Gabrielle Giffords

In New Memoir, Giffords Vows To Return To Congress

Josh Petri | November 4, 2011, 12:52PM

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) listens as her husband, Captain Mark Kelly speaks at his retirement ceremony.

The AP reports that in her upcoming memoir, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) vows to return to Congress. The book details her months of intense therapy and her emotional battle to come to terms with the events of nearly a year ago.

The book, titled "Gabby: A Story of Courage and Hope," will be released on November 15th. Among the details reportedly included: Before the shooting, Giffords was attempting to conceive.

Read more »

American Jobs Act

Democrats Tee Up Another Vote On Obama Jobs Bill Provision -- With A Twist

Brian Beutler | November 4, 2011, 12:11PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

Senate Democrats are teeing up yet another vote next week on a provision of President Obama's jobs bill. This time with a twist -- they're not going to ask that it be paid for with a surtax on millionaires.

They're calling this one the "Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011." A version of it passed the House on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis last month. It would offer a tax credit to companies that hire out of work veterans and increase an existing credit that already goes to companies that hire veterans with service-related disabilities. Dems propose to cover the $1.6 billion cost of the bill by delaying fee reductions that are scheduled to apply to mortgage loans guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Read more »

Ohio

Kasich: We Can Win Just Like 'Big Championship Game' (Which Never Happened)

Eric Kleefeld | November 4, 2011, 10:57AM

Gov. John Kasich (R-OH)

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) is fighting an uphill battle in next week's referendum on his anti-public employee union legislation, triggered by a Democratic petitioning effort. And his latest effort to turn things around is -- an embarrassingly incorrect sports metaphor.

The Columbus Dispatch reports:

"We never thought (former Cleveland Browns quarterback) Bernie Kosar would bring the Browns back and win that big championship game," Kasich said.

Kasich, a Steelers fan who grew up in suburban Pittsburgh, apparently didn't know that Kosar never won a championship game with the Browns, going 0-3 in AFC title tilts with trips to the Super Bowl on the line.

Oh yeah, "that big championship game." Or to put this more simply: D'oh!

(Via Huffington Post)

The Daily Show

Jon Stewart Mocks House 'In God We Trust' Vote

David Taintor | November 4, 2011, 9:57AM

Jon Stewart

Politicians love to talk about jobs. Democrats, of course, have one approach to creating jobs, while Republicans have ... well, another.

So, Jon Stewart challenged Congress Thursday, "let's see you guys put the money we're not making where your mouths are."

Read more »

Super Committee

Chart: Super Committee Dems, GOP Differ On Jobs

Brian Beutler | November 4, 2011, 5:42AM

As noted previously, the deficit Super Committee is gridlocked largely because the GOP is unwilling to accept higher taxes on wealthy people as part of a compromise with Democrats that also cuts Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. But the parties also differ on the question of whether their recommendations should include any near term spending and/or tax cuts to give the weak economy a much-needed boost.

Recently committee Republicans and Democrats presented each other with competing plans -- some details of which were leaked to the press. Aides note that the Dem plan contained about $300 billion in expansionary measures, while the GOP plan contained... well, see for yourself.

Read more »

Jobs

Republicans Block Key Component Of Obama Jobs Bill

Brian Beutler | November 3, 2011, 3:33PM

Senate Republicans Thursday blocked debate on yet another portion of President Obama's jobs bill -- one that would have provided $60 billion for funding transportation projects, and seeded a new infrastructure bank.

The vote was 51 - 49 with only 2 members of the Dem caucus -- Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) -- joining the GOP.

It was the third test vote on jobs measures Republicans have stymied. In recent weeks they filibustered debate on the whole American Jobs Act, and on legislation that would have provided states $35 billion to hire and retain teachers and emergency responders. All the bills are paid for with tiny surtaxes on income over $1 million.

Read more »

Wisconsin State Legislature

Wisconsin State Assembly Votes For Concealed Guns On The Floor, And In Public Gallery

Eric Kleefeld | November 3, 2011, 2:42PM

The Wisconsin State Assembly Thursday passed a new policy on concealed weapons, allowing for both concealed weapons on the floor, and for members of the public to have concealed guns in the viewing gallery.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Assembly's organization committee approved the policy on a party-line vote of 5-3. At the same time, the committee amended the proposed language to disallow any open carrying of weapons such as rifles.

The Assembly policy differs from that of the state Senate, passed earlier this week in its respective committee. The other chamber allowed lawmakers and others to have guns on the floor, but not visitors in the public gallery.

For both chambers, individual lawmakers who do not want guns in their own offices will be able to post signs notifying citizens that weapons will not be allowed. Elsewhere in the state Capitol, guns will not be allowed in the state Supreme Court hearing room or the Capitol Police station.

Read more »

Grover Norquist

Boehner: Grover Who?!

Brian Beutler | November 3, 2011, 12:04PM

House Speaker John Boehner with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the foreground.

A simple yes or no would have sufficed, but when House Speaker John Boehner was asked whether anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist was a positive influence on his caucus, he feigned ignorance.

"It's not often I'm asked about some random person in America," he said.

The context here is that Republicans are gridlocking the deficit Super Committee because they've pledged publicly never to raise taxes -- a pledge Democrats say they'll have to break to get bipartisan support for cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

Read more »

Unemployment

CHART OF THE DAY: Long Term Unemployment Is A Huge Problem -- Especially If You're Old

Brian Beutler | November 3, 2011, 10:32AM

ildogesto/ Shutterstock

The economy is showing modest signs of improvement, but probably not enough to help the people who've taken the biggest hit: the long-term unemployed.

The number of people who've been out of work for over a year has skyrocketed since the financial crisis and ensuing recession to the point where Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has called it a "national crisis" -- employers are reluctant to hire people who haven't been on the job in months, and after such long stretches peoples' skills deteriorate and they become genuinely less marketable.

How bad is it? Extremely bad -- and even worse if you're old.

Read more »

Super Committee

Not-So-Super Committee? Poll Finds Little Confidence A Deal Will Be Reached

Kyle Leighton | November 3, 2011, 9:30AM

Only a quarter of Americans think that the Super Committee tasked with coming up with a deficit reduction plan for the federal budget will reach a deal, a new Quinnipiac poll shows. 67 percent say that no deal will be reached, which would trigger cuts in the Defense Department and to entitlement programs.

The poll also shows that Americans have less appetite for tax increases as part of the package, which runs counter to a number of findings from the summer. When asked, "From what you know so far, do you think the deficit-reduction proposal should include some increases in tax revenue or should it include only cuts in government spending?" only 39 percent were in favor of any tax increases to offset the debt, while a near majority of 48 percent said that only spending cuts were needed. Independent voters closely mirrored that split.

Read more »

Defense Of Marriage Act

Even After 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' Gay Soldiers Remain Unequal In The Military

Brian Beutler | November 3, 2011, 6:00AM

Paul Kennedy / Shutterstock

Two weeks ago, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) neatly demonstrated the power of retail politics -- and at the same time brought to light a legal conflict that has made the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell a bumpy affair.

Shaheen had intervened on behalf of a constituent named Charlie Morgan -- an openly gay Chief Warrant Officer in the New Hampshire National Guard -- who had just returned from a deployment in Kuwait, only to be forbidden by the military from bringing her spouse Karen to an event aimed at helping families deal with the transition back to life at home.

It's unthinkable that a straight, married service member would have faced this kind of obstacle. But though Don't Ask, Don't Tell had been stricken from the books, and Morgan was allowed to serve openly, the Defense of Marriage Act still allowed the New Hampshire National Guard to deny her spouse authorization to attend the so-called Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.

Shaheen took Morgan's case straight to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the policy was quickly reversed -- the Morgans were allowed to attend Yellow Ribbon event earlier this month.

But the problem isn't limited to reintegration events or the New Hampshire National Guard. It's happening nationwide -- the ripples of an inherent tension between the end of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the continued existence of the Defense of Marriage Act. So advocates, politicians, and service members are handing megaphones to service members and their spouses who have suffered as a result of the conflict, to see the Defense of Marriage Act overturned by the courts or repealed by Congress.

Read more »

Alan Simpson

Super Committee Republicans Get Earful Over Loyalty To Grover Norquist

Brian Beutler | November 2, 2011, 12:30PM

Grover Norquist

While Super Committee Democrats are pressed to accept unpopular, and illiberal proposals like raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 over several years, Republicans are under increasing pressure to cut Grover Norquist loose.

The well-funded anti-tax crusader has secured pledges from the vast majority of Republican members of Congress, including all six GOP members of the Super Committee, to never raise taxes on net. And that's the key reason the panel is deadlocked with just three weeks until its deadline.

Yesterday, at a public hearing, those six Republicans got an earful from one of their former colleagues -- retired Sen. Alan Simpson (R-WY).

Read more »

The Daily Show

Jon Stewart And Condi Rice Talk Arab Spring, Iraq War (VIDEO)

David Taintor | November 2, 2011, 10:15AM

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Jon Stewart

Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stopped by the Daily Show on Tuesday to talk foreign policy with Jon Stewart.

The interview opened on a lighter note, with Stewart inquiring about a song that Libya's former dictator Muammar Qaddafi wrote for her, titled "Black Flower in the White House."

Read more »

Super Committee

CHART OF THE DAY: The GOP's Miniscule Super Committee Tax Offer

Brian Beutler | November 2, 2011, 9:51AM

With perhaps a week before the deficit Super Committee has to submit its proposals to Congressional scorekeepers in order to pass a plan by its late-November deadline, members remain far apart -- and the GOP's refusal to accept new tax revenues is at the heart of the matter.

Republicans would dispute this -- they claim they've been willing to entertain hundreds of billions in new receipts for the government and Democrats aren't serious about truly cutting entitlements programs. But pair the details of their two competing offers -- both of which were leaked to the press in recent days -- and the true source of gridlock becomes completely clear.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities -- no fan of the Democrats' own plan -- paired the numbers properly. CBPP noted that, contrary to standard budgeting, Republicans counted proposed fees, like increases in Medicare premiums, as "revenues," even though such cost shifting isn't a tax change, and is typically considered spending reduction. CBPP also completely hived off $200 billion Republicans claimed would result from the secondary economic effects of their plan, since there's little evidence to back up such "dynamic scoring."

The problem speaks for itself.

Read more »

S.978

Does The Commercial Felony Streaming Act Threaten Internet Freedom?

David Taintor | November 2, 2011, 6:10AM

We all had a laugh last week when pop singer Justin Bieber said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) should be thrown in jail for proposing legislation that would make streaming unlicensed content online a felony. But does the bill actually threaten amateur artists?

After Klobuchar introduced S.978, something of an online frenzy broke out in protest. The website FreeBieber.org claimed Bieber faced up to five years in prison if the bill were to pass. Many have written that Bieber is safe from prosecution. But the reality might be slightly more complicated.

Read more »

Deficit

Super Committee Pressed To Raise Medicare Eligibility Age

Brian Beutler | November 1, 2011, 7:01PM

The Democratic co-chair of President Obama's fiscal commission now says Democrats should entertain an increase in the Medicare eligibility age -- thanks in part to Obama's own health care law.

At a hearing before the deficit Super Committee, former Clinton White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles argued that the Affordable Care Act should allow Democrats to accept raising the Medicare eligibility age, because it creates a system of subsidized, guaranteed private health insurance for people who don't qualify for government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. And he outlined a plan -- framed as a pitch to Democrats -- that would total nearly $4 trillion in deficit reduction over 10 years, including a higher Medicare retirement age.

"As I have thought about it...under the Affordable Health Care Act we provide subsidies for people who have really chronic illnesses and people who have limited incomes so they can afford health care insurance in the private sector," Bowles told the panel during an exchange with Sen. John Kerry (D-MA). "And that didn't exist before the Affordable Health Care Act. That means that people 65, 66, 67 will still be able to get health care insurance. So as I think about it I could support raising the health care age for Medicare since we have other coverage available under the Affordable Health Care Act."

Read more »

Wisconsin State Legislature

Wisconsin Senate Approves Guns On Floor, But Not In Gallery

Eric Kleefeld | November 1, 2011, 6:13PM

The Wisconsin state Senate on Monday approved, through its internal Committee on Senate Organization, a policy that will allow senators and others to carry firearms on the floor -- but in a hint of compromise, spectators will not be able to bring guns into the Senate gallery during floor sessions.

Also, individual lawmakers who do not want guns in their own offices will be able to post signs notifying citizens that weapons will not be allowed.

The rules were passed on Monday, on a party-line 3-2 vote, and then took effect today.

As TPM has previously posted, the policy is a result of the state's new law, passed by the Republican legislature and signed by Gov. Scott Walker, allowing residents to obtain concealed-carry permits.

Read more »

Michael Bloomberg

Bloomberg: Blame Congress For The Mortgage Crisis (VIDEO)

David Taintor | November 1, 2011, 12:30PM

Are you upset? Looking for someone to blame for the mortgage crisis? Blame Congress, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Tuesday morning.

Bloomberg at an Association for a Better New York breakfast -- a New York business organization -- was asked his opinion of the ongoing Occupy Wall Street protests, Capital New York's Azi Paybarah reports. "I hear your complaints," Bloomberg replied, before shifting the conversation to the housing crisis.

Read more »

Rick Perry

CHART OF THE DAY: Rick Perry Proposes A Tax Plan Aimed At The One Percent

Brian Beutler | November 1, 2011, 11:49AM

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R)

Recall that Rick Perry's so-called "flat tax" plan isn't flat at all, but rather an alternative tax system that would constitute a massive tax cut for the rich. For people above a certain income, his plan would be worth opting into, and for the rest of earners, it would make sense to stay in the current tax system.

The Tax Policy Center has posted data neatly illustrating this bug (or feature, depending on your point of view). Here it is in handy graph form.

Read more »

Government Shutdown

Democrats Demand Boehner Avert Government Shutdown Threat

Brian Beutler | November 1, 2011, 10:57AM

Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and the vast majority of House Democrats have signed a letter to Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) pushing him to strip partisan policy riders out of must-pass legislation to fund the government after the money runs out later this month.

Yes, here we go again. House Republicans are advancing appropriations bills loaded with controversial measures that would defund the new health care law, scrap key environmental protections and more.

"As you know, there is longstanding precedent not to use appropriations bills to enact major changes in national policy, and the bills being reported from Appropriations subcommittees this year violate that precedent," wrote Hoyer in a letter signed by 182 other Democrats. "While not all policy riders are objectionable, many of those included this year are not only controversial but blatantly partisan. Included riders would block the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, roll back important clean air and clean water protections, and place new restrictions on women's access to a full range of medical and health services, among others."

Read more »

The Colbert Report

Colbert: Allow Concealed Guns In WI Capitol! (VIDEO)

David Taintor | November 1, 2011, 10:28AM

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert on Monday tipped his hat to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) "for bringing a new freedom to America's dairy land": Guns in the state Capitol.

"Damn straight," Colbert said. "We have a right to bear arms in this country, and, like it or not, Wisconsin is still part of this country."

Read more »

Jobs

Senate Dems Face Major Challenge On Key Part Of Obama Jobs Bill

Brian Beutler | November 1, 2011, 5:55AM

Senate Democrats will continue to force Republicans to filibuster popular pieces of President Obama's jobs bill in the days weeks ahead -- to bolster their narrative that Republicans would rather see the economy fail than help Obama, or raise taxes by even a fraction of a percent on millionaires and billionaires.

But sometime between now and the end of the year, Dems will either have to interrupt their strategy or risk watching as two key provisions that helped bolster the economy this year lapse, and threaten what's already expected to be modest economic growth in 2012.

Read more »

Wisconsin Recalls

Key Wisconsin Republican Opposes Change To Recall Law

Eric Kleefeld | October 31, 2011, 11:24AM

An effort by Wisconsin Republicans to make things harder for Democrats in any potential new state Senate recalls in the coming year appears to be out of the running -- with state Sen. Dale Schultz, a moderate Republican who holds a key swing vote in the 17-16 chamber, announcing that he will vote against the measure.

The Associated Press reports that Schultz will vote against a bill that would make new recalls apply under the newly-redrawn districts -- which were passed as part of a Republican-friendly map, following a GOP takeover of state government in 2010 -- instead of the older districts:

Schultz says he opposes it because he feels voters who elected him should have the say on whether he is recalled.

Read more »