Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
The Read on the news
July 27, 2009
The Stimulus is Sinking Health Overhaul
President Barack Obama is blaming Republicans, Washington inertia, fear of change, the insurance industry, and assorted other enemies for the stalling of his health care initiative.
And while his plans certainly do have real enemies, the stimulus bill that he helped craft - and that he could have shaped to a greater degree than he did - is an important part of the reason he's in the fix he's in today.
All agreed at the time it was approved early this year that some form of a federal stimulus to the economy was necessary. But with a price tag of $789 billion, the public expected a lot of bang for the significant buck.
Instead, the Obama administration and its Democratic allies loaded on a lot of programs that they wanted anyway and that wouldn't get ginned up for months at best. While his White House sold the stimulus as an immediate necessity, the president today describes the measure as a "two-year" plan that was never intended to work right away.
Which begs the question: Why not? With unemployment rising above where the White House promised it would go and prevailing uncertainty about when the economy will improve, Republicans are attacking the stimulus as a waste of money. Their subtext is clear: do you want to allow Obama to spend more of your money for questionable purposes?
Obama could have solved this problem, at least partially, by adding to legislation more in the way tax cuts that could be taken immediately. This might have induced at least some Republicans to support the plan and gotten a little more money out the door more quickly.
And the Democrats should have resisted Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel's call to "never waste a crisis" and spend all that money on a Democratic wish list of long term projects.
The GOP would be less able to criticize the stimulus, and the economy would have gotten more of an immediate jolt.
And the public would feel more comfortable doling out additional money for health care.
Bailey Kotyonok
June 1, 2000
As you watch events in Washington unfold this summer, remember that everything you see must be reflected through the prism of Obama's top priority for the year and for his presidency, health care system overhaul.
As you probably know, Obama wants to provide universal coverage - likely with a strong federal role - and introduce some new efficiencies.
One thing you will see is a gradual clearing of the decks so that the president can focus on passing his priority, which he must do this year, before the 2010 election year begins in January. Congress will continue hashing out bills this summer, and the pivotal battles will be fought this fall.
So when you hear Obama say he wants Sotomayor confirmed before the end of July because he wants her to participate in the Supreme Court's choosing of its caseload in September, this may be true. But what he especially wants is to not have to deal with a battle over his Supreme Court nominee while he's trying to complete the health care bill.
If you see Democrats in Congress start to slow-walk the energy bill - with the carbon cap and trade program and all the fuel efficiency and renewable energy goodies in it - it's because Congress is not going to pass a major energy and health legislation in the same year, and Obama wants the health bill.
Obama has even told Israel to give diplomacy with Iran until the end of the year. Any relationship to the health bill? Depends on your level of cynicism.
Having passed the stimulus measure earlier this year, Obama's other focus this summer will be on the economy and its expected improvement. You will hear a lot about how the stimulus bill is aiding the economy. The president is counting on this and his health care bill to provide a substantial push toward his reelection.
Bailey Kotyonok
May 28, 2009
One thing to keep in mind amid the loud back and forth you will hear this summer over Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to the Supreme Court: she will be confirmed, and probably by a large margin.
Republicans don't have the numbers to block her, and at least a few will support her. Moderates like Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine have a hard time opposing someone like Sotomayor, who doesn't have a truly radical record.
And conservatives with substantial Hispanic minorities in their states are on the spot as well.
Take Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison. Are the two Republicans from Texas really going to oppose the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice? They might, but not without peril.
Conservatives groups will raise the alarm about Roe v. Wade. How many times has this worked in the past? Never. Instead, the tactic will achieve other ends: it will galvanize the conservative base for future battles, raise money for conservative groups, and paint President Obama as a liberal who appoints liberals.
So far, Sotomayor has said a couple of stupid things, including a suggestion that Latinas would make better judges than than white men and that appeals courts make policy. Much is already being made of these statements, but it's not nearly enough to sink her.
Unless there's much more - a possibility given that she seems like the type who says what's on her mind - or unless she has some secret crack addiction or begins cursing at senators during her hearing, she's in.
Or perhaps she didn't pay her taxes. We've already learned not to overestimate the Obama vetting team.
Bailey Kotyonok
May 24, 2009
Cheney may not be such bad news for the GOP
Dick Cheney's emergence as the new spokesman for the Republican Party on national security matters may not be quite the godsend most Democrats think.
Cheney's approval rating is on the rise. True, it had nowhere else to go, but it's risen eight points since he left office to 37 percent.
With the possible exception of Richard Nixon, former leaders tend to become more popular when they leave office. Harry S Truman left the presidency deeply unpopular and today is one of our most revered former presidents.
Before becoming vice president, Cheney was known mainly as an affable politician popular with conservatives and moderates alike. And by just appearing so often, he is shedding one of the main raps against him - that he was a curmudgeon plotting evil designs while holed up in a secret, undisclosed location.
Republicans who say they yearn for Ronald Reagan but who recoil at Cheney may be remembering the avuncular Reagan who left office in 1988 but forgetting the earlier man who sank Jimmy Carter: a tough talking conservative immune to political correctness and willing to advocate strong measures against America's enemies.
Republicans have been carefully posturing carefully for years. If Cheney's popularity begins to take off, watch them all beg for a place on the bandwagon.
Bailey Kotyonok
