Posts Tagged ‘Democrats’

Democrat House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s daughter reportedly said that her mother wants to retire, but is under pressure from her donors to stay in Congress.

She would retire right now, if the donors she has didn’t want her to stay so badly. They know she wants to leave, though. They think she’s destined for the wilderness. She has very few days left. She’s 71, she wants to have a life, she’s done. It’s obligation, that’s all I’m saying.

It’s a surprisingly candid admission related to the second most powerful Democrat in the country.

If true, I’d be happy to volunteer to help Pelosi pack her bags so she can go back to San Francisco permanently.

Republican House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan has released a new proposal with Democrat Senator Ron Wyden that would reform Medicare in a way that will ensure that seniors have real choices when it comes to their health care.

The genius of this plan is that it would allow seniors to stick with traditional fee-for-service Medicare – thus undercutting Democrat claims that Republicans are “ending Medicare as we know it.”

The irony in the Democrat’s claim is what they did to Medicare through the passage of their health care bill in 2010.  They cut $500 billion over ten years in order to fund new government programs and the created a 15-member board to make decisions about what procedures and prescriptions would be covered by Medicare – essentially standing between doctors and their patients.

Given the ever-increasing opposition to the health care law, Democrats might want to be careful about how they play this card in 2012.

First she survived the worst year for Democrats in Congress since 1938 by winning re-election.  Weeks later, she survived being shot in the head at point blank range by a raving madman.

Now she demonstrates a strength of will that is nothing short of a miracle.

Gabby Giffords’ survival is amazing.  It is proof that she has much more to accomplish on this earth.

As I read the cover story of this week’s People magazine and then watched the Diane Sawyer special, I realized that we really never know what our life holds in store.  In Gabby’s case, it is incredible adversity and showing the true grit to overcome that adversity.

I’ll never forget that fateful Saturday morning.  I had just landed in Phoenix and was walking up the sidewalk to the PF Changs at Norterra Shoppes for an early lunch with my kids.  I got a text from a friend that simply read “Urgent. Call me.”

I called and my mouth dropped in shock in hearing the news that Congresswoman Giffords had been shot.

Now, ten months later, to see her, and to hear her, is inspiring.  Her love of life, her love of her husband Mark, her complete strength in the face of the worst of adversity demonstrates absolute courage.  She is a survivor.

We don’t know whether she will run for Congress again.  In the end, it doesn’t matter.  She has left an indelible mark on this world that a mere Member of Congress could only dream of.

Stay strong, Gabby. We’re praying for you, cheering for you and, most of all, forever grateful for the inspiration and miracle that you are to all of us.

Bart Stupak will announce today that he will not seek reelection in November. After this so-called pro-life Democrat pulled a Judas on the issue of life, and providing the final votes needed to pass Obama’s government takeover of health care. This is what defines cowardice: selling out your principle, and then running away from defending yourself.

His seat is likely to go Republican, increasing the chances of a GOP majority in the House after the November election.

All I can say is good riddance. One less unprincipled Member of Congress to worry about.

If Democrats don’t pass health care “reform” by March 26, then the two-week Easter recess could end up looking a lot like last August, when the American electorate made it abundantly clear that they did not favor a government takeover of health care. At least that is the intent of some Republicans, according to this story in the Washington Examiner.

“If health care doesn’t get done by Easter,” says Republican Rep. John Shadegg, “then we need to make Easter look like last August.”

The Democrats continue to push the narrative of inevitability, but even that is wearing thin, given that they have been pushing that narrative since last April. One thing for certain: never have the American people been offered such a stark difference in philosophy over the role of government than what the Democrats are trying to ram through Congress in comparison to what the Republicans would offer as solutions.

The question is whether the moderate Democrats will listen to the American people or Nancy Pelosi.

Obama will lay out his vision on how to pass comprehensive health care reform today, defying, yet again the will of a majority of Americans who have repeatedly rejected government run health care.

Democrats know they have a short fuse on getting this passed. If they can’t pass a bill by the end of March, it is highly unlikely that they will pass anything this year. The reason is that there is a two-week recess starting on March 26. Democrat leaders know that if their members go back to their districts without a bill passed, there is no way that after two weeks of hearing from their constituents (and right before tax day) that they will pass the bill.

In politics, this is known as raw cynicism.

It is a testament to the ideology of Democrat leadership that they know that their proposal is counter to the will of most Americans, and yet they are determined to pass it any way – and change the rules to get it done.

They will pay dearly for their decision in November, but as Pelosi has said, “this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

The next three weeks will be the most important and consequential to the role of government in the lives of the American people as we have seen in my political experience.

And it scares me to death.

“The Fix” from the Washington Post discusses this hard-hitting ad in Thursday’s Politico.  The ad itself says it all.

The race to fill the Senate seat of Edward Kennedy in Massachusetts is turning into the most closely watched election of the season. In what can only be described as unbelievable, the Republican candidate, Scott Brown, is in a dead heat with the Democrat candidate, Martha Coakley.

For a Republican to even be in the game in a state like Massachusetts is incredible. This is a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 5-1.

It has gotten so dire for Democrats, that there has been talk about delaying the certification of the election if Brown wins. Just for those keeping track, the last time there was a special election in Massachusetts for an open House seat, the winner was sworn in two days later.

In reaction to a question about a delayed certification, the esteemed Representative Barney Frank said it was a “conspiracy theory.”

“There isn’t the slightest possibility of it happening—a way of doing it.”

Well Mr. Frank, we’ll remember that on February 20 if Brown ends up winning.

Even if the Democrat wins, this race does not portend a good year for Democrats nationally.

This is powerful, and should make Democrats very nervous.

It’s been well-known inside the beltway that there are more rich Democrats serving in Congress than Republicans.  But Republicans are always branded as the party of the rich.  Ironic isn’t.

Well, here is a list of the top 50 richest Members of Congress, and there are 28 Democrats and 22 Republicans.  In fact, the top 10 is comprised of 8 Democrats and 2 Republicans.

Ironic, isn’t it.