Erick Erickson's Blog, page 166

Barack Obama Is Directly To Blame For the S&P Downgrade

If you have been away for the past twenty-four hours, you missed that for the first time since its founding in 1941, Standards and Poor downgraded our nation's credit outlook. S&P believes there is a 33% change it will downgrade the nation's AAA credit rating in the next two years.

For the past year, Democrats have spent freely arguing that their free spending ways did not matter. In fact, Barack Obama's proposed budget for 2012 increases the national debt to 116% of gross domestic product, even while adding $2 trillion in tax increases.

It is not that budget proposal that became the straw to break the camel's back.

It was not even his trillion dollar stimulus plan or his multi-trillion dollar stimulus plan than became the straw to break the camel's back.

In fact, it was Barack Obama's disastrous speech last week that broke the camel's back.

As James Pethokoukis noted, Obama's muddled plan to solve the crisis was "fastened together by the chewing gum and sticky tape of rosy economic assumptions and fiscal opacity." But more so, it was Barack Obama's angry words and denunciation of Paul Ryan's own plan that drove S&P to its conclusion.

S&P said

We view President Obama's and Congressman Ryan's proposals as the starting point of a process aimed at broader engagement, which could result in substantial and lasting U.S. government fiscal consolidation. That said, we see the path to agreement as challenging because the gap between the parties remains wide. We believe there is a significant risk that Congressional negotiations could result in no agreement on a medium-term fiscal strategy until after the fall 2012 Congressional and Presidential elections. If so, the first budget proposal that could include related measures would be Budget 2014 (for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2013), and we believe a delay beyond that time is possible.

Remember, up until the President's attack, even Democrats on the Deficit Commission were praising Paul Ryan's willingness to engage the issue "at an adult level." Everyone expects congressional partisans to take pot shots, but for the President of the United States to have a temper tantrum over it akin to a three year old denied a lollipop? That's unheard of.

The President's open hostility to an adult plan while offering no substantive plan of his own was the straw that broke the camel's back. And because Mr. Obama still cannot deal with the issue as an adult, we will keep heading down this treacherous road.

Morning Briefing for April 19, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For April 19, 2011

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

1. Barack Obama Is Directly To Blame For the S&P Downgrade

2. I'm Supporting Adam Hasner for the Senate

3. 50 Million Missing Refugees and Scientists That Cheat On Their Taxes

4. Christie Unveils Plan to Save NJ Taxpayers on Government Workers' Health Care

5. Too Late To Ask For A Refund, Obama Has Union Bosses & Other Lefty Loons Feeling Double Crossed

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1. Barack Obama Is Directly To Blame For the S&P Downgrade

If you have been away for the past twenty-four hours, you missed that for the first time since its founding in 1941, Standards and Poor downgraded our nation's credit outlook. S&P believes there is a 33% change it will downgrade the nation's AAA credit rating in the next two years.

For the past year, Democrats have spent freely arguing that their free spending ways did not matter. In fact, Barack Obama's proposed budget for 2012 increases the national debt to 116% of gross domestic product, even while adding $2 trillion in tax increases.

It is not that budget proposal that became the straw to break the camel's back.

It was not even his trillion dollar stimulus plan or his multi-trillion dollar stimulus plan than became the straw to break the camel's back.

In fact, it was Barack Obama's disastrous speech last week that broke the camel's back.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. I'm Supporting Adam Hasner for the Senate

There are a lot of important Senate races shaping up in 2012 and my strong fear is that many tea party activists are going to be so focused on beating Barack Obama — a worthy cause — that they are going to drop the ball on Senate races.

I have not really weighed in yet on endorsing any candidates for the United States Senate, but with an every growing pool of potential candidates in the Florida Senate race, I want to go on record now supporting Adam Hasner.

Former Senator George LeCrist, hand picked by Charlie Crist to keep his seat warm, is running as are several others. I think conservatives need to be wary of many of them and we cannot afford to take Florida for granted as a Republican state.

Adam Hasner has, I think, the best background and most conservative record to run in Florida. I hope you will join me in supporting him. We cannot afford to lose Florida to either the Democrats, or the squishy Republicans.

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3. 50 Million Missing Refugees and Scientists That Cheat On Their Taxes

"In 1995 these environmental refugees totalled at least 25 million people,…

The environmental refugees total could well double by 2010 (though there is no good estimate of today's total)…. When global warming takes hold, there could be as many as 200 million people overtaken by disruptions of monsoon systems and other rainfall regimes, by droughts of unprecedented severity and duration, and by sea-level rise and coastal flooding."

-Norman Myers, "ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES: A GROWING PHENOMENON OF THE 21ST CENTURY"

The UN hired Norman Myers to examine what impact Global Warming would have on human habitations. He came back with the paragraph I cited selections from above. That would be quite a claim. 50 Million Environmental refugees by 2010!

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4. Christie Unveils Plan to Save NJ Taxpayers on Government Workers' Health Care

While private-sector workers have been paying anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of their health care costs for years, government workers have, traditionally, had better health care plans at far lesser costs—all at taxpayers' expense.

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5. Too Late To Ask For A Refund, Obama Has Union Bosses & Other Lefty Loons Feeling Double Crossed

There must be some pretty cynical political strategists inside the White House who, all knowingly, believe that defecating on the deli sandwiches of the Democrats' core constituencies before 2012 is an okay thing to do because—Hey! What're they going to do?…Support the Republicans? Nevertheless, while union bosses, liberal allies and even African Americans publicly put on a happy face about President Obama, they're privately grousing over a growing concern that they may be losing the war to further fundamentally transform the nation.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

S&P Brings Down the Hammer & Saxby Chambliss Goes Wobbly #EERS

S&P says there is a 33% change it may lower our bond rating over the next couple of years. What was the catalyst? Barack Obama's speech last week.

Also, Saxby Chambliss has gone wobbly, lashing out at conservatives and saying the leviathan needs to be fed.

We'll discuss all that and more on the Erick Erickson Show tonight on WSB starting at 7:05 p.m. ET. You can listen live at http://wsbradio.com and call in at 1-800-WSB-TALK.

Consider this an open thread.

Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) Says Senate Republicans Will Support Tax Increases

A few weeks ago, I reported that the Senate Republicans' point man on dealing with the deficit, Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), said he'd support tax increases as a means to reduce the deficit. Chambliss promptly denied it.

Yesterday, in the New York Times, Chambliss admitted he and the Senate Republicans will support tax increases to pay off the deficit.

Mr. Chambliss has been increasingly outspoken in arguing that additional revenues must be part of a debt-reduction plan, given the scale of the problem.

"I'm taking arrows from some on the far right," he told the Rotary Club of Atlanta in an appearance with Mr. Warner on Monday. "Are some people going to pay more in taxes? You bet."

Mitch McConnell put Chambliss in charge of the issue for the Republicans. He is their point man.

You can see now what is taking shape as we head toward the fight over the debt ceiling. Senate Republicans will agree not just to ending all deductions and credits in the tax code and lowering the tax rate while expanding the base — a step I support. The Senate Republicans will support higher taxes too.

Chambliss has already attacked Paul Ryan's "Path to Prosperity" because, in Chambliss's words, Ryan is able to balance the budget without cutting defense spending.

Senate Republicans are going to support raising the debt ceiling and raising taxes all while refusing to demand passage of a Balanced Budget Amendment. House Republican Leaders will no doubt decide that . . . well . . . Republicans only control one house of one branch of government so . . . .

Bend over America.

By the way, his "arrows from the far right" is code for me. Seriously. Following that we have this:

Perhaps more troublesome for Mr. Chambliss have been critics at home like Erick Erickson, a conservative blogger, Atlanta radio talk-show host and CNN contributor. "Is Saxby Chambliss Becoming a Democrat?" Mr. Erickson asked in a recent blog post.

Note that Chambliss, nor the Democrats, are taking serious fire from the left. It's just conservatives who Chambliss is happy to take "arrows" from.

Morning Briefing for April 18, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For April 18, 2011

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

1. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) Says Senate Republicans Will Support Tax Increases

2. Obama's czar end-run: 'Signing statements' he once opposed

3. Paul Krugman Calls for the Assassination of Paul Ryan

4. TX Senate Dem recruit once object of scorn for military interrogations

5. Newspaper Publishers in the Black Community Think Barack Obama is Foreign Born

6. Ticking Time Bomb: Ongoing Labor Dispute Shows the Problem With Union Pensions

7. I Stand With Michele Bachmann

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1. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) Says Senate Republicans Will Support Tax Increases

A few weeks ago, I reported that the Senate Republicans' point man on dealing with the deficit, Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), said he'd support tax increases as a means to reduce the deficit. Chambliss promptly denied it.

Yesterday, in the New York Times, Chambliss admitted he and the Senate Republicans will support tax increases to pay off the deficit.

Mr. Chambliss has been increasingly outspoken in arguing that additional revenues must be part of a debt-reduction plan, given the scale of the problem.

"I'm taking arrows from some on the far right," he told the Rotary Club of Atlanta in an appearance with Mr. Warner on Monday. "Are some people going to pay more in taxes? You bet."

Mitch McConnell put Chambliss in charge of the issue for the Republicans. He is their point man.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Obama's czar end-run: 'Signing statements' he once opposed

While the debate rages among conservatives on the merits of the budget deal lawmakers struck with President Barack Obama, add an additional point of contention: Czars, of which the appropriations measure reached last week eliminated four. At least, that's what House GOP'ers thought.

The spending bill as written prohibited the White House from devoting funds to those czars directing the administration's policy agenda for health care, climate change, the auto industry and urban affairs.

But the president broke the terms of the eleventh-hour agreement, issuing a signing statement Friday indicating he would employ czars–of which he's tapped a record 39–as he sees appropriate.

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3. Paul Krugman Calls for the Assassination of Paul Ryan

RedState co-founder Josh Trevino has noticed the following: back in January, Paul Krugman was one of many drooling idiot leftists devoid of any moral compass who tried to pin the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords on a lack of Republican civility. Even though, by the time Krugman's column ran, it was clear that Giffords' shooter was a mentally disturbed individual whose assassination plot was not motivated by coherent political theory of any stripe, Krugman was not about to let facts get in the way of a good partisan narrative.

Yes, Krugman claimed, without any appreciable sense of shame, that a man who was seriously mentally ill was merely a symptom of - no kidding - "toxic rhetoric." Well, three whole months have passed since Krugman peddled this tripe and apparently, Krugman's sense of shame hasn't become any more well-developed. Now he's got a piece out on Paul Ryan's deficit reduction plan. The title - the TITLE - of this piece? Let's Not be Civil.

According to Paul Krugman, Paul Krugman has just called for the assassination of Paul Ryan.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. TX Senate Dem recruit once object of scorn for military interrogations

Did national Democrats' recruitment of former Iraq commander Ricardo Sanchez transform the Texas Senate race from a blow-out into a marquee 2012 contest? Not a chance, say Republicans eyeing the race.

For deep red Texas GOP'ers, the most significant task is clearing the primary field, which includes former solicitor general Ted Cruz, ex-railroad commish Michael Williams, former Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and car dealer-turned-secretary of state Roger Williams. Sanchez, whose military career took an unceremonious dive after those below his command were charged with prisoner abuse at the Abu Ghraib detention center, registers a distant second for these Senate hopefuls.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Newspaper Publishers in the Black Community Think Barack Obama is Foreign Born

The National Newspaper Publishers Association is affiliated with the hundreds of newspapers across the country that cater to the black community or, in the words of the NNPA, "The Black Press of America". The Northeast Publishers Association is a smaller association that best characterized as the trade association for black newspapers in the Northeast.

The NPA has prepared the advertisement below to go in black newspapers across the country. Walter Smith, a director of the NNPA, blasted out the advertisement to many on their email list with a note saying, in part, "We can educate our readership by either running this ad or making a similar statement in our newspapers."

The advertisement embraces the idea that Barack Obama was not born in the United States — a position rejected by most Americans. It's bad for Barack Obama when even the black newspaper publishers of America think he is foreign born.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

6. Ticking Time Bomb: Ongoing Labor Dispute Shows the Problem With Union Pensions

In Orange, CT, there have been two arrests over the last few weeks (the most recent on Saturday afternoon) in front of Dichello Distributors, where there is an ongoing labor battle between Teamsters, Local 443 and the company. The issue is over the company's desire to exit the Teamsters' grossly underfunded multi-employer pension plan, as well as asking union members to pay 10% of their medical premiums.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

7. I Stand With Michele Bachmann

Just the other day I said the answer is "no" to the question "should the House GOP replace John Boehner." The more we've found out about that budget deal, the more I think I might be wrong. Maybe we need Speaker Bachmann instead.

On Friday, Robert Costa at National Review, got some insider dirt on the House GOP meeting that happened behind closed doors without staff. To put it mildly, the House GOP Leadership is unhappy with Michele Bachmann continuing to fight for repeal of Obamacare.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Newspaper Publishers in the Black Community Think Barack Obama is Foreign Born

The National Newspaper Publishers Association is affiliated with the hundreds of newspapers across the country that cater to the black community or, in the words of the NNPA, "The Black Press of America". The Northeast Publishers Association is a smaller association that best characterized as the trade association for black newspapers in the Northeast.

The NPA has prepared the advertisement below to go in black newspapers across the country. Walter Smith, a director of the NNPA, blasted out the advertisement to many on their email list with a note saying, in part, "We can educate our readership by either running this ad or making a similar statement in our newspapers."

The advertisement embraces the idea that Barack Obama was not born in the United States — a position rejected by most Americans. It's bad for Barack Obama when even the black newspaper publishers of America think he is foreign born.

You can see the ad in detail here.

I Stand With Michele Bachmann

Just the other day I said the answer is "no" to the question "should the House GOP replace John Boehner." The more we've found out about that budget deal, the more I think I might be wrong. Maybe we need Speaker Bachmann instead.

On Friday, Robert Costa at National Review, got some insider dirt on the House GOP meeting that happened behind closed doors without staff.

High-profile conservatives such as Rep. Louie Gohmert (R., Texas) and Rep. Steve King (R., Iowa) spoke, but the underlying topic of conservation was Rep. Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.), a potential presidential candidate, who was alluded to by a handful of members for her media-savvy opposition to the leadership, and for, along with others, stirring public divisions within the ranks. One longtime conservative grandee of the House told me that he has never seen the conference simmer in such a fashion; that things got icy quiet when King defended Bachmann and when various members boosted Boehner, all eyeing each other before reacting.

There is a reason Donal Trump is doing so well in Republican polling. It is the same reason Sarah Palin resonates so well with the base. It is the same reason Michele Bachmann resonates so well.

At a time when Republican leaders are trying to look "grown up" and "reasonable" in the eyes of the Washington Press Corps, Michele Bachmann is fighting the left.

Michele Bachmann is willing to pick a fight to replace Obamacare when John Boehner and Eric Cantor are willing to roll over. Bachmann is willing to pick a fight on the debt ceiling when the leadership is, even now, negotiating an increase in the debt ceiling while yet again selling out conservatives.

Right now it is a safe bet to say if you are on Michele Bachmann's side in this fight you are what we call a conservative and if you are on John Boehner's side . . . well this is a kid friendly site so I can't go into that.

I stand with Michele Bachmann in this fight. You should too.

Did I Get Suspended? Did John Boehner Get Played? #EERS

Did I get suspended from my radio show last night? Did John Boehner get played by Barack Obama? I'll get into all of it tonight on the Erick Erickson Show on WSB.

You can listen live at http://wsbradio.com and call in at 1-800-WSB-TALK. I follow hashtag #EERS during the show.

Tonight is "free for all Friday night", which is kind of like an open thread on the radio. So feel free to call in about anything.

And consider this an open thread.

Morning Briefing for April 15, 2011

RedState Morning Briefing

For April 14, 2011

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

1. Scott Brown, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Mark Kirk, and Lisa Murkowski are Cowardly Liberal Extremists

2. DSCC picks horse in NV, hedges bets in NM and CT

3. Gallup: Who Do You Trust on the Economy?

4. The Poor Aren't Buying Obama's Class Warfare

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1. Scott Brown, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Mark Kirk, and Lisa Murkowski are Cowardly Liberal Extremists

Support for taxpayer funding of abortion is outside the political mainstream in this country. Depending on the poll, between 60 and 75 per cent of Amerians oppose it (see here, here, and here). In other words, belief that the government ought to be in the business of funding abortions is roughly as mainstream as the belief that the United States Government was behind 9/11. Now, Planned Parenthood has tried mightily to avoid these results by dishonestly claiming that the funds they receive from the government aren't used for abortions. This is one of the most idiotic arguments ever made since the defining characteristic of money is its fungibility. Nonetheless, as Lori noted earlier today, some percentage of people will be fooled by any idiotic argument - however, funding for Planned Parenthood is still soundly opposed by the American people by a 54-39 margin. Which is why it is a real mystery to find that it is supported by a 58-42 margin in the United States Senate.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. DSCC picks horse in NV, hedges bets in NM and CT

As Nevada Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley announced her Senate bid Thursday and quickly won the backing of her party's campaign arm, other prominent Senatorial prospects in New Mexico and Connecticut linger without the support of their party.

The less fortunate pair, Reps. Chris Murphy and Martin Heinrich, were not extended the Beltway blessing because the former already faces a primary opponent and the latter is likely to counter his own.

But Berkley–who took great pains to clear a primary field once rumored to include State Treasurer Kate Marshall, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and Secretary of State Ross Miller–will square off against her own primary challenger.

The efforts of Berkley and her allies to eliminate possible challengers ahead of a primary has lent to grumbling that Washington pols are once more preempting primary voters, selling short local businessman Byron Georgiou, who posted a $1.1 million fundraising haul in the first quarter after committing to a run in early March.

So why the uneven endorsement scheme?

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Gallup: Who Do You Trust on the Economy?

Gallup has a fascinating poll out today which asks the age-old question: who do you trust on the economy? Now, these sorts of polls are always more interesting than they are useful in predicting election results, and tend to produce some results that make little sense (for instance, I categorically reject the notion that 82% of the population even knows who Tim Geithner is). Further, this particular poll has built into it several well-known bias errors (for instance, voters always react more favorably to their Congressman/Governor/etc. than to nebulous groups of Congressmen in general, whether Republican or Democrat). All of that notwithstanding, the poll contains a good bit of bad news for the Democrats.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. The Poor Aren't Buying Obama's Class Warfare

Obama is forcing our troops to fight a politically correct war in Afghanistan; however, he is prosecuting his class warfare with no holds barred. Obama and the Democrats are the Navy SEALS of class warfare. Fortunately, his target audience, the poor, are not impressed with his ferocity. Obama's support among the poorest Americans has dropped to an all time low, according to the latest Gallup poll.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Barack Obama Fully Embraces Death Panels

While everyone else was focused on Barack Obama bashing Paul Ryan, I noticed that he took full ownership of death panels yesterday. Naturally, Obama did not call them death panels. He called them "an independent commission of doctors, nurses, medical experts and consumers." But his description hits dead on with what his death panels will do.

According to Barack Obama yesterday, the death panels "will look at all the evidence and recommend the best ways to reduce unnecessary spending while protecting access to the services seniors need."

We already know what they'll recommend as "the best ways to reduce unnecessary spending". Barack Obama's own advisers have told us. They will prioritize giving health care to healthier people and let sicker people die. At end of life, they will deny people life sustaining treatment because, after all, they're going to die anyway. Note his phrasing: "protecting access to the services seniors need." Dying people, according to Obama's advisers, need hospice not hope. They certainly do not need expensive treatments that may buy them time to see the birth of a new grandchild or other reasons.

"We will change the way we pay for health care – not by procedure or the number of days spent in a hospital, but with new incentives for doctors and hospitals to prevent injuries and improve results. . . . If we're wrong, and Medicare costs rise faster than we expect, this approach will give the independent commission the authority to make additional savings by further improving Medicare," Obama said. At a time Democrats are saying Republicans want to starve old people to death, Democrats are intent on embracing a cost savings model for Medicare that incentivizes doctors to encourage people to die and, when all else fails, gives a death panel "the authority to make additional savings by" ensuring the dying elderly die quickly.

"Our approach lowers the government's health care bills by reducing the cost of health care itself," Obama said. Really? The only way that will happen is by rationing. You may not like the use of the phrase "death panel," but make no mistake about it — at the end of your life, in Barack Obama's America, his death panel will throw you under the bus in a way much closer to reality than metaphor.