{Political_Views} Morning Examiner: Dems abandon Obama on jobs again

 

 

Morning Examiner: Dems abandon Obama on jobs again

By Conn Carroll

President Obama is an increasingly unpopular president whom the American people trust less and less on economic matters, and his repeated failure to secure Senate Democrat votes for his American Jobs Act is only showcasing this fact.

Last night, the Senate voted 50-50 to not end debate on a portion of Obama's plan that would have given billions to states for government employee compensation. Every Republican, two Democrats, and Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., voted against Obama's bill. In addition to the two Democrats who voted not to end debate, Sens. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., and Mark Pryor, D-Ark., two other Democrats Sens., Joe Manchin, D-W.V., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., both said they objected to the bill and would have voted no on final passage. That means a clear bipartisan majority of the Senate firmly rejects Obama's spending agenda. Here is what each senator had to say:

Nelson: "If I didn't think much of it on the one thing, you've got to assume that I won't think much of it for something else … I don't think you increase taxes for new spending."

Pryor: "It's a little philosophical in the sense that I'm not sure federal taxpayers should be paying for teachers and first responders. That's traditionally a state and local matter."

Lieberman: "[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."

Manchin: "We've already had two rounds of stimulus funding. This is our third. … We have to be responsible, and basically if spending money would fix our problems in America, we'd have no problems."

The Associated Press reported this week, that Democratic office holders did not want to appear with Obama on his bus tour through Virginia promoting his bill. The White House might want to stop setting Obama up to look like an ineffectual failure.

Around the Bigs
ABC News, Car Company Gets U.S. Loan, Builds Cars In Finland: The Obama Energy Department gave a $529 million loan guarantee to Fisker Automotive, who used the cash to build a electric car factory in Finland.

National Journal, Announcing Retirement, Dem Congressman Bashes Obama: Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif., took some hard shots at President Obama when he announced his retirement yesterday: "Home foreclosures are destroying communities and crushing our economy, and the Administration's inaction is infuriating," Cardoza said.

The Wall Street Journal, Fed Is Poised for More Easing: Federal Reserve officials are developing a plan to buy mortgage-backed securities from troubled banks to boost the economy.

The New York Times, E.P.A. to Tighten Rules on Wastewater Disposal: The EPA announced Thursday, that it would be introducing new regulations on the natural gas drilling technique know as fracking by 2014.

The Washington Post, Occupy Wall Street, unions get their activism together: Unions are mobilizing to provide office space, meeting rooms, photocopying services, legal help, food and other necessities to the Occupy movement. In return, Occupy activists are "pitching in" to help unions attack firms involved in disputes with labor.

New York Post, Angry Manhattan residents lambast Zuccotti Park protesters: Infuriated lower Manhattan residents vented their anger at the Occupy Wall Street movement last night. "They are defecating on our doorsteps," stay at home mom Catherine Hughes, told her fellow residents. "A lot of people are very frustrated. A lot of people are concerned about the safety of our kids."

The Los Angeles Times, California becomes first state to adopt cap-and-trade program:
The California Air Resources Board unanimously adopted the nation's first cap-and-trade system, yesterday. The new regulations will drive up the cost of energy and manufacturing, sending thousands of jobs out of the state.

The Examiner, Maryland faces $1b budget shortfall as revenue slows: Warren Deschenaux, director of the Department of Legislative Services' Office of Policy Analysis, told Maryland legislators, yesterday, that the state will face a $1billion shortfall next year due to the weak economy.

Campaign 2012
Romney: The Examiner's Byron York reports on the big disconnect between Romney and Republicans on health care: "Much of the arguing over Romneycare has consisted of Republicans accusing Romney of wanting to impose his Massachusetts plan on the entire nation, a la Obamacare. Less explored is the question of whether Romneycare, which up to now has been popular in Massachusetts, is a recipe for disaster that will inevitably lead to some combination of rationing, price controls and higher taxes. That would be a significant blot on Romney's record on whether he saw it as a national model."

Ohio: According to the liberal polling firm, Public Policy Polling, "If Barack Obama had to stand for reelection today he would likely lose Ohio…as long as the Republicans nominate Mitt Romney."

Iowa: Rasmussen Reports has Herman Can beating Mitt Romney 28 -21 percent in Iowa. Ron Paul is in third at 10 percent.

Righty Playbook
The Corner's Kathryn Jean Lopez flags a Miami Herald story fact checking another Washington Post hit piece, this time on Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.: "The top of the story suggests Rubio himself has given this "dramatatic account:" that "he was the son of exiles, he told audiences, Cuban Americans forced off their beloved island after 'a thug,' Fidel Castro, took power." However, the story doesn't cite one speech where Rubio actually said that."

Power Line's Steven Hayward flags reports that Steve Jobs told Obama in the fall of 2010 that he was headed for a one-term presidency: "'You're headed for a one-term presidency,' he told Obama at the start of their meeting, insisting that the administration needed to be more business-friendly. As an example, Jobs described the ease with which companies can build factories in China compared to the United States, where "regulations and unnecessary costs" make it difficult for them. Jobs also criticized America's education system, saying it was 'crippled by union work rules,' noted Isaacson. 'Until the teachers' unions were broken, there was almost no hope for education reform.'"

RedState's Erick Erickson finds Herman Cain's explanation of his position on abortion lacking: "This is the second time in as many days where Herman has walked something back claiming to have misunderstood a reporter's questions. The problem though, is that it is difficult to claim Piers Morgan was asking if Cain would order people to not have abortions based on how Herman himself answered the question."

Lefty Playbook
Firedoglake's Cynthia Kouril warns that Real Estate Board of New York asking the city to prohibit Occupy Wall Street-style use of public space: "REBNY is the 1%."

Digby notes that average pay fell again in 2010, and writes: "This is why people get frantic in this economy even when they are employed. Not only is it nearly impossible to leave a job they hate, they are falling behind even though they are working as hard as ever. And if they have any debt, this picture looks even worse. "

Salon's Joan Walsh asks, Do we know what OWS wants yet? "No, OWS doesn't have demands yet, and that's OK."

 

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