This Week in Washington - September 13, 2010

Congress is back in session and up to no good.  Both the House and Senate are expected to fail to pass an extension of all of the ’01/’03 tax cuts and the regular appropriations bills.  Liberals are in a panic in Washington, D.C., so watch closely while terrified politicians try to buy votes and pass legislation in a desperate effort to save Congressional jobs.  These liberals are like caged animals and will do anything to win re-election.

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The L.A. Times reports that swing voters are running away from the Obama Administration, at the same time as Politico reports that liberal Congressman are avoiding public events.  The White House is so desperate about poll numbers indicating a political blood bath for their allies in Congress that they have reverted to fear mongering as a strategy to retain control of Congress.  The White House web site has put out a blog post titled “Another Government Shutdown?” to scare the American people into thinking that all conservatives want is to shutter the federal government. 

The House has 27 suspension bills scheduled and possible work on H.R. 4785, the Rural Energy Savings Program Act.  The Senate will complete work on H.R. 5297, TARP Jr. with votes on two amendments scheduled, in addition to a vote on a district court judge.  The Senate Foreign Relations Committee may vote on the New START Treaty this Thursday.  The politicians are scared and scared politicians are dangerous.  Conservatives need to keep a close eye on Washington over the next three to four weeks. 

Michael Barone has written an excellent Op Ed titled, “Gangster Government Stifles Criticism of ObamaCare,” where Barone argues that the Obama Administration is so terrified of criticism that they are threatening to use the power of the federal government to crack down on ObamaCare dissent.

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“There will be zero tolerance for this type of misinformation and unjustified rate increases.”  That sounds like a stern headmistress dressing down some sophomores who have been misbehaving. But it’s actually from a letter sent Thursday from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to Karen Ignagni, president of America’s Health Insurance Plans — the chief lobbyist for private health insurance companies.  Sebelius objects to claims by health insurers that they are raising premiums because of increased costs imposed by the Obamacare law passed by Congress last March.

John Harwood of the New York Times writes that liberals are expected to argue that they are so incompetent that they just can’t get anything done with Republicans beign allowed to participate in the legislative process.

Democrats will place less emphasis on measures they can still muscle through than on what Republicans are stopping them from doing.  President Obama, beginning at a backyard town-hall-style meeting with families in suburban Fairfax, Va., will slam Republicans for opposing his latest economic initiatives, which include significant tax incentives to spur business investment. His argument: Republicans are holding up economic remedies for political reasons even if they match traditional Republican prescriptions.  That tracks with rising Democratic warnings to voters of gridlock should Republicans regain control of Congress. Representative Lynn Westmoreland, Republican of Georgia, fueled that argument last week by reviving the specter of a federal government shutdown, which worked in President Bill Clinton’s favor when Speaker Newt Gingrich led Congressional Republicans.

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It is sad that liberals will argue that although they have the Presidency, a large majority in the House and Senate, they just can’t get anything done.  They will fear monger and complain that they just can’t get anything done when both parties get to participate in the legislative process.  Watch out over the next few weeks to see what panicking liberals try to ram through Congress.

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