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The New York Times on Boehner's challenge: "'The problem is going to be the grass-roots movement out in the countryside,' said Vin Weber, a former Republican House member and Washington lobbyist who served with Mr. Boehner in the 1990s. 'They have no sense of the limits on a party that controls only one of the three seats of power. Managing that relationship is going to be difficult.'"
Roll Call makes a similar point: Boehner “must appease a flock of conservative and ambitious GOP freshmen while putting in place a strategy for his party to expand its Congressional majority and win the White House in 2012.”
The Hill reminds that becoming Speaker is something of a comeback for Boehner, who 12 years ago was “ousted from the Republican leadership.”
Roll Call previews Nancy Pelosi’s last speech as speaker: She will “vow to ‘fight for American jobs’ and reduce the deficit during her final speech on the House floor before her successor takes the gavel Wednesday. The California Democrat will pledge that her Caucus ‘will judge what comes before Congress by whether it creates jobs, strengthens our middle class, and reduces the deficit -- not burdening future generations with debt,’ according to excerpts released by her office.”
The Washington Post details what congressional Democrats hope to accomplish in the 112th Congress. “Democratic leaders say they could take up the cause of deficit reduction, urge a free-trade agreement with South Korea and advocate for an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws. All of these issues have something in common: They will require support from lawmakers in both parties to have any hope of passing.”
Democratic Rep. Dan Boren of Oklahoma says he’ll back the repeal of health care when it comes up for a vote in the House Jan. 12.
As for the Senate, how about this quote from a Democratic aide about the relationship between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, per The Hill: “They are as close as two people with limited social skills can be.”
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Meaningless symbols don't feed the bulldog. what are they going to do about jobs?
I am with out a doubt drawing the conclusion that it seems like the Republicans agenda is to keep more people poor, I mean lets face it most people do not join the military unless they have to and a majority do so to pay for college. So maybe the more poor people there are more to fight our needless wars for the rich and powerful.
Look bottom line without inciting a civil war here, people need help and I am sick and tired of other people that are well to do telling those that have nothing that it is not anyone else's problem, sorry but I have a problem with that.
Maybe if people would look after one another and have each others back when things are down then we would be able to get along, problem is people are selfish and greedy and could care less to stop and help others.
What really bakes my noodle is that the republican party actually convinced allot of voters into believing that they are for the working class. They have proved time and time again that they are for big corporations and rich folks. The only reason they try to pull that shtick is to get votes, the proof is in the pudding people.
Any time when taxes have come up they want to help there rich cronies ( and hold the poor and working class hostage unless they get it)
Any time they want to cut spending it is on social programs that help out either the poor and or the middle class fallen on hard times not mention the seniors that have worked all their lives for social security.
And now they are threatening to not raise the debt ceiling which means that the government will shut down entirely. Meaning people that are at war for our country are left over there and we are here in the middle of a massive crisis with riots and civil war on hands.
Do you understand what kind of threat that is?
They are threatening our very lives if they do not get what they want and that is power and money for themselves and their rich friends while x-ing out the lower and middle class. Just the fact that they would even threaten to shut our government down means that they are threatening our protection and our lives and the lives of our citizens and soldiers.
I am sorry but If I went and threatened to shut anything down involed with the government let alone the entire government I would be executed for treason and for some reason they think it is o.k to do so for personal gain.
Vote these Republicans out as soon as we can, this is not just political posturing anymore they have taken this way to far.
Although symbolic, the vote to repeal Healthcare Reform could be a political winner if the house has enough votes to override a Presidential veto. That level of support will put enormous pressure on the Senate. If they get to the point where there are a majority of senators for repeal (3 votes needed as Joe Manchin has already shot a gun at the bill), then the spectacle of Harry Reid using the filibuster will be superb irony.
I say if they get 51 votes, let them repeal the bill.
On the Daily Rundown Show this morning, Gregory and Todd continued to spin the conservative talking point, that it was Obama who was the partisan in the past two years. So the "liberal media" is still going to be carrying the GOP water.
Patrick - those guys don't care - they are both Republicans.
I think the agenda of the Congress of the U.S. (not just the GOP agenda) needs to include things that are going to fix the economy, get people back to work and pay down the debt and deficit.
The President has made it clear that he looks forward to bipartisan work on tax code reform, spending cuts and budget creation and management. Deficit cutting and debt management are clearly as important to him as it is to fiscal conservatives and the key will be finding the common ground from which the two sides can work together.
Tax code revision and spending cuts will obviously affect areas near and dear to different segments of the President's party and the Republicans. No departments, programs or infrastructure will be or should be exempt from spending restraints and reductions. Mutual sacrifice on the part of "all the people" will be the means by which we achieve a return to greatness for the U.S..
Many in his party and many in the opposition party have not been so gracious in speaking either of the recent legislative accomplishments (which by and large were victories for all the people) or the coming legislative year and the seating of the new Congress. Figurative rattling sabers and throwing down gauntlets has fueled the blogosphere, but will not little to help in accomplishing the people's business.
Nothing is to be gained for either side by name calling, blaming, demonizing or hating the other.
How about the debt commission recommendations?
Drastic reform of the tax code, including reducing some or all rates and eliminating all deductions and loopholes.
How about raising the retirement age, affecting only those just born or not yet born to be effective in 2075?
How about changes to Medicare to include copays etc.
How about access to insurance across state lines and real tort reform in health care malpractice suits.
How about means testing for social security?
How about making social welfare a hand up system, by requiring community service of some kind to contribute to the nation and help offset the cost of the payments? How about a limited amount of time to be able to draw the benefits?
How about job placement for people on UEI? If they are given a job that pays less then they receive on UEI then they continue to receive a reduced benefit. If they are offered retraining into another field and refuse it, they lose their UEI. If they are offered a position with benefits that pays more then minimum wage plus a set percentage and they refuse the position,they lose their UEI benefits.
How about drastic cuts to the defense infrastructure and mission?
How about kicking the UN out of the US, putting it in the Hague where it belongs and saving $500B to $900B a year?
How about eliminating social services to illegals?
Are any of those ideas good enough for consideration?
All of these things have been mentioned by politicians on both sides of the aisle and these are the things we must do to get our nation back to where it belongs. Can the rhetoric and let's all work together. That's the American way and it is much more important then political ideological purity.