tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34270558574367668792024-02-20T21:36:56.535-05:00The Real Polichickattempting to bring logic into silly American politicsMiss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.comBlogger647125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-46031374977000561042011-04-01T21:28:00.003-04:002011-04-01T21:32:46.799-04:00Top 10 dying industries<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From Phil Izzo of </span></span><a href="http://online.wsj.com/home-page"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Wall Street Journal</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> on March 28:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The U.S. economy is recovering from a severe recession, but some industries are unlikely to ever fully bounce back.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A </span></span><a href="http://www.ibisworld.com/Common/MediaCenter/Dying%20Industries.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">new analysis</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> by research firm <a href="http://www.ibisworld.com/"></a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.ibisworld.com/"></a></span></span><a href="http://www.ibisworld.com/"><span style="font-style: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">IBIS World</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">looks at 10 industries that appear to be dying. The list isn’t exactly shocking, but it represents a mix of sectors that are being left behind by technology or have been hurt by cheaper overseas competition.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">The biggest industry profiled by IBISWorld is wired telecom carriers, largely being supplanted by cellphones and the Internet. The dominance of the Web and digital media also puts Newspaper publishers, record stores and video-rental companies on the list. Meanwhile, photofinishing also takes its place among the top 10 dying industries thanks to the growing influence of digital photography.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cheap imports are blamed for a decline in mills and apparel manufacturers. Companies that rent formal wear are also counted among dying industries amid both competition from abroad and lower prices making owning your own formal wear a more attractive option than renting.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The only clear recession casualty that makes the list is manufactured home dealers. The housing boom led to a surge in the industry, but now years after the bubble burst the sector has continued to struggle.</span></span></span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; "><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/03/28/top-10-dying-industries/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Read more</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-492533717465277012011-04-01T20:24:00.003-04:002011-04-01T20:42:02.743-04:00Action Alert: webinar on Economic Liberty and the Constitution<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.hillsdale.edu/">Hillsdale College</a> is hosting April 16 a free online town hall called Economic Liberty and the Constitution.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">The erosion of private property rights, a prodigious federal debt, and a nearly incomprehensible tax code are all part of an overweening administrative state that today threatens the liberty of all Americans, the college says.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The live webcast runs from 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and consists of these presentations and speakers:</span></span></span></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Choosing Liberty: Welcome and Introduction, presented by Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">How Our Economic Liberty Has Been Diminished, presented by Dr. Paul Moreno, a professor of constitutional history at Hillsdale College.</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">How Our Economic Liberty Can Be Restored, presented by Dr. Larry P. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College.</span></li></ul></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Additionally, presenters will answer questions from participants.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:small;">To register for the event, click <a href="http://constitutiontownhall.com/Hillsdale/Microsite/microsite-April16-schedule2.aspx">here</a>.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:small;"><b>What:</b> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Economic Liberty and the Constitution free online town hall forum.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><b>When:</b> April 16, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><b>Where:</b> Online </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://constitutiontownhall.com/Hillsdale/Microsite/microsite-April16-schedule2.aspx">here</a>.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><b>For more information:</b> Click </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://constitutiontownhall.com/Hillsdale/Microsite/microsite-April16-schedule2.aspx">here</a>, or e-mail <a href="mailto:kirbycenter@hillsdale.edu">kirbycenter@hillsdale.edu</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-64838802639512481532011-04-01T20:18:00.001-04:002011-04-01T20:20:47.436-04:00Hidden bad signs in a good jobs report<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From Phil Izzo of <a href="http://online.wsj.com/home-page">The Wall Street Journal</a> on April 1:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">There was lots of good news in Friday’s jobs report, but there are still some caveats to keep in mind.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">Overall the economy added 216,000 jobs in March, and the unemployment rate dropped to 8.8%. The gain in jobs was relatively broad-based, though with some sectors still lagging. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate improvement was based on more people working, not just discouraged workers dropping out of the labor force. In fact, the labor force rose more than the general population, indicating the market has improved enough to draw some of the unemployed back into the pool of workers.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">But the jobs report is a lagging indicator, and some of the issues that have led economists to scale back growth forecasts for this year aren’t yet reflected in this report. One potential area of difficulty is disruptions in manufacturing supply chains caused by the Japanese earthquake, the ripple effects of which might not be felt for weeks or months. Manufacturing added jobs in March, but there might be some difficulties ahead.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">Meanwhile, prices of food and oil have been increasing, sparking worries about consumer spending. If more people have jobs, that mutes those fears a bit. But today’s report notes that wages were unchanged. If prices are going up but workers aren’t getting paid more, it spells good news for companies who can keep labor costs low, but suggests continued struggles for consumers.</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/04/01/hidden-bad-signs-in-a-good-jobs-report/?mod=djemRTE_t">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-37501087587978565222011-04-01T20:02:00.003-04:002011-04-01T20:07:04.321-04:00Gov. Rick Scott orders immediate cuts to programs for disabled<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">From Kate Santich of the <a href="http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/">Orlando Sentinel</a> on March 31:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Florida Gov. Rick Scott ordered deep cuts Thursday to programs that serve tens of thousands of residents with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and other developmental disabilities.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Though a range of state services face cuts from this year's Legislature, the governor invoked his emergency powers to order the <a href="http://apd.myflorida.com/">state Agency for Persons with Disabilities</a> to immediately roll back payments to group homes and social workers by 15 percent — an amount providers say could put them out of business and threaten their clients' safety.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">"lt's not like, 'Gee, does this mean I have to skip a vacation this year?'" said Amy Van Bergen, executive director of the <a href="http://www.dsacf.org/">Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida</a>. "Potentially, these cuts have life and death implications for these people."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">An estimated 30,000 Floridians with severe developmental disabilities receive services that help them live outside of nursing homes — typically with family or in small group homes. Aides help them eat, bathe, take medication and otherwise care for themselves.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">But the governor said the Agency for Persons with Disabilities' ongoing budget deficit — currently at $170 million — had reached a critical point and needed to be addressed immediately.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">The cuts go into effect Friday and last at least through the fiscal year, which ends June 30. Lawmakers are currently debating what will happen after that.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Providers had not been informed of the cuts.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">"No one has gotten any notice," said Linda Cumbie, an Orlando social worker who coordinates services that clients need to live outside of a nursing home — which would be a more expensive arrangement for the state. "We have to find out through the newspapers."</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-03-31/news/os-scott-cuts-disabled-20110331_1_developmental-disabilities-group-homes-cerebral-palsy">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-2445851489950232302011-04-01T19:42:00.003-04:002011-04-01T19:46:57.482-04:00More jobs doesn't necessarily mean more good jobs<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From <a href="http://online.wsj.com/home-page">The Wall Street Journal</a> on April 1:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; ">The U.S. economy is producing jobs, that much is clear. But whether those jobs are good jobs is less certain.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">Of the 230,000 private-sector jobs created in March, 199,000 of those were in the service sector. A large chunk of those jobs are in fields that are likely to provide a stable livelihood for those lucky enough to snag them –- like some of the 78,000 added in professional and business services. But that’s less certain for, say, the 37,000 new workers in the leisure and hospitality industry.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To be sure, having a job is better than not having one, both for the individual and for economic output. But this recovery seems to be going hand-in-hand with <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304248704575574213897770830.html">workers taking lower-paying jobs</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. More than half of those full-time workers who lost jobs between 2007 and 2009 and then found full-time work by early last year said their new jobs came with lower wages. Some 36% saw a pay cut of 20% or more.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">That can be good news for companies, who are able to keep their labor costs low and hire talented workers, which can increase productivity. The flipside: it can downshift Americans’ spending and their standard of living.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Academics have pointed out that, as jobs are coming back, they’re returning at <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/04/30/more-jobs-at-the-top-and-at-the-bottom-fewer-in-the-middle/">the highest and the lowest levels</a>. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But the middle-class is being squeezed.</span></span></span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/04/01/more-jobs-doesnt-necessarily-mean-more-good-jobs/?mod=djemRTE_t">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-36254828808432419692011-03-29T18:36:00.001-04:002011-03-29T18:49:52.487-04:00Florida Senate releases larger budget plan than House<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; ">From Brandon Larrabee of <a href="http://www.newsserviceflorida.com/public/">The News Service of Florida</a> on March 28:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Senate budget-writers unveiled a spending plan late Monday that was $3.3 billion higher than its House counterpart, giving the clearest indicator yet of how far apart the chambers stand as the midpoint of the session nears.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">The Senate plan weighs in at just shy of $69.8 billion and almost 125,200 full-time positions. That's larger than the $66.5 billion, 121,400-position blueprint unveiled by the House last week. Both plans would trim at least several hundred jobs from the state payroll, though it's not clear how many of those positions are filled. The current year's budget had more than 126,700 full-time positions.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">House Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, brushed off questions last week about government cutting jobs as the economy emerges from the worst downturn since the Great Depression.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">"Its primary purpose is not as an employer," Cannon said of government. "Its primary purpose is to create a framework where employers in the private sector can grow and create new jobs."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">In general terms, the Senate places more funding in education, criminal justice and the broad category including natural resources, environment, growth management and transportation than does the House. The House plan includes more for human services and general government.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">The largest difference is in the environment and transportation segment of the budget, in which the Senate included $12.3 billion to the House's $9.0 billion. Senate budget-writers included just shy of $21 billion in total funding for education, compared to about $19.8 billion in the House plan. The chambers are about $800 million apart on human services -- the Senate spends $28.4 billion to the House's $29.2 billion.</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><a href="http://www.newsserviceflorida.com/cgi/as_web.exe?rev2011+D+2685080">Read more</a>.</span></div></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-60416917868949373182011-03-29T18:25:00.004-04:002011-03-29T18:28:37.881-04:00GOP memo: Wall Street reform to cost agencies $1 billion in first year<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">From Peter Schroeder of <a href="http://thehill.com/">The Hill</a> on March 28:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">House Republicans say implementing the Dodd-Frank financial reform law will cost agencies nearly $1 billion this year. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">The bill will also require the federal government to hire thousands of new workers, according to a memo being circulated among House Republicans that was obtained by The Hill. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">First-year costs for the 11 agencies charged with implementing the Wall Street overhaul will reach about $974 million, the memo states. The memo comes two days before the <a href="http://financialservices.house.gov/">House Financial Services Committee</a>'s oversight subcommittee will explore Dodd-Frank costs.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">In addition to new costs, more than 2,800 full-time employees will need to be hired to handle new responsibilities, according to the memo.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">On its own, the new <a href="http://www.consumerfinance.gov/">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a> (CFPB), which has been hotly contested by Republicans, would require up to 1,225 hires to get up and running.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">However, not all of those costs will have to be paid by taxpayers. Six of the 11 agencies affected by Dodd-Frank have budgets that are fully or partially funded by fees and other assessments on companies monitored by the agencies. Another is financed by offsetting costs, and another is fully funded by funds from another agency. Just three are funded via appropriations.</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/banking-financial-institutions/152251-dodd-frank-costs-may-reach-1-billion-in-first-year">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-9012423230130458542011-03-26T15:33:00.003-04:002011-03-26T15:41:15.332-04:00Health care, global warming impede budget deal<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From <a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/andy-sullivan/">Andy Sullivan</a> of <a href="http://www.reuters.com/">Reuters</a> on March 25:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; ">Healthcare, global warming, birth control and other hot-button political issues are threatening to derail a compromise over U.S. spending cuts, lawmakers and aides said on Friday.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; ">The dispute again raises the possibility of a government shutdown that would force thousands of layoffs and rattle financial markets, even as Republican and Democratic negotiators began to bridge a $50 billion gap between their rival spending plans.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; ">Aides said the closed-door talks were initially productive. But leaders from both parties later issued sharply worded statements that any shutdown would be the fault of the other.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; ">"The status quo is unacceptable, and right now that is all Washington Democrats are offering," said House Speaker John Boehner.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; ">"The House Republican leadership is back to agonizing over whether to give in to right-wing demands that they abandon any compromise on their extreme cuts," Democratic Senator Charles Schumer said.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; ">The <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/">White House budget office</a> said the House plan raised "extreme social policy issues that have nothing at all to do with reducing spending or reducing the deficit" while cutting research and education spending needed for economic growth.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; ">"The President said he would veto the bill if it got to him in this form, and we need to work together to find a reasonable compromise," said Meg Reilly, a spokeswoman for the Office of Management and Budget.</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 20px; "><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/26/us-usa-congress-spending-idUSTRE72O73Z20110326?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&rpc=22&sp=true">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-43440779829649320302011-03-25T23:35:00.003-04:002011-03-25T23:40:04.350-04:00Immigration bills rile farmers<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From <a href="http://online.wsj.com/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=CAMERON+MCWHIRTER&bylinesearch=true">Cameron McWhirter</a> and <a href="http://online.wsj.com/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=JENNIFER+LEVITZ&bylinesearch=true">Jennifer Levitz</a> of <a href="http://online.wsj.com/">The Wall Street Journal</a> on March 25:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; ">ROBERTA, Ga.—Arizona-style immigration bills are under attack in several states, with some of the strongest opposition to the proposals coming from agricultural interests like the cotton and peach farmers here in central Georgia.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 19px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">Farmers in states from Florida to Indiana are pressuring — and in some cases persuading — state politicians to rethink proposed legislation that would authorize crackdowns on illegal immigration. They argue that the legislation will drive Mexican workers out of their states, and that there aren't enough American workers willing to pick crops. They want legislation at the federal level, which wouldn't favor one state over another.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">At least 25 states are weighing proposals to crack down on illegal immigration and employers who hire them, according to the <a href="http://www.ncsl.org/">National Conference of State Legislatures</a>. Arizona law allows police to check the immigration status of people they stop, and establishes stiff penalties for businesses or individuals who hire illegal immigrants.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">"Nobody wants illegal immigrants, but when you get down to the reality of the situation, farmers have to have workers to do the job," said Al Pearson, a peach and pecan farmer in Roberta. He said he hires only federally approved guest laborers to work his 3,600-acre farm, paying them $9.11 an hour plus benefits.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">But the current federal system, involving approvals from multiple agencies, is slow and can't process enough legal workers for the state's large agricultural industry, he said. A bureaucratic glitch held up approvals for 100 Mexican workers for two weeks in February, setting back his tree pruning and other preparations for peach-picking season. "It frightened me because I didn't have a plan B. I don't have domestic workers," he said.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">"There is no farm in this county that could continue without Mexican labor," said Robert Ray, a Crawford County farmer who for years led the agriculture committee in the Georgia House.</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703410604576216773048802148.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsThird">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-26271519514239411632011-03-25T23:25:00.003-04:002011-03-25T23:31:52.204-04:00Tea Party movement grows weary of GOP budget plan<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From Stephen Clark of <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/">FoxNews.com</a> on March 24:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 10px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 10px; ">As U.S. lawmakers seek a compromise on how much federal spending to cut in order to avoid a government shutdown, Tea Party activists who helped propel Republicans back into power are growing impatient with the debate.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When Republicans captured the House in November, vowing to slash $100 billion in federal spending from the budget year ending in September, 76 percent of Tea Party activists supported their deficit-reduction plan, according to a new <a href="http://pewresearch.org/">Pew Research</a> poll released last week.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But after House Republicans approved a plan last month to cut federal spending by $61 billion, that Tea Party support fell to 52 percent.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now <a href="http://www.teapartynation.com/">Tea Party Nation</a> founder Judson Phillips, arguably the most vocal critic of GOP leaders, is pushing for a primary opponent against House Speaker John Boehner in 2012 for breaking his campaign pledge to cut $100 billion and for what he sees as hints that he's willing to cut less than $61 billion in a compromise with Senate Democrats.</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px; line-height: 10px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"</span></span><a class="r_lapi" href="http://www.foxnews.com/topics/entertainment/movies/actors/charlie-sheen.htm#r_src=ramp" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Charlie Sheen</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> is now making more sense than John Boehner," Phillips wrote in his blog earlier this month.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In an interview with FoxNews.com Thursday, Phillips said he stands by his comments and goal of seeking a primary challenger to Boehner.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Charlie Sheen still makes more sense than John Boehner because at least Charlie Sheen is winning," he said.</span></span></p></span></div></div></blockquote><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 10px; line-height: 10px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/24/tea-party-movement-growing-weary-gop-budget-plan/#ixzz1HadOcVzC">Read more</a>.</span></span></p></span></div></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-22088856341386880062011-03-25T23:20:00.002-04:002011-03-25T23:22:56.874-04:00Solution to the problem in Libya<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This was forwarded to me:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Solution to the problem in Libya:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">They want a new Muslim leader,</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I say, give them ours.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Solves two problems.</span></span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-47067554134371640392011-03-25T23:03:00.003-04:002011-03-25T23:13:07.728-04:00Boehner faces Tea Party pressure<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From <a href="http://online.wsj.com/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=JANET+HOOK&bylinesearch=true">Janet Hook</a> of <a href="http://online.wsj.com/">The Wall Street Journal</a> on March 25:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">Home-state tea-party activists have access to House Speaker John Boehner that any lobbyist would envy. They meet twice a month with a top aide to the Ohio Republican, and their emails are answered quickly.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">But that doesn't seem to be enough to turn them into loyalists.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">Ohio conservatives say they are preparing to call 1,000 of Mr. Boehner's donors to complain that he isn't doing enough to block a debt-limit increase. On a new <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a> page, "<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tea-Partiers-Against-Boehner/179189028794445?ref=ts">Tea Partiers Against Boehner</a>,'' they air complaints. The national group <a href="http://www.teapartypatriots.org/">Tea Party Patriots</a>, saying that Republicans are "timidly passing mediocre spending reforms,'' has called for a rally at the Capitol.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">The calls to make big spending cuts come as Mr. Boehner works under deadline pressure with Democratic lawmakers and the White House on a plan to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year to avoid a potential government shutdown after April 8.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">Such negotiations tend to push lawmakers toward compromise. The tea-party activists want Mr. Boehner to stick to his guns on $61 billion in budget cuts that the House approved earlier this year. "You said you were going to cut X amount, and that's what we want to see happen,'' said Chris Littleton, co-founder of the <a href="http://www.ohiolibertycouncil.org/">Ohio Liberty Council</a>, a coalition of tea-party groups. "Just take a stand. That's pretty cut and dried.''</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said the House speaker "believes an increase in the debt ceiling cannot and should not pass without spending cuts and reforms so that we can keep cutting spending."Mr. Steel said that Republicans will have to keep reminding their allies that the GOP's power in Washington remains limited. "Washington, D.C., is still controlled by Democrats, and congressional Republicans are the only thing standing between the American people and more 'stimulus' spending, more bailouts, and more big government takeovers," Mr. Steel said.</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703784004576221013675318424.html?mod=WSJ_newsreel_politics">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-23033321670981065042011-03-24T21:34:00.003-04:002011-03-24T21:45:13.862-04:00RPOF announces 2011 Presidency 5 debate and straw poll<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:medium;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tallahassee –- <a href="http://www.rpof.org/">Republican Party of Florida</a> Chairman Dave Bitner announced March 7 that the RPOF will host the Presidency 5 Straw Poll from Sept. 22-24 at the <a href="http://www.occc.net/default.asp">Orange County Convention Center</a> in Orlando. The Presidency 5 Straw Poll is a critical test of grassroots support for Republican presidential candidates.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Additionally, RPOF is expanding the Presidency 5 Straw Poll to include a Republican presidential debate Sept. 22. The party will once again partner with <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/">FOX News</a> to host the debate, which will give presidential candidates an opportunity to speak directly to Floridians as well as the nation.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">“I am proud to announce the details of this important event,” Bitner said. “Presidency 5 will give the candidates an opportunity to bring their message directly to the people of Florida while allowing voters to participate in a poll that has historically predicted the eventual Republican nominee for President. We are also very excited to partner again with Fox News on another critical debate that will kick off the 2012 election season.”</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Florida is the fourth largest state in the nation and has been the most important swing state in the last three election cycles. Florida recently picked up two additional electoral votes, bringing its total to 29 and increasing the state’s importance in determining the next U.S. president. The Florida Presidency Straw Poll has consistently predicted the eventual Republican Presidential nominee since its inception in 1979.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">For more information, click <a href="http://www.presidency5.com/">here</a>.</span></span></p></span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-51527227992093264122011-03-24T21:19:00.004-04:002011-03-24T21:27:43.905-04:00Justice Department sues on behalf of Muslim teacher, triggering debate<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From Jerry Markon of <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/">The Washington Post</a> on March 22:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 21px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 21px; ">BERKELEY, Ill. — Safoorah Khan had taught middle school math for only nine months in this tiny Chicago suburb when she made an unusual request. She wanted three weeks off for a pilgrimage to Mecca.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 21px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; ">The school district, faced with losing its only math lab instructor during the critical end-of-semester marking period, said no. Khan, a devout Muslim, resigned and made the trip anyway.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "><a href="http://www.justice.gov/">Justice Department</a> lawyers examined the same set of facts and reached a different conclusion: that the school district’s decision amounted to outright discrimination against Khan. They filed an unusual lawsuit, accusing the district of violating her civil rights by forcing her to choose between her job and her faith.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; ">As the case moves forward in federal court in Chicago, it has triggered debate over whether the Justice Department was following a purely legal path or whether suing on Khan’s behalf was part of a broader Obama administration campaign to reach out to Muslims.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; ">The decision to take on a small-town school board has drawn criticism from conservatives and Berkeley officials, who say the government should not be standing behind a teacher who wanted to leave her students.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; ">The lawsuit, filed in December, may well test the boundaries of how far employers must go to accommodate workers’ religious practices — a key issue as the nation grows more multicultural and the Muslim population increases. But it is also raising legal questions. Experts say the government might have difficulty prevailing because the 19-day leave Khan requested goes beyond what courts have considered.</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 18px; "><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/justice-department-sues-on-behalf-of-muslim-teacher-triggering-debate/2010/07/28/ABfSPtEB_story.html">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-45323235118334579982011-03-24T21:04:00.007-04:002011-03-24T21:12:39.620-04:00Action Alert: beach clean-up with Allen West<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:medium;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Help pick up trash and keep our beach barefoot-friendly with Rep. Allen West, R-Fla. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Trash bags and gloves are provided, and c</span></span></p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; display: inline !important; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ommunity service hours are available for high school students. </span></span></p></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Afterwards, relax or picnic by the beach, or scuba dive.</span></span><p></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> March 26 at 10 a.m.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Where:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Pompano Beach, on the north side of the Pompano Pier.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; text-align: left; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For more information:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Call (877) 806-2010. To register for the dive, contact the </span><a href="http://www.force-e.com/index.shtml"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Force-E Dive Center</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> at (866) 943-3489. Dive space is limited.</span></span></p></span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-58969726762107951962011-03-03T21:52:00.003-05:002011-03-03T21:57:08.607-05:00Sessions ‘flabbergasted’ by increase in Obama transportation budget<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">From Erik Wasson of <a href="http://thehill.com/">The Hill</a> on March 3:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://budget.senate.gov/">Senate Budget Committee</a> ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) took Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to task Thursday for the Obama administration’s call for a massive increase in transportation spending.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Given the record deficit this year, Sessions said he was surprised to see Obama’s 2012 budget call for an 11 percent spending increase and a 9.5 percent increase for the Education and Energy departments, respectively.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">But, he said, “I was flabbergasted to see Transportation wants 62 percent increase in spending.”</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Sessions noted, ahead of LaHood’s testimony on the request, that the Obama budget calls for an unspecified new tax to raise $435 billion to pay for the new six-year, $556-billion infrastructure build-out. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">“I just have to say that is unrealistic,” Sessions said. “If you can’t tell us what kind of tax this is, I think there is zero chance of us passing such a tax as this.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">“This is another huge gimmick in the budget,” Sessions said later. “This kind of Washington logic has put us in the financial crisis we are in. We cannot continue it. We cannot continue to authorize spending based on a tax that is not going to be collected, probably.”</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Sessions asked for suggestions for the tax, and LaHood did not offer any.</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 19px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/budget/147253-sessions-says-hes-flabbergasted-by-massive-new-transportation-budget-">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-32277145365415031572011-03-03T21:42:00.004-05:002011-03-03T21:46:59.231-05:00Florida Supreme Court to rule on high-speed rail suit Friday<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">From <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/writers/janet-zink">Janet Zink</a> and Philip Morgan of the <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/gubernatorial/florida-supreme-court-to-rule-on-high-speed-rail-suit-by-9-am-friday/1155031">St. Petersburg Times</a> on March 3:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">TALLAHASSEE — With two state senators charging that Gov. Rick Scott overstepped his executive authority by killing Florida's high-speed rail line without consulting the Legislature, Scott's attorney took a strong stance Thursday in oral arguments before the Florida Supreme Court.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">"The governor is not in violation of any law," Charles Trippe said as he opened his remarks.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Sens. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, and Thad Altman, R-Melbourne, filed suit Tuesday after Scott last month rejected a $2.4 billion federal award to build the Tampa-Orlando line. Lawmakers in December 2009 voted to build the line, and appropriated $130 million in federal money to make it happen.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">They say Scott is ignoring a state law and, in effect, issued a veto he is not entitled to.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Attorneys on both sides have asked for a ruling Friday. That's the deadline set by <a href="http://www.dot.gov/">U.S. Department of Transportation</a> Secretary Ray LaHood to resolve the issue. After that, he has said, he will give the money to other states. Scott's schedule says the governor will speak to LaHood by phone at 9 a.m.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Trippe's assertion that Scott has done no wrong prompted peppering from justices Peggy Quince and James Perry.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">"Isn't the governor mandated by the Constitution to carry out the statutes and laws of the Legislature?" Perry asked. "The Legislature said, 'Let this be.' The governor said, 'No.' Isn't that in fact a veto?"</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">After additional questioning about whether Scott inappropriately took over the legislative task of appropriations, Trippe said that $110 million has already been spent on the project, and the governor had no intention of using the remainder for anything else.</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/gubernatorial/florida-supreme-court-to-rule-on-high-speed-rail-suit-by-9-am-friday/1155031">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-34707972338365677752011-02-17T22:23:00.004-05:002011-02-17T22:30:53.228-05:00Senators call Scott's decision short-sighted, tragic, and technically not allowed<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">From Mary Ellen Klas of <a href="http://www.tampabay.com/">The St. Petersburg Times</a> on Feb. 16:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"></span></span></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Legislative reaction continues to be swift to Gov. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Rick Scott's </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">decision to reject $2.4 billion in federal money, cancel bids, and kill the high speed rail project legislators voted to pursue last year.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Senate budget chairman </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">J.D. Alexander </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">said he was told of the governor's announcement via a text message but warned that the governor doesn't have the authority to unilaterally cancel the project.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">"The Constitution doesn't allow the governor to not-spend appropriations funds" and there is $300 million appropriated in the budget to put into development of the rail line between Orlando and Tampa, Alexander said.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">He said he agrees there is widespread doubt as to whether the project would have succeeded in drawing enough riders. "I think the governor is making the right choice on this rail system,'' he said. "I personally would like to have seen the bids come in to see where they really were."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Alexander said that if the Legislature puts it in the transportation budget, he expects Scott to veto it and "I don't believe there would be the support to override a veto." The question now is, "where do we go from here" and if the governor wants to cancel it, he will need the approval of the <a href="http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Welcome/index.cfm?CFID=193119500&CFTOKEN=87060022">Legislative Budget Commission</a>. "We'll certainly encourage him to pay more attention to the Constitution and budgeting rules," Alexander said.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Just as the governor may not unilaterally sell the state plane, he needs to get legislative approval to cancel the high speed rail project. "We would certainly hope that in the future he would follow the appropriate policy with regard to his expenditures," Alexander said.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Sen. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Paula Dockery</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">, the Lakeland Republican who was an early supporter of Scott and a vocal high speed rail proponent, said she also was disappointed and "it would have been more prudent" for the governor to allow private sector bids to pay for the project before rejecting it. She said seven teams from 11 countries were prepared to compete for operation of the rail line.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">"Florida is a donor state for transportation dollars receiving only 62 cents on every transit dollars and 87 cents on every highway dollar we send to Washington, and this $2.4 billion in federal transportation dollars would have brought Florida in line with other states,'' Dockery said in a statement. "It appears that (US DOT) Secretary LaHood will direct these billions lost by Florida to California where true high speed rail has the next best opportunity to succeed."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Sen. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Thad Altman </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">called the governor's decision to cancel "one of the most exciting private sector projects in the history of this country" was tragic, premature, "bad for the people of Florida."</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 21px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"></span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">"The governor needs to at least allow the bid process to carry forward. Is he afraid of the bid?,'' Altman asked. "Let the private sector come in and show us what they could do."</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-buzz-florida-politics/content/senators-call-scotts-decision-short-sighted-tragic-and-technically-not-allowed">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-31104662917334552432011-02-17T22:17:00.003-05:002011-02-17T22:23:08.009-05:00All voices heard as House brainstorms for budget trims<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From <a href="http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/articles/philip+rucker+and+felicia+sonmez/">Philip Rucker and Felicia Sonmez</a> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of </span></span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Washington Post</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> on Feb. 17:</span></span><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As the House explores ways this week to trim federal spending beyond the $61 billion in cuts that Republicans have already proposed, Speaker John A. Boehner </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">has said all ideas are welcome -- from obscure trims involving mustang roundups out West to major reductions such as eliminating funding for the Iraq security forces.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But such a free-for-all can have surprising results, and one of the biggest Wednesday was a victory for President Obama </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and a defeat for a Boehner-backed initiative.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Many tea-party-backed freshmen broke ranks with their GOP leaders and joined liberal Democrats in voting to cut funding for an alternative engine for a fighter jet. The </span></span><a href="http://www.jsf.mil/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">F-35 Joint Strike Fighter</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> engine project has long been a frequent but elusive target, as well as one that provided jobs in Boehner's home state of Ohio.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In trying to pass a bill that would fund the federal government through September, Boehner has kept a campaign promise to give everyone a voice in the process. But the engine vote showed that no one can quite predict how it will turn out.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">That didn't seem to bother some House Republicans, though. Rep. Steve King (Iowa)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> said the debate has been so intense because Republicans and Democrats have "years of pent-up frustrations" after floor amendments were previously not allowed for such spending bills.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"This constitutional, republican form of government is messy and debate is messy, but I think it's so important that for the first time in how many years now members can actually take their argument to the floor, have a debate, force a recorded vote on their issue," King said.</span></span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/16/AR2011021607254.html?wpisrc=nl_politics"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Read more</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-46015660372581982092011-02-17T22:01:00.003-05:002011-02-17T22:07:16.644-05:00Gov. Christie slams Democrats — and GOP — over spending<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">From Neil King Jr. of <a href="http://online.wsj.com/">The Wall Street Journal</a> on Feb. 16:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">came to Washington Wednesday to slam both parties for what he described as their “irresponsible” and “dangerous” game in not addressing the country’s shaky entitlement programs.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">The Republican governor accused both the White House and Republicans in Congress of irresponsibility for failing to propose fixes for <a href="http://www.ssa.gov/">Social Security</a>, <a href="http://www.medicare.gov/">Medicare</a> and <a href="http://www.cms.gov/home/medicaid.asp">Medicaid</a>, all of which face solvency problems in coming years.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">“What game is being played here is irresponsible and it’s dangerous,” he told a packed house at the conservative <a href="http://www.aei.org/">American Enterprise Institute</a>. “We are on the path to ruin.”</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">In office just over a year, Mr. Christie has gained unusual prominence within Republican ranks as a brash cost-cutter who hasn’t shied from fierce battles with the state’s teachers union and other groups.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">A national unknown when he won election in 2009, the former prosecutor is now mentioned as a possible 2012 presidential contender, mainly by conservatives yearning for someone to shake up what they fear will be a lackluster field. Mr. Christie has insisted he has no intention to seek higher office next year.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">“What do I have to do outside of threatening to commit suicide to convince people I’m not running?” he told the gathering. He said he was simply not ready to run for president and had plenty of work to do in New Jersey.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">“And besides, my wife would kill me,” he said.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Mr. Christie drew laughter when he tossed off his own plan to fix Social Security, which he said was both obvious and shunned as the kiss of death by most politicians.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">“We hare going to have to raise the retirement age,” he said. “Uh oh. I said it, and I’m still here. I am not vaporized into the carpet.”</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/02/16/gov-christie-slams-democrats-and-gop-over-spending/">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-85725775913381522272011-02-17T21:51:00.003-05:002011-02-17T21:57:09.824-05:00Republicans seek to defund stimulus on 2nd anniversary of program<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/">FoxNews.com</a> on Feb. 17:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A coalition of conservative groups and Republican lawmakers led by freshman Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy is celebrating the second anniversary of the passage of President Obama's $814 billion stimulus bill on Thursday by trying to defund what's left of it.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But with Democrats still in control of the Senate and the White House</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, getting federal money back after it’s been obligated may not be as easy as conservative activists wish.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Duffy, a former <a href="http://www.mtv.com/">MTV</a> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">reality star, was elected to fill the seat of longtime Democratic Rep. David Obey, the author of the stimulus bill who retired instead of facing what was expected to have been a tough re-election battle. Duffy introduced legislation last Thursday to return the $168 billion unspent portions of the stimulus back to the Treasury. Another $7 billion in uncommitted funds remains unspent.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"What's become clear to Wisconsinites and Americans is that the so-called 'stimulus' has failed," Duffy said in a written statement, noting that the unemployment rate has remained at 9 percent or above for 21 consecutive months despite the administration's sales pitch that the stimulus would prevent the rate from rising above 8 percent.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Rescinding the remaining stimulus funds and sending it back to the Treasury for deficit reduction would send an important message to the private sector that there has been a fundamental shift in the People's House from pushing big government policies to pro-growth policies that will empower the private sector to innovate and invest," he said.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., introduced a companion bill in the Senate on Thursday.</span></span></span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 10px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/02/16/republicans-seek-defund-stimulus-second-anniversary-looms/#ixzz1ECFOL3oh">Read more</a>.</span></span></span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-25224272352513553982011-02-17T21:42:00.002-05:002011-02-17T21:46:26.041-05:00Action Alert: Vote in Newsmax.com's poll<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From <a href="http://www.newsmax.com/">Newsmax.com</a>:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Newsmax.com, one of America's leading online news services, is conducting an urgent national online poll about President Obama, the new 2011 Congress and whether it should repeal President Obama's healthcare plan and other policies.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">We are also asking if he should be re-elected in 2012.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Newsmax will provide the results of this poll to major media outlets. Newsmax's results also will be shared with popular radio talk-show hosts across America.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Newsmax reports have been cited by major media outlets, including <a href="http://www.cnn.com/">CNN</a>, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/">ABC News</a>, <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/">Fox News</a>, <a href="http://www.cbs.com/">CBS</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/">MSNBC</a>, and other major networks.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Don't miss this opportunity to let your voice be heard! Many media outlets and national leaders are interested in your opinion. Hundreds of media outlets have reported on Newsmax's online polls.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Vote today!</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; ">Click <a href="http://news1.newsmax.com/repeal-obamacare/?promo_code=BAD5-1">here</a> to vote.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-9345881974900009512011-02-17T21:35:00.004-05:002011-02-17T21:39:29.657-05:00Deficit plan details emerge<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From <a href="http://online.wsj.com/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=JONATHAN+WEISMAN&bylinesearch=true">Jonathan Weisman</a> of <a href="http://online.wsj.com/">The Wall Street Journal</a> on Feb. 17:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">A bipartisan group of senators is considering legislation that would trigger new taxes and budget cuts if Congress fails to meet a set of mandatory spending targets and other fiscal goals aimed at reducing federal deficits.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">The plan would break the task of deficit reduction into four pieces: a tax code overhaul; discretionary spending cuts; changes to <a href="http://www.medicare.gov/">Medicare</a>, <a href="http://www.cms.gov/home/medicaid.asp">Medicaid</a> and other entitlements; and changes to <a href="http://www.ssa.gov/">Social Security</a>, aides said. The Social Security system is on firmer financial footing than other major entitlement programs and raises political sensitivities that lawmakers want to deal with separately.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">The proposal builds on the work of President Barack Obama's deficit commission, according to aides working on it.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">"We're getting close," said Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D., Ill.), one of six senators working on the plan. "We understand that if we're going to do something that's important, it has to be timely." He said the group hopes to reach agreement "in a matter of weeks, or months."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">In addition to Mr. Durbin, the second-ranking Senate Democrat, the group include <a href="http://budget.senate.gov/">Budget Committee Chairman</a> Kent Conrad (D., N.D.), and one of the Senate's most conservative fiscal hawks, Tom Coburn (R., Okla.). Messrs. Coburn and Durbin are personally close to President Obama.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; ">Aides working on the effort said negotiations are delicate and other options might come forward. The framework of targets and penalties is expected to be circulated to a broad group of senators by early next month.</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; "><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703961104576148762589469794.html?mod=WSJ_article_LatestHeadlines">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-535681534989702792011-02-17T21:33:00.001-05:002011-02-17T21:34:25.397-05:00At least he knows<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63sy0U2zJBx05ox12yt1u-xwX0g6V4LUkYBHQB0JOJek1GlfAUMoEDD9U2haQx44s270u4BW8Gt022eNazOhGS4xDt69V3wwLTw6YoyuQuZxXd9ipR0WfnQA4jhyXtDJKpJrDjX5403tr/s1600/Obama.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63sy0U2zJBx05ox12yt1u-xwX0g6V4LUkYBHQB0JOJek1GlfAUMoEDD9U2haQx44s270u4BW8Gt022eNazOhGS4xDt69V3wwLTw6YoyuQuZxXd9ipR0WfnQA4jhyXtDJKpJrDjX5403tr/s400/Obama.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5574852230641638338" /></a>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427055857436766879.post-69761655646494300722011-02-17T21:25:00.005-05:002011-02-17T21:31:46.012-05:00More pushback to Scott: Budget chief says state plane sale broke the law<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">From David Royse of the <a href="http://www.newsserviceflorida.com/public/">News Service of Florida</a> on Feb. 17:</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Rick Scott's </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">sale of the state’s planes may have violated Florida law, the Republican chairman of the <a href="http://www.flsenate.gov/committees/show/BC">Senate Budget Committee</a> said in a letter to the governor Thursday.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Ironically, the letter comes from the legislator who has probably been most vocal that the state should sell the planes, Sen. JD Alexander</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, R-Lake Wales, who has pushed for the sale of the aircraft for five years. And in his letter, Alexander applauded his fellow Republican Scott for the idea.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">“I support your goal, but not the method,” Alexander wrote. “It is important that the proper procedures for accomplishing a goal we both support be followed.”</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Alexander noted that Scott’s office last month directed the sale of the state’s two airplanes, using the proceeds of the sale of one of those planes to satisfy lease obligations on the second plane. That essentially means the governor spent state money without an appropriation spelled out in law, which is barred by the constitution.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">The law also spells out what must be done with money that comes into the state from the sale of “disposed property,” a law that may have also been broken by the sale, Alexander said.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Another problem: the law also prohibits agencies from not spending money lawmakers have appropriated for a certain purpose. Last year’s budget contained appropriations for lease payments, operations and maintenance of the two planes. To not lease, operate and maintain them appears to violate the law, Alexander said.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">“It is my position that you should have sought the approval of the Legislature before undertaking the sale of the state planes and using the proceeds of the sale of Plane One to satisfy the lease obligation of Plane Two,” Alexander wrote. “My concern, of course, is that these actions may have violated the law and as such fail to recognize the Legislature by not respecting the Legislature’s constitutional duty to appropriate funds and your duty to spend appropriated funds in accordance with the law.”</span></div></blockquote><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px; font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;"><a href="http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2011/02/more-pushback-to-scott-budget-chief-says-state-plane-sale-broke-the-law.html">Read more</a>.</span></div>Miss Pfaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17454603660735542917noreply@blogger.com0