Erick Erickson's Blog, page 136

Dear Mr. Speaker

Last night the President engaged in off Broadway theatrics trying to scare the Republicans into folding on debt ceiling negotiations. Playing the role of Hollywood President, not the real President, the President said he didn't care if this brought down his Presidency and he would not yield. He then dared Eric Cantor to call his bluff.

Mr. Speaker, this is a man giving away the game. This is the poker player smiling and shifting in his seat trying to fake you into thinking he has an awesome hand. The dramatics are a Hollywood production — a facade hiding a bitter reality for Barack Obama.

Mr. Speaker, this is the strongest sign yet that you should hold the line.

David Gergen and I had a conversation last night with Nichole Wallace and Anderson Cooper. Mr. Gergen said something interesting, Mr. Speaker. It got me thinking. He said President Obama had to raise the debt ceiling. He said President Obama just had to do whatever it took to raise the debt ceiling and deal with everything else later.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Gergen is right.

See, in history, we remember James Buchanan causing the Civil War. Not Congress.

We remember Abraham Lincoln winning the war. Not Congress.

We remember Andrew Johnson failing to finish reconciliation the way Lincoln wanted. Not Congress.

We remember Woodrow Wilson failing to establish the League of Nations. Not Congress.

We remember Herbert Hoover causing the Great Depression. Not Congress.

We remember Franklin Roosevelt for saving us from the Depression and war. Not Congress.

We credit John F. Kennedy for inspiring a nation of youth and leading us to the moon. Not Congress.

We credit Lyndon Johnson with passing the Great Society. Not Congress.

We blame Jimmy Carter for out of control inflation in the 70?s. Not Congress.

We credit Ronald Reagan with cutting taxes. Not Congress.

We blame George H. W. Bush for raising taxes. Not Congress.

We praise Bill Clinton for balancing a budget. Not Congress.

We credit George W. Bush with No Child Left Behind, Medicare Part D, Immigration Reform attempts, TARP, and the GM bailout. Not Congress.

Hell, when people hear Osama Bin Laden is dead, Barack Obama gets the credit, not the SEALs. And we credit him for passing Obamacare, for better or worse, even when Congressional Democrats did all the heavy lifting.

You see Mr. Speaker, we know Barack Obama is thin skinned and we know he is mindful of his legacy. This is why Barack Obama stormed out of a meeting with Republicans last night when they confronted him with the fact that his supposed spending cuts are accounting gimmicks.

Barack Obama, for the sake of his legacy, cannot afford to be the President under whom America's credit tanks and under whom America defaults on its debts.

History will not blame Congress. History will blame Barack Obama for not doing what it takes to lead and for failing to do what it takes, no matter the cost, to keep the U.S. solvent.

Some are saying Mitch McConnell looked into Barack Obama's eyes the other day and saw a man who won't swerve in the game of chicken, so McConnell blinked.

That doesn't mean Obama won't swerve. That just means Obama is a better poker player than Mitch McConnell.

Obama knows his history. Obama knows default would be his, not Congress's legacy. He cannot afford, for the sake of history, to be the guy who collapsed the United States.

Mr. Speaker, you can win this fight. Don't blink. Bring Cut, Cap, and Balance to the floor. Hold the freaking line. You can do this Mr. Speaker. And if you can't, we'll find someone else who can.

Morning Briefing for July 14, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For July 14, 2011

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

1. Book Your Rooms For The Gathering

2. Jim DeMint Will Be at the RedState Gathering. Will You?

3. Dear Mr. Speaker

4. Our Petulant Child President

5. Moody's Rejects McConnell's 'Pontius Pilate Act'

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1. Book Your Rooms For The Gathering

The Third Annual RedState Gathering is coming up very soon — and we'd like to invite you to attend.

With the race for the GOP presidential nomination shifting into high gear, this much-anticipated annual gathering promises to be the best one yet.

It will be held on August 12-14 at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina — and will feature as its keynote speaker South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

To read all about the Gathering, click here. To register for the Gathering, click here

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Jim DeMint Will Be at the RedState Gathering. Will You?

So, let us review.

Nikki Haley will be at the RedState Gathering.

Rick Perry will be at the RedState Gathering.

Ted Cruz will be at the RedState Gathering.

And now, Jim DeMint is confirmed to be at the RedState Gathering.

Have you registered yet?

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Dear Mr. Speaker

Last night the President engaged in off Broadway theatrics trying to scare the Republicans into folding on debt ceiling negotiations. Playing the role of Hollywood President, not the real President, the President said he didn't care if this brought down his Presidency and he would not yield. He then dared Eric Cantor to call his bluff.

Mr. Speaker, this is a man giving away the game. This is the poker player smiling and shifting in his seat trying to fake you into thinking he has an awesome hand. The dramatics are a Hollywood production — a facade hiding a bitter reality for Barack Obama.

Mr. Speaker, this is the strongest sign yet that you should hold the line.

David Gergen and I had a conversation last night with Nichole Wallace and Anderson Cooper. Mr. Gergen said something interesting, Mr. Speaker. It got me thinking. He said President Obama had to raise the debt ceiling. He said President Obama just had to do whatever it took to raise the debt ceiling and deal with everything else later.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Gergen is right.

See, in history, we remember James Buchanan causing the Civil War. Not Congress.

We remember Abraham Lincoln winning the war. Not Congress.

We remember Andrew Johnson failing to finish reconciliation the way Lincoln wanted. Not Congress.

We remember Woodrow Wilson failing to establish the League of Nations. Not Congress.

We remember Herbert Hoover causing the Great Depression. Not Congress.

We remember Franklin Roosevelt for saving us from the Depression and war. Not Congress.

We credit John F. Kennedy for inspiring a nation of youth and leading us to the moon. Not Congress.

We credit Lyndon Johnson with passing the Great Society. Not Congress.

We blame Jimmy Carter for out of control inflation in the 70?s. Not Congress.

We credit Ronald Reagan with cutting taxes. Not Congress.

We blame George H. W. Bush for raising taxes. Not Congress.

We praise Bill Clinton for balancing a budget. Not Congress.

We credit George W. Bush with No Child Left Behind, Medicare Part D, Immigration Reform attempts, TARP, and the GM bailout. Not Congress.

Hell, when people hear Osama Bin Laden is dead, Barack Obama gets the credit, not the SEALs. And we credit him for passing Obamacare, for better or worse, even when Congressional Democrats did all the heavy lifting.

You see Mr. Speaker, we know Barack Obama is thin skinned and we know he is mindful of his legacy. This is why Barack Obama stormed out of a meeting with Republicans last night when they confronted him with the fact that his supposed spending cuts are accounting gimmicks.

Barack Obama, for the sake of his legacy, cannot afford to be the President under whom America's credit tanks and under whom America defaults on its debts.

History will not blame Congress. History will blame Barack Obama for not doing what it takes to lead and for failing to do what it takes, no matter the cost, to keep the U.S. solvent.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Our Petulant Child President

"US President Barack Obama stormed out of tense debt-limit talks Wednesday with his top Republican foes after declaring he was ready to stake his reelection on the outcome, a Republican aide said."

This isn't a surprise to anyone who has been playing attention to our child president over the past three years. The Obama administration has been a veritable Mecca for narcissism and incompetence from the time Obama took the oath of office.

Now, for the first time since taking office, Obama is forced to make a decision that entailed personal risk. It isn't a pretty sight.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Moody's Rejects McConnell's 'Pontius Pilate Act'

Moody's Investor Services is sending out a pretty clear rejection of Mitch McConnell's "Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011."

Republicans and Democrats who are spinning it in favor of folding like a cheap suit and just raising the debt ceiling should pay attention.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

The Horse Race and Herman Cain #EERS

Tonight on the horse race, it is our weekly look at the 2012 Presidential Horse Race and it looks like there are rumblings in Sarah Palin's camp about a possible entry.

We're going to get into that and I'm going to go more in depth about Herman Cain's campaign tonight on the show.

You can listen live at http://wsbradio.com and call in at 1-800-WSB-TALK.

Moody's Rejects McConnell's 'Pontius Pilate Act'

Moody's Investor Services is sending out a pretty clear rejection of Mitch McConnell's "Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011."

Republicans and Democrats who are spinning it in favor of folding like a cheap suit and just raising the debt ceiling should pay attention.

According to Moody's,

"the outlook assigned at that time to the government bond rating would very likely be changed to negative at the conclusion of the review unless substantial and credible agreement is achieved on a budget that includes long-term deficit reduction. To retain a stable outlook, such an agreement should include a deficit trajectory that leads to stabilization and then decline in the ratios of federal government debt to GDP and debt to revenue beginning within the next few years."

That is directly opposite of the McConnell plan, which would let President Obama raise the debt ceiling by $2 trillion automatically over the next year.

It does, however, make a strong case for a Balanced Budget Amendment, something both Mitch McConnell and Barack Obama are rejecting. A Balanced Budget Amendment, particularly the Lee-Cornyn-Hatch BBA proposal, would require expenditures equal revenue within five years of passage.

It also, incidentally, makes the case for Paul Ryan's plan, which would present a clear path to a balanced budget over time, though longer than I'd like.

Oh, Mister Speaker, if you are paying attention, Cut, Cap, and Balance would meet Moody's test too.

Jim DeMint Will Be at the RedState Gathering. Will You?

So, let us review.

Nikki Haley will be at the RedState Gathering.

Rick Perry will be at the RedState Gathering.

Ted Cruz will be at the RedState Gathering.

And now, Jim DeMint is confirmed to be at the RedState Gathering.

Have you registered yet? Since you guys are probably all regular readers if you're reading this right now, use the discount code RSG03 for the regular reader registration discount.

Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel Outraises Sherrod Brown

Holy cow this is awesome. Ohio Treasurer and RedState endorsed Josh Mandel has out raised incumbent United States Senate Leftist Sherrod Brown.

Jim DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund also came out recently and endorsed Josh Mandel. Sherrod Brown, whose campaign strategy consists of moving as far left as possible to become the Alan Grayson of the Senate, has got to be soiling his underwear at this news.

Josh Mandel has passed that first test, and moves on with honors. The Ohio treasurer, barely in office seven months, raised $2.34 million in his initial foray into a U.S. Senate race, according to preliminary figures that he'll finalize in a filing with the Federal Election Commission this week. . . .

He raised it in just three months, April through June. Mandel's take eclipses the $1.5 million that incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, raised during the same period. Brown nevertheless has more in the bank — $3.5 million — because he raised money before this last quarter.

Have you contributed yet?

Nancy Pelosi Congratulates Mitch McConnell on His 'Pontius Pilate Act'. Seriously.

If it weren't bad enough that Harry Reid is trying to make Mitch McConnell's 'Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011″ acceptable to Republicans, you might want to consider that Nancy Pelosi congratulated Mitch McConnell on a job well done.

Not kidding.

Stephen F. Hayes, who my wife says is the best looking guy on Bret Baier's panel other than Bret (yeah, I have to hate them both because of that and that when my 5 year old was a baby, she'd stare at Bret Baier every time he came on TV and make sweet eyes at him, but I digress . . .) anyhoo . . . Stephen F. Hayes has a good write up on McConnell's plan and includes this little nugget:

two sources familiar with the discussions at the White House Tuesday afternoon said that Nancy Pelosi offered McConnell "congratulations."

That should tell Republicans all they need to know about why this deal should be unacceptable.

Harry Reid Tries to Make Mitch McConnell's 'Pontius Pilate Act' More Appealing to Republicans

Just how pathetic is Mitch McConnell's 'Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011,' his proposal to let the President automatically raise the debt ceiling by $2 trillion without any cuts so long as the GOP doesn't get blamed?

Harry Reid is intervening to make it more palatable to Republicans.

Publicly, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) left the door open to the idea. "I'm willing to look at this," he told reporters. Privately, Reid has consulted with McConnell about making the proposal more palatable to reluctant Republicans by creating a joint committee to draft an enforceable debt-reduction plan, according to senior sources in both parties.

One Republican I spoke to said McConnell did serious damage to himself yesterday and lost a great deal of respect from a number of his Republican Senate colleagues. I can see why. When Harry Reid is trying to make a Republican leader's proposal more Republican, that leader has lost his way.

The President Declares He Will Shoot His Hostages

Everyone is using the hostage metaphor these days regarding the debt ceiling. Barack Obama started it back in December when he called the GOP hostage takers before the GOP gave him everything he wanted.

Well, I hope the GOP noticed Barack Obama yesterday upped the ante and declared his willingness to shoot his hostages, i.e. senior citizens. Yes, if the GOP dares to hold the line on spending cuts, Barack Obama will balk, the debt limit will not be raised, and Obama will refuse to pay senior citizens.

Jim Pethokoukis notes a Goldman Sachs report showing there will be plenty of money flowing into the treasury in August for the government to pay its debt obligations, pay social security obligations, pay military obligations, and avoid default. But Obama won't let facts stand in the way of starving senior citizens to score political points against the GOP.

Of course, it is not just Obama willing to score political points. Mitch McConnell wants to give Barack Obama the right to automatically raise the debt ceiling. The only caveat is McConnell wants everyone to know it'll be Obama who does it, not the GOP. Just how bad is McConnell's plan? After David Hauptmann, a staffer in McConnell's office, sent out an email linking to a National Review Online column that said Grover Norquist "supported" Mitch McConnell's capitulation, Americans for Tax Reform rapidly sent out a press release saying Norquist did not support the plan, just "the goals." They also asked NRO to clarify.

Undeterred, McConnell enlisted the support of the Wall Street Journal's editorial page, which came out swinging not just in favor of McConnell's plan, but also pretty directly against me. I can console myself that they also supported McConnell's push for TARP.The Journal's editorial opines

The hotter precincts of the blogosphere were calling this a sellout yesterday, though they might want to think before they shout. The debt ceiling is going to be increased one way or another, and the only question has been what if anything Republicans could get in return.

As I first out of the gate and drew the most ire from McConnell supporters, I think it is safe to conclude they are unhappy with me. Nonetheless, let's move beyond the rather snotty "we are the adults and the rest of you are unwashed ignorant masses" tone of the editorial and get right to what they actually say.

They might not like my use of the word "sellout," but McConnell's plan is exactly what Barack Obama wants. He'll get to raise the debt ceiling with no obligations to do anything else, except conduct a dog and pony show.

I have written repeated — not that Steve Moore and the other crack editorialists care — that the debt ceiling is going to go up. I have also written that, however admirable the opposition to any increase is, it is not realistic.

I have then gone on to say that the GOP must hold the line on their cut, cap, and balance plan.

The Wall Street Journal's editorial goes on to note this:

The tea party/talk-radio expectations for what Republicans can accomplish over the debt-limit showdown have always been unrealistic. As former Senator Phil Gramm once told us, never take a hostage you're not prepared to shoot. Republicans aren't prepared to stop a debt-limit increase because the political costs are unbearable. Republicans might have played this game better, but the truth is that Mr. Obama has more cards to play

The President today signaled his willingness to shoot the hostage. The GOP should do the same — show an absolute unwillingness to raise the debt ceiling without their balanced budget amendment passing out of Congress to the states.

Again and again, Congress folds to the doomsday scenarios. The Wall Street Journal again and again claims the sky will fall and the markets will crash. The suits come down from New York and paint the disaster scenario. The GOP falls in line. TARP is passed. What else will be passed?

This time, the GOP should embrace the apocalyptic future, call B.S. on the fear mongering, and shoot their debt ceiling hostage. if they engage in politics as usual as the Wall Street Journal and Mitch McConnell would have them, we'll be back in this mess again next year.

Politics as usual usually gets us here. If we want to move back to fiscal sanity, we need to try a different approach.

Morning Briefing for July 13, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For July 13, 2011

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

1. The President Declares He Will Shoot His Hostages

2. Mitch McConnell Just Proposed the "Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011?

3. Mr. President, What Are Your Priorities?

4. Random Acts of Vandalism Cause Teamsters To Postpone Funeral Directors' Strike

———————————————————————-

1. The President Declares He Will Shoot His Hostages

Everyone is using the hostage metaphor these days regarding the debt ceiling. Barack Obama started it back in December when he called the GOP hostage takers before the GOP gave him everything he wanted.

Well, I hope the GOP noticed Barack Obama yesterday upped the ante and declared his willingness to shoot his hostages, i.e. senior citizens. Yes, if the GOP dares to hold the line on spending cuts, Barack Obama will balk, the debt limit will not be raised, and Obama will refuse to pay senior citizens.

Jim Pethokoukis notes a Goldman Sachs report showing there will be plenty of money flowing into the treasury in August for the government to pay its debt obligations, pay social security obligations, pay military obligations, and avoid default. But Obama won't let facts stand in the way of starving senior citizens to score political points against the GOP.

Of course, it is not just Obama willing to score political points. Mitch McConnell wants to give Barack Obama the right to automatically raise the debt ceiling. The only caveat is McConnell wants everyone to know it'll be Obama who does it, not the GOP. Just how bad is McConnell's plan? After David Hauptmann, a staffer in McConnell's office, sent out an email linking to a National Review Online column that said Grover Norquist "supported" Mitch McConnell's capitulation, Americans for Tax Reform rapidly sent out a press release saying Norquist did not support the plan, just "the goals." They also asked NRO to clarify.

Undeterred, McConnell enlisted the support of the Wall Street Journal's editorial page, which came out swinging not just in favor of McConnell's plan, but also pretty directly against me. I can console myself that they also supported McConnell's push for TARP.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Mitch McConnell Just Proposed the "Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011?

Consider the Associated Press's headline right now: "GOP Leader McConnell proposes giving Obama new power for automatic debt limit increase"

Mitch McConnell is right now talking about making a historic capitulation. So fearful of being blamed for a default, McConnell is proposing a compromise that lets Barack Obama raise the debt ceiling without making any spending cuts at all.

Consider sending McConnell a weasel as testament to his treachery. His address is 601 W. Broadway, Room 630, Louisville, KY 40202 and the phone number is (502) 582-6304.

McConnell's idea is to make the debt ceiling automatic unless Congress, by a 2/3 vote blocks the increase. Oh yes, he put a salve on it by dressing it up in tough talk that, to quote the Wall Street Journal, "[a] 'eal solution' to U.S. fiscal problems isn't possible as long as President Barack Obama remains in office." So since no "real solution" is possible, McConnell proposes to go Pontius Pilate and wash his hands of spending, blaming Obama while doing nothing himself.

Here is how the plan would work.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Mr. President, What Are Your Priorities?

President Barack Obama has announced that he may not be able to mail Social Security checks out on 3 August if he has not been given an increased debt ceiling to borrow more money for the government. The blackmail attempts have officially begun. Give us more money now, or watch the entitlement recipients in YOUR Congressional District start to get it.

According to James Pethokoukis, the US Treasury is not precluded from specifically making the next Social Security payment by actual liquidity. "Social Security payments Treasury needs to make on Aug 3. $22 billion. Treasury cash balance on Aug. 3: $74 billion."

This implies these payments would be stopped as a result of fiscal priorities greater than making Social Security payments that totaled an amount greater than the $52Bn that the Treasury would have on its books as of 3 August 2011. As concerned American citizens, we are owed a dutiful and factual accountings of what those specific priorities happen to be. This is, after all, the most honest and open administration in the history of terrestrial democracy. Isn't it?

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Random Acts of Vandalism Cause Teamsters To Postpone Funeral Directors' Strike

As late as Monday, the Teamster-represented funeral directors, embalmers and livery drivers from four Chicago-area nursing home were prepared to walk out on strike on Tuesday over an impasse in negotiations with Service Corporation International.

However, when vandals struck three out of four of the funeral homes that were to have been targeted by the strike, the Teamsters hastily postponed walking out on the dead.

Please click here for the rest of the post.