Get this blog via RSSFebruary 19, 2010
Republicans say cap-and-trade would hurt Texas economy
 Senate photo Sen. John Cornyn |
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Dallas, and Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, contend Texas' economy would suffer if the Democratic-led Senate adopts House-passed cap-and-trade legislation.
The legislation is designed to manage air pollution from heat trapping greenhouse gases by setting enforceable industry ceilings on allowable emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants and establishing a marketplace where polluting industries can buy and sell "emissions permits" to cover their output of pollution.
Cornyn said a report by the Texas Public Policy Foundation shows the proposed federal climate change would hit the economy of the Lone Star State.
"Through their rigorous analysis, (the foundation) has confirmed my worst fears about cap-and-trade - indicating it would kill close to 200,000 Texas jobs, raise power bills for the average Texas family by 54 percent and slash our state's economy by up to $40 billion," Cornyn said.
Cornyn vowed to continue his opposition to the measure, which is backed by the Democratic majority in Congress.
The foundation's report estimated Texas economic output would shrink by up to $40 billion by 2030, claiming jobs and slashing disposable income by up to $1,103 for families.
Olson said the cap-and-trade approach would "not only severely increase energy costs for every Texan, but would also devastate the agriculture industry."
Olson said charging polluters for their pollution would boost the cost of food across Texas as well as hike energy costs.
"I will continue to oppose measures like cap-and-trade that do nothing but create an environment of uncertainty for businesses and increase costs on all Americans," Olson said.
 Official photo Rep. Pete Olson |
Olson made his remarks during meetings with local elected officials and members of the agriculture industry to discuss the impacts of proposed carbon cap-and-trade legislation on Texas agriculture.
Jeff Nunley, executive director of the South Texas Cotton & Grain Association, said farmers and ranchers appreciated Olson's focus on climate change legislation that they contend would hurt their industry.
"It's heartening to know that Congressman Olson is engaged on these issues and is working in the interest of producers in his district and the state of Texas," Nunley said in a statement distributed by Olson's office.
Olson cited a report by the conservative Heritage Foundation based in Washington, D.C., that concluded that his Fort Bend County-centered congressional district would lose almost 5,000 jobs by 2012 if the cap-and-trade approach were adopted.
The Heritage study said Olson's congressional district would lose an estimated 3,600 jobs a year each over the next decade if the measure were adopted.
Olson took part in a meeting with farmers and ranchers, as well as State Sen. Joan Huffman, State Rep. Randy Weber, State Rep. John Zerwas, State Rep. Charlie Howard, Mayor Hilmar Moore, City of Richmond, Fort Bend County Farm Bureau, Central Fort Bend Chamber Alliance, Needville Chamber of Commerce, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Fort Bend County, South Texas Cotton & Grain Association, Fort Bend County Rice Task Force, Rosenberg Tractor and the Farm Service Agency.
Posted by stewartpowell at 09:45 AM in Congress (Delegation Watch)
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18th Congressional District candidates speak out: Jarvis Johnson
Texas on the Potomac has offered every candidate in contested congressional primaries an extensive opportunity to weigh in on their qualifications for office and their positions on the major issues facing the district.
The candidates' comments will be published in the order in which they are received.
Today we hear from Democratic candidate Jarvis Johnson:
 Official photo Jarvis Johnson |
Why would you be the best candidate for the House seat?
My candidacy offers a new direction for the people of the 18th Congressional District. The people of the 18th Congressional District need a strong fighter who will be a champion for our seniors and children, build a consensus and bring results back to the community.
Developing new and small businesses is the key to creating jobs for the District. As a member of the Houston City Council, I established a record on creating jobs and I continue to work tirelessly with our city's business and civic leaders to help create business and economic opportunities for our community. I am also the most forceful advocate on behalf of small and minority/women owned businesses and professionals in their effort to win city contracts that create jobs in our community.
My efforts resulted in the "unbundling" of large contracts to allow opportunities for Small and Minority/Women owned businesses to go after and secure city contracts. I'll make it my priority in Congress to recruit businesses within the District to prepare them to compete for federal contracts.
We must put the highest priority on closing the achievement gap, eliminating the drop-out rate and making sure that all the children of the 18th Congressional District get a quality education.
I embrace President Obama's initiative that focuses on early childhood education and investment in K-12 education. The "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act" includes $5 billion for early learning programs, $77 billion for reforms to strengthen elementary and secondary education, and $30 billion to address college affordability and improve access to higher education. I will be aggressive in making sure our federal dollars are brought back to students and schools in the 18th Congressional District.
It is inexcusable for the 18th Congressional District to be among the nation's leaders of having the most residents without access to affordable health care in a community that neighbors the Texas Medical Center. We need a greater sense of moral leadership on this very critical issue. I'll utilize my experience to get more residents the health care they deserve and access to the best treatment facilities in the area. Our leadership has allowed the big insurance companies to dictate to the residents of the Eighteenth Congressional District who can have access to health care. I will do all that I can to ensure that Washington hears the voice of my constituents on this issue.
How would you describe your political philosophy?
I believe in the core values of the Democratic Party- protecting the interests of working class families; fighting for equal opportunities and equal justice for all Americans; maintaining the constitutional rights and liberties of all Americans. I also believe that small businesses are the driving force of our nation and that they are the key to our market success. Finally, I believe that corporations should be treated the same as individuals in that they have the same social responsibility to their employees and neighbors that we expect of the individual citizen.
What are the most important steps you would take to produce jobs in the district and the country?
Small businesses are responsible for 70% of all new jobs that are being created. We need to support policies and incentives that allow for their growth. I'll be aggressive in making sure the District's small and minority/women owned businesses are accessing federal contracts. I'll hire an economic development specialist in my office. We will work with the Greater Houston Partnership, local chambers of commerce, educational institutions, and local governments to put forward strategies on how we can attract and/or develop new businesses in the district with a focus on marketing the District's abundance of affordable undeveloped land that can attract green industries.
What would you do to reduce or eliminate the federal deficit?
I will support policies that foster business and job growth and that in turn will create new tax revenue that helps reduce the deficit. I would support the President on the creation of a Bipartisan Budget Deficit Commission.
What are your top priorities in fighting international terrorism?
I support the President's policies in Afghanistan and Iraq to fight and defeat Al-Qaida. I support funding for security enhancements for our airports and ports. I support better coordination between all federal agencies and departments with national security functions. We should make available resources to nation partners that are cooperating in the war against terrorism. We should also make sure the local law enforcements agencies are cooperating and working with state and federal law enforcement agencies and sharing valuable information.
Do you favor full funding for the Constellation program or should NASA use the money for other priorities?
I would work with the local congressional delegation on a strategy to dialogue with The White House on continued funding of the Constellation program. I would encourage the creation of local bipartisan task force made up of prominent Houstonians to work with the local congressional delegation on this issue.
Do you favor comprehensive immigration reform? If not, what would you do to fix the broken immigration system?
I favor comprehensive reform that includes enacting the provisions of the DREAM Act, a pathway to citizenship and legal status for the millions of those that are undocumented that have been productive residents; and border security that includes cooperation and coordination with the various local government agencies.
Posted by Tom McIlroy at 07:40 AM in Texas politics
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News links: Small plane crashes into Austin building
Welcome to the Texas on the Potomac news links. We will offer Texas links, "Potomac" links for Washington stories and a sampling of the best Texas political blogs. Please feel free to e-mail us with link suggestions.
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Texas Links
Small plane crashes into Austin building. The Houston Chronicle>>>
More of Shami's campaign staffers quit, citing 'strategic differences.' The Dallas Morning News>>>
Galveston hopes post-Ike Census won't cost funding. The Associated Press>>>
Texan free to return to US after detention in Haiti. The Amarillo Globe-News>>>
Potomac Links
Obama keeps all-Democratic health care option open. The Associated Press>>>
Fed raises interest rate that it charges banks. The New York Times>>>
Nancy Pelosi goes on offense. Politico>>>
House announces bipartisan effort to rewrite No Child law. The Washington Post>>>
Texas Blogs
Dick Armey, at CPAC, calls Obama a self-righteous ideologue. The Dallas Morning News>>>
Early voting surges for GOP. The Austin American-Statesman>>>
Examiner: Findings from Sharon Keller misconduct case left too much unsaid. Grits for Breakfast>>>
Informed Consent By Conference Call? The Texas Tribune>>>
Posted by Katie Brandenburg at 06:30 AM in News links
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Today in Texas History: Texas state government installed
 Texas Senate photo The Texas State Capitol in Austin. The Texas state government was installed in 1846. |
On this date in 1846, the Texas state government was officially installed in Austin, with Democrat J. Pinckney Henderson being sworn in as the state's first governor.
Following Texas' annexation by the United States, the government of the sovereign Republic of Texas transferred its power to the newly-formed state. The Republic of Texas had been established in 1836 as a break-away republic from Mexico after the Texas Revolution.
The nation had included all of the land that is present-day Texas, as well as land in what is now Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming.
Congress passed a bill on Feb. 28, 1845, signed by President John Tyler, that would allow the U.S. to annex Texas. Texas President Anson Jones put the United States' offer to a vote, and a majority of the people in the Republic approved of it.
Though the formal transfer of power did not occur until Feb. 19, 1846, Texas officially became a state on Dec. 29, 1845.
As an incentive for annexation, the U.S. offered to pay for Texas' enormous debt. In return, the areas belonging to the Republic of Texas that are parts of present-day other states were ceded to the federal government.
The Texas Constitution was not adopted until 1876, but it is the second-oldest constitution still in effect.
Posted by Hailey Branson at 05:30 AM in Today in Texas History
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February 18, 2010
Where are they now? From Dick Armey to Charlie Wilson (RIP)
Texas on the Potomac gives you the latest in our series updating you on the lives of Texans who have played important roles in Washington. Former Dallas mayor and Texas congressman Steve Bartlett joined a long and diverse list of Texans we've profiled. As a service to our readers, Texas on the Potomac is compiling all of its past "Where Are They Now?" features. Please send us your suggestions for future segments.
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Archer, Bill
Armey, Dick
Armey, Dick (updated)
Barnes, Ben
Bartlett, Dan
Bartlett, Steve
Bell, Chris
Bentsen Jr., Ken
Bonilla, Henry
Brooks, Jack
Brown, Lee P.
Bush, George H.W.
Bush, Jeb
Carl, Carlton
Carpenter, Liz
Cavazos, Lauro
Chavez-Thompson, Linda
Cisneros, Henry
Combest, Larry
DeLay, Tom
Ervin, Clark
Fields, Jack
Friedman, Kinky
Frost, Martin
Gonzales, Alberto
Gonzales, Alberto (Updated)
Gottesman, Blake
Gramm, Phil
Hance, Kent
Hawkins, Albert
Herring, Joanne
Hightower, Jim
Hughes, Karen
Hughes, Karen (Updated)
Krueger, Robert
Laughlin, Greg
Mattox, Jim (RIP)
McClellan, Mark
McClellan, Scott
McClellan, Scott (Updated)
McKinnon, Mark
Miers, Harriet
Mosbacher Jr., Robert
Mosbacher Sr., Robert (RIP)
O'Connor, Sandra Day
Paige, Rod
Peña, Frederico
Perot, Ross
Roussel, Peter
Rove, Karl
Sessions, William
Stenholm, Charlie
Stockman, Steve
Sullivan, Kevin
Washington, Craig
Wilson, Charlie (RIP)
Wilson, Charlie (a personal appreciation by Richard S. Dunham)
Wilson, Charlie (a photo gallery)
Wright, Jim
Posted by Tom McIlroy at 08:23 PM in Where are they now?
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White House statement on Austin plane crash
 Photo by Richard S. Dunham White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs |
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs just released a statement about the airplane attack on a building housing Internal Revenue Service offices:
"Shortly after the plane crash in Austin, Texas, John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, informed President Obama of the incident. The President expressed his concern, commended the courageous actions of the first responders and asked to be kept up to date as the investigation moves forward."
Posted by Richard Dunham at 05:19 PM in Breaking news, White House
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'Government' at center of Austin pilot's rage
Wordle.com has compiled a "word cloud" of the manifesto apparently written by the man who owned a small plane that slammed into a seven-story office building in northwest Austin that houses some Internal Revenue Service offices. Click on the cloud to see a larger version of the "word cloud" produced from Joseph Andrew Stack's web site.
Among the key words in the cloud: government, big, tax, people, get, years and time. Take a look and decide for yourself.
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Posted by Richard Dunham at 03:45 PM in Breaking news
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Army identifies Texas casualties in Afghanistan and Kuwait
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Texas on the Potomac is dedicated to remembering every Texan or Texas-based member of the Armed Forces to die in Iraq or Afghanistan. Here is the latest report:
The Pentagon today announced the death of two Texas service members in Afghanistan and Kuwait.
According to the Pentagon, Spc. Bobby J. Pagan, 23, of Austin died Feb. 13 in Zhari province "of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device."
Spc. Pagan was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.
The Department of Defense also announced the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Petty Officer 1st Class Sean L. Caughman, 43, of Fort Worth died Feb. 16, while supporting operations in Kuwait.
Caughman was assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Twenty-Two.
Posted by Tom McIlroy at 03:11 PM in Military (Pentagon Watch)
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Where Are They Now? Steve Bartlett
 Steve Bartlett |
Texas on the Potomac: Harry Steven "Steve" Bartlett
Age: 63
Texas Hometown: Lockhart
Early Life and Education: Born in Los Angeles, Calif., on September 19, 1947.
Bartlett grew up on a farm in Lockhart, Texas and later attended the University of Texas at Austin, earning his business degree in 1971. In 1976 he began a successful career in business, founding Meridian Products Corporation, a Texas-based manufacturer of injection-molded plastics.
Bartlett later returned to his alma mater, serving as adjunct professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.
Public Life: Bartlett's first role in public office was service on the Dallas City Council between 1977 and 1981.
Bartlett was elected to Congress in 1983, serving as a U.S. Representative for Texas's 3rd District until his resignation in 1991 to run for mayor of Dallas.
Bartlett held a number of positions while in Congress. He served on the House Banking Committee, pursuing causes including financial modernization and mortgage security. He served as a Deputy Whip and was a sponsor or principal cosponsor of 18 major pieces of legislation, including the FHA deregulation, Fair Labor Standards Act Reforms, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Bartlett was elected Dallas mayor and held the post until retiring in 1995.
Bartlett's major achievements as mayor include a reduction of violent crime in the city, the adoption of a $5 billion capital improvements plan and the building of as many as 30,000 new residential units for residents of downtown Dallas.
Why He Left Public Office: Bartlett decided not to run for a second term as Mayor of Dallas and instead returned to the private sector.
He was succeeded as Mayor of Dallas by Ron Kirk, who now serves as U.S. Trade Representative.
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Where He Is Now: Since June 1999, Bartlett has worked as president and CEO of The Financial Services Roundtable in Washington DC.
The Roundtable is made up of a diverse membership of 100 select companies including big names such as including Wells Fargo and J. P. Morgan Chase.
In addition to his responsibilities at The Financial Services Roundtable, Steve Bartlett is a member of a number of boards of directors, including Centene Corporation, BIPAC and Easter Seals of Greater Washington.
In 2001 he served on the President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education.
Bartlett is married to Gail Coke Bartlett. The Bartletts have three children and three grandchildren.
Fun Fact: Bartlett is a former "Best Dad Award" recipient from the NF Foundation.
Posted by Tom McIlroy at 12:57 PM in Where are they now?
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Ron Paul: Are U.S. taxpayers bailing out Greece?
Texas on the Potomac regularly features guest commentary from across the political spectrum. Today, we feature Rep. Ron Paul's latest "Texas Straight Talk" column. To view Rep. Paul's other columns on his congressional web site, click here target.
 Chronicle photo by Richard S. Dunham Rep. Ron Paul |
Last week we were reminded that ours is not the only country suffering from severe economic turmoil. The Greek government is the latest to come close to default on their massive public debt. Greece has insufficient funds in their treasury to make even the minimum payments that are now coming due. Their debt level is about 120 percent of their gross domestic product and their public sector absorbs what amounts to 40 percent of GDP. Any talk of cutting costs and spending is met with violent protests from the many Greeks heavily dependent on government payments. Mounting fears of default have sent shock waves through their creditors and all of the eurozone countries.
But there have been statements made by the European Central Bank to calm fears and give assurances that Greece will get the aid it needs. Details of agreements are not forthcoming.
Is it possible that our Federal Reserve has had some hand in bailing out Greece? The fact is, we don't know, and current laws exempt agreements between the Fed and foreign central banks from disclosure or audit.
Greece is only the latest in a series of countries that have faced this type of crisis in recent memory. Not too long ago the same types of fears were mounting about Dubai, and before that, Iceland. Several other countries (Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Latvia) are approaching crisis levels with public debt as well. Many have strong ties to Goldman Sachs and the case could easily be made that default could have serious implications for big US banking cartels.
Considering the ties between the Fed and these big banks, it is not outlandish to wonder if the US taxpayer is secretly bailing out the entire world, country by country, even as our real unemployment tops 20 percent. Unless laws are changed to allow a complete and meaningful audit of the Federal Reserve, including its agreements with foreign central banks, we might never know if this is occurring or not.
This global financial crisis is a predictable result of secretive central banking and unsound fiat currency.
Continue reading "Ron Paul: Are U.S. taxpayers bailing out Greece?"
Posted by Richard Dunham at 10:30 AM in Guest Blog, Ron Paul
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Poll: 30% of Texans believe humans and dinosaurs lived together
Texas on the Potomac is pleased to share some of the most interesting content from the Texas Tribune. This story was written by Ross Ramsey.
 SDNHM, AP photos Supporters of Gov. Rick Perry were more likely than any other group to believe that dinosaurs and humans roamed the earth together ten millennia ago. |
Nearly a third of Texans believe humans and dinosaurs roamed the earth at the same time — and more than half disagree with the theory that humans developed from earlier species of animals — according to the University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll.
The differences in beliefs about evolution and the length of time that living things have existed on earth are reflected in the political and religious preference of our respondents, who were asked four questions about biological history and God:
 Texas Tribune graphic by Jacob Villanueva |
• 38 percent said human beings developed over millions of years with God guiding the process and another 12 percent said that development happened without God having any part of the process. Another 38 percent agreed with the statement "God created human beings pretty much in their present form about 10,000 years ago."
• Asked about the origin and development of life on earth without injecting humans into the discussion, and 53 percent said it evolved over time, "with a guiding hand from God." They were joined by 15 percent who agreed on the evolution part, but "with no guidance from God." About a fifth — 22 percent -- said life has existed in its present form since the beginning of time.
• Most of the Texans in the survey — 51 percent — disagree with the statement, "human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals." Thirty-five percent agreed with that statement, and 15 percent said they don't know.
• Did humans live at the same time as the dinosaurs? Three in ten Texas voters agree with that statement; 41 percent disagree, and 30 percent don't know.
Continue reading "Poll: 30% of Texans believe humans and dinosaurs lived together"
Posted by Richard Dunham at 08:00 AM in Polling (Vox Populi), Texana/Travel/Entertainment
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News links: Shami campaign aides call it quits
Welcome to the Texas on the Potomac news links. We will offer Texas links, "Potomac" links for Washington stories and a sampling of the best Texas political blogs. Please feel free to e-mail us with link suggestions.
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Texas Links
Texas attorney general fighting divorce of same-sex couple. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram>>>
Agency budget cuts small in face of Texas' gaping shortfall. The Dallas Morning News>>>
Haiti judge says 8 of 10 missionaries to be freed. The Amarillo Globe-News>>>
Texas inmate set to die next week wins reprieve. The Austin American-Statesman>>>
Potomac Links
Obama starts push to cast stimulus bill as a success. The New York Times>>>
Campaign finance ruling panned. The Washington Post>>>
Sarah Palin to tea parties: Pick a side. Politico>>>
Federal deficit at $430.69 billion through January. The Associated Press>>>
Texas Blogs
Scalia: States have "no right to secede." The Fort Worth Star-Telegram>>>
Shami campaign aides call it quits. The Houston Chronicle>>>
Radnofsky responds to Abbott's EPA challenge. The Dallas Morning News>>>
Hays County Tea Party Candidates Illustrate Growing GOP Divide. Burnt Orange Report>>>
Posted by Katie Brandenburg at 06:30 AM in News links
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Today in Texas History: Fort St. Louis established
On this date in 1685, Fort St. Louis was established at Matagorda Bay by a French explorer who claimed the land that became Texas for the king of France.
 Texas Historical Commission A reconstructed drawing ot the ill-fated Fort St. Louis |
Robert de La Salle built the frontier fort near what is currently Inez, Texas. It was a small unit, consisting of one wooden house made from ship wood, a few small huts and a wooden fence.
Fort St. Louis was seen by the rulers of Spain to be an encroachment on land that was the territory of New Spain. By 1689, the Spanish had destroyed what was left of the fort, after Karankawa Indians killed all of the French settlers (except for children) and demolished their dwelling. The Spanish took the children from the Indians.
Spain reclaimed the area, which is now an archaeological site. French cannons buried by the Spanish, as well as Spanish-dug graves for the killed French settlers, were discovered in the 1990s.
Posted by Hailey Branson at 06:00 AM in Today in Texas History
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February 17, 2010
Pollster: Attitudes have changed 'very substantially' on gays in the military
A leading Democratic pollster predicted Wednesday that the impending repeal of the U.S. military's controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy will foment very little public opposition.
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The reason, Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg said, is a dramatic shift in public attitudes in the 17 years since then-President Clinton adopted the policy requiring gay military personnel to remain closeted or face expulsion.
"Attitudes have moved very substantially ... from where they were in 1993," Greenberg told a meeting with reporters hosted by the Christian Science Monitor.
Greenberg cited a poll released today by the liberal Center for American Progress that found just 35 percent of the American public supports the current Pentagon rule while 54 percent wants it repealed.
"I think it's kind of an open and shut case in the court of public opinion," said Ruy Texiera, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.
Greenberg, who was Clinton's pollster when "don't ask, don't tell" was implemented, has said in the past that the policy played a part in the 1994 GOP takeover of Congress. But he said a massive change in public opinion had taken place in the intervening years.
"The country is in an impressive place," said Greenberg. "There is no other issue that I've seen that is less polarizing — it's so improbable."
Posted by Tom McIlroy at 05:04 PM in Military (Pentagon Watch), Polling (Vox Populi)
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Helen Thomas: Obama's impossible dream... bipartisanship
Enough already. President Obama's admirable quest for bipartisanship is a voice crying in the wilderness.
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Oh yes, he has another chance at bat when he hosts a summit meeting Feb. 25 at Blair House, the president's guest house across the street from the White House.
He has invited the leaders of both parties to the televised meeting designed to ``jump start'' the discussion about health care reform.
Obama said he does not want the talks to devolve into political theater. "I want a substantive discussion," he said.
The summit follows Obama's televised sparring with House Republicans at their retreat in Baltimore last month. Many Democrats believe Obama succeeded for the first time in months in making his case to the public.
If they play true to form, the Republicans will continue to buck every proposal with a Democratic tag on it. Since Obama took office the-not-so loyal opposition has said ``no'' to every Democratic legislative initiative. They walk in lockstep.
Apparently, Republicans think they have the Democrats on the run because of the election of Republican Sen. Scott Brown to fill the seat held by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts. It's easy to overstate the significance of Brown's victory if one ignores the historical trend that the party in power almost always loses seats in midterm elections.
As shown by recent polls there is no question Obama has lost some popular ground because he has been making tough decisions — the difference he has found between campaigning and governing.
Some critics have contended that it was a mistake for the president to emphasize health reform instead of jobs creation in view of the nearly 10 percent unemployment rate. Obama now has made jobs the main focus of the administration.
At the same time, Americans are having a hard time defining Obama's politics. He has caved on many issues in pursuit of his goal of pleasing all factions. He could be called ``the great compromiser`` but the Republicans apparently see his attempts to get along as a weakness, an Achilles heel that they want to exploit.
The president gave away his needed leadership in the health reform debate by catering to Congress to draft the main framework, hoping to avoid Hillary Clinton's big mistake in bypassing Capitol Hill in her failed 1993 blueprint for universal health care.
In my opinion, Obama blew it big time when he refused to fight for a single payer program like Social Security and Medicare — essential government programs — to meet the needs of a reported 31 million uninsured Americans.
The insurance companies poured millions into a campaign against almost any reform for fear that they might lose their power to charge high premiums. And they have won.
As a result of his non-support of a government health plan, Obama disappointed liberals in his party. So he faces solid Republican opposition without solid Democratic support. That's a bad combination.
Posted by Helen Thomas at 03:02 PM in Helen Thomas
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Lawmakers react to the stimulus plan one year later
Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, tells Fox News that President Obama is selling "pet rocks" with an economic plan that the public believes has failed.
Here are reactions to the one-year anniversary of the stimulus package from members of the Texas congressional delegation, the White House and House leaders:
The first to respond: Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands
"We were told the stimulus would jump start the economy, lower unemployment and restore consumer confidence. Well here we are a year later and we have lost 4 million jobs and our unemployment has skyrocketed."
"The only new jobs we have to show for the hundreds of borrowed billions spent are more government bureaucrat positions, not private sector jobs. There was more money in the stimulus devoted to buying public artwork than in helping small businesses and that's the opposite direction we should be heading."
Brady is calling for unspent funds to be returned to the treasury.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-San Antonio
The Obama administration promised the American people that their $1.1 trillion stimulus bill would keep unemployment below 8 percent, create millions of jobs and jumpstart the economy. One year and hundreds of billions of dollars later unemployment is near double digits, nearly four million Americans have lost their jobs and just 6 percent of Americans believe that the stimulus has actually created jobs. Regardless of these facts the administration still claims that the program has been a success and the American people just don't 'realize it.' This disconnect — along with policies that spend too much, tax too much and borrow too much — explains the credibility problem the Obama administration has with the American people."
Rep. Ted Poe, R-Humble
"The American people don't have to look any further than their own pocket to see that the stimulus is not working. Since the so-called stimulus passed, jobs have been lost in 49 out of 50 states and the unemployment rate has risen in 48 out of 50 states — I don't care how many billboards they put up, this is not a success story."
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin
"Three million more people out of work and nearly a trillion dollars squandered. By any measure the stimulus has failed. This is no anniversary to celebrate and the latest forecast from the White House looks just as bleak showing unemployment rates through 2013 remaining as much as 50 percent higher than the Democrats' original predictions. The stimulus is proof that we cannot spend our way to prosperity. Jobs are created when we cut taxes on small businesses. The economy grows when families hang onto their money to spend the way they see fit. I voted against the stimulus because it was filled with pork, only 17 percent of the $1 trillion provided new tax relief and less than 10 percent provided new roads and bridges. Nearly a third went to entitlement programs. Maybe now the Democrats will consider our common sense solutions."
Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land
"One year ago today President Obama called signing the stimulus bill into law, 'the beginning of the end' of economic recovery. Sadly, one year later, a $787 billion bill has increased in cost to $862 billion and unemployment still hovers just below 10 percent. I believed then, and have been proven correct, that increased government spending does not lead to economic recovery. It's a lesson we must keep in mind as the administration and congressional leadership want to do more of the same.
"In this time, over 3 million jobs have been lost, billions of dollars have been wasted and our children are facing the very real possibility of a lower quality of life than we have now. That has never happened in our nation's history and it cannot happen now. We must work together in Congress to rein in spending and provide a climate of certainty for the true job creators in America <—> our small businesses. True economic growth will come when we start over on health care reform and scrap the national energy tax called cap-and-trade."
Rep. Al Green, D-Houston
"The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) allowed Texas to save and create jobs, fund valuable programs to train our workforce, support unemployment compensation and granted one of the largest tax cuts in American history.
"Our state has also benefited from ARRA funds to implement much needed job placement programs for disadvantaged populations in the Gulf Coast region, as well as for war veterans. Although the ARRA has not been a panacea, it has produced the genesis of economic stability and prevented a great recession from becoming a great depression."
Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., Chairman of the House Appropriations Committe
"The Recovery Act is providing the largest middle class tax cut in history — with $288 billion in total tax relief. It's keeping teachers, firefighters, and cops on the job. And it's making crucial investments in Wisconsin's and the nation's future that should help spur job growth for years to come."
"There's no question that we've got a long way to go — but it's clear that the recovery act has helped pull the economy back from the brink and it has softened the landing. We've heard all the political snipping and garbage — but all of that doesn't create one job. We should all be working together to create the middle class jobs that Wisconsin and this country need."
The White House
One year in, the Recovery Act is at work across the country creating jobs and driving economic growth. From major highway projects to green retrofits of military facilities and manufacturing of advanced batteries, more than 55,000 projects across the country have now been funded through the Recovery Act. This is in addition to the nearly $120 billion in tax relief already provided to American families and businesses — with more to come this year — and the billions of dollars in relief provided to shore up state and local government programs like Medicaid and education facing severe budget shortfalls.
Read our Texas on the Potomac guest blog from Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston, about the stimulus plan.
Posted by Katie Brandenburg at 01:00 PM in Congress (Delegation Watch)
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Culberson: One year later, stimulus = higher unemployment, record deficits
 Congressional photo Rep. John Culberson |
Texas on the Potomac welcomes guest opinions from across the political spectrum. Today, we feature a guest blog from Rep. John Culberson, R-Houston.
A year ago today, President Obama signed a $787 billion spending bill into law. This massive piece of legislation was crammed through Congress with zero transparency and was brought to a vote just 15 hours after being drafted in the dead of night - hardly enough time for anyone to read the bill. President Obama and Speaker Pelosi told us the so-called "stimulus" package was intended to create jobs and keep the unemployment rate below 8percent.
A year later, unemployment stands at nearly 10 percent, we have record high deficits, record high spending levels and our national debt currently stands at $12.3 trillion. Americans are demanding to know: Are we better off?
So here we are, one year later, and I join my fellow citizens in asking: Where are the jobs President Obama promised? It's time to get serious about job creation by cutting income taxes and payroll taxes, and removing barriers to domestic productivity. Most importantly, we need to stop spending money we don't have and leaving our children and grandchildren holding the bill.
This one year anniversary of the failed stimulus package is a fitting reminder of the liberal majority's allegiance to deficit spending. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, they still seem to think that throwing money at a problem will make it go away.
Posted by Richard Dunham at 10:37 AM in Congress (Delegation Watch), Guest Blog, John Culberson
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