The Oval on Susan Rice

The White House: Has a Presidential Statement on the withdrawal of Susan Rice for consideration as Secretary of State, " Today, I spoke to Ambassador Susan Rice, and accepted her decision to remove her name from consideration for Secretary of State. For two decades, Susan has proven to be an extraordinarily capable, patriotic, and passionate public servant. As my Ambassador to the United Nations, she plays an indispensable role in advancing America’s interests. Already, she has secured international support for sanctions against Iran and North Korea, worked to protect the people of Libya, helped achieve an independent South Sudan, stood up for Israel’s security and legitimacy, and served as an advocate for UN reform and the human rights of all people. I am grateful that Susan will continue to serve as our Ambassador at the United Nations and a key member of my cabinet and national security team, carrying her work forward on all of these and other issues. I have every confidence that Susan has limitless capability to serve our country now and in the years to come, and know that I will continue to rely on her as an advisor and friend. While I deeply regret the unfair and misleading attacks on Susan Rice in recent weeks, her decision demonstrates the strength of her character, and an admirable commitment to rise above the politics of the moment to put our national interests first. The American people can be proud to have a public servant of her caliber and character representing our country. ".

Lets Get Real:

This is funny folks, you can laugh, lets be clear here, the Oval never actually in a formal manner nominated Ambassador Rice to be the next US Secretary State, thus this statement is based  on a D.C rumour that was never actually confirmed by the Oval.    One has to to think that Senator Kerry will be pleased to be the next Secretary State even if he was the 2nd choice, the Republicans will see it as way to get former Senator Scott Brown back in to the Senate after he lost his race in November.   This mess is down to the fact that Ambassador Rice at the height of the 2012 election allowed herself to be used by the Oval to spin a weak a story about the death of the US Ambassador to Libya that was NOT TRUE, even as she went on the 5 Sunday talk shows they story was falling apart, this should be a political lesson to the Ambassador, do not fall on your sword if your not going to get any benefits in the future, it seems from the latest reports that Rice will be made Obama's National Security Advisor, in other words foreign policy will be made at the Oval, so expect some rows between State and the Oval. 

Iowa Votes - Live Part Two

Telegraph Live - Iowa: Reports that former Republican frontrunner, the former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich had some tough words for his opponent Governor Romney, he stated he was with Reagan when he defeated the USSR, while Romney was on the left. The former House Speaker has a point, the Governor stated in one of his Mass Elections that he was not part of the Reagan/Bush crowd. Its on tape, hard to run away from, but even the Gipper was a Democrat, people can make mistakes, lets not forget that the Gipper in 1948 used to introduce the then President, Harry Truman in his election bid of 1948. Its odd but to my knowledge no one never used that against Reagan.

How Safe are Safe Liberal Seats ?

Fox News: Reports that even in birth place of JFK the great State of Massachusetts once liberal seats are under threat from the Republican wave facing the Democrats in November. If Democratic safe seats in the House go Republican this will make 1994 look like a major victory for Bill Clinton. If the Republicans can gain between 75 to 100 seats they can block any Obama policy, they will have the electoral mandate, they can push through a Bill to revoke ObamaCare, this will force POTUS to veto the Bill, the question that Democrats in the House and the Senate will have to ask is will they sustain a Presidential veto, when they run again can they afford to be seen as close to POTUS. The Oval will have to work hard to prevent a wipe out of Democrats on November.

The Altmire Choice - HCR

Politico: Reports on the tea leaves reading of Rep. Altmire of Pennsyvlania, a blue dog Democrat that could be as the LA Times points out the vote that could pass or sink health care reform. The Congressman thinks that Speaker Pelosi is having trouble getting the votes for HCR. It can be argued that Rep Altmire is not reading Speaker Pelosi in the correct manner, the Speaker would have to be on pot to take HCR to the floor if she does not have the votes. This blog has predicted a two to three vote win for ObamaCare, but also predicted that the House will go Republican in 2010 and that Obama will either not run in 2012 or will be like Walter Mondale and lose by 49 states to Scott Brown of Mass.

2012 - The New Reagan ?

The Boston Globe: A critical article on former Mass Governor Mitt Romney, it has a simple message " Mitt: You are no Ronald Reagan. ". As the Boston Globe is a Liberal paper it does not want Governor Romney to win the 2012 nomination thus this attack, Romney is not Reagan that is for sure, in video footage Romney disavows the Reagan - Bush years. The move by the Governor Romney to the right is solely down to politics, he is a fake it is sorry to say, if you disavow Reagan you lose this blog. It can be argued that Senator Scott Brown has more of a chance of winning the nomination, he is a real Conservative and does not come across as fake. Thus if the Republicans are to repeat the Presidential success of Reagan in 1980 and 1984 and Bush 41 in 1988 they need to look at Senator Brown not the fake Romney.

End Run - Health Care Reform

Politico: Reports that after the TV stunt of today the Democrats are going to use the 51 rule in the Senate to get Health Care Reform passed. The meeting is still going on and the Democrats have confirmed that they are going to do an end run around the political system, the Democrats are tone deaf when it comes to politics, the Mass vote was a rejection of their ideas and they still don't get that fact, its the arrogance of power, well see shall see how Obama feels when he loses the House and even the Senate, and he faces the prospect of losing big in 2012. President Obama might find that a one term bad President is nothing to look forward too, Jimmy Carter does not play well with others, thus Obama might find that he is alone in the political wilderness after 2012. That would be ironic but fun, that is why Democracy is fun folks.

The Path to Health Care Reform

WSJ: Reports on the political problems faced by the Democratic Leadership in getting the House and Senate to pass health care reform. This is the time for Blue Dog Democrats in the House to walk away from the leadership, the House leadership are from safe liberal districts, while moderate and blue dog Democrats come form Republican or moderate states, if they vote for the Obama health care plan they will be out of office in the Mid Term Congressional Elections. In the Senate moderate Senators have a choice, if they support the nuclear option of 51 votes to get health care reform through they could be also out in November. The question the House Senate must ask is do the trust Obama to be a vote winner in eight months down the line, lets see how did the Mass vote go, yes a Republican took the Kennedy Seat, in liberal Mass of all places, yes these Senators will be looking at the end of their political careers if they vote for this plan, some of them have Presidential plans, thus time to walk away from Obama.

Obama's Health Care Plan

Fox News: Reports on the just released White House health care reform plan, in essence it will cost one trillion dollars, no public option, it will force Americans to buy insurance, those with existing conditions can not be barred from cover and no cap on cover if someone is ill. There will be tax hikes to pay for this plan. The problem with the plan folks is that it will cost the Democrats the Hill in the Mid Term Elections and Obama will be a one term President. Think about this folks, the USA is in a major recession and Obama wants to spend a one trillion dollars on health care, not jobs, the American voter has sent a clear message via the recent state elections, what part of the name Scott Brown didn't Obama get, this plan shows a tin ear by a out of touch President and White House. The Republicans should force Obama to spend all his political capitol to push this through, if Democrats use the 51 vote strategy of the Senate the Republicans should block all Obama's Agenda on the Hill. If Blue Dog Democrats in House and moderate Democrats in the Senate pass this plan they deserve their political fate, the Obama White House thinks the USA is the UK or France, its not, its the New World, that the part the Chicago Mob in the White House cant or wont see, and that kind of political failure is worth of contempt of the first order, they had a chance to bring the USA together but they have further divided the USA. That is a contempt of the political system and the voter.

Reconciliation and Health Care Reform

Fox News: Reports that House and Senate leaders have agreed on a plan to get health care reform through using the reconciliation process, this means that Democrats just need 51 votes in the Senate. There is planned meeting between Republicans and Democrats at the White House to discuss the health care reform bill, the Republicans should only send one person up, an expert on the field to debate President Obama. Also the Republicans should stress the meeting is a sideshow, the Democrats are going to use the nuclear option of 51 votes in the Senate to get health care reform through, after the Democrats use this method the Republicans should run on one simple message, repeal the ObamaCare. The health care reform bill has two political bad sides for Democrats, tax hikes and the forcing Americans to buy health insurance. Thus Republicans should stress that Obama and the Democrats do not get the fact that the US voter dose not want what the are selling, with this message Republicans will take the House and Senate. Then the Obama domestic agenda will be dead on the Hill.

The Politics of 60 - US Senate

Fox News: Reports on the first nominee defeat for the Obama Administration, the Senate has rejected a Obama nominee that would deal with employment law. Thus the Obama Administration is now the seeing havoc the Republicans can cause by just winning one extra seat in the US Senate. The Republicans can now filibuster the Obama Agenda, and it does not hurt them on the political front, in fact it gets them votes. The Obama poll ratings have gone south, the more the President is in the low 40s the less power he has on the Hill. Thus POTUS might find that after November and the Mid Term Elections that he does not have a domestic agenda any more, in fact he had to move to the centre or centre right just to be relevant on the Hill. In pure political terms Obama needs to lose health care reform and hope it goes away by November, his nightmare is that the Democrats pass the Senate and Bill and he has to defend it for eight months. THAT'S A POLITICAL NIGHTMARE!.

Obama at low 44% Approval

Rasmussen Reports: The latest Rasmussen Daily Tracking Poll shows President Obama has a 44% approval rating among likely voters and a 56% negative rating. If an election was held tomorrow Obama would be moving back to Chicago, thus the question that has to be asked is can President Obama turn his Administration around, or is he so arrogant that he thinks that a speech will turn it all around, the State of the Union speech seems not to have done much, Obama has lost his magic, the voters now want results on jobs,jobs and jobs. If President Obama loses the 2012 election it will be down to the fact that he allowed Congress to write his health care bill and could not get it passed when the Democrats had control of the Hill. The election of a Republican, Scott Brown to take over the Senate seat of the late Edward Kennedy should have been a wake up call for Obama and his Oval team but the message has not gotten through the Obama arrogance, thus this is why this blog has predicted that President Obama will either not run in 2012 or could lose by 48/49 states and the Hill will be in the control of Republicans. It would be ironic if President Obama was to turn out to be the biggest loser in Presidential politics since Vice - President Mondale in 1984.

No Health Care Reform - Obama

Yahoo News: Reports on President Obama's remarks that health care reform might be dead in the water. The Obama White House at the end of the day is a political operation, they need to keep the House and Senate in the 2010 Mid Term Elections, they don't need after the Mass vote to spend political capitol on defending a health care bill that has no support in the country. If the Democrats push the Bill through using the nuclear option of 51 votes in the Senate the Republicans can run on one slogan, repeal of the Obama Health Care Act, the Act is poison, all the benefits come later and the harsh stuff is up front, tax hikes and the obligation that Americans buy health insurance. The Oval does not want to defend that for eight months. Thus as stated before on this blog, health care reform is dead for this year, at its most political basic it is about keeping the Hill Democratic.

Mr Brown GOES to the SENATE

Fox News: Reports that Senator - Elect Scott Brown from Massachusetts will be sworn in today, this will give Republicans 41 votes, enough to block the Obama Agenda. The Senator should block those part of the Obama Agenda that is loathed by the voters, such as health care and higher taxes and support moves to cut the deficit otherwise the USA will go the way of Rome and the British Empire, in other words bankrupt at the end. But on social issues the Senator is a liberal thus can support some of the domestic agenda of the President. But Senator Brown should use the Obama model, this could be his step to the Presidency in 2012, thus Republicans in the Senate need his vote thus they will grant him a lot of leeway when it comes to different issues. Thus if Brown wants to be President he should use the US Senate as a stepping stone, the same way JFK and Obama used the Senate. One can only wonder how the late Senate Edward Kennedy would have thought if he had seen this event, his Senate Seat, the seat of JFK being taken by a Republican, a Republican that can block the Obama Agenda. Those Olympic Gods do like irony.

No Nuclear Option on Health Care Reform by Dems ?

The Hill: Reports that Senate Republicans could have found a way to block the Democrats using reconciliation as way to push through health care reform, they can offer amendments till hell freezes over. This would be the ultimate stand off between the Democrats and the Republicans in the Senate in an election year, the Republicans have the wind at their back, they have won a few major State elections and the issue has been health care reform, the question is can liberals in the Senate count on their fellow Democrats to back up them up, do the Democrats want to spend time on health care reform or jobs, if the Democrats want to keep control of Congress the issue has to be jobs, jobs,jobs. One gets the feeling that the Mass vote has really sent the White House and liberal leaders in Congress bonkers, they are like addictive gamblers, just one more bet, the problem is that is bet is always a loser. One can see moderate and conservative Democrats in the Senate making it clear to their leadership that its over, and that its time to move on from health care reform.

Health Care Reform in Parts - Speaker Pelosi

CNN: Reports that the House of Representatives will debate parts of the health care reform bill next week, the House will try to remove legal protections from the health industry, the move is seen as cutting costs. The question is will the Senate even take it up, the Senate really wants to move on to jobs, jobs, and jobs. The US Senate does not want to get dragged back in to the debate about health care reform. The problem with the House is that the leadership could push anything through but its dead in the Senate. It seems the Mass vote passed by the liberal leaders in Congress.

1.6(T) DEBT for the USA

Today President Obama announced the US Budget for the next year, the US tax payer found that the Obama Administration had finally shown it true colours, it will give the USA a debt of 1.6 trillion. The President stated following in remarks, " Our economy has lost 7 million jobs over the last two years. And our government is deeply in debt after what can only be described as a decade of profligacy. " The Obama White House seems to have forgotten its been in power for a year, it has spent like a drunk sailor, the problem is the credit cards belongs to the USA tax payer not the Chicago team in the White House. Then President then stated the following, " As a result, when I first walked through the door, the deficit stood at $1.3 trillion..." This Obama Budget will take that debt up to 1.6 Trillion, and he will raise taxes on those that can afford to spend money and thus boost consumer spending. The President stated his attempts to boost the economy, " So we initiated a rescue, and that rescue was not without significant cost; it added to the deficit as well. " The rescue failed, the President stated that if the Congress didn't pass his economic package the rate of those out of work would go beyond 8%, the Congress bought this con, the actual result is that those that are out of work is now at 10%, if you count those on part time work or have give up you would get a figure of 20%. Thus the Obama economic plan is a disaster, also the Congress could pass health care reform, this would also add to the deficit. An interesting view of the problems faced by the Government and the people of the USA, the President stated the following, " One year later, because of the steps we've taken, we're in a very different place. But we can't simply move beyond this crisis; we have to address the irresponsibility that led to it. And that includes the failure to rein in spending, as well a reliance on borrowing –- from Wall Street to Washington to Main Street –- to fuel our growth. That's what we have to change. We have to do what families across America are doing: Save where we can so that we can afford what we need. " Thus why did Obama spend a year on health care reform when the US could not afford it, why did he bail out in union friends at the car makers. Obama must really believe his own press statements. At least on the political front Obama is sticking to jobs, the President stated the following, " The budget includes new tax cuts for people who invest in small businesses, tax credits for small businesses that hire new workers, investments that will create jobs repairing roads and bridges, and tax breaks for retrofitting homes to save energy. " At least Oval has got the message, the voter wants the President to make jobs his major effort for the year. Also the Oval has got the message that Independent voters don't want stupid spending of their money, the President stated the following, " I've proposed a freeze in government spending for three years. This won't apply to the benefits folks get through Social Security, Medicaid, or Medicare. And it won't apply to our national security –- including benefits for veterans. But it will apply to all other discretionary government programs. And we're not simply photocopying last year's budget; freezing spending does not mean we won't cut what doesn't work to pay for what does. We have gone through every department's spending line by line, item by item, looking for inefficiency, duplication, and programs that have outlived their usefulness. That's how we freeze discretionary spending. Last year, we found $17 billion in cuts. This year, we've already found $20 billion. " The problem is that will 1.6 trillion of debt, any cuts are paper cuts, there has to be cuts in domestic spending or its all spin. The most ironic part of the statement by Obama is the following, " I welcome any idea, from Democrats and Republicans. What I will not welcome -– what I reject -– is the same old grandstanding when the cameras are on, and the same irresponsible budget policies when the cameras are off. It's time to hold Washington to the same standards families and businesses hold themselves. It's time to save what we can, spend what we must, and live within our means once again. " The President has been forced to listen, he has lost his 60 votes in the Senate, thus due to the Mass vote the Republicans if they hold together can hold up the Obama Agenda even block it, lets see how Obama deals with Republicans who can say NO and it gets them votes. Fun times ahead on the Hill folks.

Liberals vs Obama on DEFENSE

Fox News: Reports that Speaker Pelosi is causing heart burn to the Obama White House, the liberal Speaker wants to freeze defense spending, the Obama White House wants to freeze domestic spending. It is a fact of political life folks, that liberals spend like drunk sailors with the credit card of the nation, but the one area they always want to cut is defense spending. The Obama White House wants to reconnect with independent voters, in factor in the Mass vote was the appearance by the Obama White House that it was weak on national security. Its a charge that Republicans throw all the time and its the charge Democrats never win the long run. Thus Oval has to make sure that Speaker Pelosi tows the White House line, no cuts in defense spending.

Obama and the STATE OF THE UNION

The White House has released excerpts of what President Obama will say in his 1st State of the Union as President. Here are some of the most interesting parts to this blogger!, " We face big and difficult challenges. And what the American people hope – what they deserve – is for all of us, Democrats and Republicans, to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our politics. For while the people who sent us here have different backgrounds and different stories and different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the same. The aspirations they hold are shared. A job that pays the bill. A chance to get ahead. Most of all, the ability to give their children a better life. " This is a bit rich from this President, the STAR has only reached earth due to the Mass vote, he has to talk to Republicans now or his Agenda is dead on the Hill. Also the stress of jobs is a good move, but the next nine months has to be about jobs,jobs,jobs, not telling the American people that they should learn to love the Obama health care reform bill. It seems that the Liberals in the White House and in Congress have not got the message with the election of Senator Scott Brown, thus Obama is still stressing health care, the President states the following in the speech, " By the time I’m finished speaking tonight, more Americans will have lost their health insurance. Millions will lose it this year. Our deficit will grow. Premiums will go up. Co-pays will go up. Patients will be denied the care they need. Small business owners will continue to drop coverage altogether. I will not walk away from these Americans. And neither should the people in this chamber. " Is POTUS asking the House to pass the Senate Health Care Reform Bill, this would force moderate and conservative Democrats over the cliff, does Obama want to lose the House in 2010. The President is targeting Independent voters in the speech, Obama states the following, " Rather than fight the same tired battles that have dominated Washington for decades, it’s time for something new. Let’s try common sense. Let’s invest in our people without leaving them a mountain of debt. Let’s meet our responsibility to the people who sent us here. " Its President Obama who has been fighting the same tired battles, hence health care, he is still fighting the issue after the Mass vote. The White House still has some political reality thus they see that the US voter is fed up with how Washington works, thus this statement by the President, " I’m also calling on Congress to continue down the path of earmark reform. You have trimmed some of this spending and embraced some meaningful change. But restoring the public trust demands more. For example, some members of Congress post some earmark requests online. Tonight, I’m calling on Congress to publish all earmark requests on a single website before there’s a vote so that the American people can see how their money is being spent. " It has taken President Obama a year to get to this point, depends are how foolish the American voter is, one has to come to the conclusion that Obama is no Bill Clinton, he is not that good a politician.

The State of the Obama Presidency

BBC News: Reports that President Obama will stress the economy in his State of the Union Address to the American People at 2am UK time. Thus after the Mass vote it seems that the Obama White House will move to regain the vote of Independent voters. This is Obama's first State of the Union speech, he needs to move to the centre and more important he needs the Congress leadership not to push health care reform as this could cost Obama the Congress in 2010 and the Presidency in 2012.

Obama = Bill Clinton of 1995

The Times: Reports that President Obama is going after the Independents that have deserted him, thus more of a return to the small scale polices of Bill Clinton. Thus even President Obama gets the fact that if he has lost the Independent vote it does not matter about the base, he will be out of office in 2012, thus he has to show that he gets the fact of the Mass vote, the USA is not France, it wants small government and tax cuts, it does not want USA NHS.