Mitch McConnell Takes Your Tax Cut Hostage, Again

By  Joan McCarter on Thu Jul 12, 2012

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is taking on hostage-taking duty for the Republicans this week, and as always, it's in order to protect the rich and powerful from paying their fair share of taxes. On Wednesday, Majority Leader Harry Reid attempted to set up two votes on the tax extensions: the Democrats, which would just extend the cuts for the first $250,000 in earnings, and a Republican bill that would extend it for rich people, too.

On Wednesday Reid tried to set up a vote on the competing proposals, but Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) objected to his unanimous consent request, saying that Republicans would not allow a vote to be set up until Obama's proposal was presented to them in paper form.

Does he want that paper presented on a silver platter, from bended knee? Perhaps he'd like a nice iced latte with that.

Of course McConnell blocked it, because if it was voted on in unanimous consent it couldn't be filibustered and McConnell is afraid, as Democratic Senate aide told Greg Sargent, that the Democrats' bill would pass. The last thing McConnell—or any Republican—wants is for this issue to be resolved. The tax bill for millions of middle-class Americans is far too valuable a hostage for him to let slip away.

Originally posted to Joan McCarter on Thu Jul 12, 2012

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama,Mitch McConnell,Bush Tax Cuts,Democrats,Current Events,Economic Hostage

What Romney's Five News Interviews Reveal

Sat Jul 14, 2012

Here is something for Republicans to start worrying about with respect to their candidate:

Mitt Romney, seeking to quell a growing media storm over his basic premise for seeking the presidency, took to the air yesterday and did not settle the storm. He answered no questions directly. He continued to repeat things that are currently being debunked. He refused any further disclosure to clear things up. He didn't either deflect the matter or settle it satisfactorily. Furthermore, HE LOOKED WEAK, by repeatedly begging his opponent to stop attacking him.

This is a disaster for Republicans.

The usual things that fix problems like this, the ole Clinton sit-down interview ... the Bush "so what?" swagger ... the Obama "teachable moment" speech ... Mitt Romney deployed none of that. What this reveals is a candidate who is simply unprepared to operate at a presidential level in the modern era. Mitt Romney, probably by virtue of a lifetime spent in high finance, does not have the keen sixth sense of politics that a serious presidential contender has by either nature (Clinton, Reagan) or by practice (Obama, Bush). Mitt Romney has arrived at the presidential ring by two circumstances:

1. No heavyweight Republican wished to run.

2. A campaign with a one trick pony: negative ads.

Even with those two gifted advantages he had trouble winning.

Republicans have a good case to make as to why they should be running away with this election, considering the economic circumstances President Obama has to accept responsibility for. The caveat to that is ... who? Who will beat him? You can't beat something with nothing. They've chosen Mitt Romney, who appears not up to the task of big boy presidential campaigning. He can only win if his opponent is a lightweight and he has an overwhelming advantage in resources. That is not the case with Barack Obama. Just as it was not the case with Ted Kennedy. The polls are consistently showing a large majority expect Obama to win. That means even people who plan to vote for Romney don't expect him to win. With declining economic news and a nation that feels it is way off track, Romney still can't seem to get ahead of Obama.

Republicans need to take a good look at their candidate's performance this week and realize something: Mitt Romney is simply not up to the task of unseating an incumbent president.

Originally posted to Triple-B in the Building on Sat Jul 14, 2012

Technorati Tags: Mitt Romney,2012 Elections,The Republican Party,GOP,Current Events