Congress: All about Libya, but shutdown looms

“As the White House works to assuage congressional anger over U.S. entry into armed conflict in Libya, four top national security officials will give a classified briefing to lawmakers on the war next Wednesday afternoon,” Politico reports.

“The administration outreach comes as President Barack Obama has faced mounting bipartisan criticism on his approach to U.S. involvement in Libya and has struggled to publicly defend the action,” Roll Call adds.

“With a shutdown seemingly off the table, Republicans are considering an alternative tactic” to get Democrats to pass more budget cuts, The Hill writes: “‘ratchet’ up demands in future short-term spending bills by including amendments that defund Democratic priorities like healthcare reform.”

By the way, as NBC’s Ken Strickland point out, next week is going to be all about Libya in Congress. But each day focused on Libya is a day not focused on the budget, and though neither side wants a government shutdown, one still looms two Fridays from now. And there are likely to be no more stop-gap measures to continue funding the government.

Democratic lawmakers met with Medicaid advocates this week, telling them that Democratic-proposed budget cuts would have cuts to entitlements, but they would be less than those in the Republican bill.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor added his voice to the chorus of criticism against President Obama’s Libya plan, The Hill writes.

General Electric, a part owner of NBC whose CEO is President Obama’s liaison to the business community, has employed such fierce lobbying for tax breaks and innovative accounting that that it claimed a tax benefit of $3.2 billion in 2010, the New York Times reports.

Discuss this post

It would be nice if the GOPTP explained what jobs they've created with their anti everything legislation. It would be nice if both sides quite throwing tantrums and did the people's business like passing a budget. Just pass the 2011 budget as it is and move on to the 2012 budget--the cuts the republicans want will not solve anything. This is nothing but grandstanding.

  • 8 votes
Reply#1 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:17 AM EDT

Proof of the delusions of the Obama cult.

Do you read anything but thinkprogress, media matters,and this blog? Portugal has just collapsed, and Spain is not far behind. That leaves Italy as the last hold out of the original PIIGS still barely holding on.

We have a debt crisis- Obama has added $4trillion to it, and is on pace to add a total of $13 trillion. I get that your magic mantra "yes we can" soothes you so much that you never have to worry about reality, but, trust me, what is coming is not the "change" anybody "hoped" for- unless disaster was the "change" you "believed in".

For the record, I do not believe Obama intends these outcomes- I simply believe he is inept and incapable of seeing reality, even hen it stands up and roars in his face.

Much like his acolytes.

  • 2 votes
#1.1 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:28 AM EDT

Amen Jody =

Your so right, it's about the peoples business, not the ego inflated Congressmen. The GOP talks about 2012, well wait and see, their going to hate it. You can't lie to the people, not do your job or not keep your false promises and expected to be re-elected.

  • 4 votes
#1.2 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:32 AM EDT

Proof that our resident economics doctorate got her degree at a K-Mart Blue Light Special.

Portugal has not 'collapsed' and Spain is not following, both are just experiencing the effects of a major, worldwide recession caused by the policies of the Republican/TP Inc. party for the last 30+ years. And to compare those economies to our national economy displays a fundamental lack of economics knowledge. Spain and Portugal are part of the EU and their economies are more closely related to a US state's budget, not a national economy that sets interest rates, controls the money supply and must interact with similar economies.

Now, if the Republican/TP Inc. party congressmen would try focusing on jobs rather than defunding programs that are helping the poor and actually provides jobs, they might get a little more respect. The only thing they are doing is trying to defund things they are politically opposed to and will not have any significant effect on the debt but will negatively, and in the opinion of real economists, significantly impact jobs.

Speaker Boehner, where are the jobs?

  • 5 votes
#1.3 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 10:02 AM EDT

Matt, you seem to be another who believes that, if it does not appear on First Read, Media Matters, or think progress, it did not happen

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/news/ap/politics/2011/Mar/25/portugal_seeks_political_deal_amid_debt_crisis.html

The government COLLAPSED, Matt. Due to their astronomical debt, and inability to face the reality of same.

Spain is not far behind.

Neither are we. You cannot spend your way out of debt.

  • 1 vote
#1.4 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 10:19 AM EDT

"congressional anger over U.S. entry into armed conflict in Libya"

How does this square with the 60% of Americans who supported establishing a no-fly zone in Libya, from the poll quoted in the other blog?

Might we say Congress doesn't share the priorities of 60% of the people it pretends to represent?

  • 3 votes
#1.5 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 10:28 AM EDT

No, Amy. It means that both parties in congress are infuriated that Obama ordered us into war without their consent, absent a threat, then hopped on a plane for SA.

  • 1 vote
#1.6 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 10:45 AM EDT

no jo, your understanding of parlimentary government is as bad as your understanding of economics. No matter how you try to spin it, the government did not collapse. Go back to school or do some reading on governmental systems. And you never did address the fact that your understanding of economics is fundamentally flawed if you compare a participant in the EU to the US Federal government.

So, was it a K-Mart or mail order economics degree?

  • 2 votes
#1.7 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 2:26 PM EDT
Reply

 let's vote

  • 2 votes
Reply#2 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:21 AM EDT

I can't understand why we should pay for people to have health care, of all things. I think it's much more important that giants like G E finagle ways to pay NO taxes, don't you guys

  • 4 votes
Reply#3 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:24 AM EDT

drive-by-observer

Not only did General Electric not pay any taxes, it expects a refund from the government.

So much for the "only the wealthy pay taxes" rightwing talking point.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/business/economy/25tax.html?_r=1&hp

  • 4 votes
#3.1 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 10:31 AM EDT

NoJo- what's your take on this? Would giants like GE paying taxes help stave off a future like Portugal's?

  • 2 votes
#3.2 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 11:31 AM EDT

Well, drive by, not being privy to GE's P and L statement, I have no idea whether or not they owed taxes.

It seems to me, however, that being a friend and top fundraisers for Obama has some pretty lucrative benefits.

    #3.3 - Fri Mar 25, 2011 11:42 AM EDT
    Reply

    Prayer changes things, we should all stop focusing on the problems and start focusing on the only real answer............PRAYER. God knows our hearts and he directs our path. Pray people, hes the only one who can fix the mess our country is in. Father forgive us our sins and heal our nation.Help us to do your will and not the will of man.Lord we are lost, please direct us in the way we should go. Lord we give you all honor .In Jesus name we pray ,AMEN.

      Reply#4 - Fri Apr 1, 2011 11:16 AM EDT
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