Coleman aide won’t side with McCain’s health care plan.
Coleman aide won’t side with McCain’s health care plan.
The Center for American Progress Action Fund reported last month that 3.1 million Minnesotans could lose their employer health benefits under Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) health care plan, which would also lead to “major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid.” Recently, Luke Friedrich, an aide to Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN), was asked four times whether Coleman supports McCain’s plan. Each time, he refused to back McCain, only claiming that Coleman “is aligned with Senator Coleman’s plan”:
FRIEDRICH: Well, Senator Coleman is aligned with Senator Coleman’s plan and I think that’s the point that I want to make here. […]
Q: If Senator McCain’s bill came up for a vote, how would the Senator vote on it?
FRIEDRICH: Again, it would depend on what was in the bill. … I’m sure, some things that will line up. I mean, they are both pretty comprehensive plans. I’m sure there are some things that line up from Senator Obama’s plan as well.
Watch it:
The Wonk Room has more on the Bush administration’s plan to cut Medicaid for 18,000 low-income parents in Minnesota.
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Lehman board recommended $20 million in executive ‘special payments’ while filing for bailout.
Lehman board recommended $20 million in executive ‘special payments’ while filing for bailout.
The AP reports that Lehman CEO Richard Fuld admitted to Congress today that he has taken home over $300 million since 2000, “some $60 million in cash compensation.” Furthermore, “executives who feared for their bonuses in the company’s last months were told not to worry,” even as Lehman plead for a federal bailout. Waxman revealed that “the board give three departing executives over $20 million in ‘special payments.’” Watch it:
“In other words, even as Mr. Fuld was pleading with Secretary Paulson for a federal rescue, Lehman continued to squander millions on executive compensation,” Waxman said. Read the rest of this entry »
GM exec Bob Lutz won’t back away from denial of global warming.
GM exec Bob Lutz won’t back away from denial of global warming.
In February, GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz defended his previous remarks dismissing global warming as a “total crock of shit.” “My thoughts on what has or hasn’t been the cause of climate change have nothing to do with the decisions I make,” Lutz alleged. Yesterday, Lutz was interviewed by CBS, and again refused to back away from his remarks. CBS reports:
“Well they don’t like what you said about global warming,” Stahl says. “Do you want to repeat what you said about global warming?” “Of course not, because this is a family network,” Lutz says.
“You don’t think there’s global warming? Is that really true?” Stahl asks. “I’m not going to get into this. Because…,” Lutz replies. “Because you got into so much trouble when you said it the first time?” Stahl asks. “That could be right. Yeah,” Lutz admits.
“Well, actually some of them like me,” Lutz said of environmentalists. Watch it:
“Speaking about his own personal carbon footprint, Lutz acknowledges he and his wife own two helicopters and two jets,” CBS noted. “And remember, this guy is just a heartbeat away from the chairmanship of General Motors,” writes Joe Romm.
Cheney Biographer: Palin Views Cheney’s Vice Presidency As A Role Model
Cheney Biographer: Palin Views Cheney’s Vice Presidency As A Role Model
In Thursday’s vice presidential debate, Gov. Sarah Palin said she “agrees” with Dick Cheney’s expansive view of the power of the executive branch and the vice presidency:
PALIN: I do agree with him that we have a lot of flexibility in there, that we’ll do what we have to do to administer very appropriately the plans that are needed for this nation.
Interviewed on CNN today, the Washington Post’s Barton Gellman, author of a new biography of Cheney’s vice presidency, said that the idea of “flexibility” for the VP is a signature Cheney idea:
GELLMAN: Well, it sounded like Dick Cheney could have written that description. The idea of “flexibility” on the one hand and “do what we have to do,” those are two of the watch words of a man who believes in executive supremacy and believes that other branches of government and the public actually cannot restrict the executive.
Gellman added that Cheney could very well be a role model for a Palin vice presidency:
BLITZER: What I hear you saying, if she were vice president she would, you see Dick Cheney as a role model, is that what you are saying?
GELLMAN: Yeah. Well, what you aspire to do and what you can do are two different things. It came from a relationship with the very specific president and came from his own enormous experience and skill.
Watch it:
Cheney has taken the powers of the office of the vice presidency to dangerous levels. He has taken the lead in shaping both domestic and foreign policy, and he has shown he “does not care about trampling on the Constitution.” And yet, during her interview with Katie Couric, the only negative thing Palin could say of Cheney was that he accidentally shot his friend in the face.
Furthermore, Palin has a record of Cheney-like secrecy and has refused to say whether her office will legally be part of the executive branch.
Defying White House recommendations, Miers refuses to talk to DOJ investigators.
Defying White House recommendations, Miers refuses to talk to DOJ investigators.
Today, DOJ Inspector General Glenn Fine testified about his recent report on the U.S. Attorney scandal. Harriet Miers, who defied a subpoena regarding her role in the scandal, refused to talk to Fine’s investigators. Fine said she ignored the IG despite the White House in fact encouraging her to speak to them:
JOHNSON: Was Harriet Miers one of those who the White House encouraged to speak to you?
FINE: She was one who we requested to be interviewed…my understanding is all the individuals were encouraged by the White House counsel’s office to speak to us.
Miers, however, refused to talk to Fine’s investigators. “The reason her attorney gave is that an interview might undermine her ability to rely on instructions she received from the White House directing her not to appear for congressional testimony,” he said.
Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) said that Miers is “playing games” with investigators. “To us, Ms. Miers says she’s willing to testify but the White House won’t let her. And to you, she says she won’t testify even though the White House says it’s okay,” he said.
Chet Edwards: ‘If You Look At McCain’s Record On Veterans Issues, It’s A Failed One’
Chet Edwards: ‘If You Look At McCain’s Record On Veterans Issues, It’s A Failed One’
Sen. John McCain has proudly touted his record on veterans throughout this campaign. “I know the veterans. I know them well. And I know that they know that I’ll take care of them,” he said in last week’s debate. In May, McCain said he has the “judgment necessary to care for the veterans.”
In an interview with ThinkProgress today, Rep. Chet Edwards (D), who represents Crawford, TX and is a leader on veterans issues in Congress, ripped McCain’s record on veterans:
If you look at John McCain’s record on veterans issues, it’s a failed one. … Even the Vietnam Veterans of America, those who served with Sen. McCain in Vietnam, have given Sen. McCain a ‘D’ voting record when it comes to voting to improve veterans health care and benefits. … But I think America’s veterans and voters have a right to know before the election that his voting record in the Senate has been a failed one.
“If his voting record had prevailed over the last several years, veterans would have poorer health care and fewer benefits than they have today,” he said. Watch it:
Indeed, McCain’s voting record in the Senate on veterans issues is abysmal. He has received failing grades from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Disabled Veterans of America, and Vietnam Veterans of America. McCain has voted against money for VA outpatient care and treatment and against increasing VA funding by $1.5 billion by closing corporate loopholes, to name a few.
“My message to veterans is that a vote for Sen. McCain is a vote to show respect for one veteran and his service in Vietnam,” Edwards said. He added that the mainstream media has “ignored the failed record of John McCain.” “You’ve got 25 million veterans in America, and again I bet the vast majority of them would be shocked and deeply disappointed to find out McCain has a failed voting record on veterans.”
National debt passes $10 trillion.
National debt passes $10 trillion.
The Swamp reports today that “on the last day of September, the national debt hit $10 trillion plus,” as the “gross national debt as a percentage of the gross domestic product has, under the Bush Administration, hit a 50-year high. The debt grew the fastest under supply-siders Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush:
The debt was $5.7 trillion when Bush took office; the bailout legislation passed by the Senate last night would raise the debt ceiling further to $11.315 trillion. The Wonk Room has more.
McCain jokes: ‘I’m not a rich man.’
McCain jokes: ‘I’m not a rich man.’
This morning on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Sen. John McCain talked baseball with Joe Scarborough. Scarborough, calling McCain a “gambling man,” asked which baseball team would make it to the World Series. McCain said the Dodgers have potential, jokingly adding, “But that shows why I’m not a rich man”:
I think the Dodgers are not to be underestimated given the fact that they’ve got some pretty strong pitching. So I think it’s very possible that both of those teams, both the Dodgers and Red Sox, could surprise everybody. But that shows why I’m not a rich man. (Laughter)
Watch it:
Of course, McCain — who owns roughly eight homes and 13 cars — has always had a bizarre definition of rich. When Pastor Rick Warren asked him to “define rich,” McCain responded with a joke, asking, “How about $5 million?” In August, McCain said he defines rich “in other ways beside income.” He added that some people “are poor if they’re billionaires.”
Pentagon Report: 37% Of Iraqis Feel Safe Outside Their Homes, 24% Have ‘Confidence’ In Foreign Troops
Pentagon Report: 37% Of Iraqis Feel Safe Outside Their Homes, 24% Have ‘Confidence’ In Foreign Troops
Yesterday, the Pentagon released its Quarterly Report to Congress on Iraq. “While security has improved dramatically, the fundamental character of the conflict in Iraq remains unchanged — a communal struggle for power and resources,” the report said.
Buried on page 28 of the report, the Pentagon notes, “Iraqis’ perception of the security situation is a mixed bag.” According to research from August 2008, “73% of Iraqis described the security situation in their neighborhoods as calm,” a 12 point increase from November 2007.
Of particular note, however, is the disparity between Iraqi’s sense of security in their own neighborhoods and their sense of security outside their neighborhoods. Seventy-four percent feel “safe and secure” in their neighborhoods but only 37 percent feel safe traveling outside of their neighborhoods:
The disparity suggests that Iraqis are increasingly confined to their own neighborhoods as a result of sectarian tensions. A new study released by UCLA concluded that ethnic violence was the primary factor in reducing violence in Iraq, conclusions also echoed by the GAO. Indeed, Baghdad is now a “city of shadows” characterized by blast walls separating Shi’a and Sunni.
The report adds that as of August, 84 percent of Iraqis had confidence in the Iraqi Army to protect them from threats and 81 percent in the Iraqi Police. Far fewer have “confidence” in foreign troops:
Confidence in the Multi-National Forces, armed groups, and militias was much lower at 24%, 11%, and 11%, respectively.
Palin On Whether Global Warming Is Man-Made: ‘Kinda Doesn’t Matter’
Palin On Whether Global Warming Is Man-Made: ‘Kinda Doesn’t Matter’
In an interview with CBS’s Katie Couric yesterday, Gov. Sarah Palin continued her refusal to endorse the scientific consensus on man-made global warming. Palin claimed there is some human contribution to climate change, but she also added the common right-wing claim that global warming is a result of “cyclical” weather patterns:
COURIC: Is it manmade in your view?
PALIN: You know, there are man’s activities that can be contributed to the issues that we’re dealing with now, with these impacts. I’m not going to solely blame all of man’s activities on changes in climate because the world’s weather patterns are cyclical and over our history we have seen changes there.
“Kinda doesn’t matter at this point…what caused it,” Palin added. Watch it:
Palin’s position is a slight change from her previous full-fledged denial of man-made global warming. In a recently released interview with Newsmax, Palin said, “A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location.” She added, “I’m not one though who would attribute it to being man-made.” In Dec. 2007, Palin reportedly said, “I’m not an Al Gore, doom-and-gloom environmentalist blaming the changes in our climate on human activity.”
It does, however, “matter” whether Palin acknowledges the full contribution of humans to climate change. Palin is a “champion” for climate-unfriendly policies such as increased use of oil and coal, which will exacerbate the contributions of humans to the warming planet.