Wednesday, 12/3/14, Public Square

Sunday, 6/15/14, Public Square

Thursday,12/12/13, Public Square

Obama to GOP: ‘Drop the Blockade’

President Obama returned to the White House ready to get back to work, giving a brief speech on Monday about the U.S. economy. Obama said that his administration is planning to kick-start the economy with several quick measures: extending tax cuts for the middle-class, redoubling the government’s investment in clean energy, adding further tax cuts, and “making it easier for our small business to grow and hire.” A bill that’s been “languishing in Senate for four months,” as Obama put it, would help put these plans into motion. But the biggest obstacle, of course, remains garnering Republican party support. “I ask the Senate Republicans to drop the blockade,” he said.

GOP No-mentum

On Wall Street Reform

“Look, there’s no rush right now. We need to get it right.”
– Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), 4/21/10

“Start over please, Mr. President.”
– Fox News’ Steve Doocy, Karl Rove, 4/19/10

Rather than engage in substantive debate over reform, Republicans decided early on that they would lie about the legislation and slow down its progress. Instead of trying to fix the mess created by their own Party, Republicans are using a rhetorical ploy to confuse the public and kill reform. Over and over again.

Ultimately, Republican efforts to stall, slow, and stop progress on the stimulus and health care reform failed. Hopefully, history repeats itself in the course of Wall Street reform debate.

GOP protects banks from regulations

It’s an interesting stance.  Will using the word ‘bailout’ fool and scare some people into backing the Republicans in doing nothing?  Will the Republicans be able to make regulations the enemy — regulations against the entities that stuck it to Americans, regulations that will prevent them doing it again?

We all know what opposing regulations says about the GOP, but doesn’t it bring up questions about what it says about Americans?  The sharp partisan differences over how to respond to the 2008 crisis that caused a near meltdown on Wall Street should remind us of the need for regulations, and we should all pay careful attention.  None of us, no matter our political philosophy, should allow nothing to be done — nothing isn’t a solution!

What the GOP Costs America

The Party of NO is like an expensive frat party!

There may be “no shame in being the party of no,” according to Sarah Palin, but it sure is damned expensive, Vanity Fair says. In honor of Tax Day, the magazine set out to discover “Just how much money are taxpayers spending on the Republican Party’s commitment to doing exactly nothing.” The answer is evidently $1.32 billion, which includes $47.9 million for congressional salaries; $231.3 million for congressional aides; $163.1 million in health, retirement and other benefits; $533.1 million in paper clips, free postage, and other office expenses; $281.4 million in building maintenance; and $63.5 million in lost federal revenue due to tax-exempt donations to conservative think tanks. As for the latter, as Vanity Fair put it, “Sure, they’ve come up with some interesting ideas. When Republicans enact any of them, you can take this item off the list.”