Political Theater! See Politicians Mock the Nation!

The political theater going on today is extraordinary!
What is Boehner even talking about? Obama asked for a compromise bill, not a tea party bill.
Mark his words: Mitch McConnell says the country will not default. "That is not going to happen."

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Extraordinary. Extraordinary!

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Nancy Pelosi: "I will not yield to you." She asks: Why with this one president, this time, would we put up barriers to raising the debt ceiling? Good question.

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Something's Wrong With Mitch

Here is an interesting article that caught my eye, headlined "McConnell Proposes to Let Hostages Go." Something's wrong with Mitch and that something is his belief that Obama has to go before he or the republicans do any work. McConnell, from practically Day 1, decided that republicans simply WILL NOT work with Obama.

Yesterday morning, Mitch McConnell gave away a key tell when he said he had a contingency plan to ensure the debt ceiling gets lifted. Today he showed his hand and it's a fold.
...
The essence of it is to abandon efforts to force policy concessions in return for lifting the debt ceiling, and instead set up a bunch of show votes to embarrass the Democrats. In other words, it's a reversion to the old status quo, before President Obama and the Congressional Republicans turned the debt ceiling vote into a high stakes hostage crisis.
...
What happened since then? Well, Obama called the Republicans' bluff. He turned the debate from a generalized question of cutting spending, where the public sides with Republicans, into a debate over specific policy priorities, where the public overwhelmingly supports the Democrats. Most people want a balanced package of revenue increases and spending cuts, in contradiction to the GOP's all-cuts-or-die stance. The public strongly favors higher taxes on the rich and strongly opposes entitlement cuts. Obama smoked out the GOP's actual policy choices. And he smoked out the Republicans' refusal to compromise on its unpopular priorities, establishing himself as the one party who was willing to make the kind of compromise that was the only plausible avenue to deficit reduction.
Read it all at TNR

Republicans Asking for What Should've Been Done in the First Place

Raising the debt ceiling should've never been tied to a deficit cutting deal. It was the republicans that insisted on a deficit cutting deal in exchange for their vote to raise the debt ceiling.
Because the republicans can't get everything they want, they're running for the hills like cowards.

McConnell Gets Choked up Over Judd Gregg

Judd Gregg is retiring and Mitch McConnell gets emotional:

Democrats Not Supporting Earmark Ban

What's up with that? Obama supports a ban on earmarks but only Claire McCaskill and one other democrat is supporting an earmark ban? Bad move by the democrats. Bad move. I thought all the dems would be onboard with the earmark ban.

The dems should take note of how the republicans rallied around the issues of earmarks -- even McConnell flipped his stance to support the ban. It's clear that in the years ahead, the republicans are going to plow through the democrats. Here's Harry Reid:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., elected today by Democrats to lead them for another two years, said he would schedule floor time for a Senate-wide moratorium on earmarks but planned to vote against it.
"I believe, personally, we have a constitutional obligation, a responsibility, to do congressionally directed spending," he told reporters.
"I do not feel comfortable turning that over to the people downtown," he added, referring to the White House. SL today

Obama Welcomes McConnell's Flip on Earmarks

I welcome Senator McConnell’s decision to join me and members of both parties who support cracking down on wasteful earmark spending, which we can’t afford during these tough economic times. As a Senator, I helped eliminate anonymous earmarks, and as President, I’ve called for new limitations on earmarks and set new, higher standards of transparency and accountability. But we can’t stop with earmarks as they represent only part of the problem. In the days and weeks to come, I look forward to working with Democrats and Republicans to not only end earmark spending, but to find other ways to bring down our deficits for our children.

Pelosi Has Votes to be House Minority Leader But...

Both Mark Shields and David Brooks say that Nancy Pelosi is an effective leader and that she has the votes to be the House minority leader but that politically, she shouldn't.

Brooks doesn't expect Michele Bachmann to get very far in her quest for a leadership position, which is good to hear. He says republicans need to stick with a humility theme. Mitch McConnell obviously doesn't feel that way. Pundits and the media fail to realize that there's something deeper to the republican opposition of Obama. It's more personal, visceral.

Brooks concludes Obama has little chance of winning re-election in 2012 because he's not loved in Ohio. I don't believe this nation was as ready as it thought it was for a Barack Obama. People asked for change and when they got it either it was too little or it was too much, depending on which side of the fence you're on. Then there is the majority of Americans who didn't even bother to vote. Turnout was low compared to 2008, when 132 million voted; 82 million voted in the 2010 midterms and most of the voters were white.

McConnell Admits Republicans Can't do What They Promised Until Obama is Out

Work with the president? Judging from Mitch McConnell's speech this morning it looks like they won't get anything done within two years because their agenda depends on getting Obama out:

"But the fact is, if our primary legislative goals are to repeal and replace the health spending bill; to end the bailouts; cut spending; and shrink the size and scope of government, the only way to do all these things it is to put someone in the White House who won't veto any of these things." msnbc

Another two years of pure politics, which includes underground email smears, fear mongering... Just more of the same from the republicans.

Republicans Sole Goal: Make Obama a One-Term President

Forget about governing and problem solving. The sole focus for republicans is --and has always been -- cutting Obama's time as president and electing a republican president in 2012. Talk about a waste of our taxpayer dollars.

Obama's Schedule Aug. 4 and a Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday President Obama!

Unfortunately, Obama has a meeting with Mitch McConnell today. What a way to ruin a day. But right after, Obama heads to Chicago to celebrate his 49th birthday with friends--Michelle and Sasha will be headed to Spain and Malia is at summer camp. He gets to spend the night (with secret service) at his Chicago home. I bet that will be joyful in itself.

9:30 AM	The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing Oval Office Closed Press The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing Oval Office Closed Press
10:00 AM	The President meets with senior advisors Oval Office Closed Press
11:05 AM	The President delivers remarks at the AFL-CIO Executive Council Meeting Washington Convention Center Pooled Press
12:00 PM	The President has lunch with Senators Roosevelt Room Closed Press
2:15 PM	The President delivers remarks and present the 2010 Citizens Medal to 13 winners from across the country East Room Open Press
3:10 PM	The President meets with Senator Mitch McConnell Oval Office Closed Press
4:00 PM	The President departs the White House en route Andrews Air Force Base South Lawn Open Press
4:15 PM	The President departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Chicago, Illinois Andrews Air Force Base Travel Pool Coverage
6:00 PM	The President arrives in Chicago, Illinois Local Event Time: 5:00 PM CDT Chicago O’Hare International Airport Open Press

Mitch McConnell: Extend Bush Tax Cuts

Republicans have only one belief and that is: Business makes the world go around. Business knows what's best for everyone. Give the tax cuts and all the advantages to the wealthiest because they create the jobs. But that idea is how we got into this recession and near depression. There's too much at the top end, where resources are being horded, not trickled down. The wealthy spread the wealth among themselves. There's not enough for the lower and middle classes anymore.

Home ownership long has been out of reach for most people, which is a big reason why the economy came crashing down. People with decent incomes who should've been able to afford homes couldn't. But they bought homes anyway because banks and mortgage brokers and Wall Street told them they could. Business wanted to sell people homes to reap more profits for themselves.

Our economy is out of whack and continues on the path of the haves and have nots, with the haves being a slim minority. There has to be balance. Do we really want to go back to this:

Obama Speaks on His Bipartisan Meeting Video

Obama met with republicans and democrats today. They discussed the agenda going forward including the BP oil spill, jobs growth, more support for the military, tackling the national debt and finishing the Wall Street reform bill.
Obama also said we have to start planning the move toward new energy sources.
Mitch McConnell took the opportunity to oppose energy reform legislation. We wouldn't expect anything else.

Shelby Amendment Weakens Wall Street Regulations Bill

Update: Shelby's amendment is defeated 61-38, according to Politico.

The White House says Richard Shelby's new amendment to the financial reform bill would weaken consumer protection oversight.

A new amendment put forward by Senator Shelby on consumer financial protection would not just weaken the bill, it would weaken the status quo.

This new proposal keeps consumer protection oversight under banks' prudential supervisors, whose primary responsibility is safety and soundness of the bank, not consumer welfare. The record on this arrangement is unacceptable. WH

Harry Reid said the Senate will be considering more than 100 amendments, starting with Shelby's, over the next couple of days:

Senators have offered more than 130 amendments to the broad Wall Street reform bill.

Reid said the Senate would immediately consider an amendment offered by Sen. Richard Shelby (Ala.), the ranking Republican on the Banking Committee, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).

Reid said the chamber would then consider an amendment sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) that would require the Federal Reserve to submit to an audit by the Government Accountability Office.
The Hill

McConnell argues the democrats' Consumer Protection Bureau would be bad for small businesses:

The Shelby-McConnell amendment would establish a Division of Consumer Financial Protection within the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, replacing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that Democrats want to establish at the Federal Reserve.

During floor remarks, McConnell argued the Consumer Protection Bureau that Democrats favor at the Fed would ensnare a range of businesses in federal bureaucracy.

“We received a letter yesterday from groups representing hundreds of thousands of businesses — from florists to orthodontists to builders to car dealers — all concerned about the potential impact this new agency would have,” McConnell said. The Hill

The Senate has passed one amendment today. The amendment, which passed with flying colors, ensures that community banks pay a smaller share of FDIC insurance relative to big banks.
Update: Obama comes out strong against Shelby's amendment:

Nearly two years after the collapse on Wall Street that cost over 8 million jobs on Main Street, the American people deserve strong, tough reform that will help prevent another financial crisis. The bill before the Senate demands accountability from Wall Street and includes the strongest consumer protections ever.

Unfortunately, throughout this debate, there have been partisan attempts to obstruct progress and weaken reform. Today, the Senate is considering a Republican amendment that will gut consumer protections and is worse than the status quo. I will not allow amendments like this one written by Wall Street’s lobbyists to pass for reform. This amendment will significantly weaken consumer protection oversight, includes dangerous carve outs for payday lenders, debt collectors, and other financial services operations, and hurts the ability of community and local banks to compete by creating an unlevel playing field with their non-bank competitors.

As I have said throughout this process, I want to continue to work with Democrats and Republicans because protecting the American people should not be a partisan issue. But we must work together in good faith. Alternatives that gut consumer protections and do nothing to empower the American people by cracking down on unfair and predatory practices are unacceptable, and I urge the Senate to vote no on weakening consumer protections and instead stand with the American people.

Obama Takes Aim at Mitch McConnell

In Obama's weekly address, he pushes for financial reforms. Mitch McConnell has all of the republicans in the Senate aligned against the bill. Republicans are claiming the bill would lead to more bailouts, which is ludicrous. I think we all know that republicans represent bankers. They talk so much about the joys of the free market and capitalism and the pain of regulations that it's hard to believe that suddenly they want to regulate the bankers more than the democrats. Such a blatant lie on McConnell's part.

It's really disheartening that Obama has had to spend so much time fighting republican lies and misinformation rather than doing the work we elected him to do.

McConnell Lacks Votes to Block Financial Reform Bill

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) does not have enough solid commitments from GOP lawmakers to block consideration of a Democratic Wall Street reform bill.

McConnell has circulated a letter within the GOP conference that would have Republicans pledge to block a motion to proceed to a financial regulatory reform bill unless Democrats agree to reopen it for bipartisan negotiations.

But McConnell has fallen short of the 41 signatures he needs to send Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) a clear signal. The Hill

Harwood Says McConnell's Claims are Silly

Obama met with republican and democratic lawmakers today on financial reforms. Following the meeting, Mitch McConnell outright lied, saying the worst possible thing he could think of--that the bill would lead to more bailouts. More fear mongering. What else is new:

Goolsbee: Negotiations are Done on Financial Reform

Republicans are making last minute pleas for negotiation on financial reform, just like they did on healthcare. They wait until it's all over and then say they weren't invited to the party. Mitch McConnell is screeching but Austan Goolsbee says negotiations are done. Robert Gibbs:

But Gibbs then warned Obama “would not accept bad policy in pursuit of bipartisanship,” and also suggested Republicans were looking for loopholes for large banks and other financial interests.

Obama has “made clear that bipartisanship should not be equated with an openness to lobbyist loopholes and special interest carve-outs, and that he would be unwilling to negotiate on some key issues,” Gibbs said. The Hill

Obama Calls for Another Bipartisan Meeting April 14

Obama with the gang in February

Obama is planning to meet with Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Mitch McConnell and John Boehner, according to Politico.

Mitch McConnell's Response to Obama's Healthcare Push

We are tired of you Mitch McConnell. No more waterloo. No more bipartisanship, at least not on healthcare. I'm tired of hearing about how the "American people" hate healthcare. I am an American people and I want reform!

Who's Going to Be at the Healthcare Meeting?

Via The Hill: Temperamental Judd Gregg is not going, though he apparently wanted to.

McConnell instead tapped Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), ranking Finance Committee member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee member John McCain (R-Ariz.), and the Senate’s only two physicians — Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).
GOP Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) and Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) are also attending and were previously invited. Enzi is the ranking Republican on the HELP Committee, of which Coburn is also a member.
McConnell spokesman Don Stewart had no immediate comment on Gregg’s exclusion, but did say that dozens of GOP senators had lobbied to be invited.

Asked about McConnell's choice not to invite him, Gregg declined to comment. “You'd have to ask Sen. McConnell,” he said.

Democrats:

The Senate’s Democratic attendees to the summit include Reid, Majority Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), Conference Vice Chairman Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Conference Secretary Patty Murray (Wash.), Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (Mont.), Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (Conn.), HELP Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (Iowa), Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care Chairman Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.) and Conrad.

The White House originally invited 21 members of Congress — 12 Democrats and nine Republicans — along with aides and representatives from the Office of Management and Budget, the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Congressional Budget Office, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Office of Health Reform Director Nancy DeParle.

The meeting is Thursday at 10 am eastern.