Research

After Cutting The Solyndra Loan Program Twice, Senator Reid Vows To Shut Down The Government Over Cutting It For Disaster Relief

“Democrats Oppose A Republican Plan To Take Money From Clean-Energy Loan Guarantee Programs To Pay For Disaster Relief As Part Of A Short-Term Spending Bill To Keep The Government Operating Beyond Friday’s End Of The Fiscal Year.” (“Need To Know Memo,” National Journal, 9/26/11)

SENATOR REID IS THREATENING TO SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT OVER CUTS TO THE SOLYNDRA LOAN PROGRAM – WHICH HE HAS CUT TWICE BEFORE

Senator Reid Has Twice Cut “$3.5 Billion Total—From The Renewable-Energy Program That Issued Loan Guarantees To Solyndra To Fund Other Programs.” “But twice before, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., diverted money--$3.5 billion total--from the renewable-energy program that issued loan guarantees to Solyndra to fund other programs. The first time he dipped into the program was to pay for the administration’s ‘cash for clunkers’ program; the second ... more

White House Senior Adviser David Plouffe: We Expect Democrat Senate To Vote On Stimulus 2 “In October.” “And the question is if you think the economy's doing okay I guess you're not going to act. But if you think this economy is far too weak and needs a jump-start. So we expect there will be a vote on the entire American Jobs Act at some point in October in the Senate. We’re going to keep making the case. And by the way these are things that generally would not be highly controversial. There’s things that got broad bipartisan support in the past.” (CNN’s “State Of The Union,” 9/25/11)

Recent Studies Suggest That ObamaCare Is Bad Medicine For Working Families And Small Business

Obama Promised His Plan Would “Bring Down Premiums By $2,500 For The Typical Family.” (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks Of Senator Barack Obama Economic Roundtable With Democratic Governors, Chicago, IL, 6/20/08)

Study Finds That Ohioans Could See A Premium Increase Of 55 To 85 Percent When ObamaCare’s Provisions Are Phased In. “Ohioans who buy individual insurance policies could see their premiums jump 55 to 85 percent in 2014 when key provisions of the new federal health-care law kick in, according to a new report.” (Catherine Candisky, “Insurance Premiums Expected To Increase, Report Says,” The Columbus Dispatch, 9/20/11) 

Workers Will See A Premium Increase In Health Care Coverage Provided By Their Employer. “Rates also are expected to increase for those with employer-sponsored coverage but not nearly as much.” (Catherine Candisky, “Insurance Premiums Expected To Increase, Report Says,” The ... more

Despite offering few details for how the Buffett Rule would be implemented, fact-checkers know enough about the President’s proposal to deduce that it just doesn’t add up. Based on the analysis below it’s clear that Obama was more concerned with how well his new “guiding principle” polled than how many jobs it would destroy in practice.

The Associated Press Fact Check: “The Data Tell A Different Story”

AP Fact Check: Obama Claims That The Wealthy Are Paying Less In Taxes Than The Middle Class But “The Data Tell A Different Story.” “The data tell a different story. On average, the wealthiest people in America pay a lot more taxes than the middle class or the poor, according to private and government data. They pay at a higher rate, and as a group, they contribute a much larger share of the overall taxes collected by the federal government.” (Stephen Ohlemacher, “Fact Check: Are Rich Taxed Less Than Secretaries?” The Associated Press, 9/20/11)

• Millionaires Will Pay An Average ... more
  
  

CNN’s “State Of The Union” (9/18/11):

CNN’s Candy Crowley: “When is this jobs bill getting on the Senate floor?”

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL): “It will start the debate this week. Now there are going to be a lot of variations and ideas…”

Crowley: “But the bill won't be on the floor to vote on this week. You guys can debate anything at any point. When’s the bill going to get on the floor?”

Sen. Durbin: “The bill’s on the calendar. Majority Leader Reid moved it to the calendar. It is ready and poised. There are a couple other items that we may get into this week not on the bill and some related issues that may create jobs. But we’re going to move forward on the president's bill. There will be a healthy debate…”

Crowley: “After the recess, so next month? Or when will it actually begin to act on?”

Sen. Durbin: “I think that's more realistic that it would be next month.”

“In August, Nonfarm Payroll Employment Decreased In 30 States And The District Of Columbia …” (“Regional And State Employment And Unemployment – August 2011,” Bureau Of Labor Statistics, 9/16/11)

• “Twenty-Six States And The District Of Columbia Reported Unemployment Rate Increases …” (“Regional And State Employment And Unemployment – August 2011,” Bureau Of Labor Statistics, 9/16/11)

Nevada’s Unemployment Rate Continues To Lead The Nation

In August, Nevada’s Unemployment Rate Increased From 12.9 Percent To 13.4 Percent. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov, Accessed 9/16/11)

Nevada’s Unemployment Increased For The Third Straight Month, To 13.4 Percent. “Nevada's unemployment rate has climbed to 13.4 percent in August in the third straight month the numbers have increased. Last month's figure is a jump from July's 12.9 percent jobless rate but is still lower than last August's 14.9 percent.” (“Nevada Jobless Rate Rises To 13.4 Percent In August,” The Associated Press, 9/16/11)

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In an attempt to build support for the President’s second stimulus, within a highly critical democratic caucus, the White House scheduled a meeting to brief members on Obama’s new plan to stem the mortgage crisis. Democrats who were expecting to receive a briefing on “a very significant housing initiative” from Federal Housing Finance Agency director Edward DeMarco, were instead greeted by career employees who admitted that the agency didn’t know anything about President Obama’s plan to fix the housing market.

The Hill reports today on the furor this caused among members who were expecting more than lip service on the foreclosure crisis from the Obama administration:

“Leading House Democrats Are Accusing The Obama Administration Of Ignoring The Lingering Mortgage Crisis And Threatening Tens-Of-Millions Of Americans With Foreclosure In The Process.” (Mike Lillis, “Dems Rip White House For Going ‘AWOL’ On Mortgage Crisis,” The Hill, 9/16/11)

Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-CA): “The ... more

Obama’s Staggering Approval Ratings Suggest An Ominous Re-Election Outlook

New York Has Already Sounded The Alarm

“Heavily Democratic Queens-And-Brooklyn-Based 9th District Proved To Be An Extreme Manifestation Of Obama’s Blue State Problem.” “Tuesday’s election in New York’s heavily Democratic Queens- and Brooklyn-based 9th District proved to be an extreme manifestation of Obama’s blue state problem: His approval rating was at 43 percent in a Sept. 9 Siena Research Institute poll and 31 percent in a Sept. 11 automated poll by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic firm. By contrast, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo posted a 75 percent approval rating in the district, according to the Siena poll.” (Edward-Isaac Dovere, “Obama’s Blue State Blues,” Politico, 9/15/11) 

“’It Is Not, Per Se, A Democratic Problem, It’s A Problem With This President,’ Said Siena Spokesman Steve Greenberg.” (Edward-Isaac Dovere, “Obama’s Blue State Blues,” Politico, 9/15/11) 

• Greenberg: “Where He’s Lost His ... more
  
  

Obama political appointees from the Department of Energy and Office of Management and Budget testified today before the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight, but didn’t really answer many questions or acted as if they were very well aware of what was going on.

Here’s Department of Energy official Jonathan Silver not being able to answer a simple question about whether he received any communications from any individuals in the White House, to the point that he has to be reminded that he is under oath:

Further stonewalling and claims of ignorance came when Rep. Steve Scalise asked Mr. Silver who in the Obama White House made the decision to put taxpayers at the end of the line and on the hook for the $535 million loan to Sylndra. Mr. Silver, not surprisingly, refused to answer the question. Lots of questions that remain to be answered – why are taxpayers guaranteeing a $535 million loan behind private investors, including a prominent Obama donor/bundler?

And just more ... more

If losing Brooklyn wasn’t a bad enough wake-up call for President Obama, this morning Politico finds that his proposal to pay for another $450 billion stimulus package is facing “unexpected turbulence” from his own party. As you can see below, Democrats on the Hill are not sold on Obama’s recycled tax hikes, the same tax hikes they’ve rejected since 2009.

President Obama’s “Terrible” Plan To Raise Taxes To Pay For His Second Stimulus Is Hitting Stiff Opposition From His Own Party

“President Barack Obama’s New Jobs Plan Is Hitting Some Unexpected Turbulence In The Halls Of Congress: Lawmakers From His Own Party.” (Manu Raju, “Hill Dems Pick Apart Obama Jobs Plan,” Politico, 9/14/11)

• “Limiting Deductions To Upper-Income Families Was Opposed By All But Three Senators In The Democratic-Controlled Senate In 2009.” (Manu Raju, “Hill Dems Pick Apart Obama Jobs Plan,” Politico, 9/14/11)

Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) Called Obama’s Tax Hike Proposals “Terrible.” “‘Terrible,’ Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) ... more