Health Care

Pro Health Care Group Targets GOP Freshmen For Repeal Vote (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | January 20, 2011, 9:30AM

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Barack Obama

That didn't take long.

Moments after House Republicans (and three Democrats) voted to repeal President Obama's health care law, TV ads went live in the districts of three GOP freshmen in contested districts to knock them for that vote.

The ads target Reps. Jim Renacci (R-OH), who ousted John Boccieri in November, Jon Runyan (R-NJ) who knocked off John Adler, and Tim Walberg (R-MI), who defeated Mark Schauer.

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NJ-03

GOPer Runyan Admits He Hasn't Read Health Care Bill Either

Eric Kleefeld | October 28, 2010, 11:21AM

NJ-03 House candidate Jon Runyan (R)

Jon Runyan, the former pro football player and now Republican candidate for the House against freshman Rep. John Adler (D-NJ), had a fun exchange at a debate Tuesday night. He says members of Congress should read all the bills they pass; he wants to fully repeal the health care reform bill; and, it turns out, he hasn't read the health care bill.

Adler shot this at his Republican opponent: "Respectfully Jon, I'm not sure you've ever read one bill in Congress ever, not one."

"Well I'm not in Congress," Runyan responded.

Runyan went on to explain further: "I've read several bills. If you're gonna pass a piece of legislation, you should be able to walk out on the street and hand it to the first person you see. They should be able to read and understand that."

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NJ-03

GOPer Runyan Lists Dred Scott As Recent SCOTUS Decision He Disagrees With (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | October 20, 2010, 12:07PM

NJ-03 House candidate Jon Runyan (R)

Jon Runyan, a former pro football player and now the Republican nominee against freshman Rep. John Adler (D-NJ), has added his voice to the recent constitutional jurisprudence of GOP candidates -- listing the 1857 Dred Scott v. Sanford Supreme Court decision as a recent case that he disagreed with.

As the Asbury Park Press reports, from a debate last night:

"Jon, it's a different branch of government, but can you give me an example from the last 10 or 15 years of a Supreme Court decision in which you strongly disagree?" Adler asked.

"That I strongly disagree with?" Runyan asked, pausing for a moment to consider the question. "Dred Scott."

There was some laughter in the audience.

Adler then asked the question again, pointing out that he asked for decisions in the previous 10-15 years. Runyan was reportedly unable to give an answer.

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2010 elections

Tea Party Fakers? Dems Blamed For Co-Opting 'Tea Party' Label To Split Conservative Vote

Evan McMorris-Santoro | September 27, 2010, 8:22AM

At a tea party rally.

In many ways, 2010 will be the Year of the Tea Party. The angry conservative movement has bumped off a number of moderate and establishment Republicans in the primary season, packed huge rallies across the country and provided most of the best drama of the political year. But the success and prominence of the tea party movement has led to another trend: across the country, Democrats have been accused of helping get phony "Tea Party" candidates on the ballot in competitive races, in an attempt to split the vote between the Republican and fake "Tea Party" nominee so the Dem can cruise to victory.

It all made a lot of sense at the start. Back at the beginning of 2010, the tea party movement was showing real signs of splitting off into a separate political party. This was before the tea partiers set their sights on remaking the GOP with Senate nominees like Sharron Angle, Ken Buck and Christine O'Donnell, and, in turn, the GOP embraced the movement with both arms. A few clever Democratic activists, it appears, set about to take advantage of the schism between the GOP and tea party.

Evidence of the alleged plan has popped up in Florida, Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania this year. Time will tell how successful it's been, but so far it's had very little effect.

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Bush Tax Cuts

44 House Dems Press Pelosi For More Tax Cuts For The Wealthy

Brian Beutler | September 23, 2010, 1:00PM

Rep. John Adler (D-NJ)

The hits just keep coming.

As TPM first reported last week, Rep. John Adler (D-NJ) has been rounding up signatures on a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, urging her to extend more than just the upper-income Bush tax cuts, passed in 2001. In addition, Adler and his crew want to extend the 15 percent rate on capital gains and dividend taxes, created by the 2003 Bush tax cuts. Other media outlets have since picked up on the story, and now Adler's effort is gaining steam.

A source sent over a list of 44 Democrats that Adler's office claims have signed on to the letter. That would be enough to tip the balance if these tax cuts come up for a vote before the end of this Congress. Pelosi has a great deal of discretion over whether that happens but, as we've seen today, the Democratic party doesn't have an overwhelming desire to take a stand on letting any of Bush's tax cuts expire.

A full list of the 44 members is below the fold. The signing deadline is tomorrow.

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Bush Tax Cuts

GOP Presses Pelosi For Extension Of Even More Bush Tax Cuts

Brian Beutler | September 22, 2010, 9:41AM

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA)

It's no secret that Republicans are pressing for a full extension of President Bush's 2001 tax cuts -- including income tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. But they are now also including a push for a different set of Bush tax cuts -- passed in 2003 -- on capital gains and dividends.

The office of Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) is seeking signatures on a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- obtained by TPM -- asking for a full extension of both sets of tax cuts.

"We are writing to request the House consider legislation providing an up-or-down vote to extend the expiring provisions in The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (P.L.#107-16) and The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (P.L.#108-27)," the letter reads.

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Bush Tax Cuts

Democratic House Member Presses Pelosi For More Tax Cuts For Wealthy

Brian Beutler | September 17, 2010, 9:36AM

Rep. John Adler (D-NJ)

A House Democrat is petitioning House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to extend even more tax cuts to wealthy people.

Rep. John Adler (D-NJ) is seeking signatures to a letter to Democratic leadership asking them to extend dividends and capital gains tax rates -- the other Bush tax cuts, passed in 2003 and set to expire at the end of the year.

The text of the draft, obtained by TPM, argues that freezing dividend and capital gains tax rates will benefit seniors, middle class households, and businesses.

"[W]e strongly believe that Congress should extend the current tax rates for dividend and long-term capital gains taxes," Adler writes.

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