TPMDC Charles Boustany
GOP Shadow Budget
Love It, Lukewarm Or Playing Coy? TPMDC Tracks GOP On Ryan's Roadmap Budget
Christina Bellantoni | March 2, 2010, 12:47PM
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)
Republicans have spent weeks sidestepping whether they back a top GOPer's budget "roadmap" plan which includes major cuts to entitlement programs to end the deficit.
We've been trying to pin down whether House Republicans support Social Security cuts and the proposal for creating a voucher system for Medicare as outlined in Rep. Paul Ryan's budget "roadmap."
Will they go on the record supporting deeply unpopular cuts in an effort to claim the mantle of fiscal responsibility heading into the midterm elections this fall? Will they run away from the idea and put forward the broad, non-specific measure they presented as the GOP alternative budget in 2009?
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (2) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Charles Boustany, Darrell Issa, GOP Shadow Budget, House Republicans, Medicare, Paul Ryan, Social Security, Steve King
Charles Boustany
Boustany: We Agree with 80 Percent of Obama's Plan, which Should Be Scrapped
Brian Beutler | September 10, 2009, 3:06PM
Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA)
Maybe President Obama's health care speech yesterday did have an impact on Republicans. For instance, earlier this afternoon, Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) told MSNBC "of course there's common ground. There is plenty of common ground."
"In fact," he said, "I would venture to say that we agree on about 80% of the issues right now. It's just a matter of hashing out those few areas where we disagree, but there's really not been that kind of real discussion, and it needs to happen."
That's downright Obama-esque language right there.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (13) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Barack Obama, Charles Boustany, Health Care, Republicans
Birth Certificate
Birther to Give GOP Response to Obama's Health Care Speech?
Brian Beutler | September 9, 2009, 10:38AM
The official response to President Obama's big health care speech tonight will come from Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA). That makes sense on some levels--Boustany is a fairly senior member on the House Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over health care, and, in a previous life, he was a practicing cardiac surgeon. But on another level, it's a very questionable move. Several weeks ago, Boustany had a run-in with Mike Stark of Firedoglake. Fast forward about 27 seconds in.
Stark asks, "What do you personally believe though, I mean, do you think there's a question here [about Obama's birth certificate]?
Boustany's response? "I think there are questions. We'll have to see."
That's not the birtheriest statement we've seen out of an elected official, but it at least rises to the level of flirtation with birtherism. An interesting choice to be the new face of GOP opposition to health care reform. Boustany's making the rounds on cable this morning. Let's see if anybody asks him about this.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (7) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (2)Topics: Barack Obama, Birth Certificate, Charles Boustany, Health Care, House of Representatives, Republicans
Charles Boustany
Boustany, Who Has Backed End-of-Life Counseling, To Deliver GOP Response To Obama
Eric Kleefeld | September 8, 2009, 11:56AM
Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA)
Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA), a three-term Congressman and medical doctor, will be giving the Republican response to President Obama's address on health care tomorrow night, George Stephanopoulos reports.
Greg Sargent reports that the speech will utilize the standard Republican talking points in this area -- that Democrats are refusing to work with Republicans, and that they'll put government bureaucrats between you and your doctor.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS (11) | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Charles Boustany, Death Panels, Health Care
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