Democrats

Did the Administration Pressure a General to Change Testimony?

Mark Noonan3 Comments

From the Daily Beast:

…The four-star Air Force general who oversees U.S. Space Command walked into a highly secured room on Capitol Hill a week ago to give a classified briefing to lawmakers and staff, and dropped a surprise. Pressed by members, Gen. William Shelton said the White House tried to pressure him to change his testimony to make it more favorable to a company tied to a large Democratic donor.

The episode—confirmed by The Daily Beast in interviews with administration officials and the chairman of a congressional oversight committee—is the latest in a string of incidents that have given Republicans sudden fodder for questions about whether the Obama administration is politically interfering in routine government matters that affect donors or fundraisers. Already, the FBI and a House committee are investigating a federal loan guarantee to a now failed solar firm called Solyndra that is tied to a large Obama fundraiser…

There are two questions we need to have answered, over all:

1.  Has government policy been for sale?  Did the Administration set things up so that their donors and cronies would get the government swag regardless of the needs of the nation?

2.  If so, then what did the President know, and when did he know it?

Yes that second question is the “Watergate/impeachment” question.  And we need both questions answered.  We already see in the preliminary stages of the growing Solyndra scandal that Obama’s people would ensure that donors got special treatment…now we need to know, further, if outright lies were sought or presented by the Administration to ensure their cronies got government largesse.  Once we find that out, we then need to know if President Obama was aware of it, and when he became aware.  The answers to these questions will tell us if we’ve just got some rather routine government back scratching, or if we’ve got a government which has put the United States up for sale to the highest donor.

Will Obama Quit?

Mark Noonan15 Comments

PJ Tatler has a run down on the growing rumors that Obama  may quit – pull an LBJ and back out of running in 2012.  I don’t think this will happen.

First off, the only people on the Democrat side who might suggest this – Lieberman, Bayh, etc – are not the sort of people Obama will listen to.  Locked in to his array of sycophants, Obama is not about to allow some outsider to tell him that the game is over and its time to go home.  I can very much see some sensible Democrats wanting to do this – there is a chance with Obama on the ticket that a defeat in 2012 will turn in to an epic, blow out loss – but I can’t see any way for such people to reach Obama.

Secondly, and this ties in to why there won’t be a serious primary challenge, to move against Obama is to risk the Democrats’ hammer lock on the African American vote.  This isn’t just about the 2012 Presidential election – this is about whether or not liberals can retain any power to influence American policy.  A defeat in 2012 would be bad for them – but there is defeat, and then there is crushing loss.  Defeat is Obama out and the loss of 20 House and 5 Senate seats. Bad.  Means GOP controls things for at least two years.  Lots of conservative reforms can be implemented…but the chances of a major overhaul of the FDR/LBJ settlement are small.  Crushing loss is Obama out and the loss of 50 House and 15 Senate Seats.  Horrific.  Means GOP has the power to pretty much do whatever it wants…every liberal program is on the chopping block.  Just can’t be allowed to happen.

But that is what would happen if the Democrat party – by calling on Obama to quit or engineering a serious primary challenger – were to be perceived by African American voters as having betrayed Obama.  Its not that they would vote GOP, but that they would stay home on election day.  Without high African American turnout going 90%+ for the Democrats, the horrific scenario becomes a reality.  Of course, the Democrats might endure the horrific loss, anyway, but why make it a certainty by stabbing Obama in the back?  For good or ill, Democrats have Obama for 2012…in 2008, they jumped on his bandwagon presuming that he could initiate 50 years of liberal rule.  It hasn’t worked out that way.  Even if Obama manages to win in 2012, he has completely failed in that promise…but if the liberals want to have a future in America, they have to ensure that 2012 doesn’t work out as a blowout loss.  Easier to keep losses to a minimum with Obama than without.

I could be wrong about this – there might be a revolt of the remaining moderates in the Democrat party.  More than likely, though, there won’t be…and if there is, it will work out as a quixotic, third party alternative…which would help sink Obama, but wouldn’t destroy the Democrat party for the next 20 years.  That will all be as it may – none of us get a say in how Democrats do things.  Our job is to work for the blowout victory no matter what they do – because right now we have that chance to really do it:  to win so much power that we really can dismantle the Welfare State.

So, let’s just get out there and do it..

Reid: I’ll Force a Vote on the Jobs Bill…Eventually

Mark Noonan3 Comments

From the Las Vegas Sun:

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Republicans won’t support President Barack Obama’s jobs plan, but he still wants them to vote on the sweeping $450 billion economic recovery effort.

“We are going to have the Republicans belly up to the bar to turn down this plan,” Reid said during a virtual town hall meeting with supporters Wednesday.

Reid said he won’t immediately take up Obama’s plan because the Senate must tackle other issues first. He didn’t specify which bills would receive priority over Obama’s economic solution…

Anyone have an idea of what other, crisis issue we have before us which pre-empts jobs?

What is really happening here is not a Reid worry that the GOP will uniformly vote it down, but that half a dozen vulnerable, 2012 Democrats will vote against it, as well.  The last thing Obama, Reid and the Democrats need is for the Obama jobs bill to die in the Democrat Senate.  So, Reid’s “I’ll force them to vote” is just bluster…he won’t move until the House does.

Special Elections

Mark Noonan19 Comments

Here are the AP results for the NY-9 race, and the NV-2 race.

The NV-2 race is just about a foregone conclusion – as it turns out, I’ve been up in Reno the past few days and so caught a bit of the GOP advertising:  all Obama, all the time…”don’t send a rubber-stamp to DC”, that sort of thing.  I don’t recall they even mentioned the Democrat candidate’s name.  Expectations are for a double-digit GOP blowout…but Mark Amodei, taking nothing for granted, has been pressing the turnout efforts.

The polls in the NY-9 race just closed a few minutes ago and while polling has been good for the GOP, I do expect a Democrat win…they are pulling out all the stops and the district does have a reputation for voter fraud.  But even if the Democrats managed to squeak out a win, it will be a signal for defeat in 2012 unless Obama changes course.  And if the GOP does pull out a win, just that much more devastating for the Democrats.

UPDATE:  In NV-02, Amodei has 64% against Marshall’s 31%; NY-09, Turner has 51% against Weprin’s 48%; still way early.

UPDATE II:  NY-09, 271 of 512 precincts reporting, GOP winning 53/46; NV-09, 166 of 858 reporting, GOP winning 58/37.

UPDATE III:  AP calls NY-09 for Republican Bob Turner.  First GOP win in NY-09 since 1921.  Dems already spinning it as  meaningless…meanwhile, in private, they are starting to wonder if they should “primary” Obama…

UPDATE IV:  AP calls NV-02 for Republican Mark Amodei.  A crushing victory – 57% to 37%.

Obama Hurting Democrats in Special Elections

Mark Noonan7 Comments

From The Hill:

Dissatisfaction with President Obama is hurting Democrats’ chances in two House special elections that will take place on Tuesday.

In a Democratic-leaning New York City seat previously held by Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner, some prominent local Democrats have endorsed Republican Bob Turner because of Obama’s handling of Israel, while Democrat David Weprin has sought distance from the president.

In a GOP-leaning Nevada district left vacant when Dean Heller was appointed to the Senate, Republicans are using Obama as a cudgel against Democratic candidate Kate Marshall, featuring him in all of their ads while mostly ignoring her…

There never was much chance of the Democrats winning in NV-02.  The district – which covers most of Nevada outside of Clark County (think: Las Vegas) is an R +5 district which has been held by the GOP since it was created for the 1982 election.  But Democrats have come close before – in 2006 the GOP only squeaked out a victory with 50.3% of the vote, while in 2008 the GOP only slightly improved to 51.8%…on the other hand, in 2010 former Representative Heller crushed the Democrat 63/33.  Democrats might have imagined when Heller was appointed to replace Ensign that they could have a shot of returning to the 2006/08 scenario…but that just isn’t going to happen.  All indications are for the the GOP nominee, Mark Amodei, to win by 20+ points.

Meanwhile, over in New York we GOPers never thought we had a chance – even with Weiner’s scandals, we figured that Democrats – who seem to have an unending tolerance of Democrat corruption – would just line up behind whomever has the “D” after their name.  All in all, we have to figure that the Democrats will pull out the win.  But, there is that chance the GOP will win…and if we do, it is entirely due to Obama being President, just as NV-02 once again becoming overwhelmingly GOP is thanks to President Obama.  I’ve studied a bit of history, I’ve looked in to how leadership works – when it is successful, when it fails – but I don’t think I’ve ever come across a man more manifestly incompetent to hold high, executive office.  Obama just doesn’t know how to do it – getting snookered on the recent joint session is the latest proof of this…I mean, come on, this is basic stuff…don’t announce the date until you’ve got a firm commitment from the Speaker!  A self-inflicted wound, and entirely un-necessary.  And its been like that from day one with Obama…just not doing it right and ensuring that no matter what gets down, it ends up being as bad as possible for himself.

We’ll see how it continues to play out…but I agree with Mickey Kaus that liberal outfits are starting to break it gently to the Democrats.

Democrats Grow Desperate in NY-9

Mark Noonan11 Comments

From National Journal:

Democrats are showing the clearest sign yet of concern ahead of next Tuesday’s special election in New York’s 9th District – the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is going up on air with an expensive television buy in the campaign’s closing days.

According to buy information obtained by Hotline On Call, the DCCC has made a $483,500 TV ad buy in the district, starting tomorrow through Monday. The broadcast TV buy will not air on September 11, the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The Democratic … PAC, House Majority PAC, has also bought advertising time in the district as well…

If blue districts in New York are under threat, then how is the rest of the country going?  The Democrats don’t want to start next week with the loss of a House seat…it would just be too grand a demonstration that their programs are failing and thus it is time to follow a new course.  So, they are pouring in the money – and given the Democrats registration edge, I suspect it will be enough to pull out a win.  But if it winds up close, even if the Democrat wins it will still be a harbinger of what is to come next year.

HAT TIP:  Hot Air

Democrat Treasurer Arrested

Mark Noonan10 Comments

From the Orange County Register:

A prominent Democratic campaign treasurer who works for federal, state and O.C. lawmakers including U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rep. Loretta Sanchez and state legislators Lou Correa and Jose Solorio has been arrested by the FBI on suspicion of mail fraud, The Orange County Register has learned.

U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesman Thom Mrozek confirmed Saturday afternoon that Kinde Durkee of Burbank-based Durkee and Associates, was arrested by the FBI on a criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Sacramento. Special Agent Steve Dupre of the bureau’s Sacramento office said she was arrested in connection with her position as a campaign treasurer…

Since this is being done under a Democrat Administration, I can only figure that she stole above her station…because when you have a party of Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank and Charlie Rangel, I can’t see how dipping your fingers in to the campaign coffers is considered all that bad.  I mean, it isn’t like this is her first brush with the law – as the report goes on to note:

…Durkee has had enforcement actions taken against her four times by the state Fair Political Practices Commission, primarily for failing to report transactions or information. She has also received at least a half a dozen enforcement warning letters from the commission and stipulated to a violation before the City of San Diego Ethics Commission…

So, serial ethics problems over the years hasn’t deterred Democrats from working with her…in other words, par for the course in Democrat politics, where the only moral test is that of success.  If you win, then you did good…and it doesn’t matter how you win.  Given all this, it must be something other than her corruption which got a Democrat controlled Justice Department after her…and it will be interesting to see how this unfolds; who did what to whom, as it were.

GOP Holds 9 Point Lead in “Generic” Ballot

Mark Noonan28 Comments

From Rasmussen:

…A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 45% of Likely U.S. Voters would vote for their district’s Republican congressional candidate, while 36% would choose the Democrat instead. That gap is up three points from last week, when Republicans led 44% to 38%…

There has been some talk of late that Democrats – especially in the House – may be able to take advantage of a general public disgust with Congress to re-capture the House.  This is within the realm of possibility, but it is not very likely. There are several hurdles Democrats would have to vault:

1.  2012 will be driven by Presidential politics.  While “ticket splitting” is an old and honorable American political tactic, it still works out that the party most on the outs is heavily punished.  For all the problems the House GOP has, they still aren’t “in charge”.  Obama and the Democrats are.  If people are upset with Obama, they will not in very large numbers choose some of his fellow Democrats down ballot.

2.  The stark fact that America is a center-right nation makes it hard for a liberal party, like the Democrats, to gain traction except when they are completely out of power and the other side is loathed.  2006 and 2008 cannot possibly repeat themselves until a period of exclusive GOP power intervenes.

3.  Re-districting will shore up GOPers and weaken Democrats. For the first time since the 1920 census, the GOP holds the majority of re-districting power in the United States.  In 2012, for the first time since 1932 or so, the GOP will not be playing the political game on the field the Democrats made.  Most people don’t fully realize what a change this will make…we’re just used to things as they were, and aren’t any longer.  A lot of results in 2012 will surpise everyone except those with a strong sense of history and/or a good deal of number-crunching skill to see how the newly drawn districts will play.

4.  At the end of the day, electing Democrats to the House means putting Nancy Pelosi back in the Speaker’s chair.  I can’t imagine what set of mental breakdowns were required in Democrat ranks to make Pelosi the Minority Leader, but no greater gift was ever handed to the Congressional GOP.  The woman is intensely disliked in the nation and GOPers will crawl on their knees over broken glass to ensure against a return of Pelosi.  She’s also a failure – her “leadership” in returning the Democrats to Congressional power in 2006 was no more than pure, dumb luck in that the GOP was immensely unpopular and made every possible mistake a party can make – a ham sandwich would have won just as big in 2006.  Pelosi’s skills as a leader were revealed in the way she entirely ruined the Congressional Democrat brand in just three years – she’s not the person to craft a winning message and campaign in a hostile political environment.

And this poll shows that, at bottom, the people are more willing to trust the GOP to manage things going forward than they are the Democrats.  This doesn’t at all translate in to blank-check support for the GOP, but it does indicate that when people go in to the voting booth in 2012, they are far more likely to vote GOP than vote Democrat.  With these sorts of numbers, the GOP would win 30 more House seats in 2012…and it would take a massive turn around in Democrat prospects just to hold on to what they’ve got.  Sure, that can be done.  Certainly, the GOP can massively screw up…but it would take two near-miracles for Democrats to regain the House, and I just don’t see that happening.

 

Democrats Play for the Political Middle

Mark Noonan148 Comments

By playing up to those moderate, middle-of-the-road, “mom and apple pie” folks at….Planned Parenthood – From Life News:

The chair of the national Democratic party headlined a small rally in Florida yesterday for Planned Parenthood, in what is the latest event having Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz working with the abortion business.

Wasserman Schultz was named by pro-abortion President Barack Obama recently to take over as the head of the Democratic Party nationally and prepare for his re-election campaign next year. At the time of her appointment to the position, Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards praised Wasserman Schultz as a “heroine” for her extensive abortion advocacy. The appointment made it clear Obama would not run from his lengthy pro-abortion record…

Yeah, that is what the people of America want –  abortion on demand.  And, hey, if you can get it funded via ObamaCare in the by and by, so much the better.   When Americans get up in the morning, they aren’t worried about their jobs or the future for their children…the only concern they have is whether or not Planned Parenthood stays on the public teat, sucking up money for butchering children.  That is the way in to America’s heartland…be closely identified with Planned Parenthood.

These people are starting to make this too easy…

Obama 39%…Ron Paul 38%

Mark Noonan6 Comments

More proof that 2012 is becoming an “anybody but Obama” year – from Rasmussen:

…Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul earns 38% of the vote to President Obama’s 39% in the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters. Fourteen percent (14%) like some other candidate, and eight percent (8%) remain undecided…

The reason we’re still wondering if Palin and Christie will get in the race is because it is becoming likely that whomever the GOP nominates, if they are just a credible alternative, will be the next President.  For a Republican, 2012 might be the easiest year to run, ever.

Setting aside the usual “its a long time and anything can happen” caveats, the political dynamic is shaping up to be excruciating for President Obama and his Democrats.  Only a sharp pivot away from liberalism can possibly change things sufficiently by November, 2012…and any such pivot opens up the prospect of ultra-liberals staying home, or opting for a Third Party candidate.  An incredible run of luck can still save Obama’s bacon, but that is just about it.

So, Republicans, choose with care – the guy or gal we nominate is whom we’re likely to be stuck with for four years.  No do-overs.