DeMint Says Americans Will Need to Sacrifice Nothing to Cut the Deficit

There is no way you can cut the deficit without sacrifices. What Americans voted for in the midterms was two years of campaigning. Republicans made clear that little of their agenda will happen unless Obama is out of office. The next two years will be republican posturing, manipulation, fear mongering. Just more of the same.

Rand Paul can't name a specific cut he would make:

"Give me one specific cut, Senator-elect," This Week anchor Christiane Amanpour asked Paul in an exclusive interview Sunday morning.

"All across the board," Paul said.

"But you can't just keep saying all across the board," Amanpour pressed.

"No, I can," Paul replied. "I'm going to look at every program, every program." He said he would freeze federal hiring and, perhaps, reduce the number of federal employees by 10% along with the remaining government employees' wages by 10%. ABC

Reducing our debt is a long time coming, but republicans aren't getting real yet. That's because they're campaigning for 2012.

Rand Paul on This Week:

As Mike Pence waits on the Lord for an answer as to whether he should run for president (that's what he said), he has no answers on cutting the debt either. Pence goes up against David Stockman, Reagan's former budget director, who has said the republicans should be ashamed:

Republican Sourpussing Goes On and On and On and On and On and On

Republicans are a mess. They don't see that they're spinning their wheels because it's their tactics, their fear mongering that no one--other than tea partiers--like. They're an example of how NOT to behave when you lose. They're in the toilet. I feel sorry for anyone just now trying to figure out what's going on in healthcare. The republicans made it sound as though the whole bill was going to pass through reconciliation. What? Healthcare passed? Oh, it's just a few amendments that will go through reconciliation. What? No more refusal of coverage for preexisting conditions? What? There are actually benefits to health reform? What, no Armageddon?

Check out their attempts to muddy up the reconciliation bill now in the Senate. Ugly Losers:

Democrats won their health-care victory ugly, after a yearlong, fractious, uninspiring process filled with rancid deals and worse compromises, redeemed only by the moment when they actually delivered reform to the country.

Republicans lost even uglier, not so much in opposition as in sullen, lockstep refusal to consider any reforms, even ones they were previously for, like cutting waste and fraud from Medicare.

Which would you rather brandish at a town hall meeting? A vote to contain the insurance companies, or a vote to let them have their way? Read more at Bloomberg

Just turned Catholic Newt Gingrich pushes the republican No Agenda:

Mike Pence: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Blah, blah, blah, blah

Republicans Hold a Press Conference Today to Near Empty Room

AP photo of Mike Pence and Cathy McMorris Rodgers discussing health legislation at a press conference today. By the way, health reform is now law. This is what John Boehner tweeted:

With the stroke of a pen, President Obama has signed away another share of Americans' freedom. We will take it back.

Such grownups. As Obama signed health reform, Newt Gingrich's tweet links to a site that shows a photo of Obama, Pelosi and Reid and Armageddon. This morning, he accused Obama as being part of the Chicago mob. Michael Steele says that Pelosi needs to be fired. Fox News had this to say:

Mark this day: Everyone agrees with Joe Biden. What did he say to president at health insurance bill signing? "This is a big f---ing deal.”

To which Gibbs tweets back:

And yes Mr. Vice President, you're right...

When are the republicans going to grow up? Either grow up or get out.

Here's the actual press conference, where Pence announces republicans are going to continue to waste our tax dollars by doing nothing but opposing and stamping their feet. Remember Waterloo?

Larson Vs. Pence on State of the Union

Republicans will be so screwed if healthcare passes. Like Obama said, good policy is good politics. Mike Pence has no idea what "The American People" want. He represents tea party types, not the majority of America. Americans voted for healthcare when they voted for Obama. HELLO! We had an election in Nov. 2008.

Pence Thinks Americans Want to Know More About Massa

I'm glad he's gone, but Mike Pence thinks we want to know more. Politics. Just exactly what are the republican Congress members doing? It doesn't seem like they're earning their keep.

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Republican Spin on Obama Session: It Proves We Aren't the Party of No

Mike Pence, one of the most divisive republicans, says yesterday's session proved that the republicans aren't just the "Party of No Ideas."

But Party of No doesn't just mean party of no ideas. It means no, no, no, no, no. It means Jim DeMint's waterloo strategy--let's just say no to healthcare and defeat Obama at the get go. It means voting along party lines on every piece of legislation.

I think what Obama was saying yesterday is that yes, republicans have ideas, they're just not good ones that address today's problems. They're stale and outdated.
If Obama keeps at the bipartisan efforts, he may be able to make some headway. But one session isn't going to cause republicans to join in. Republican leadership also has to change its course.

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House Republicans Pleased With Obama Session - Video

Eric Cantor and John Boehner call it a step forward. I like seeing democrats and republicans mixing and playing well. Hope to see more of it. See video of the Obama's meeting with House republicans in Baltimore here.

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Obama Addresses House Republicans Jan. 29 Video

Obama also held a Q&A session with the republicans, which is below. He needs to do more of these. See the republican response here. Here is the transcript of Obama's remarks.
Entire video:

The Q&A.

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Bayh's Advice for Obama

Mike Pence, by the way, has decided not to challenge Evan Bayh, probably because Bayh is popular in Indiana. While liberals are telling Obama he needs to move more to the left, moderates such as Bayh are advising Obama to move center. Still the same old battle, and the same one that blocked healthcare. I'm with Bayh. The majority of the country and the independents, really want people working together. Obama can't run the nation from one corner. I think Scott Brown's election made that clear.

"The only way Democrats can govern in this country is by making common cause with moderates and independents," he said. "It may be too late to regain them on health care. It's not too late to regain them on spending." To a president being pulled by some toward the left, and by others toward easy populism, Evan Bayh makes the case for driving a stake firmly in the political center instead. WSJ

Bayh says Obama needs to get tougher on Congress:

President Barack Obama, Mr. Bayh said in an interview, needs to "step it up" in his State of the Union address Wednesday and get tougher with Congress. Here's his message to the White House: "My strong advice is for you to draw a line in the sand on spending in the State of the Union, and to have the president pledge to veto spending bills that exceed the limits he puts out." The White House may be tacking in that direction; officials say it's preparing a plan to freeze some domestic spending.

Mike Pence Says Republicans Have Been Little Angels

It's interesting to watch everyone hitch their wagons to Scott Brown. Yesterday, Dick Armey said he hitched FreedomWorks' (part of the tea party) wagon to Brown when he started to see him take off:

He was so energetic, enthusiastic in the race that the grassroots activists just came to respect him and they regarded him. And they sort of govern by a notion we call Armey's axiom: Hard work beats Daddy's money.

He wasn't going to Washington to bring in money. He was getting on the Internet. He was talking to people from Massachusetts. He was funding from local initiatives and he was matching every dollar's worth of money he got with his own effort on the ground. And folks said, you know, look, if he's willing to work that hard, we ought to work for him. So they really pitched in.

Representative Mike Pence has a lot of gall to say that republicans have been bipartisan. Not in the least. Just look at his eyes when he answers. That's what people are sick of, lying politicians. I'm so sick of politics right now. I think the trouble we're having as a nation is shifting from politics to governing. Everyone wants to play politics but no one wants to do the work. Politics gets in the way of governing.

As far as offering "substantive" alternative proposals. Ha! I think it's a well known fact that republicans haven't offered any solutions, which is why Scott Brown bubbled up. The media says that Brown's election bodes well for the republicans. Hardly. It's another repudiation of republicans. Pence is one of the biggest liars they've got and now he may run against Evan Bayh:

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Republicans Use Thanksgiving to Criticize Obama

Criticizing Obama, by the left and the right, has become a bloodsport of sorts. It's gotten silly too. People actually criticized Obama's Thanksgiving proclamation. Mike Pence goes at it:

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Republicans Blah Blah Government Takeover Blah Blah 1990 Pages Blah Blah Bankrupt Blah Blah

Republican response to the House healthcare reform bill. These guys live in a bubble. Americans want reform. Republicans have been paying too much attention to the tea partiers, who aren't the majority, but rather the fringe. They keep talking about their solutions but they were supposed to be working WITH the democrats for A solution. Buggers.

Cantor adds his two cents:

Republicans: Blah Blah Government Takeover Blah Blah High Costs Blah Blah Bad for Seniors Blah Blah Blah

It's Halloween. Time for the Senior Scare! Mwaaaaahhaaaa!

GOP Blah Blah Taxes Blah Blah Taxes Blah Blah Punished Blah Blah

Republicans make their usual slew of threats:

Republican Leadership Takes Turns Knocking Healthcare Reform

The House republicans hold a carp and gripe session. They say Obama's plan is the "wrong prescription for America."
Eric Cantor says the public option is stopping the nation from progressing on other issues, such as the economy. John Boehner takes a turn to say that seniors will lose healthcare coverage. Mike Pence says republicans are on the side of the American people. He encourages people to continue to "engage" at town halls. Blah, blah, blah. Same old.
The only positive thing mentioned was Cantor said Steny Hoyer has reached out to him. Hoyer wants to meet with Cantor on healthcare and Cantor appears agreeable.

Fox Talk Show Host Huckabee Wins Values Voter 2012 Vote

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won the Values Voter Summit's 2012 presidential straw poll Saturday, grabbing nearly 29 percent of the vote in a crowded field.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Indiana Rep. Mike Pence each won roughly 12 percent of the 597 votes cast. CNN

Southern cook Paula Deen talks to Mike Huckabee about her battle with agoraphobia.

Daschle Says Reconciliation Real Possibility

This Week had a pretty good discussion on healthcare. Tom Daschle, Maxine Waters on one side and Mike Pence, lying through his teeth, and Bob Dole on the other. Watch it here.
If democrats are going to follow through with a public option through reconciliation, I'm hoping they address other cost cutting measures, such as fee for service.

From what I've gathered, Obama is going to support the public option, much as he always has, in his speech. But he's not going to demand a public option, which is what the left wants. In that regard, I'm not sure Obama can accomplish much with his speech. People just want to hear: do you want a public option or not?

He'll probably try and talk about other health reform measures in a way that more people will understand, and he'll once again make an appeal for bipartisanship, just in case there is anyone in America who thinks he hasn't tried to get the republicans on board, but what else is left to say?

Media Turning out Town Hall Stars

Craig Miller is obviously uninformed and now he's thrown on national Internet for entertainment. The media is turning outraged town hallers into wingnut stars. Meet yesterday's Super Star, Mr. Freedom-is-a-warm-gun-strapped-to-your-leg, who protested at Obama's town hall, and Katy Abram, who believes the U.S. is turning into Russia.

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Video shows what really happened at Claire McCaskill's town hall yesterday:

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Mike Pence Defies Stimulus Evidence

The facts are: Conservatives will ALWAYS say that the stimulus is a bomb, even in the face of evidence, because that's not their ideology. For conservatives, the only way to solve any problem is to cut taxes. That is their only solution to any problem. That and "limited government," which is a mantra.

Republicans Pouted All Day Long

As if any of these folks care. This is how they wasted our time today. Same old scare tactics. But apparently, if the polls are right, Americans are scared and have jumped ship on health care reform. Republicans are on a troll roll (and this is just a sampling):




Then we have the spineless democrats, who should be working not complaining: