Erick Erickson's Blog, page 137

Mitch McConnell Capitulates #EERS

Tonight, I'll explore the extent of Mitch McConnell's capitulation on the debt ceiling. You can listen to it all at http://wsbradio.com and call in to vent about it at 1-800-WSB-TALK.

Consider this an open thread.

The Man Who Brought You "Big Government Conservatives" Loves McConnell's Capitulation

It's so sad to see someone you admire lose all credibility serving as mouthpiece for the people who got us into this mess on our side.

This was Fred Barnes on August 15, 2003, writing in the Wall Street Journal:

IS PRESIDENT BUSH really a conservative? When that question came up this summer, the White House went into crisis mode. Bush aides summoned several of Washington's conservative journalists to a 6:30 a.m. breakfast at the White House to press the case for the president's adherence to conservative principles. Aides outnumbered journalists. Other conservative writers and broadcasters were invited to luncheon sessions. They heard a similar spiel.

The White House needn't have bothered. The case for Bush's conservatism is strong. Sure, some conservatives are upset because he has tolerated a surge in federal spending, downplayed swollen deficits, failed to use his veto, created a vast Department of Homeland Security, and fashioned an alliance of sorts with Teddy Kennedy on education and Medicare. But the real gripe is that Bush isn't their kind of conventional conservative. Rather, he's a big government conservative. This isn't a description he or other prominent conservatives willingly embrace. It makes them sound as if they aren't conservatives at all. But they are. They simply believe in using what would normally be seen as liberal means— activist government—for conservative ends. And they're willing to spend more and increase the size of government in the process.

Being a big government conservative doesn't bring Bush close to being a moderate, much less a liberal. On most issues, his position is standard conservative: a pro-lifer who expects to sign a ban on partial birth abortion, he's against stem-cell research and gun control, and has drawn the line at gay marriage. His judicial nominees are so uniformly conservative that liberals are furious.

This is Fred Barnes today:

Senate Republicans mounted a bold offensive today against President Obama's effort to force them to accept a tax hike as part of a bipartisan agreement to raise the debt limit.

The Republican plan would, in effect, end the talks at the White House on a deal. Obama has deftly exploited the talks to portray Republicans as willing to risk a government default on its debts rather than accede to a tax increase of $1 trillion or more.

To counter Obama, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell unveiled legislation requiring the president to submit a series of three requests – now, in the fall, and next summer – to increase the debt ceiling.

Each request would have to include spending cuts in excess of the amount of the increase in the limit on borrowing. If Congress rejected the cuts as insufficient by passing a "resolution of disapproval," the president could send a new package of cuts or veto the resolution. Should his veto be sustained – at least 34 senators would be needed – the debt limit would rise with no cuts attached.

Passing the buck and blame to Obama may or may not be smart politics. It is very clearly not leadership. It is very clearly not sound policy. It is very clearly not the way to dig ourselves out of the fiscal hole we find ourselves it. It is big government. It is not conservative.

Mitch McConnell Just Proposed the "Pontius Pilate Pass the Buck Act of 2011″

Editor's note: I decided to make the title less incendiary.

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

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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.

In a nutshell, the President would get to raise the debt ceiling three times in the next year at several billion bucks a pop without making any spending cuts unless two-thirds of both houses of Congress disagree. In his press conference, McConnell says he would not give the President "unilateral authority to make spending cuts on his own," but this plan would allow the President to raise the debt ceiling pretty much automatically.As the Politico notes,

Senate Republicans are actively pursuing a new plan under which the debt ceiling would grow in three increments over the remainder of this Congress unless lawmakers approve a veto-proof resolution of disapproval.

In effect lawmakers would be surrendering the very power of approval that the GOP has used to force the debt crisis now. But by taking the disapproval route, Republicans can shift the onus more onto the White House and Democrats since a two-thirds majority will be needed to stop any increase that President Barack Obama requests.

Yes, instead of putting the burden on the White House, McConnell would make it damn near impossible to block a debt ceiling increase. We've seen this before. The House once had the Gephardt rule that required the debt ceiling vote be attached to a more popular measure so members of Congress could escape a tough vote.

Consequently, the debt ceiling has gone up to $14 trillion without Congress ever having to make a tough choice about debt.

And now Mitch McConnell wants to make it even easier by allowing Congress to go through a dog and pony show of feigned cuts that never get cut while allowing escalation of our national debt. So much for accusing Barack Obama of smoke and mirrors.

2014 cannot come soon enough to destroy the political future of this weasel.

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.

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Updated again: Changed to title to something less incendiary. I still encourage weasels be mailed.

UPDATE: Some of the most willfully ignorant and willfully naive McConnell supporters are coming out of the woodwork to say this is not *the* plan, but a contingency plan if *the* plan can't be agreed to. So let's get this straight: if Democrats won't agree to make spending cuts, we'll fall back to the contingency where they get to raise the debt ceiling without making spending cuts.

That's not a contingency, that's handing the Democrats a silver platter.

Boehner Embraces Cutting, Capping, and Balancing

Many of us thought John Boehner would not turn back from the negotiating table. But he did. The media is a real tizzy trying to explain it. As is typical, they're dumbing it down. Boehner backing away from the negotiating table (1) had nothing to do with tea party opposition, (2) nothing to do with fears of helping Barack Obama's re-election, and (3) nothing to do with fear of crossing Grover Norquist and his tax pledge.

Boehner left the table because he and the Republicans in Congress actually, factually believe raising taxes would be a bad idea. President Obama says the taxes he wants to raise are off a ways in 2013 or 2014. But Republicans understand that businesses and employers knowing their profits will fall in a few years will start making cuts today to preserve their net profits tomorrow. It'd be bad for the economy.

What's more, John Boehner did offer up a plan — it sounds like he is embracing the policy pledge inspired by Senator DeMint, i.e. "Cut, Cap, and Balance."

Here's what the Speaker said at his press conference:

The American people will not accept, and the House cannot pass, a bill that raises taxes on job creators. The House can only pass a debt limit bill that includes spending cuts larger than the hike in the debt limit as well as real restraints on future spending. My colleagues and I feel we should enact a balanced budget amendment to keep the federal government from spending us into the same situation again. I think we also need real reductions in spending right now and spending caps to ensure that progress we make is not undone in the future… A bill that doesn't meet these tests can't pass the House of Representatives.

This is a good position to stake out. Now the GOP needs to move forward on it. But they also will need to hold the line.

This is a very simple political equation. In normal politics, votes are had and votes are lost and politicians move on. Cut, Cap, and Balance will not pass Congress and, even if it did, would not make it passed a veto.

In normal politics, the GOP would vote, lose, and move on. But normal politics got us to this point. If this is the gravest crisis we face and our future as a nation depends on it, the GOP must throw out the normal political playbook. They must make clear that this is not a negotiation.

Cut, Cap, and Balance is an ultimatum.

Morning Briefing for July 12, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For July 12, 2011

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

1. Boehner Embraces Cutting, Capping, and Balancing

2. New York Times Brushes Off Ethical Concerns

3. Gov. Brown's Office to Conservative Californians: Leave the State!

4. Now That Possibly Drunk Rutgers Economist Susan Feinberg Is Sobered Up, She Has No Comment

5. As Their ROI Slips, Democrats Find Unions Less Giving of Members' Money

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1. Boehner Embraces Cutting, Capping, and Balancing

Many of us thought John Boehner would not turn back from the negotiating table. But he did. The media is a real tizzy trying to explain it. As is typical, they're dumbing it down. Boehner backing away from the negotiating table (1) had nothing to do with tea party opposition, (2) nothing to do with fears of helping Barack Obama's re-election, and (3) nothing to do with fear of crossing Grover Norquist and his tax pledge.

Boehner left the table because he and the Republicans in Congress actually, factually believe raising taxes would be a bad idea. President Obama says the taxes he wants to raise are off a ways in 2013 or 2014. But Republicans understand that businesses and employers knowing their profits will fall in a few years will start making cuts today to preserve their net profits tomorrow. It'd be bad for the economy.

What's more, John Boehner did offer up a plan — it sounds like he is embracing the policy pledge inspired by Senator DeMint, i.e. "Cut, Cap, and Balance."

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. New York Times Brushes Off Ethical Concerns

For those of you who missed it, The New York Times recently ran some controversial, front-page stories regarding the natural gas industry. Specifically, some are questioning whether or not this was an agenda driven hit piece on the gas industry.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Gov. Brown's Office to Conservative Californians: Leave the State!

So, a member of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors – Jeff Stone, a Republican – has proposed splitting the state of California, with San Diego and the largely rural, Republican-leaning south east of the state becoming "South California," and LA remaining with the liberal coast and northern part of the state. You can follow the link to the LA Times for the map of what his proposal would look like. Secession proposals of this nature are a hardy perennial on the Left and Right alike, and are almost always bad ideas, although there is at least a fair argument that California as currently constituted is (1) too large any longer to serve the role of responding to local needs unmet from Washington that is a major part of why we have a federal system in the first place (as the LAT notes, "[t]he proposed 51st state would be the fifth largest by population, more populous than Illinois, Ohio and Pennsylvania"), (2) essentially dysfunctional, and (3) particularly unresponsive to the needs of the 13 million residents of the 13 counties in question.

But what's really interesting here isn't a proposal by one member of the board of one county, but rather the response by a spokesman for Governor Jerry Brown:

"If you want to live in a Republican state with very conservative right-wing laws, then there's a place called Arizona," Brown spokesman Gil Duran said.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Now That Possibly Drunk Rutgers Economist Susan Feinberg Is Sobered Up, She Has No Comment

This is the Susan Feinberg who probably was drunk — you hope she was drunk otherwise the words we'd have to use aren't fit for a family site — when she decided to cause a scene at Bistro Bis in Washington, D.C.

Feinberg, who we can also presume gets nuts when drinking or just can't handle alcohol, stormed over to Paul Ryan and attacked him for using his own money to drink an expensive glass of wine while daring to want the government to spend less of his, Susan Feinberg's, and your money.

In any event, after she'd had a chance to sober up and think soberly about the scene she caused, Byron York of the Washington Examiner tried to get her to comment on the cut off point for what wines can and cannot be purchased without looking like Marie Antoinette.

Feinberg's bottle of wine was $80.00, after all. So Byron just wanted to know what the cut off point was between $80.00 and $300.00, the price of Paul Ryan's bottle.

Susan Feinberg now has no comment.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. As Their ROI Slips, Democrats Find Unions Less Giving of Members' Money

What's the purpose of buying a Democrat if they just don't deliver the goods? That's been union bosses' ham-fisted message to Democrats for a couple of months now: If Democrats don't start delivering on what union bosses expect, union bosses will pull their funds.

Well, it appears that union bosses are making good on their threats–or, like sending a dead fish, they're putting the message out that they mean business (before 2012 rolls around and they open up the spigots again).

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Now That Possibly Drunk Rutgers Economist Susan Feinberg Is Sobered Up, She Has No Comment

This is the Susan Feinberg who probably was drunk — you hope she was drunk otherwise the words we'd have to use aren't fit for a family site — when she decided to cause a scene at Bistro Bis in Washington, D.C.

Feinberg, who we can also presume gets nuts when drinking or just can't handle alcohol, stormed over to Paul Ryan and attacked him for using his own money to drink an expensive glass of wine while daring to want the government to spend less of his, Susan Feinberg's, and your money.

In any event, after she'd had a chance to sober up and think soberly about the scene she caused, Byron York of the Washington Examiner tried to get her to comment on the cut off point for what wines can and cannot be purchased without looking like Marie Antoinette.

Feinberg's bottle of wine was $80.00, after all. So Byron just wanted to know what the cut off point was between $80.00 and $300.00, the price of Paul Ryan's bottle.

Susan Feinberg now has no comment.

Oh, the funniest thing to know about Feinberg is she teaches something called "Love & Money." That she would attack Paul Ryan for spending his own money suggests Ms. Feinberg doesn't have much of a love for anybody's money except her own and Uncle Sam's.

But it's okay. From her personal website we learn she raised over $4000.00 for AIDS!!!! Hell, we here at RedState raised more than ten times that much to wrest Congress out of the hands of Ms. Feinberg's friends.

But doesn't that absolve her of all her antics. She raised money for AIDS. Don't give that woman a broomstick, give Susan Feinberg wings!

Morning Briefing for July 11, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For July 11, 2011

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

Attention RedState Morning Briefing Readers

Speaker Boehner has pulled out of talks with the White House because of concerns that President Obama demands massive tax hikes on the American people. The media says it is a Republican betrayal, but that is nonsense. Barack Obama claims he was willing to make modest changes to Social Security, but they were ephemeral changes that will fix nothing.

Now, more than ever, you need to sign up for emails from Heritage Action for America. They'll give you all the information you need on what deals the Republicans may ultimately cut with Barack Obama that might undermine conservatives, but they'll also let you know when the GOP gets it right.

Click here now to sign up. You wont regret it.

1. Tell the American Story, Win a Free Trip to the RedState Gathering

2. Craig Huey Or The Lady Who Employed Drug Dealers and Rapists?

3. Operation: Chaos

4. Possibly Drunk Rutgers Economist Susan Feinberg Whines To Susan Crabtree Who Is Hard Up For A Story

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1. Tell the American Story, Win a Free Trip to the RedState Gathering

In the midst of a terrible recession and an assault on our values and traditions by a liberal administration, it's important to remember the founding principles this nation was founded upon – liberty and independence.

At the RedState Gathering this August, Governor Rick Perry wants to share with everyone that message, the American story of liberty and independence, and you could be the one to help him tell it.

Create a video of two minutes or less that shares your unique thoughts on the American spirit, upload it to YouTube and submit your video at this link no later than July 13th at 12:00AM CST.

Governor Perry will introduce the winning video and pay for the winner to attend the RedState Gathering for FREE!

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Craig Huey Or The Lady Who Employed Drug Dealers and Rapists?

The Republicans have largely ignored Craig Huey's special election effort in California 36. This a Democrat leaning Congressional seat, but Huey made it into a special election with Democrat Janice Hahn.

Hahn has become an embarrassment.

It turns out that when Hahn was on the Los Angeles City Council, she supported hiring drug dealers, drug addicts, and rapists as "gang interventionists."

Now Hahn is in more hot water for sending out a mail piece with World War II hero and Olympian Louis Zamperini's image to convey that Zamperini is endorsing her.

Zamperini makes it clear he is not endorsing Hahn and had strongly warned her prior to this mail piece to not use his name or image.

Compare Janice Hahn to Craig Huey. There's nothing salacious about Huey. He's just a hard working Republican who can get to Congress if we help. The national Republicans are not helping Huey. We can make a difference.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Operation: Chaos

One might recall a recent contentious special election which took place in NY-26 in which an otherwise favored to lose candidate Jack Davis, pretended to be a tea party candidate and disrupted the otherwise bellwether election. In fact, the trickery in this election went so far as to create entire fake websites dedicated to spreading misinformation to the voters in the hopes of confusing them and getting them to vote the "right" way.

This is nothing new of course, Democrats love to play tricks to win, it's Alinsky 101. They've practically made an art out of creating fake tea party candidates to siphon votes away from Republicans (as scheme that was attempted in more than one location). And interestingly, cases such as those linked above are directly tied to the Democrat party apparatus. While there are plenty more examples of individuals who may or may not have official ties trying to muck things up on their own, one thing is certain: Democrats have been and continue to look for ways to infiltrate the GOP and direct where votes will go through misinformation and blatant fraud.

But now, it's the Republicans that are under fire for supposedly using the very same type of trickery.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Possibly Drunk Rutgers Economist Susan Feinberg Whines To Susan Crabtree Who Is Hard Up For A Story

What happens when a whiney drunk liberal economist runs to a whiney lefty former journalist hard up for a story of something on something to salvage her reputation? You get salacious nonsense like this from Talking Points Memo.

Horror of horrors, a possibly drunk and possibly crazy left-wing economist Rutgers named Susan Feinberg, and her husband who she probably calls her partner, saw Representative Paul Ryan and two other economists drink a $300 bottle of wine.

And all the lefty economist got was whine.

So she whined to Susan Crabtree, a former reporter turned lefty hacktivist, to write up a whine list lamenting Paul Ryan and friends daring to use . . . wait for it . . . no seriously, wait for it . . .

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Craig Huey Or The Lady Who Employed Drug Dealers and Rapists?

The Republicans have largely ignored Craig Huey's special election effort in California 36. This a Democrat leaning Congressional seat, but Huey made it into a special election with Democrat Janice Hahn.

Hahn has become an embarrassment.

It turns out that when Hahn was on the Los Angeles City Council, she supported hiring drug dealers, drug addicts, and rapists as "gang interventionists."

Now Hahn is in more hot water for sending out a mail piece with World War II hero and Olympian Louis Zamperini's image to convey that Zamperini is endorsing her.

Zamperini makes it clear he is not endorsing Hahn and had strongly warned her prior to this mail piece to not use his name or image.

Compare Janice Hahn to Craig Huey. There's nothing salacious about Huey. He's just a hard working Republican who can get to Congress if we help. The national Republicans are not helping Huey. We can make a difference.

Bachmann's Classy Response, the Crabtree Woman Getting Crabby, and More #EERS

Tonight is a free for all Friday night. You guys can call in about anything you want. I'm going to keep on about education and look at jobs as well.

The call in number is 1-800-WSB-TALK and you can listen live at http://wsbradio.com.

Consider this an open thread.

Possibly Drunk Rutgers Economist Susan Feinberg Whines To Susan Crabtree Who Is Hard Up For A Story

What happens when a whiney drunk liberal economist runs to a whiney lefty former journalist hard up for a story of something on something to salvage her reputation? You get salacious nonsense like this from Talking Points Memo.

Horror of horrors, a possibly drunk and possibly crazy left-wing economist Rutgers named Susan Feinberg, and her husband who she probably calls her partner, saw Representative Paul Ryan and two other economists drink a $300 bottle of wine.

And all the lefty economist got was whine.

So she whined to Susan Crabtree, a former reporter turned lefty hacktivist, to write up a whine list lamenting Paul Ryan and friends daring to use . . . wait for it . . . no seriously, wait for it . . .THEIR OWN DAMN MONEY to buy the wine.

Ms. Crabtree felt the need to go to DEFCON 1 for this outrage that a member of Congress and his two economist friends would buy expensive wine with their own money. She's never, ever written horribly about Barack Obama using taxpayer money for fancy wine at State Dinners. She's never written salaciously about the liquor bills on Nancy Pelosi's government funded plane.

But by God you get some failed Rutgers economist out on a birthday date with her husband at a hotel restaurant who gets all jealous that she's not cool enough to hang out with Little Eddie Munster and his econ pals and . . . well . . . fire up the broom stick and quill pen, we've got a hot story and a little scandal on our hands. Rita Skeeter's unavailable so lets get Susan Crabtree!

If only Paul Ryan had used your tax dollars, Crabtree, instead of getting crabby, would have probably spent those 1,276 words of outraged jealousy extolling the virtues of government spending creating jobs for even lowly sommeliers.