) trying to figure out just what went wrong during the 2012 elections.  Was it Romney's lack of personality?  Was it a cultural clash on social issues?  Was it a demographics shift - similar to the one I wrote about last month (read it here)?  Their's plenty of blame to go around, and as the GOP tries to find itself, the blame-game continues.  

And it's getting ugly.

Budget Battle - Round 1

House Republicans unveiled their 'CR', or Continuing Resolution, to fund the Federal Government for the remainder of the fiscal year.  Their plan tries to lessen the pain of the Sequester on Defense and VA programs while leaving the cuts fully intact on everything else.  Their CR keeps government spending at the same levels as in 2011, when the Budget Control Act was passed.

The Democrats have some 'concerns.'  I'd imagine.  The two sides better come up with a budget solution quickly because if they can't, the Government will shut down.  The Government runs out of money on March 27th.

Justice Antonin Scalia: SCOTUS Troll?

On February 28th, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case Shelby County vs. Holder, which concerns the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  The law has been re-authorized without an issue ever since.  The last re-authorization occurred in 2006, and it enjoyed nearly unanimous Congressional support.  Generally, Supreme Court hearings are uneventful, but this one was different.

Democrats ‘Over-dramatized’ Sequester Consequences

‘Okay, it won’t be THAT bad.’  That was the message from President Obama and the Democratic Leadership after the deadline for the Sequester had passed and the cuts went into effect.  This is after a week of posturing, with doomsday claims of National Security risks, teacher layoffs, longer lines at airports, and all sorts of other nasty and unpalatable things.  Then the Sequester came, and went, and now it’s just gonna be a little inconvenient.

Huh?

Boehner vs McConnell: Mixed GOP Message on Sequester

House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared on the Sunday morning shows to offer their respective views on the automatic budget cuts, known as the Sequester.  Generally, the Republicans present a united front from specific talking points to express their views, but it appeared that Boehner and McConnell were speaking from different scripts.

The 'Supposed' Day of Reckoning is Here

Today is the day the $85 Billion in automatic spending cuts, known as the Sequester, are to take effect.  The President, during a press conference this morning, essentially stated that there was no deal on the immediate horizon to avoid the cuts. He also blamed Republicans and their refusal to close tax loopholes for corporations and the wealthy as the main reason a deal was not reached.

It's Chuck!!!

The U.S. Senate finally confirmed former Sen. Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense.  On a 58-41 vote, Hagel went through a particularly bruising confirmation process, leading to an unprecedented filibuster of his nomination by Senate Republicans.  Read more about Hagel's confirmation by clicking on the link below.

Hagel confirmed as U.S. Defense Secretary

Prominent Republicans Sign Brief Supporting Marriage Equality

The New York Times is reporting that a list of prominent Republicans signed on to a legal brief filed with the Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage.  Notablees, such as former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman, and current  House GOP Reps Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida and Richard Hanna of New York, have signed on along with 75 more.  Read the New York Times piece by clicking on the link below.

Republicans Sign Brief in Support of Gay Marriage

GOP on Sequester: Not So Fast, Mr. President

The President has engaged in a campaign-style rally across the country, warning of the consequences if a deal isn't reached and blaming Republicans for the stalemate.  But now, Republicans are striking back, with a barrage of news conferences by GOP House members and several Republican Governors - Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley among them - slamming the President for his role in creating the Sequester in the first place, and not leading the charge for a deal to avoid it.

Sen. Ted Cruz: A New McCarthy?

Jane Mayer at The New Yorker wrote a piece about Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and his controversial comments about the faculty at Harvard Law School, specifically, that there were more Communists among the faculty than Republicans.  Ms. Mayer then digs deeper into Sen. Cruz's overall rhetoric, culminating in his insinuation during a Senate hearing that Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel may have accepted campaign funds and speaking fees from hostile governments and terrorists groups.  It is a fascinating piece.

Read Jane Mayer's piece in the New Yorker by clicking on the link below.

Is Sen. Ted Cruz our new McCarthy?

Sequester Damage: State By State

On Sunday night, The Obama Administration released a detailed report that describes how the mandatory spending cuts, known as the sequester, would affect each state.  The folks over at Talking Points Memo put together a great piece outlining the White House's report, with pdf files for each state.

You can view the Talking Points Memo piece by clicking on the link below.

White House Breaks Down Sequester Damage in each State 

Other than Sequestration: What Happened This Week?

A majority of the political news this week revolved around the coming across-the-board spending cuts, known as the Sequester.  However, a lot of other stuff happened this week. Here's a sampling of some of the stories I found most interesting that were mostly overlooked by the mainstreem media.

GOP Senators and The Tea Party: A Delicate Dance

David Espo at The Associated Press has a piece out talking about how Republicans in the Senate a treading carefully with their dealings with Tea Party activists, now that they have been burned by their shenanigans over 2 election cycles.  While Tea Party support was key in Republicans taking control of the House, their candidates have had a decidedly negative impact on the GOP in the Senate.

Read Mr. Espo's piece by clicking the link below.

GOP Senators are treading carefully with the Tea Party

Dems seek to Pulverize beleaguered GOP in 2014, 2016

Andy Kroll, over at Mother Jones, is reporting about plans brewing at Priorities USA Action, the pro-Obama super PAC that helped the president win re-election.  The PAC is alive and well, and has its sights set on the 2014 midterms, and beyond.  With the GOP in disarray, democratic strategists see a golden opportunity to make huge gains in 2014.

Read Mr. Kroll's piece by clicking on the link below.

Watch Out, GOP: Obama Super-PAC Is Coming for You in 2014

Just For Fun: The Wonders of Joe Biden's Mouth

OK.  This has nothing, really, to do with the current debates in Washington.  However, the folks over at The Daily Beast have put together a great little list of Vice President Joe Biden's greatest gaffes.  This was spurred by his latest, at an online Town Hall forum for Parenting Magazine earlier this week.  Say what you will about the Vice President, but he's always entertaining!

Read the post at The Daily Beast using the link below.

'Buy a Shotgun!' & More of Joe Biden's Never-Ending Gaffes

Strategists to GOP: Time to ditch 'stale' policies

Michael O'Brien at NBC wrote a piece about some members of the conservative intelligentsia calling for policy changes in the Republican Party.  He cites specific Republican strategists and think tanks, specific policies in need of re-thinking and retirement, and how some have responded to the suggestions thus far.  It's a fascinating read.

Click on the link below to read Mr. O'Brien's article.

Conservative thinkers: GOP should cut 'stale' policies loose

GOP Identity Crisis – Part 1: Demographics

This is the 1^st of a 3-part series examining the identity crisis of the GOP.  This first part deals with the demographic changes the GOP faces.  The 2^nd part will deal with the implications of the party’s current platform and its various factions.  The 3^rd part will be about what I think the GOP will do, what it should do, and what that means for the future of conservative politics.

CNN explains the Spending Cuts

CNN Money's Jeanne Sahadi wrote a piece this morning that explains how the spending cuts required in Sequestration would work.  It's purely analytical, though she does take a swipe at lawmakers for coming up with this plan in the first place.

Check out her piece at the link below.

Spending cuts: What you need to know

In 90 Seconds, Bob Schieffer Explains Washington's Idiocy

On 'Face The Nation' on Sunday, Bob Schieffer managed to admonish lawmakers on their lack of ability to deal with the Sequester before running off on a long President's Day recess.  His view is bipartisan, and somewhat depressing - though right on the money.

What the Heck is Sequestration?

The United States Congress, in their infinite wisdom, created a scenario that was supposed to force lawmakers to tackle our nation’s debt.  The scenario: create a fiscal situation that was perceived as so unbearable, lawmakers would have no choice but to act.  Unfortunately, hyper-partisanship is the rule in Washington, so our elected officials never came to an agreement as to how to proceed.

We’re BAAAACK!!!

I have decided to resurrect Politicoaster for 2013.  Unfortunately, ‘Life’ happened to me during 2012, and I was unable to keep up with all of the shenanigans of the election (which were highly entertaining, offensive, and predictable).  However, I am now starting to feel that itch to scream about our nation’s politics, and yelling at my TV while watching cable news doesn't seem to satisfy me anymore.

With all that’s going on, from Sequestration, to Gun Violence, to Immigration Reform, to Tax Reform, to Gay Marriage, to Abortion Rights, to Religious liberties – it’s maddening and fascinating and I need to blog about it.

 

We’ll start where we left off – the same rules apply.  No subject is off the table.  I’ll talk about the GOP’s image issues, Newtown, Hillary in 2016, the unprecedented filibuster of Chuck Hagel’s nomination to be Defense Secretary, Drones, RedMap, voting rights, proposed reductions in our nuclear arsenal, Iran, Israel  North Korea’s nuclear progress, the ‘Reign’ of Vladimir Putin, the proposed US & EU Trade Zone, and a whole bunch of other stuff!  And that’s just what I hope to get to over the next few weeks!

As before, I’ll try to post at least one original piece each week, plus links and other gems of political news.  And, as before, we’ll see if it works.  Ask questions.  Make comments.  Tell me if I skew too far left or right or if you think I am insane.  I’m gonna try and stick with this.

Thanks for following me!

Super Committee a Super Disappointment

The Congressional "Super Committee" charged with eliminating $1.4 Trillion in red ink from the Federal Budget announced today that it has failed.  Now, a series of automatic across the board cuts will take place in 2013 if something isn't done to fix our fiscal crisis.  David Gergen wrote an op-ed about the committee and it's failure and what it means for the American People.  He rightly takes Congress and the committee to task for their failure, and points out how dire the consequences are if we do not fix our government.  It is an incredibly articulate and scathing piece.

Have they gone nuts in Washington?

New calls for Hillary to save the Democratic Party

More and more folks are calling on Hillary Clinton to run in the 2012 election.  The most recent pronouncement comes from Patrick Caddell and Douglas Schoen at The Wall Street Journal.  They wrote an op-ed piece today essentially asking President Obama to step aside and allow Secretary Clinton to run as the Democratic nominee.  The reasons presented in the piece are nothing new, but Mr. Caddell and Mr. Schoen are both influential opinion makers in progressive circles, therefore their ideas will be taken seriously.  Add to the fervor the recent polling that showed Clinton performing significantly better than Obama in hypothetical match ups against all the declared Republican candidates.  

Personally, I don't know if it's a good or bad idea.  I am a big fan of both Mr. Caddell and Mr. Schoen, but I am uncertain in regards to the wisdom of such a move, regardless of the political upside.  

Read their Op-Ed Piece for yourself, and see what you think.

Op-Ed: The Hillary Moment

It's Newt!!!

Newt Gingrich has become the new flavor of the month in the Republican presidential field.  New national polling places the former Speaker of the House either tied for first with Herman Cain or Mitt Romney, or well ahead of both.

I suppose it was only a matter of time before Newt made his surge in the polls.  We've seen Bachmann, Perry, and Cain all spike in the polls before being beaten back by increased scrutiny by the media.  The interesting thing about Gingrich is that his whole political career has been on display for decades, making it less likely that some new surprises will pop up.  However, there are a couple of things about Gingrich that I think will make him an unpalatable choice for Republican primary voters.  

Cain Campaign to receive Secret Service Protection

The United States Secret Service confirmed today that the Cain Campaign will receive protective services from the agency.  Mr. Cain is the first Republican candidate to receive protection from the Secret Service this election cycle.  The Secret Service began offering protection for Presidential candidates after Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968.  Since then, it has become standard for front-runner candidates to receive some protection from the agency.  

Read more in CNN's wire report.

Sexual Harassment becomes Sexual Assault for Cain

Sharon Bialek is the 1st woman to publicly address the sexual harassment claims made against GOP Presidential candidate Herman Cain.  Her accusations, however, go beyond the standards of sexual harassment and, in fact, may be considered sexual assault.

At a press conference, Ms. Bialek alleged that Cain groped her - specifically putting his hand on her thigh and sliding it up her skirt, as well as pushing her head towards his crotch - following a dinner they both attended in 1997.  Ms. Bialek is not one of the women that POLITICO mentioned when the story first broke.  She also has lawyered up, hiring "Girl Power" attorney Gloria Allred.  

Obama: One Year to go

John Avlon, a CNN contributor, wrote an op-ed that compared President Obama's poll standings 1 year from the election with his predecessors, to get a sense of his chances for re-election.  The piece is very interesting.  Avlon looks back at polls going back as far as Nixon.  The comparisons are fascinating, and the speculation is always fun.  I highly recommend reading it.

A year from election, how does Obama measure up?

Rick Perry: The 'Bobblehead'

Rick Perry hasn't been the best debater in the GOP field of presidential candidates, but he has been an effective speech maker throughout his political career.  However, at a speech given in New Hampshire over the weekend, Perry appeared to try a new approach - humor.  In my opinion, this approach failed miserably, but the end result is so bizarre compared to his earlier speeches.  This wasn't just off-the-cuff for a few moments - this was a full half-hour of wonky.  I'd expect this type of behavior from Michele Bachmann's camp, not the Perry camp.

If this is part of his comeback strategy, I don't think there will be much of a comeback.  Watch the video for yourself.

Rick Perry's attempt at humor

Harassment claims harass Cain

POLITICO is reporting that GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain was accused of harassment by 2 former female employees of the National Restaurant Association.  Mr, Cain ran the organization during the 1990's.  Cain and his campaign have flatly denied the accusations, pointing out an internal investigation that did not find substantial evidence of harassment.  The campaign went further, decrying the media for attacking Cain on a personal level.  

I doubt this revelation amounts to an "October Surprise" in politics, but it makes for good reading.  I think Herman Cain is going to have to get used to being scrutinized more closely.  This is what happens when you become the leader in the polls.  Mitt Romney has been attacked for EVERYTHING, from flip-flopping to voter fraud.  We've scrutinized Michele Bachmann and found out her husband runs a clinic that uses therapy to turn gay people straight, among other things.  Rick Perry got attacked for his 'N*****head' ranch and when the rock was actually painted over.  Now we're getting Herman Cain's decades old sexual harassment complaint.

God Bless Politics, and all it's craziness.

Cain denies harassment allegations

Tea Party Troubles

David Frum is a conservative contributor to CNN and a former George W. Bush adviser.  He has written an op-ed piece about the Tea Party's negative affects on the GOP.  While I generally disagree with Frum's characterizations of "Liberals" and Progressives, I do feel his commentary on the Tea Party is pretty accurate.  He explains 4 separate scenarios and how the Tea Party affects them.  This is honestly one of the best op-eds I've seen - on any subject - for a while.

I also highly recommend taking a look at Frum Forum, David Frum's political blog.  It is Conservative by nature, but it has logic and reason behind it - as well as lots of C.B.O. statistics, charts, and graphs to prove points made!  I love statistics!

Happy Halloween!!!

How tea party could drive GOP to disaster

The Death of the Perry Campaign

James Carville over at CNN wrote a scathing op-ed piece about why Rick Perry's Presidential campaign is essentially over.  I know Carville is a talking head for the 'Loony-Lefties' but I think his critique of Perry is spot-on.  He doesn't back up the arguments against Perry's ability to govern (a vague swipe at Texas's economic disparities doesn't cur it, Mr. Carville) but the main gist of the argument is that Perry is a lightweight when it comes to Presidential politics.  I think it's a funny, though very partisan, piece.  Despite the partisanship, it is also pretty fair.

Why Rick Perry's presidential bid is toast

Herman Cain: Brought to you by Koch Industries

Herman Cain's meteoric rise to Republican frontrunner has been written about to death.  He performed well in the 1st Republican Debate, fell to the wayside for a while as our attention was diverted to Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry, but he's had a strong resurgence since last month, and continues to dominate the headlines.  His 'outsider' status, 'straight talk' style, private sector experience, and his "9-9-9" tax plan have given the media and the public a lot to look at.  However, some media outlets have begun to look at how Herman Cain's actual campaign is working.  What has been discovered is kind of scary.

Almost everything that is the Herman Cain campaign has been funded by one source - a Political Action Committee called 'Americans For Prosperity.'  Americans For Prosperity is the brain child of Charles and David Koch, the owners of Koch Industries, which is the largest privately held company in the United States.  Together, the Koch brothers are worth approximately $50 Billion.  David Koch was the Vice Presidential Nominee for the Libertarian Party in 1980.  Together, they have used Americans For Prosperity to funnel money towards ultra conservative Republican causes and have pledged to steer over $200 Million to the 2012 election.

Poll says Hillary would win BIG

A new TIME survey showed that if Hillary Clinton were the Democratic nominee for President in 2012, she would fare far better than Barack Obama against the Republican candidates.  Clinton beats Mitt Romney by 17 points, 55% to 38%.  Obama barely tops Romney, 46% to 43%, in the same poll.  Against Rick Perry, Clinton gets 58% to Perry's 32%.  Obama wins with 50% to Perry's 38%.  And against new Republican frontrunner Herman Cain, Clinton gets 56% to Cain's 34%.  Obama gets 49% to Cain's 37%.  

Secretary Clinton is currently the most popular national figure in politics, with an approval rating of 66% in recent polls.  Though she has said again and again that she will not run in 2012 and is highly unlikely to run in 2016 (she'd be 69 on election day 2016, being one of the oldest Presidential nominees in recent history), the national polling clearly shows a desire for Clinton to return to elected politics.  Last month, I mentioned a Bloomberg Poll showing that a lot of Independents and Democrats wished that Hillary Clinton had won the nomination in 2008, saying they thought she could do a better job than Obama has. 

Bachmann Bets the Farm on Iowa

Congresswoman and GOP Presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann must win Iowa.  If she doesn't, her political career may be over.  Her brand as a stalwart conservative and Tea Party darling should resonate with Iowa caucus voters, but political missteps, questionable claims, and downright bizarre accusations have put her at risk.  Also, the meteoric rise of Herman Cain and Rick Perry threaten to split the evangelical vote in Iowa, a situation that could pave the way for a surprise Romney win, despite his near universal hatred among conservatives.

The past week’s sudden resignation of Bachmann’s team in New Hampshire clearly demonstrates her campaign’s vulnerability – she has the adoration of social conservatives, but not the rest of the GOP.  Social conservatives seem to love her irreverent attacks on all things Government – from taxes and social policy to healthcare.  However, her more extreme and wacky pontifications on Abortion, the HPV Vaccine, and other issues have not proven to be very palatable to a large swath of the Republican electorate.  If she cannot prove herself as a viable candidate with a strong showing in Iowa, her presidential run will be over.

Perry & Romney - NOT Friends

Mitt Romney and Rick Perry don't like each other.  This fact was on clear display during the last GOP Presidential Debate.  Despite Herman Cain's rising numbers, Romney feels Perry is his only real competition for the Republican Nomination, and Perry has his eye firmly fixed on taking Romney down.

I enjoy a good political battle, but it appears as though the Perry/Romney fight has gotten personal.  The moment Mitt Romney reached out and touched Perry's shoulder, as if to say "Calm Down" was a moment that deftly explained the dynamics in play between the two.  Romney has tired to maintain his "inevitability" as the Republican nominee by remaining above the fray.  He has been excellent as far as not engaging his competition on the more extreme positions they have staked out.  

The Politics of Faith

Four of the GOP Presidential candidates have cited 'God's Will' as one of the reasons they're running for President.  Faith and Religion have played a major role in Republican Primaries for decades - and each year it appears to take a larger and more meaningful role.  I question weather or not it's right to use one's Faith as a campaign strategy - or as a means to attack another candidate.  The Separation of Church and State applies to our laws - not our politics.

LZ Granderson wrote a column for CNN that addresses this very phenomenon.  The blending of Faith and Politics doesn't appear to be restricted to Republicans only - however, the jarring differences in how the two parties use Religion and how far they press agendas with it... well, it's like comparing apples to cephalopods!

Read LZ's column.  It's really good!

Who does God want in the White House?

If it's Inevitable, will the Tea Party accept it?

Gloria Borger at CNN wrote a wonderful op-ed asking the question: If Mitt Romney ends up being the Republican Nominee, will the Tea Party rally behind him?  It's too early to say definitively who the Republican Nominee will be.  Remember, about this time before the last Presidential election, it was certain that it would be Rudy Giuliani versus Hillary Clinton.   However, Romney has consistently been towards the top of the polls, among likely Republican primary voters.  He performs well in debates.  He is also well liked by Independents.  The question is: Will Conservatives embrace him?

Will Tea Party purists back imperfect Romney?

It REALLY is about the economy, Stupid!

Tonight's GOP Debate in New Hampshire will focus on the Economy.  Despite economic issues being the #1 concern amongst voters, the current field of Republican Presidential candidates haven't said much about the economy.  The candidates have spent most of their time slamming President Obama's policies while slamming each other on social issues.  From Perry's immunization program in Texas, to Romney's heath care plans, to Bachmann's plan to put Don't Ask Don't Tell back in place, to Rick Santorum's insistence that the Defense of Marriage Act is essential for National Security - these issues are not exactly economic in nature.

Unemployed or Poor? Herman Cain says it's your own fault.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, GOP Presidential hopeful, Herman Cain, expressed confusion and bewilderment about the 'Occupy Wall Street' protests.  He didn't understand why they were protesting Wall Street, indicating that their frustration was understandable but misguided. 

"Don't blame Wall Street," Cain said.  "Don't blame the big banks.   If you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself."

Watch the interview below and come to your own conclusions about Mr. Cain.

Palin: Not Running but Not Stupid

Sarah Palin has made it official: She is NOT running for President in 2012.  She also doesn't want to be considered for Vice President... again.  She feels she would be more effective in an advocacy role - assisting Republicans with fundraising and getting out the vote.  Which makes sense, since that is where the money is.

The best part about watching Sarah Palin isn't the inevitable gaffes she will make while speaking, rather the masterful way she manipulates her devotees and the INSANE amount of money she makes while doing it.  Say what you will about her intellect, but Sarah Palin is NOT stupid.  

Absolutely, FOR REAL - He's NOT Running!

New Jersey Governor Chis Christie has stated over and over again that he would not run for the Republican Presidential nomination.  That didn't stop most media outlets and talking heads to salivate over the possibility of a Christie candidacy.  Also, the Republicans have been looking for alternatives to the Romney/Perry choice currently presenting itself.  Major Republican donors had been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for Christie to change his mind and enter the race.  After yesterday's press conference (which occurred at the same time as Apple's iPhone 4S announcement - Christie and Apple CEO Tim Cook shared a split screen on several news networks) people finally have accepted the fact that Gov. Christie isn't going to run.

Why the Republicans can't pick a candidate for 2012

This past week there were dozens of stories across all news outlets about possible new candidates entering race to be the Republican Presidential Nominee in 2012.  Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee were mentioned in many of those stories.  While it isn’t unusual to read about people’s speculations on who will or will not run, it is telling right now, considering that filing deadlines for Iowa and New Hampshire are quickly approaching.

To me, this means that the various factions within the GOP aren’t happy with the current crop of candidates.  I believe that the disarray in the Republican Party could hurt their chances of taking back The White House in 2012.