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New Obama Budget Called A “Dud”
New Obama Budget: ‘It’s Basically United Washington. In Opposition.’
‘Budget Does Not Balance’
“Unlike the House Republican budget, Obama’s budget would not balance…” (“Obama To Unveil $1.058T Budget,” The Hill, 4/10/13)
· ‘the budget does not balance over its 10-year horizon’ “…the non-binding blueprint already has done something that the president himself has only rarely accomplished since taking office: It’s basically united Washington. In opposition. … Both sides agree the budget does not balance over its 10-year horizon.” (“Obama Budget Dead On Arrival—But May Get Second Life,” Yahoo! News, 4/10/13)
‘Relies… On Raising Taxes’
“Top aides to the president argued … that raising new revenues is non-negotiable.” (“On Left And Right, Obama’s Budget Anticipated As A Dud,” USA Today, 4/10/13)
“The Obama budget also relies, in part, on raising taxes…” (“On Left And Right, Obama’s Budget Anticipated As A Dud,” USA Today, 4/10/13)
· “To raise $580 billion in revenue, the budget limits the value of tax deductions and other tax benefits for the top 2 percent of families to 28 percent of taxable income. … the budget proposed selectively closing some ‘egregious’ loopholes such as for corporate jet purchases, for oil and gas companies and for carried interest, to raise revenue.” (“Obama To Unveil $1.058T Budget,” The Hill, 4/10/13)
‘Wish List For New Spending,’ ‘Stimulus’
“The budget contains several new ‘investments’ in new spending… stimulus…” (“Obama To Unveil $1.058T Budget,” The Hill, 4/10/13)
· “The budget will also lay out more details of Obama’s wish list for new spending…” (“On Left And Right, Obama’s Budget Anticipated As A Dud,” USA Today, 4/10/13)
Weekly Polling Analysis
POLLING ANALYSIS
February 23-March 1, 2013
MUST READ:
According to Rasmussen, 48% of likely voters think the health care law is more likely to hurt the economy than cutting government spending. 29% believe spending cuts will hurt the economy while 15% think neither will hurt economically.
According to NBC/WSJ, to deal with the budget deficit, 14% of adults would go ahead with the sequester cuts as is; 39% would add more cuts; and 37% would reduce the number of cuts. However, when given two options and asked to choose, 50% of adults said the sequester spending cuts were too severe and would hurt the economy. 46% said drastic measures are needed to reduce the budget deficit.
According to The Hill, 58% of adults favor cutting the debt over maintaining current spending levels on domestic and military programs. 28% favor preserving spending over cutting the debt.
According to The Hill, 49% of adults said they would support cutting military spending to reduce the budget deficit. 37% would oppose.
According to The Hill, while 23% said they would support cutting Social Security and Medicare. 69% would oppose.
According to Rasmussen, 23% of likely voters think the automatic government spending cuts scheduled to take effect today will cut the current level of federal spending. 54% recognize that the so-called sequester cuts will merely reduce the growth of future spending. 23% were not sure.
President Obama: Average approval from mid-February to late February was 50.8% according to RealClearPolitics. Average disapproval was 43.7%. (The average one week ago, which covered late January to late February, was 50.6%. Average disapproval was 42.6%)
Here are the polls released this week on Presidential job approval:
- Economist: 47% of adults approve and 44% disapprove.
- Fox News: 46% of registered voters (40% of Independent registered voters) approve and 47% (44% of Independents) disapprove.
- NBC/WSJ: 50% of adults approve, the same number as in March 2012. 45% disapprove, also the same percentage as last year.
Gallup tracks President Obama’s job approval on a weekly basis. The average one week ago (Feb. 11-17, 2012) showed 51% approved and 43% disapproved. The latest weekly numbers available (Feb. 18-24, 2012) showed 51% approve and 42% disapprove. Last year at this time (Feb. 20-26, 2011), 45% approved and 47% disapproved.
Rasmussen conducts a daily tracking poll. One week ago (Feb. 22), 52% approved and 47% disapproved. On March 1, approval was 52%; disapproval was 46%. Last year at this time, the President’s approval was 48% and his disapproval 53%.
Congress: Average approval for early January to late February was 15.4% according to the RealClearPolitics average. Average disapproval was 78.7%. (The average one week ago, which covered early January to early February, was 15.6%. Average disapproval was 78.7%)
Here are the polls released this week on Congressional job approval:
- Economist: 10% of adults approve and 60% disapprove.
- Fox News: 16% of registered voters (12% of Independent registered voters) approve and 77% (82% of Independents) disapprove.
Right Track/Wrong Track: According to the RealClearPolitics average, which covered mid- to late February, 34.3% think the country is headed in the right direction while 57% think it is headed in the wrong direction. (One week ago, the right track average, which covered mid-January to mid-February, was 37.2%. The wrong track average was 55.5%.)
Here are the polls released this week on the direction of the country:
- NBC/WSJ: 32% of adults think the country is headed in the right direction, down from 33% in March 2012. 59%% think it is headed in the wrong direction, up from 58% on year ago.
- Rasmussen: 34% of likely voters think the country is headed in the right direction and 58% think it is headed in the wrong direction.
ISSUE SPECIFIC
Budget Deficit & Spending:
According to Fox News, 81% of registered voters (79% of Independent registered voters) are fed up with the federal budget deficit.
According to NBC/WSJ, 21% of adults think the sequester is a good idea while 52% think it is a bad idea. 25% have no opinion.
According to Rasmussen, 40% of likely voters now think President Obama and Congress should stop the so-called sequester spending cuts from going into effect on March 1. 32% disagree and don’t think they should stop the automatic cuts. 28% are not sure. According to Gallup, 45% of adults want to stop the sequester while 37% want them to go ahead.
According to Fox News, 15% of registered voters (14% of Independent registered voters) think the effects of the sequester will be extremely negative. 30% (27% of Independents) said somewhat negative; 22% (23% of Independents) said the sequester wouldn’t have any effects; 21% (22% of Independents) said the cuts would have a somewhat positive effect; and 6% (7% of Independents) says they would have an extremely positive effect.
According to Pew, 60% of adults think the sequester spending cuts will have a major effect on the economy. 25% say they will have a minor effect and 5% say they will have no effect. Of those who said the cuts will have an effect, 73% believe the effect will be negative and 21% believe it will be positive. According to Gallup, 56% of Americans think the sequester will harm the economy; 30% say it will not.
According to Pew, 30% of adults think the sequester spending cuts will have a major effect on their personal financial situation. 40% say they will have a minor effect and 19% say they will have no effect. According to Gallup, 44% of Americans think the sequester will harm their own personal financial situation; 45% say it will not.
According to Pew, 45% of adults think the sequester spending cuts will have a major effect on the budget deficit. 31% say they will have a minor effect and 12% say they will have no effect.
According to Pew, 55% of adults think the sequester spending cuts will have a major effect on the military. 25% say they will have a minor effect and 10% say they will have no effect.
According to Rasmussen, 45% of likely voters think that the long-term federal budget deficit should be reduced by cutting spending. 36% think the better way to reduce the deficit is through a combination of tax increases and spending cuts. That number includes 18% who want the combination to include more tax increases than cuts and 18% who want more spending cuts than tax hikes. Only 6% feel the deficit should be reduced by raising taxes alone while 13% are uncertain. According to Fox News, 33% of registered voters (36% of Independent registered voters) want lawmakers to deal with the budget deficit only by cutting spending. 19% percent (14% of Independents) want mostly cuts, but with some tax increases mixed in. 36% (42% of Independents) want the breakdown between the two to be equal and only 7% (5% of Independents) want tax increases alone.
President Obama approval on the issue:
- Economist: 37% of adults approve and 50% disapprove.
Economy & Jobs:
According to the Economist, 25% of adults think the economy is getting better, 36% say it is getting worse, and 30% say it is stuck in neutral
According to Gallup, its “Economic Confidence Index was -13 in the week ending Feb. 24. That compares with the previous week’s -11 and reflects a decline in Americans’ confidence from the five-year weekly high of -8 during the week ending Feb. 3.”
President Obama approval on the issue:
- Economist: 40% of adults approve and 48% disapprove.
- NBC/WSJ: 44% of adults approve, down from 45% in March 2012. 51% disapprove, the same percentage as last year.
Entitlements:
According to Rasmussen, 50% of likely voters think it is possible to reduce the cost of Medicare without hurting the quality of health care for senior citizens. 24% disagree and 26% are unsure.
Health Care:
According to Kaiser, when given three choices, 21% of adults said they thought health care was a “private good” that individuals should purchase based on what they need, want and can afford; 37% said basic health care services should be available to all; and 40% said all health care services should be universally available.
According to Rasmussen, 45% of likely voters have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the 2010 health care law, while 48% view it unfavorably. According to Kaiser, 36% of adults have a favorable view (down from 42% in February 2012) of the health care law while 42% have an unfavorable view (down from 43% one year ago).
According to Kaiser, 24% of adults think the 2010 health care law will have a positive effect on themselves and their families; 32% think it will have a negative effect; and 36% think it will not make a difference.
According to Kaiser, 34% of adults think the 2010 health care law will have a positive effect on the nation as a whole; 38% think it will have a negative effect; and 19% think it will not make a difference.
Regulation:
According to NBC/WSJ, 58% of adults favor raising the minimum wage, but 36% oppose.
Public Notice is an independent non-profit dedicated to providing facts and insight on the economy and how government policy affects Americans’ financial well-being.
Common Cents: “Paying-For” Problem?
Common Cents: “Paying-For” Problem?
We have a…spending problem? Or maybe it’s just a “paying-for”problem? Everyone in Washington seems a bit confused about what’s actually happening with our federal budget. After four straight years of $1 trillion-plus deficits and taking America to the brink of a fiscal disaster twice in the last two years (and heading for a third), you’d think our leaders would understand that something isn’t quite right about the federal balance sheet. But…Washington still isn’t sure how to go about this money management thing, nor do they know if it’s really even an issue.
”Of course, the president believes we have a spending problem.”
The Hill: “Obama to Use State of the Union to Make Case Against Spending Cuts” (Amie Parnes, “Obama to use State of the Union to Make Case Against Spending Cuts,” The Hill, 2/12/13)
Bloomberg: “Obama to Propose Spending to Boost Jobs in State of Union.” “The president will offer proposals for spending on infrastructure, clean energy and education, according to a senior official briefed on the speech.” (Lisa Lerer and Heidi Przybyla, “Obama to Propose Spending to Boost Jobs in State of Union,” Bloomberg, 2/10/13)
President Obama Says Tax Revenue Will Go Towards Spending. “In a foreshadowing of more budget battles to come, Obama said he would insist that taxes be raised by closing loopholes that benefit the wealthy, as a way to raise money for spending projects.” (Steve Holland, Obama open to “big deal” on budget, but wants revenues, Reuters, 2/7/13)
Pelosi: “False Argument To Say We Have A Spending Problem.” ”It is almost a false argument to say we have a spending problem. We have a budget deficit problem that we have to address,” she told Fox News’s Chris Wallace on Sunday. (Cameron Joseph, “Pelosi: ‘Almost a false argument’ to say US has a spending problem,” The Hill, 2/10/13)
Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md. Refuses To Admit We Have A Spending Problem. Instead Says We Have A “Paying-For” Problem.” “The country has a paying for-problem. We haven’t paid for what we bought. We haven’t paid for our tax cuts. We haven’t paid for the war. … If we don’t pay, we shouldn’t buy.” (“Dem Leader Refuses to Say We Have a Spending Problem—U.S. Has a ‘Paying-For Problem,” Fox News, 2/12/13)
Poll: Americans Overwhelmingly Support Spending Cuts
New Survey Data Shows That ‘Three In Four Voters Want To Cut Government Spending Across The Board’
76 Percent: ‘Cut Government Spending Across The Board’
“For the first time, after the fiscal cliff dominated the conversation during the month following the election, government spending and the budget deficit narrowly edged out ‘the economy’ as the most important issue to voters.” (Politico, 12/10/12)
Battleground Poll: “Three in four voters want to ‘cut government spending across the board’ …” (Politico, 12/10/12)
· Q: “Do you favor or oppose this proposal to reduce the federal budget deficit? … Cutting government spending across the board: Favor Strongly – 59%; Favor Somewhat – 17%.” (“Battleground 2012,” 12/2-6/12)
‘59 Percent Reject’ WH Demand For Unlimited Debt Power
The Hill Poll: “Strong majorities, however, oppose proposals that have been part of early talks — particularly Obama’s request for unilateral authority to raise the debt ceiling. According to the poll, 59 percent reject the president’s demand that Congress give up power to set the country’s borrowing limit.” (The Hill, 12/10/12)
New CAPE PAC Ad – Dean Heller: FACT VS FICTION #NVSen
Today CAPE PAC (The Coalition of Americans for Political Equality Political Action Committee) released a new ad titled Dean Heller: Fact Vs. Fiction.
CAPE PAC – Dean Heller: FACT VS FICTION from CAPE PAC on Vimeo.
Also today, a letter to the editor appeared in the Elko Daily Free Press entitled: The ‘other’ Shelley Berkley
Editor: I read with interest the article reporting on Shelley Berkley’s recent visit and related statements considering what she obviously thinks about rural Nevada and its major industries:
During her last visit, April 2012, she stated she was “nervous” to be around Elko Democrats;
In January of 2001, as reported by the Las Vegas Review Journal, Berkley told state legislators she did not want to have her district redrawn to represent rural areas” only urban Las Vegas;
Again in January of 2001, The Hill reported her statement “I don’t think I have to be traipsing up to Carlin to look at your mines” when there are so many problems in LV;
Voting against the Grazing Improvement Act addressing the permitting renewal process allowing ranchers to continue to graze animals on public land as the process proceeds;
Voting against the recent request for land purchase in Yerington that would provide hundreds of jobs at a proposed mining project when Lyon County is one of the most depressed counties in the state.
On top of all that, she is under investigation by the ethics commission over sponsoring federal funding to her husband’s renal and dialysis clinic. Interestingly, the clinic was under investigation with a recommendation to shut down for unusually high rates of treatment failures and death. Coincidentally, her No. 8 donor is in the business of providing dialysis devices. Do you think those devices just may be used at her husband’s clinic?
As the Democrat House Minority Leader says, “bless their hearts”!
Carol Madsen
Elko
#NVSen: Chamber of Commerce Likely to Endorse Heller Next Week
From The Hill:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will hold a press conference to “make an announcement” next Thursday “regarding Senator Heller’s reelection campaign,” they announced Friday, a sign they’re likely to endorse the Nevada Republican next week.
The likely endorsement isn’t a surprise — the group has already run ads attacking Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.). But it comes as a boost for Heller. The group has promised its most robust political program in history this year, and has followed up its other endorsements with major ad buys ranging from a few hundred thousand dollars to more than $1 million in some states.
When asked if that meant an endorsement, a Chamber spokesperson would only say “you’ll have to stay tuned to Thursday’s event.”
Sequester “Guidance”
The Obama Administration Is Helping Bureaucrats Prepare For Sequestration, Even As They Work To Hide Layoff Notices From Private Sector Workers
PRESIDENT OBAMA: “The private sector is doing fine. Where we’re seeing weaknesses in our economy have to do with … government.” (President Obama, Press Conference, 6/8/12)
OMB Implementing Plans To ‘Work With Agencies … On Issues Raised By A Sequestration’
“The Obama administration said on Tuesday it’s preparing to work closely with its sprawling bureaucracy on the daunting prospect of automatic spending cuts set to take effect next year.” (“OMB To Work On Sequestration Issues,” Politico, 7/31/12)
“…OMB issued guidance to federal agencies saying it will begin consulting with them on the automatic spending cuts set to take effect in January.” (“OMB Tells Agencies It Will Begin Consulting On Sequester,” The Hill’s ‘DEFCON Hill’ Blog, 7/31/12)
· “…the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will work with agencies, as necessary, on issues raised by a sequestration of this magnitude. To that end, OMB will be holding discussions on these issues with you and your staff over the coming months.” (Jeffrey Zients, Acting Director Office Of Management And Budget, “Memorandum For The Heads Of Executive Departments And Agencies,” 7/31/12)
Dept. Of Labor ‘Slapped At Defense Contractors,’ Sequester Planning Called ‘Inappropriate’
“The Obama administration slapped at defense contractors on Monday, saying threats to issue layoff notices before the election because of pending Pentagon cuts is ‘inappropriate.’” (“Obama Administration Pushes Back At Defense Layoff Threats,” The Hill, 7/30/12)
· U.S. DEPT. OF LABOR: “WARN Act notice to employees of Federal contractors, including in the defense industry, is not required 60 days in advance of January 2, 2013, and would be inappropriate…” (“Obama Administration Pushes Back At Defense Layoff Threats,” The Hill, 7/30/12)
Taxes: Dem Division Spreads Further
A Former Clinton Budget Director Adds Her Voice To The Growing Chorus Of Veteran Democrats Open To Extending ALL Rates
Alice Rivlin: ‘Postpone The Tax Increases’
“Rivlin, Domenici Urge Tax-Cut Extension, Then Overhaul: Two longtime leaders on federal budget issues suggested that current tax levels should be extended past 2012…” (“Rivlin, Domenici Urge Tax-Cut Extension, Then Overhaul,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/19/12)
· ALICE RIVLIN, CLINTON BUDGET DIRECTOR: “Well, I think you have to postpone the tax increases…” (Confronting The Looming Fiscal Crisis, Senate Finance Committee Hearing, 6/19/12)
‘A Growing Number Of Senate Democrats … Are Not Prepared To Raise Taxes On Anyone’
“A growing number of Senate Democrats are signaling they are not prepared to raise taxes on anyone in the weak economy…” (“Senate Dems Balk At Ending Bush-Era Tax Rates On Wealthy Without A Deficit Deal,” The Hill, 6/19/12)
“…Democrats might defect and support a temporary extension of all the Bush-era rates…” (“Democrats Paralyzed On Tax Cuts,” The Hill, 6/8/12)
· “Democrats running for reelection, such as Sens. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), have declined to endorse their leadership’s call for a tax increase…” (“Senate Dems Balk At Ending Bush-Era Tax Rates On Wealthy Without A Deficit Deal,” The Hill, 6/19/12)
· SEN. CLAIRE McCASKILL (D-MO): “If you want to do something in the spirit of compromise, you don’t start out by saying, ‘I refuse to do this’ or ‘I refuse to do that… I want to keep every option open…’” (“Democrats Paralyzed On Tax Cuts,” The Hill, 6/8/12)
· SEN. BILL NELSON (D-FL): “…declined to rule out support for an across-the-board extension of the rates. Said Nelson, ‘I can’t get into a hypothetical.’” (“Democrats Paralyzed On Tax Cuts,” The Hill, 6/8/12)
· SEN. MARK PRYOR (D-AR): “…who is up for reelection in 2014, said he is undecided about whether to support another temporary extension of the Bush tax rates for all income brackets.” (“Democrats Paralyzed On Tax Cuts,” The Hill, 6/8/12)
· SEN. JIM WEBB (D-VA): “We shouldn’t raise [rates] on ordinary income.” (“Senate Dems Balk At Ending Bush-Era Tax Rates On Wealthy Without A Deficit Deal,” The Hill, 6/19/12)
· SEN. BEN NELSON (D-NE): “My druthers is to extend the tax cuts for everybody…” (“Senate Dems Balk At Ending Bush-Era Tax Rates On Wealthy Without A Deficit Deal,” The Hill, 6/19/12)
Sen. Kent Conrad: ‘Going To Have To Be Done’
“Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), a member of the Gang of Six, said in an interview that it ‘might make some sense’ to extend all the taxes in the short term if lawmakers need more time to fundamentally reform the current corporate and individual tax system. ‘But on a short-term basis … I think something like that is going to have to be done,’ he said of a temporary tax cut extension.” (“Secret Talks Under Way On Fiscal Cliff,” Politico, 6/6/12)
President Clinton: ‘Economy Already Is In A Recession’
PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: “I think what it means is they will have to extend… have to put everything off until early next year. That’s probably the best thing to do right now… I don’t have any problem with extending all of it now.” (CNBC’s “Closing Bell,” 6/5/12)
· CLINTON: “What I think we need to do is to find some way to avoid the fiscal cliff, to avoid doing anything that would contract the economy now, and then deal with what’s necessary in the long-term debt reduction plans as soon as they can…” (CNBC’s “Closing Bell,” 6/5/12)
Larry Summers: ‘Gotta Be The Top Priority’
MIKA BRZEZINSKI, MSNBC: “You heard Bill Clinton talking about the tax cuts, obviously we had some pretty terrible unemployment numbers come out late last week. What would you advise the President to do at this point?” LARRY SUMMERS: “Look, the real risk to this economy is on the side of slow down, certainly not on the side of overheating and that means we’ve got to make sure that we don’t take gasoline out of the tank at the end of this year. That’s gotta be the top priority.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 6/6/12)
Designed To Fail: ‘Democratic Operatives Are Quick To Note That They Never Expected To Pass The Jobs Bills’
THE HILL: “Democratic leadership will continue to push the legislation despite its inability to clear either chamber, in part, because Obama is continuing to use the jobs bill as a central talking point as he gears up for the 2012 reelection campaign.” (“Senate Leadership To Push Forward On Unlikely Quest To Pass Next Piece Of Obama Jobs Bill,” The Hill, 10/31/11)
Sen. ‘Reid Has Pushed The President’s Agenda When It Has Had No Chance Of Passing’
POLITICO: “Obama is the head of the Democratic Party, and they are going to stick with him no matter what happens, Reid declared.… Reid has pushed the president’s agenda when it has had no chance of passing. Reid has pressed for passage of the president’s $447 billion jobs bill and individual pieces of it, even when some of his own rank-and-file Senate Democrats, like Nelson, have stood in opposition.” (“Reid: The Last True Obama Loyalist?” Politico, 10/25/11)
- THE HILL: “Democratic operatives are quick to note that they never expected to pass the jobs bills through the Senate, adding that the multiple roll calls will put Republicans on the defensive and force them to explain on the 2012 campaign trail why they voted no on measures that poll well with voters.” (“Democrats Seek To Fracture Republican Unity In The Senate,” The Hill, 11/2/11)
SEN. JIM WEBB (D-VA): “…expressed frustration that Senate Democratic leaders continue to bring pieces of the president’s plan forward even though they know full well the proposals will fail.” (“Jim Webb Goes Out Swinging,” Politico, 11/1/11)
CNN: “The reality in Congress is this bill has virtually no chance of passing and Democrats know that.” (Kate Bolduan, CNN’s “Situation Room,” 10/19/11)
CARL BERNSTEIN: “Well, first of all, Obama knew that bill couldn’t pass when he formulated it.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 10/21/11)
POLITICO: “…failure of one piece of President Obama’s jobs package is not likely to have much market impact because no one thought this piece of it was going anywhere…” (Politico’s “Morning Money,” 10/21/11)
‘Everything In The White House Is Driven By The Election,’ It’s The President’s ‘Biggest Goal On The World Stage’
VP JOE BIDEN: ‘Are we campaigning? … Yes!’ “Vice President Joe Biden lashed out at critics today who have claimed that his and the President’s efforts to get a job’s bill passed is mere ‘campaigning.’ ‘Are we campaigning?’ he said. ‘Yes!’” (“Biden: ‘Are We Campaigning? Yes!’” NBC, 10/18/11)
- BIDEN: “People say we’re campaigning. We sure as heck are campaigning.” (VP Biden, Remarks, 10/18/11)
“David Axelrod… released a campaign memo on Tuesday signaling that Obama would make his American Jobs Act a major component of his reelection strategy, pummeling Republicans who obstruct his attempts to revive the economy.” (“Axelrod To Raise Obama Dough In Arizona,” The Hill’s Ballot Box, 10/12/11)
BOB WOODWARD: “The White House has a secret plan to win the election and it’s complex and it’s secret, but it–look, Barack Obama wants to win so badly, as I understand it, everything in the White House is driven by the election…” (NBC’s “The Chris Matthews Show,” 10/30/11)
- CHRIS MATTHEWS: “[JFK’s] single goal was to avoid the Cold War becoming a shooting war. But this week’s big question, what is President Obama’s biggest goal on the world stage? Bob Woodward?” BOB WOODWARD: “Win the election. Win—and I mean, that is the driving force, and I think, you know, it’s political, but I think it is becoming an internal commitment because like most presidents, they think that they’re the person for the job.” (NBC’s “The Chris Matthews Show,” 10/30/11)
JOE SCARBOROUGH: “The president knew when he formulated this bill — when the president formulated this bill, he knew the republicans weren’t going to vote for it. We had Chuck Todd saying it from day one, that this is a political device.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 10/21/11)
JOHN HEILEMANN: “They put out a plan that is much more driven to trying to be a more populist approach to try to drive their base. Right now, that is where they are politically. Fact.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” 10/21/11)
“President Barack Obama didn’t do much to bring along lawmakers on his jobs bill — and it showed… the relentless focus on the American Jobs Act wasn’t about racking up a legislative win. It was always about laying the foundation for … 2012.” (“Obama Looks Past Hill On Jobs Bill,” Politico, 10/11/11)
“…narrowly targeted exercise in 2012 politics.” (“The Obama Bus Trip: A Political Guide,” Politico, 10/17/11)
“…Obama’s latest attempt to combine campaigning for his jobs bill with campaigning for his re-election.” (“Obama Touring To Support Pieces Of Jobs Bill,” AP, 10/17/11)
Dem ‘Concerns’ On New Stimulus
Democrats Are Facing Another Round Of ‘Defections’ On Their Newest Stimulus Proposal
“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid… again could face a handful of defections from his own party when he brings the next jobs bill to the floor this week… without a unified 53-member caucus, Democrats face long odds…” (“Next Jobs Bill Faces Hard Road,” Politico, 10/31/11)
- “Democratic leaders have had trouble keeping their caucus unified behind Obama’s jobs proposals.” (“Infrastructure Legislation On Agenda Despite Boxer’s Doubts,” The Hill, 10/28/11)
Dems Say They ‘Have The Same Concerns’
SEN. BEN NELSON (D-NE): “I have some of the same concerns about the way it’s paid for.” “Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson, a moderate Democrat who’s facing a tough reelection next year, said he’ll take a look at the latest jobs proposal — a $60 billion package to help rebuild aging infrastructure — but continues to have concerns about the fact that these bills have been funded by raising taxes on the rich. ‘I have some of the same concerns about the way it’s paid for,’ Nelson told POLITICO on Monday night.” (“Next Jobs Bill Faces Hard Road,” Politico, 10/31/11)
- NELSON Before: “No, no, no… With the current offsets that are essentially tax increases? No… This is a time to be cutting. The cutting stops when the taxes increase.” (“Senate GOP To Force Vote On Obama Jobs Bill,” The Hill, 10/4/11)
“It’s unclear if Tester or Pryor will vote for cloture on the infrastructure bill, the next piece of Obama’s jobs plan.” (“Next Jobs Bill Faces Hard Road,” Politico, 10/31/11)
SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (ID-CT): “I have the same concerns as I have before… These are programs that I normally support, but I think the main event now is the supercommittee and I don’t want to make their job any more difficult.” (“Next Jobs Bill Faces Hard Road,” Politico, 10/31/11)
- LIEBERMAN Before: “[W]hen you look at the president’s jobs act, even if you break it down to bite-sized pieces, it’s spending money we don’t have, and you got to raise taxes to pay for it, and to me, all that just makes the job of the debt reduction committee, the committee itself, even harder.” (Fox News, 10/18/11)
SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-CO) “not making any commitment to support its passage.” “Bennet says he won’t block bringing the bill to the floor, but he’s not making any commitment to support its passage.” (“Infrastructure Legislation On Agenda Despite Boxer’s Doubts,” The Hill, 10/28/11)
- BENNET Before: “I will not support additional spending in a second stimulus package.” “Bennet will also have to reconcile his past opposition to a central component of the jobs package. Last year, during his reelection campaign, Bennet pledged to oppose a $50 billion infrastructure package Obama recommended to spur economic growth. ‘I will not support additional spending in a second stimulus package,’ Bennet said at the time, according to the Denver Post.” (“Infrastructure Legislation On Agenda Despite Boxer’s Doubts,” The Hill, 10/28/11)
SEN. JIM WEBB (D-VA): “I’ve consistently said we should not raise taxes on ordinary earned income. I don’t believe that’s the way to pay for this.” “Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.), who is retiring in 2012, said he would vote to proceed to the bill, but wouldn’t vote for the bill itself because he objects to the pay-fors. ‘I’ve consistently said we should not raise taxes on ordinary earned income. I don’t believe that’s the way to pay for this,’ Webb told POLITICO.” (“Next Jobs Bill Faces Hard Road,” Politico, 10/31/11)
- WEBB Before: “Terrible… We shouldn’t increase taxes on ordinary income.” (“Hill Dems Pick Apart Obama Jobs Plan,” Politico, 9/14/11)
