Daily Political Wire 12-5-2010

George Wenschhof

Candy Crowley of CNN gives a preview of "State of The Union" Today.



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Tax extension for Middle Class Fails in Senate - as expected, the symbolic votes put forward by Democrats failed yesterday. The first vote, to extend tax cuts for those making $250,000 or less failed by a vote of 53-36 and the second vote to extend tax cuts for those making less than one million failed 53-37. Note, both votes passed the majority threshold, but failed to break a 60 vote filibuster threshold, necessary by Republican opposition.

President Obama said he was disappointed in the vote but was open to a compromise of an extension of all the tax cuts for two years if it also included a one year extension of benefits for the long term unemployed. A compromise everyone knew was coming. Reuters.com has more here.

Not hard to understand why voters are so turned off by Congress.

What is not also understood is the Bush tax cuts were instituted while he committed the U.S. to two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The two unfunded wars lead the federal debt to double under the eight years George W. Bush was in office. These wars continue to contribute to the 1.3 Trillion annual budget deficit that exists today. And...... I did not mention the economic policies instituted under the Bush administration that led to the financial meltdown.

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Obama Signs Continuing Resolution to keep Government Running - lost in all the bluster over the extension of the Bush tax cuts was the two week extension of the government budget. Seeing Congress is unable to agree on much of anything, the federal budget has not been passed. Another extension, this time for two weeks (ending December 18) was signed by President Obama yesterday. Politico.com has more here.

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State Debt Next financial Crisis - state and municipal debt continues to be a major worry as the U.S. economy struggles to climb out of the worst recession since the Great Depression. Large lay-offs and huge reduction of services are expected across the country. The NY Times has more here.

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Federal employees forbidden to Read Wikileaks - an order that gives credence to those who claim government issues ridiculous regulations. Government employees without a security clearance were sent a memo informing them they could not read the diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks.org from either their work or home computers. Huh? The Washington Post has more here.

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Diplomatic Cables show Middle East Resistant to Cutting flow of Cash to Terrorists - more disclosures from the released diplomatic cables from wikileaks.org is a major concern as America battles to stem the flow of money to terrorist groups. The NY Times has more here.

Makes you wonder; will the government send another memo to employees prohibiting them from reading the NY Times?

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Separation of Church and State - an issue revisited in an op-ed penned by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend in the Washington Post. She takes Sarah Palin to task for her position on the issue. You can read it here.

Townsend was recently named as chair of a new liberal PAC named "American Bridge" and has been making the rounds on all the liberal cable news shows.

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