Distress over economy rules N.C. voters’ mood
SANFORD — As the midterm election campaign begins, North Carolina voters have deep anxiety about a weak economy, a loss of jobs, and whether life will be better for their children, according to a News & Observer/ABC11 Eyewitness News poll.
The angst about the economy and jobs overpowers every other concern. No issue – not health care, government spending, taxes, national security or terrorism – is remotely close, according to the survey conducted last week by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research.
The statewide poll strongly suggests that any candidate running in North Carolina this year – from the U.S. Senate to the county courthouse – will ignore the economy and jobs at his or her own peril. Read more.
Live From Washington! It’s Obama Health Care Drama
WASHINGTON – Coming soon to daytime television: America’s long-running civic drama over how to provide better health care to more of its people without breaking the bank.
President Barack Obama summons anxious Democrats and aloof Republicans to a White House summit Thursday — live on C-SPAN and perhaps cable — and gambles that he can save his embattled health care overhaul by the power of persuasion. Adversaries and allies alike were surprised by Obama’s invitation to reason together at an open forum, as risky as it is unusual.
Ahead of the meeting, the White House will post on its Web site a health care plan that modifies the bill passed by Senate Democrats last year. The modification is an effort to address the concerns of their House counterparts. Read more.
Homeland chief: Domestic extremism is top concern
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans who turn to terrorism and plot against the U.S. are now as big a concern as international terrorists, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Sunday.
The government is just starting to confront this reality and does not have a good handle on how to prevent someone from becoming a violent extremist, she said.
In the last year, Napolitano said, she’s witnessed a movement from international extremism to domestic extremism – cases in which Americans radicalized and decided to plot attacks against the country. Read more.
Corruption, History Could Sting Democrats in 2010
RALEIGH — As a series of volatile midterm elections approach this November, most eyes are on the nation’s capital. But North Carolina could be in for some historic races of its own, as scandals, retirements, and political tides threaten Democrats’ majorities in the state General Assembly.
Political analysts expect a bumpy ride this year as Republicans hope to take the reigns of legislative power for the first time since the 19th century. Democrats have solid advantages in both chambers — a 68-52 majority in the House and a 30-20 majority in the Senate. But the GOP smells blood in key races that could tip the balance of power.
To take control, Republicans need to pick up nine seats in the House and six in the Senate. The N.C. Free Enterprise Foundation, a conservative election-analysis group in Raleigh, has identified 10 Senate races and 18 House races as competitive, meaning the victor in 2008 won by 55 percent or less. Read more.
Glenn Beck Keynote Speech at CPAC
Democrats worried about Obama track record
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic governors said Sunday they worry about President Barack Obama’s track record on fighting Republican political attacks and urged him to better connect with anxious voters. Some allies pleaded for a new election-year strategy focused on the economy.
“It’s got to be better thought out,” Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said. “It’s got to be more proactive.” And, he said, Democrats must hit back just as hard as they are hit by Republicans.
Eight months before the first midterm elections of Obama’s presidency, most Americans are frustrated with – even angered by – persistent unemployment and gridlock in Washington. Democrats fear voters will punish the party in power. Read more.
Senate weighs final push to move climate bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A last-ditch attempt at passing a climate change bill begins in the Senate this week with senators mindful that time is running short and that approaches to the legislation still vary widely, according to sources.
“We will present senators with a number of options when they get back from recess,” said one Senate aide knowledgeable of the compromise legislation that is being developed. The goal is to reduce emissions ofcarbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that scientists say threaten Earth.
The options will be presented to three senators — Democrat John Kerry, independent Joseph Lieberman and Republican Lindsey Graham — who are leading the fight for a bill to battle global warming domestically. Read more.
Will Head Represents Wake Up America at CPAC
Stephen Baldwin - born again conservative, Will Head, Kevin McCullough - syndicated columnist at Townhall.com and has his Sirius Satellite Radio Show
Will Head and Phyllis Schlafly - a national leader of the conservative movement, renowned author, and syndicated conservative columnist
Jonah Goldberg- columnist for National Review and author of "Liberal Fascism" and Will Head
J D Hayworth - challenging John McCain in the AZ Republican primary and Will Head
Hannah Giles "Acorn Prostitute" and Will Head
Andrea Tantaros - Fox News guest commentator and Will Head
Benjamin Franklin espouses the secrets of a successful "patriot entrepreneur" to Will Head at a favorite CPAC watering hole
Burr says he’s in tune with voters, files to run
WINSTON-SALEM — Republican Sen. Richard Burr filed for re-election Monday, saying he thinks his record of supporting small government and low taxes is in tune with Tar Heel voters.
Burr said Congress has been at odds with public opinion on such issues as health care, tax policy, spending and debt.
“I continue to be disgusted with the amount of spending that Congress continues to undertake and the size of the debt,” Burr said at a news conference at his campaign headquarters in Winston-Salem.
He said his special focus will be trying to restart the economy. He added that he is “passionate” about finding a market-based solution to the health care problem, noting that he has been a vocal critic of Democratic plans now being considered by Congress. Read more.
The President’s Health Reform Proposal: More Like $2.5 Trillion
President Barack Obama released an updated health care reform plan this week. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has not yet had an opportunity to review and assess this latest offering. However, Administration officials have claimed that it would cost $950 billion over a decade, is “fully paid for,” and would cut the deficit in the short and long term.
Each of these claims, which were made also about the House- and Senate-approved bills, rests on highly questionable assumptions. A closer look at the President’s plan shows that: Read more.
Building a Robust National Defense
The power of American values is even greater than its military or economic might. However, says Rep. “Buck” McKeon of California, time and again we’ve seen the Administration reject notions of American exceptionalism and only reluctantly assume the role of the world’s lone democratic superpower. Drawing on his experience as the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. McKeon describes what this means for winning the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, detaining and prosecuting terrorists, engaging both allies and adversaries, and investing in a robust national defense. He calls for a National Defense Education and Investment Act to increase funding for basic defense research and ensure we maintain America’s technological edge.
Thank you to The Heritage Foundation for hosting me this morning and giving me an opportunity to share my views on how President Obama has performed as Commander in Chief over the past year and where I believe we need to push the President to do better in the year ahead. Heritage is an invaluable resource to the Congress; your Hill presence, policy papers, and many events really help us do our job. Read more.
Charlie Rangel ruling puts Nancy Pelosi in a jam
The House ethics committee’s decision to admonish New York Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel over improper corporate-sponsored trips to the Caribbean leaves both Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the ethics committee itself facing some difficult questions.
When then-Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) was admonished by the ethics committee in October 2004, Pelosi and other Democratic leaders went on the offensive against him.
“Mr. DeLay has proven himself to be ethically unfit to lead the party,” Pelosi said at a press conference the following day. “The burden falls upon his fellow House Republicans. Republicans must answer: Do they want an ethically unfit person to be their majority leader or do they want to remove the ethical cloud that hangs over the Capitol?” Read more.
Obama’s McCain Smackdown: Stop Campaigning, Election’s Over
President Obama and Arizona Sen. John McCain revisited their 2008 presidential race in a testy exchange Thursday at the White House-hosted health care summit in which the president told his vanquished Republican challenger to get over his loss.
At the end of extended remarks by McCain about the contentious process that brought 38 of 535 lawmakers to the presidential guest quarters at Blair House to discuss the stalled health care overhaul, McCain noted that both men campaigned in 2008 on bringing change to Washington.
“In fact, eight times you said that negotiations on health care reform would be conducted with the C-SPAN cameras. I’m glad more than a year later that they are here,” McCain said. Read more.
Obama’s Ultimatum to GOP May Punish Democrats Facing Tough Election Year
If President Obama’s not-so-veiled threat this week to push for passage of health care reform without Republican support meant that he was close to giving up on a bipartisan bill, it also meant that Democratic lawmakers may have to walk the plank to approve the president’s signature initiative.
That’s because the last thing Democrats need in a tough election year is an unpopular and partisan health care bill that Republican opponents can use as ammunition in November.
And moderate Democrats who are considered vulnerable candidates may feel uneasy focusing more on health care than jobs -- an issue Obama has pivoted from since his State of the Union address last month. Read more.