McConnell: ‘We Owe It To’ The American People To Try To Repeal Health Care
Appearing on Face The Nation, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reaffirmed that the Republicans would try to repeal health care reform. He referred to the recent election results: “People who supported us - political independents - want it repealed and replaced with something else. I think we owe it to them to try.”
Clyburn Compares GOPers Talking Health Care Repeal To Strom Thurmond Opposing Civil Rights
Also appearing on Face The Nation, House Democratic Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) compared Republicans pledging to repeal health care reform to Southern politicians who had pledged to repeal civil rights, saying that they were “really flying in the face of history.” “The Democrats lost [their] place in the South because of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,” Clyburn recalled. “I remember [former Republican Senator] Strom Thurmond going back to Washington after 1968, saying, ‘We are going to repeal the Voting Rights Act.’”
Asked for Specific Cuts, Rand Paul Says To ‘Look At Every Program’
Appearing on This Week, Sen.-elect Rand Paul (R-KY) was challenged by Christiane Amanpour to give specifics on his calls for federal spending cuts, at one point telling him that he “can’t just keep saying all across the board.” Paul replied: “Well, no, I can, because I’m going to look at every program, every program. But I would freeze federal hiring. I would maybe reduce federal employees by 10 percent. I’d probably reduce their wages by 10 percent. The average federal employee makes $120,000 a year. The average private employee makes $60,000 a year. Let’s get them more in line, and let’s find savings. Let’s hire no new federal workers.”
Van Hollen Endorses Pelosi For Dem Leader
Appearing on State of the Union, outgoing DCCC chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) endorsed Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for House Minority Leader in the next Congress. “Nancy Pelosi’s been fighting for middle-class Americans for the last 24 months,” said Van Hollen, also adding: “on Tuesday this was a lot bigger than Nancy Pelosi.” He declined to say who he would support in the race for Minority Whip, between Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD).
DeMint: ‘The Tea Party Are Responsible For Just About Every Republican Who Was Elected’
Appearing on Meet The Press, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) denied the suggestion that the Tea Party movement cost the Republicans control of the Senate. “That is a very silly thing to say, David,” DeMint told David Gregory. “The tea party are responsible for just about every Republican who was elected around the country. This time last year, if people’ll think about it, we were concerned about holding our own. Many thought Republicans would fall below 38 in, in the Senate. So I supported all the Republican candidates, including Christine O’Donnell. Unfortunately, she was so maligned by Republicans, I don’t think she ever had a chance.”
Issa Calls For Cutting Off Administration Grant Programs
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) called for an end to the administration creating competitive grant programs, which he called “administrative earmarks.” “That’s where we give a slush fund, just like the stimulus, to the president. And then they come up with who they like and where they like them and they issue the money,” said Issa. “Congress has to start saying no. You figure out who wins the competitive grant. You come back to us and say, ‘I’d like to award this amount of money for this,’ instead of a budget that has blank checks. If you do that, there will be less money awarded, and it will be awarded for more meritorious projects.”
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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