George Wenschhof
Expect the discussion to be centered on the Supreme Court 5-4 decision to uphold the "individual mandate" and the Affordable Care Act.
The impact of this decision, if any, on the November election, will be examined with the guests who appear.
The scheduled guests follow below.
NBC "Meet The Press" - House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.), Howard Dean and Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.)
Roundtable with Chuck Todd, Savannah Guthrie, Rich Lowry and Eugene Robinson
CBS "Face The Nation" - House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). Govs. Martin O'Malley (D-Md.) and Scott Walker (R-Wis.)
Roundtable with John Harris, John Dickerson, Jan Crawford and Major Garrett.
ABC "This Week" - Vicki Kennedy, WH Chief of Staff Jack Lew and House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)
Roundtable with George will, Donna Brazille, Terry Moran and Artur Davis
CNN "State of The Union" - WH Chief of Staff Jack Lew, Jennifer Granholm, Carly Fiorina and Col. Governor John Hickenlooper.
Fox News Sunday - WH Chief of Staff Jack Lew and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
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Saturday, June 30, 2012
Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup
Obama Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
Speaking from Colorado, where he was visiting the damage from devastating wildfires, President Obama pledged federal assistance.
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Republican Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
As one would expect, Republican Wyoming Senator John Barrasso laments the Supreme Court decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act and said Republicans would work to repeal the law.
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Friday, June 29, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Supreme Court Upholds "Individual Mandate" - and with it, the 5-4 decision affirmed the Affordable Care Act. The only partial victory which can be claimed by Republicans is the court said states could not be forced to extend medicaid coverage, by using the threat they would lose federal funding if they did not. You can read more here.
Politico.com adds their "6 Takeaways" here.
Paul Krugman in The NY Times writes "the Real Winners" here.
Eugene Robinson's column "Obama's Great Achievment" can be read here.
The Washington Post editorial "A ruling that's good for the country"
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House Vote on Contempt for Holder Illustrates a Broken Congress - no one should wonder why Congressional approval stands at 17% today. This partisan action taken under the direction of Representative Darrell Issa (R-Calf.) will only result in a long drawn out affair with no outcome coming prior to the November election. Meanwhile, voters are asking what Congress is doing to create jobs and improve the economy. Chris Cillizza adds his thoughts here.
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Obama Maintains Electoral Vote Lead - with a little over four months before the November election, President Obama has 221 electoral votes and Mitt Romney has 181. There are 11 states still up for grabs with a total of 136 electoral votes. 270 electoral votes are needed to win. Real Clear Politics has more here.
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European Leaders Agree on Bail Out Action - in a move which should help worldwide financial markets, agreement was reached on helping struggling banks directly, without adding debt directly to countries. The NY Times has more here.
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Secretary of State Clinton in Russia as Syrian Violence Continues - Hillary Clinton will meet with her Russian counterpart; Sergie Lavrov prior to an emergency UN meeting in Switzerland on Saturday concerning the escalating fighting in Syria. CNN.com has more here.
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Thursday, June 28, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Close Race in Three Swing States - the lastest NBC News/Marists poll shows New Hampshire a tie with Obama 45% and Romney 45%. In Michigan it is Obama 47%, Romney 43% and in North Carolina it is Obama 46% and Romney 44%. MSNBC.com has more here.
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Health Care Ruling Watch - all eyes are on the ruling expected to be announced this morning by the Supreme Court. The conventional wisdom is the individual mandate will be struck down, but the law left n place. Only problem with that scenario is the law can not be funded without the individual mandate.
The irony remains while a majority of American voters do not support the Affordable Care Act, they do support the individual components of the bill.
Thw Washington Post has some interesting graphs to review here.
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JP Morgan Chase Loses May Reach $9 Billion - according to the NY Times, a considerable increase from the $2 Billion initially reported. You can read more here.
It is time to reinstate Glass-Steagall and the Volker Rule.
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House - Senate Agree on Transportation and Student Loan Bills - set to expire by the end of the month. The insertion of the Keystone Xl Pipeline was not included in the compromise. The low interest rates on student loans were extended for one year. TheHill.com has more here.
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Rebels Bomb Court in Damascus - the civil war continues in Syria as Turkey deploys troops and anti-rocket launcers to border. Reuters.com has more here.
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Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Leads Pivotal Swing States (Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania) - the latest Quinnipiac poll shows Obama up by 4 in Florida, 9 in Ohio and 6 in Pennsylvania. You can read more here.
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Obama to Launch Two-Day Bus Tour July 4th - the President will travel through swing states Ohio and Pennsylvania. TPM.com has more here.
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Rangel Survives Democratic Primary - Representative Charles Rangel edged out Adriano Espaillat 45%-40%. You can read more here.
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Congress Close to Agreement on Student Loan and Transportation Bills - set to expire the end of the month, the House will need to vote to approve Senate version today. A sticking point remains Republican insistence in restarting the Keystone XL pipeline, which the President has said he would veto. TheHill.com has more here.
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Egypt President Mohamed Morsi to Appoint Woman, Christian as Vice Presidents - in a clear display his government will not be a strict Islamic Republic. CNN.com has more here.
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama campaign Releases Romney "Outsourcer in Chief" Ad - will run in Iowa, Ohio and Virginia.
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Supreme Court Throws Out Much of Arizona Immigration Law - much to the chagrin of conservatives, the decision left only the right of police to ask immigration status of those stopped for unrelated offenses. TheHill.com has more here.
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House Contempt Vote on Holder Scheduled for Thursday - the same day the Supreme Court will announce their decision on the Affordable Care Act. More political theater, Chris Cillizza points out why this vote won't help either Republicans or Democrats with voters, here.
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Cyprus Joins Spain in Asking For Bail Out - there are now five countries of the 17 nations in the Euro Zone who have requested financial aid. Cyprus is a relatively small economy, so it is doubtful this request will have a huge impact. The concern remains Italy. Reuters.com has more here.
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Five States Hold Primaries - Will Rangel Survive? - Represenative Charles Rangel (D-NY) is facing a diificult primary following his reprimand on ethics charges. Politico.com has more here.
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Campaigns, Parties and PACS To Exceed $3 Billion in Spending - a phenomenal figure and one that should have voters demanding true campaign finance reform. Over $2 Billion has already been spent according to the Federal Election Commission. CNN.com has more here.
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Monday, June 25, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Leads Romney Among Hispanic 66%-25% - The USA Today/ Gallup Poll shows President Obama with a large lead. As to the top four issues important to Hispanic voters, it is healthcare, economic growth, the federal budget deficit and unemployment. Gallup.com has more here.
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Reuters/Ipsos Poll Americans Oppose Health Care Law, Support Provisions - the Supreme Court will issue it's decision today or Thursday on the indvidual mandate appeal filed against the Affordable Care Act.
Interestingly, while voters oppose passage of the entire bill 56%-44%, 82% support coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, 61% favor allowing children to stay on parent's policy until age 26, and 72% support requiring companies with 50 or more employees to provide insurance. Reuters.com has more here.
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Pivotal Week Ahead - Supreme Court rulings on health care and immigration, a House vote on contempt for Attorney General Eric Holder, and Congress needs to pass the Transportation Bill and Student Loan bill extension. TheHill.com has more here.
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Mohamed Morsi New President of Egypt - the election was certified and the results announced yesterday with the Muslim Brotherhood candidate beating the former prime minister under the Mubarak regime. A parliament still remains to be formed and the power retained by the military remains troublesome. The NY Times has more here.
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NATO To Meet on Downing of Turkish Jet - the action by Syria to shoot down the Turkish jet will be discussed in an emegency session of NATO. As violence continues in Syria, this action may provoke a military response from NATO. CNN.com has more here.
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Sunday, June 24, 2012
Charter Writing Board Nears Completion, Obstacles Remain
If successful, Frederick County will join the other larger counties in Maryland who elect a county executive and legislative council.
Legal rulings on The City of Frederick residency requirements for candidates indicate requiring residency in excess of one year is unlikely to withstand a constitutional appeal. So, it would be wise to adjust the county charter residency requirements to one year or less.
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Saturday, June 23, 2012
Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup
George Wenschhof
Expect plenty of discussion of "Fast and Furious" as Republican Representative Darrell Issa (Calf.) appears on three of the morning political talk shows. As chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Issa has been working hard to interject this story into the president election. The committee vote last week along party lines to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt, resulted in the President invoking executive privilege in regard to the release of documents requested by Issa.
Jobs, the economy and the deficit, education and health care remain the top interests of voters, so we will see where this inquiry goes between now and November. The House is expected to vote on the contempt charge against Holder this week.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will appear on NBC "Meet The Press". Florida is a must win state for Mitt Romney and Rubio is among those under consideration for his V.P. pick.
The executive action taken by President Obama to end the deportation of children of undocumented children will also receive plenty of attention on the morning shows.
Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, who is also chair of the Democratic Governors Association will be on Bloomberg TV "Political Capital".
The recent shooting down of a Turkish jet by Syria should receive attention this Sunday, as this action will surely impact what is already a volatile situation in Syria and the region.
The scheduled guest follow below:
NBC "Meet The Press" - Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calf.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)
Roundtable with Bill Richardson, Jonathan Martin, and Andrea Mitchell
ABC "This Week" - Rep. Darrell Issa,
Roundtable with Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calf.), George Will, Hilary Rosen, Peggy Noonan and Major Garrett.
CBS "Face The Nation" - Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R-Texas), Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villarigosa (D), Stephanie Cutter-deputy Obama campaign manager, and Eric Fehrnstrom-senior adviser to Obama campaign.
Rountable with Joe Klein, Dan Balz, Norah O'Donnell and John Dickerson
CNN "State of The Union" - Ed Gillespie-Romney campaign adviser, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez
Fox News Sunday - Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calf.) and T. Boone Pickens
Roundtable with Brit Hume, Kirsten Powers, Nicolle Wallace and Jeff Zeleny.
Bloomberg TV "Political Capital" - Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley (D)
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Obama Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
President Obama urges Congress to pass the Transportation bill and the Student Loan bill extension, pointing out jobs will be lost if the Transportation bill is not passed and that student loan rates will double if Congress does not act by the end of the month.
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Republican Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
On the weekend before the Supreme Court will announce it's decision on the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act, Representative Bill Cassidy (R- La.) continues the call to "repeal all of Obamacare".
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Friday, June 22, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Moody's Downgrades 15 Big Banks, Stocks Tank - the rating downgrade by Moody's Investment Services of 15 of the largest world banks was not unexpected. However, the Dow Jones closed 250 points lower yesterday, a two per cent drop. TheHill.com has more here.
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Campaign Finance Reform, Anyone? - According to the latest calculations, the average U.S. Senator raises $6.4 million in the two years preceeding election and the average House member raises $1.2 million. Good Magazine has more here.
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Pew Shows Obama 50%, Romney 46% - their latest poll shows how close a race it is between President Obama and Mitt Romney. You can read the details here.
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Will "Fast and Furious" Impact Election? - polling shows Republican and Democratic voters are solidy entrenched with their support and the number of swing voters less than previous presidential elections. The political theater surrounding Rep. Issa holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt and the White House response of invoking executive privilege, may impact swing voters, but jobs and the deficit remain the top two concerns of voters. Stay tuned. The Washington Post has more here.
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Senate Passes Farm Bill - the bill will change the way farmers are protected from crop losses, but is remains doubtful the House will be able to move fast enough to pass the bill prior to the election in November. Reuters.com has more here.
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Thursday, June 21, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Issa Tries To Elevate "Fast and Furious" Into Presidential Election - failing to reach agreement with Attorney General Eric Holder on the release of documents pertaining to the failed Justice Department operation involving the sale of guns to Mexico cartel members, Rep. Darrall Issa (R-Calf.) did what he wanted to do all along, by holding a committee vote finding Holder in contempt. The vote, was of course, along party lines. TPM.com has more here.
President Obama invoked executive privilege, the first time he has done so and an action previous Presidents have taken numerous times during their term in office.
Look to see reaction to this action fall along party lines with Republican expressing outrage and questioning what is he hiding? While Democrats will rightly say this is a witch hunt and pointing out Republicans continue to fail to act on bills which would create jobs.
How the Independents react will be the key as to whther this action by Issa is a non-starter.
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Supreme Court Health Care Decision Watch Continues - the ruling could be announced today, which would take "Fast and Furious" and the contempt charge against Holder off the front page.
Americans are torn on the Affordable Care Act, with a majority supporting many of the individuals components of the bill. This decision and how the Obama nd Romney campaigns react to it, will certainly impact the election.
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Quinnipiac Poll Has Obama up 4 Points in Florida - 46% - 42%, the same pollster had Mitt Romney leading the President by 6 points in Florida one month ago. Florida is one of a dozen important swing states. The shift would seem to indicate voters are still making up their minds. Politico.com has more here.
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Immunity Deal in Works for Assad? - reportedly, western powers met during the G-20 summit last week to discuss immunity for Syrian President Bashar Assad in exchange for his stepping down from power. MSNBC.com has more here.
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Pakistan Turmoil Continues - The replacement for Prime Minister Gilani, picked by parliament is Makhdoom Shahabuddin who has been served with an arrestwarrant pertaining to a drug import scandal. The Washington Post has more here.
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Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Leads Romney 53% - 40%, in latest Bloomberg poll. The presumptive Republican nominee; Mitt Romney showed 55% believed he was out of touch with average Americans. Bloomberg.com has more here.
In my youth, we had a term for prople like Romney; we called them "plastic" or not real. Seems, the term would still apply today.
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Latino Vote Will Impact 8 Swing States - the growth of the Latino population in the U.S. has grown from 35 million in 2000 to 50 million in 2010 with 20% of the growth taking place in the swing states of Florida, Colorado, Nevada, N. Carolina and Virginia, all states carried by Obama in 2008. The Washington Post has more here.
The RNC is going after the Latino vote with a new video ad showing how Latinos have suffered high unemployment and poverty under the Obama administration. You can see the ad here.
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Rep. Issa To Move Forward With Holder Contempt Vote - in a continued show of partisan politics in an election year, Rep. Darrall issa (R-Calf.) rejected an offer from Attorney General Eric Holder to turn over the requested "Fast and Furious" ( a failed gun-tracking operation) documents in return for Issa dropping two subpoenas. TheHill.com has more here.
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Eyes On Federal Reserve Today - with the economic recovery shaky, at best, the Federal Reserve may well act today in their meeting to enact policies to further stimulate the economy by keeping interest rates low. Reuters.com has more here.
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Health Care Ruling Watch - continues with tomorrow being the earliest date the Supreme Court will announce their decision in regard to the "individual mandate" of the Affordable Care Act. The political fall out of the decision will be mixed as voters have shown in polls they like many individual aspects of the law and are divided on the overall bill, much of which has not been enacted. Politico.com has a good read here.
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Romney Concludes Ho-Hum 6 State Bus Tour - one that went largely without notice as Mitt Romney attempted to raise his status in six swing states pivotal to the outcome in the November elections. You can read more here.
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Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
64% Likely Voters Support Obama's Undocumented Immigrant Children Executive Order - a Bloomberg poll, taken after the policy was announced, shows only 30% disagree with the action taken by the President. Among Independents, a crucial voting block, 66% agree with the President. TPM.com has more here.
As a result of the move by President Obama, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio scraps his plan to introduce his version of "The Dream Act" in Congress. RollCall.com has more here.
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Kerry To Play Romney in Debate Prep - the Democratic U.S. Senator will mimick Mitt Romney in debate practice. CNN.com has more here.
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Euro Clearly Not Working - while, most of the talk has been centered on the bail outs of participating nations, the real issue surrounds the failure of the system. The Harvard Kennedy Schhol has a good read here.
Paul Krugman adds his thoughts here.
Perhaps, the time has come to examine ways to end the Euro Zone.
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Leadership Turmoil Continues in Pakistan - Yousuf Reza Gilani has been disqualified from his position as Prime Minister by the high court due to his conviction of contempt of court, for failing to pursue corruption charges against President Asif Ali Zardari. The Washington Post has more here.
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Monday, June 18, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Generals Maintain Control in Egypt - so much for a "free election" held over the weekend in Egypt won by Muslim Brotherhood presidential candidate Mohamed Morsi. The Washington Post has more here.
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Coalition Building in Greece - the election narrowly won by Antonis Samaras yesterday secured only a slim majority. European leaders, happy Greece will likely agree to stay in the Euro Zone and agree to the austerity measures tied to the bail out funds, will give time for Greece to develop their government. Reuters.com has more here.
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Socialist Party Win Gives French President Hollande a Majority in Parliament - the election results will solidify Hollande's strength in pushing for more economic stimulus and growth measures and less austerity. The NY Times has more here.
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Majority of Americans Fear Double-Dip Recession - a poll released by The Hill found 75% were either very or somewhat worried the country could slip into another recession.
Obama lead Romney 47% - 40% in regard to who had the better policy to help the middle class. TheHill.com has more here.
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Obama in Mexico for G-20 Summit - In addition to the summit, President Obama will meet with Russian President Putin, Mexico President Calderon and other world leaders. Politico.com has more here.
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Sunday, June 17, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Greece Vote To Determine Austerity Measures - Alexis Tsipras of the SYRIZA party says if he wins, he wants to renegotiate the bailout deal, but keep the currency in the Euro Zone. His opposition; Antonis Samaras says Greece can not scrap the deal as it would lead to the drachma (Greece currency) and even more uncertainty.
Meanwhile, global banks are bracing for the outcome of the vote today. You can read more here.
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Turnout Low in Egypt Election - the military engineered election with the help of the high court in Egypt has resulted in a former Prime Minister under the former Mubarak regime; Ahmed Shafik facing an Islamic fundamentalist; Mohamed Morsi.
A choice, many Egyptians are not happy with in their first "free" election. The court, in a ruling this past week, also dissolved the newly elected parliament which will result in a continued rule by the military after this election concludes today. You can read more here.
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Socialist Party Expected to Win Majority in French Parliament Election Today - newly elected President Hollande is expected to gain support of Parliament today. You can read more here.
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Obama To Attend G-20 Summit in Mexico - expect Syria to be a headliner topic as leaders around the world meet. Eyes will be on a planned Obama-Putin meeting, previuosly scrapped when newly elected Russian President Putin was unable to attend the G-8 meetings at Camp David. You can read more here.
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U.N. Suspends Cease-Fire Monitoring in Syria - as it is painfully clear a peaceful resolution to the year old conflict is not being pursued by the Assad government. You can read more here.
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Saturday, June 16, 2012
Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup
George Wenschhof
Following a bad political week for President Obama, ranging from former President Bill Clinton issuing statements contrary to President Obama's position and Obama's own political gaffe when he said "the private sevtor was doing fine", the President has changed the narrative by issuing an executive order to stop the deportation of illegal immigrant children.
Hispanic/Latino voters, who will play a pivotal part in the November elections, welcomed the news, while many Republican leaders in Congress were critical of the action, some even calling the action unconstitutional.
Nonetheless, the announcement has put Mitt Romney in a box, as the presumptive Republican nominee realizes he must move closer to the center and he needs Hispanic/Latino votes to win.
Romney will have his opportunity to respond when he appears on CBS "Face The Nation". Romney will also have the time to tout his bus tour, which to date, has drawn little attention.
Senator Linsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of those critical of the President's action, will also appear on "Face The Nation" along with former Vermont Governor and DNC chair; Howard Dean.
White House Senior Adviser David Plouffe makes the rounds, appearing on four of the morning political talk shows.
The planned discussion appears to be absent or weak on major foreign policy events, ranging from the critical elections in Greece and Egypt, to the continued violence in Syria.
More attention needs to be given to the failed austerity measures taken by Europe and how that portens to the United States economy.
The testimony by JP Morgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon also deserves more scrutiny than it is receiving. It will be discussed on Bloomberg TV "Political Capital". The multi billion loss reported by JP Morgan Chase, resulting from risky trading in derivatives, highlights the need to reinstate the "Volker Rule" and the "Glass-Steagall Act".
Below, is a list of the scheduled guests.
NBC "Meet The Press" - David Plouffe and Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.)
Roundtable with David Maraniss, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Mark Halperin and Harold Ford Jr.
CBS "Face The Nation" - Mitt Romney, Howard Dean, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
Roundtable with Peggy Noonan, Richard Lowry, Jan Crawford and John Dickerson
ABC "This Week" - David Plouffe
Roundtable with Tim Pawlenty, George Will, Matthew Dodd, Austan Goolsbee and Katrina vanden.
CNN "State of The Union" - David Plouffe, Rick Santorum, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)
Fox News Sunday - David Plouffe, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), and CIA Director Michael Hayden.
Bloomberg TV "Political Capital" - Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.)
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Obama Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
President Obama calls out Republican members of Congress for blocking jobs bills, saying "they would rather wait until after the election in November".
This continues the President's campaign against the "Do Nothing Congress", which mirrors the Harry Truman campaign theme of 1948.
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Republican Weekly Address
George Wenschhof
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who recently survived a recall election, is the latest to deliver the Republican mantra of less Government.
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Friday, June 15, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
<
“At stake is not simply a choice between two candidates or two political parties, but between two paths for our country,” said Obama early on in his speech. “And while there are many things to discuss in this campaign, nothing is more important than an honest debate about where these two paths would lead us.”
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Feingold Renews Call For Campaign Finance Reform - former Democratic Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold wrote in an essay published in the Stanford Law Review "The Citizens United decision also has had an effect on the perceived legitimacy of our elections—increasing skepticism about the campaign finance system. When the public sees the Supreme Court overturn 100 years of settled law, a cynicism sets in. And when the groups created by Citizens United dominate our elections with hundreds of millions of dollars of unregulated money, many may begin to believe that the average participant’s small contribution is irrelevant, and that the average person’s vote is grossly outweighed by the gigantic contributions now allowed." You can read it here.
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Egyptian Military Aided By High Court Deals Muslim Brotherhood a Serious Blow Prior to Presidential Election - who says the military will be relinquishing their power to civilian rule after this weekend elections? The high court approved former Mubarak regime Prime Minister Ahmed Shafig who has close ties to the military, to be a candidate for president on the ballot. Shafig will face Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsi. At the saem time, the court ruled 1/3 of the parliament, mostly Muslims were elected illegally, setting the stage for a new parliamentary election. The Washington Post has more here.
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Will Greece Leave Euro Zone? - On Sunday, voters will be making their second attempt at determining the structure of their government. A decision that could well decide whether or not Greece stays in the Euro Zone. The NY Times has more here.
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Thursday, June 14, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Median Family Net Worth Dropped 40% from 2007 to 2010 - the Federal Reserve report will add to the argument as to whether Republicans or Democrats have the best policy to get the country moving again. The Washington Post has more here.
Net worth, is defined by value of home, stocks, and savings; all of which took a beating during the recession. Nonetheless, this becomes a strong campaign issue relating to the standard bearer question to voters "Are you better off than four years ago"?
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Obama To Give Major Economic Speech Today - in Cleveland, the president is expected to once again blame Republicans for the economic problems facing the country today and warning that Romney, if elected, would result in the same failed policies that got the country in the problems it is facing today. You can read more here.
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Boehner Responds To Obama's Planned Speech Today - Republican House Speaker John Boehner, in a video released today, asks why the President has not urged Senate Democrats to pass the numerous jobs bills passed by the House.
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Americans Still Blame Bush For Economy - a Gallup poll shows 68% of Americans still blame former President George W. Bush for the economic problems gripping the country. Gallup.com has more here.
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Edwards Case Dismissed - yesterday, the Department of Justice announced it would not retry John Edwards on charges he illegally spent campaign finances to conceal his affair with Rielle Hunter. This declaration follows the jury finding John Edwards not guilty on one charge and announcing they were deadlocked on the other charges. TPM.com has more here.
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Court Ruling in Egypt Will Impact Election - The high court in Egypt ruled that Ahmed Shafik, who was a military officer under the Mubarak regime, was eligible to run for President. A ruling that is sure to anger voters prior to the upcoming elections.
The court also ruled 1/3 of the pariamentary seats in the last election were void. A ruling that will likely result in a new election. Reuters.com has more here.
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Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Democrats Win Gifford's Seat - Democrat Ron Barber, the former aide to Gabrielle Giffords easily won the special election for Gabrielle Gifford's Congressional seat in Arizona in a district which has a majority of registered Republican voters. Barber will serve the remainder of her term. Arizona is also one of a dozen pivotal swing states in the November election. TPM.com has more here.
This win was a much needed shot in the arm for Democrats, coming after the loss in Wisconsin, some questionable comments from former President Bill Clinton and a gaffe from President Obama on the state of the economy.
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Candidates Set in Race For Snowe's Maine Senate Seat - independent Agnus King, the former governor, is the favorite to win. After, the primary yesterday, he will face Democrat Cynthia Dill and Republican Charlie Summers. TheHill.com has more here.
It is expected if King wins, he will caucus with Democrats. So, it appears likely Republicans will lose this U.S. Senate seat as a result of Olympia Snowe's retirement.
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Voters Not Supporting Economic Plans of Romney or Obama - a Washington Post/ABC News poll shows 43% have a favorable view of the economic plans from the Obama administration and only 37% have a favorable view of Mitt Romney's economic plans. The Washington Post has more here.
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Election Nears, Greeks Withdraw Cash From Banks - on Sunday, the election will determine the future of Greece remaining in the Euro Zone, with one political party favoring an exit and another political party in support of the Euro Zone proposed bail out.
Meanwhile, citizens are withdrawing an estimated $1 Billion daily from banks. Reuters.com has more here.
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GOP Super Pacs Target 6 Democratic Senators - American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS are spending $4.6 million in ads in six states (Nebraska, Nevada, Virginia, N. Dakota, Missouri and Ohio). Politico.com has more here.
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Israel Begins Deportation of Illegal African Immigrants - keep an eye on this story as these actions will surely ignite passions from both sides of the immigration issue in the United States. CNN.com has more here.
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Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama Campaign Releases Latest Ad - is running in nine swing states.
Excerpt: “When Mitt Romney was governor, Massachusetts was number one. Number one in state debt: $18 billion dollars in debt, more debt per person than any other state in the country,” First in debt, 47th in job creation. That’s Romney Economics.”
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Obama Local Interview Links - Time.com has links to the local interviews conducted with President Obama yesterday, here.
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Obama Leads Romney in Pennsylvania - 46% - 40% in the latest Quinnipiac poll. The poll shows women supporting Obama over Romney 51% - 36% while men support Romney 44% - 40%. Quinnipiac.com has more here.
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Eyes On Special Election in Arizona - today, voters will decide who will fill the seat vacated by Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D). Whether former aide to Giffords, Democrat Ron Barber or Republican Jese Kelly wins, both sides will make their case for the results to be a harbinger for the November elections. The latest polls show Barbar with a comfortable lead. Aaron Blake of the Washington Post has a good read here.
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49% Believe Republicans Intentionally Stalling Economic Recovery - to ensure President Obama's defeat in November. The poll was conducted by Democratic leaning Public Policy Polling, Daily Kos and the SEIU. You can read more here.
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Is Italy Next To Falter Financially? - long predicted by economists as a country which could add to the finacial global woes. Austria's Finance Minister said Italy may also need a financial rescue from the Euro Zone. Reuters.com has more here.
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Presidential Use of Drones To Target and Kill Questioned - the age of terrorism has spawn much fear and with it new U.S. policies to combat it. The revelations President Obama has ordered "kills" on targets located on foreign soil has also resulted in many questioning this authority. Katrina vanden Heuvel has a good read here.
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Monday, June 11, 2012
Change To Tax Differential Important First Step For City Taxpayers
George
Wenschhof
After the city election, numerous workshops and public meetings were held, resulting recently in the city mayor and board voting to go to a tax differential system, effective for fiscal year 2013.
City taxpayers will now see a reduction in their county taxes and a slight increase in their city taxes to cover what had been previously paid to the county prior to their tax equity rebate to the city.
The 2013 city budget also included a 4 cent reduction for taxpayers.
This is an important first step in the right direction for city taxpayers away from paying a duplication of services tax to the county with the hope the county would reimburse the city.
In 1997, during my campaign for City of Frederick
alderman, one of the issues I ran on was the need to examine the existing tax
equity system with the county government, arguing the double taxation city
residents faced was unfair.
I pointed out city taxpayers were paying the same county
taxes as county residents, in addition to their city tax while city government
was providing many of the same services provided by the county.
It has long been understood, that half of the county
budget is for education and municipal taxpayers benefit from the school system.
So, a level of county taxes is appropriate for municipal taxpayers.
However, it is the amount of duplication of services
provided by municipal and county government that is the question.
The county attempted to deal with this issue some thirty
years ago, by developing what would become known as the tax equity
program. Based on a formula, the county,
after collecting taxes, would rebate to municipalities, their share of tax
revenue resulting from duplication of services.
In theory, municipalities were able to keep their tax
rates lower, with the knowledge of the expected rebate coming from the county.
Unfortunately, I did not argue loud or well enough to
effectuate a change or to win election for that matter, failing to be included
in the five Democratic candidates to move on to the general election by twelve
votes.
Years later, during the 2009 City of Frederick election,
tax equity had become a front line issue, aided by actions taken by the
Frederick Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) to reduce the amount of money
they would reimburse the city for the duplication of services provided by both
levels of government.
The reason given by the county was they were short money
due to the recession resulting in lower tax revenue and could not afford to
rebate to municipalities the entire amount their own tax equity formula
determined was due.
A series of unfortunate actions followed, with first the
BOCC voting 3-2 to withhold payment to the city and Commissioner John “Lenny”
Thompson, correctly pointing out the City of Frederick had failed to send a
required formal letter to the County requesting payment.
Delegate Galen Clagett would get involved, filing a bill
requiring the county to make minimum tax rebates to municipalities.
In the end, the motion to withhold payment was brought up
again by Commissioner David Gray, who changed his vote to no, resulting in a
3-2 vote against withholding payment to the City of Frederick.
But, the damage had been done, and these actions had
highlighted the unfairness in the county tax equity system.
Tax equity beacame a campaign issue in the 2009 city
election and candidates were asked their position on it by the Frederick
News Post. All of the elected alderman candidates supported a change to tax differential. Their responses can be read
here.
Alderman Carol Krimm, who was one who campaigned on this
issue, is pleased with the change, but in a recent interview acknowledged “more needs
to be done”.
Carol informed me much of the tax equity formula is based
on what she refers to as the “4 P’s” (Police, Planning, Parks and Public
Works). However, she pointed out duplication exists in many other
administrative areas such as Finance, Budget and Legal.
Krimm would prefer a new formula developed for municipal
governments and have it addressed in state statute, pointing out counties
presently control the process in state statute.
Alderman Krimm is correct in wanting to see a new tax
formula developed for municipalities and the city would be wise to pursue this
with county officials and the local state delegation.
All in all, the move to a tax differential system was a
good bipartisan move by city government and long overdue.
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Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
Obama To Meet With TV Anchors at 10:50 AM ET - the President will answer questions from the press at the White House. Expect the questions to range from the status of the economy, the intelligence leaks, to the violence in Syria.
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Commerce Secretary John Bryson Charged With Hit-and-Run - he evidently was involved in two vehicle accidents and found unconscious in his automobile by police. You can read more here.
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57% Union Workers Favor Obama - according to the latest Gallup Poll. Not a surprise, but 35% of the union workers the poll shows supporting Mitt Romney is interesting. Among non union workers, Romney receives 48% and Obama, surprisingly receives 44%. Further indication the November election will be close.
Gallup.com has more here.
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Arizona Special Election for Giffords Seat Tomorrow - another pivotal race to watch as Arizona is among the 9-11 swing states who will determine the presidential election in November. Republican Jesse Kelly, who lost a close race to Gabrielle Giffords, is facing Democrat Ron Barber, a former Gifford's aide, who was also injured in the shooting which killed 6 people and wounded 11 others. You can read more here.
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Oops! British Prime Minister Leaves 8 Year Old Daughter Behind at Pub - an embarassing moment for Prime Minister David Cameron. MSNBC.com has more here.
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Sunday, June 10, 2012
Daily Political Wire
George Wenschhof
"Nixon Was Far Worse Than We Thought" - a great pieced penned by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, written 40 years after the Watergate scandal rocked the White House. You can read it here.
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Republican Governors Push For Online Sales Tax - an interesting approach from a party which abhors taxes. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad (R) joins New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is asking Congress to pass lonline sales tax legislation. TheHill.com has more here.
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More Syrian Cities Come Under Government Bombardment - inceasing the signs the regime of President Bashar al-Assad is clinging onto power. Over 33 people were killed yesterday in the towns of Homs, Deraa and Damascus as the UN brokered cease fire has obviously failed. Reuters.com has more here.
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Netroots Nation Conference Centers on Wisconsin Results - much of the conversation over the last three days by the attendees was focused on the impact of outside money on the recall election in Wisconsin. Politico.com has more here.
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Latino Voter Turnout Under 50% - the rapidly growing U.S. Latino poulation will have 21 million eligible voters int he 2012 election but fewer than 10 million are registered. In the 2008 election about 50% eligible Latinos voted compared to 66% of whites and 65% of blacks eligible to vote. The NY Times has a good read here.
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Spain Banks To Receive $125 Billion Bailout - the latest country to be beset with major strains on their banking system. European finance ministers said the loans would go directly to the banks. You can read more here.
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Saturday, June 9, 2012
Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup
George Wenschhof
Can you believe it has been 40 years since the Watergate scandal led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon? It has, and Bob Woodward and Carl Berstein will be on CBS "Face The Nation" to discuss.
Expect discussion of the outcome of the Wisconsin recall election and what, if any, impact this will have on the national elections in November.
Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker, along with Maryland Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley (who has 2016 desires) and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumpka will also face off on CBS "Face The Nation".
The recent intelligence "leaks" will be the focus on CNN "State of The Union" where Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod and Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) will appear.
Look to see the slight uptick in unemployment to be talked about and President Obama's recent statement saying "the private sector is doing fine" to be jumped on by Republican party surrogates.
Plan to tune into C-SPAN "Newsmakers" to lsiten to Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) discuss the $969 Billion Farm bill they have jointly introduced in the Senate.
It appears the ongoing violence in Syria along with the continued economic problems facing the Euro Zone will not face the scrutiny they deserve this Sunday. But, I hope I am wrong.
Below is a full list of the scheduled guests:
NBC "Meet The Press" - preempted for coverage of French Open.
ABC "This Week" - David Axelrod and Rick Santorum
Roundtable with Ed Rendell, Mike Huckabee, Ann Coulter, and Van Jones.
CBS "Face The Nation" - Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D), Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, Carl Berstein, Bob Woodward, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calf.)-chair of Senate Intelligence Committee and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.)-chair House Intelligence Committee
CNN "State of The Union" - David Axelrod, Sen. John McCain (R- Ariz.), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calf.) and Rep. Peter King (R-NY).
Fox News Sunday - Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R), National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel
Roundtable with Bill Kristol, Charles Lane, Liz Cheney, and Mara Liasson.
C-SPAN "Newsmakers" - Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Pat Roberts (R-KS).
Bloomberg TV "Political Capital" - Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)
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