Midnight Blue Says

This would have been nice 4 years ago but I applaud House Republicans taking the side of the American people and making a clean break from the past.

House Republicans approved a conference-wide moratorium on earmarks on Thursday, one day after a House committee enacted a ban on for-profit earmarks.

The Republicans’ moratorium is more extensive than the House Appropriations Committee’s ban in that it applies to all earmarks for all members of the caucus.

Today’s earmark moratorium shows the American people that House Republicans are prepared to end business as usual and change the way Washington spends the people’s money.

Now this is change you can believe in!

Click HERE for the SLA website – all you need to know!

Republican Representatives Mike Pence and Jeb Hensarling have proposed a new amendment to the Constitution that puts the breaks on out of control spending by congress.

The amendment limits the amount of spending to one-fifth of the economy without out-pacing an American family’s ability to pay for this spending. In essence, living within our means.

For your perusal, HERE is a link to a brief summary of the Spending Limit Amendment (SLA). A more detailed report can be found HERE.

I emailed a reader’s comment regarding this issue to the policy people behind this amendment, this is their reply:

The bill would require a 2/3 vote of both Houses to override the amendment. Thus a super-majority (answerable to the public) would be necessary enact an emergency override. We believe this threshold high enough to prevent abuse.

Let the bribes begin!  Politico reports the arm twisting for votes has begun. How much will this cost the American taxpayer this time?

Last week I read an article posted on Time.com speculating on which GOP candidates would be the next Scott Brown. Realizing Time is not known for fair reporting on the GOP or the Teaparty movement, I laughed out loud (LOL) at Pat Meehan listed as a potential ‘Scott Brown’.

Pat Meehan is a longtime GOP hack who initiated charges against former Representative Curt Weldon. His efforts have paid off, Pat has been tapped by the GOP to run for Curt’s former seat in Pennsylvania’s 7th district. All fun aside, news items like this should make one pause and take a closer look at candidates vying for Congressional seats in Pennsylvania and across the nation.

Scott Brown’s stunning win in Massachusetts (not Massachusettes) sent tectonic ripples through both parties. In three consecutive elections, Americans voted for a change in leadership they thought they voted for in November 2008. After the MA special election, many GOP candidates have been quick to adopt the brand of ‘Independent Leadership’ into their campaign. As this political tsunami breaks across campaigns, it would be wise to take a close look at the candidates allowing themselves to be swept up in this tidal wave. Too often voters elect candidates who claimed to be concerned about the cost of government and when sent to DC, betrayed the voters trust. Pennsylvania has witnessed this closer to home at the state level with the ‘Clean Sweep’ movement a few years back. Today, the stakes are far greater and the impact of sending a political opportunist to DC would be devastating.

With this in mind, lets take a closer look at the Republican candidates vying for a chance to run for a seat in the 6th congressional district in Chester County, Pennsylvania. This is a contentious race, with a stunning turnaround by the man who occupies the seat, Jim Gerlach,who bowed out of the Governors race to campaign for his congressional seat. This action forced the best candidate for the 6th congressional district to leave the race. In the interest of disclosure, I supported Curt Schroder’s campaign and will do so again when he decides to run for the seat in the future. For me there is no better candidate in this race. That being said, lets get to the candidates.

Jim Gerlach can best be described as the devil we know. An establishment politician who has a voting record that you can review at Project VoteSmart.

Pat Sellers, a Ron Paul organizer who favors a narrowly defined foreign policy and suspects Bin Laden is dead. Many red flags around a candidate who favors fringe foreign policy.

Then there is Steve Welch, a business man running in Pennsylvania’s 6th district. Since he has not held elected office, my opinion is based on the evidence of his past registration and donation records. Let me lay out the facts regarding this candidate:

In 2006, while still registered as Republican, he donated to Democrat Joe Sestak’s campaign. He subsequently changed party affiliation to Democrat after the disastrous 2006 election cycle. In an article in Philly.com from July 2009, Welch explains his donation was born out of frustration with the GOP leadership. He remained a Democrat, voting for Obama in the 2008 Pennsylvania primary and perhaps the General election, until May of 2009. At that time, he changed his party affiliation back to Republican and commenced his campaign in Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional district. It is unclear if his decision to become a Republican again was based on his frustration with DNC leadership. A few months later,the GOP leadership directed him to run in the 6th district and he complied with their request. Yes, this is the same GOP leadership that he was so frustrated with a few years ago.

Some have stated that this is a competitive race and Welch is well financed. In an earlier post , I described the anemic public support for Welch’s campaign in the 6th district based upon donation receipts.

Despite such questionable actions, some groups have been swayed by his updated explanation for voting and financially supporting Democrats as being a ‘foolish vote’. I cannot help but wonder who’s fooling whom? It is irresponsible to ignore these action. His past actions reveal a candidate that is less of an independent leader and more of a political opportunist in the style of Arlen Specter.

With the best qualified candidate out of the race, Republican voters in the 6th district are challenged with an immensely difficult choice. Will they chose an establishment politician, a party jumping political opportunist or a Ron Paul candidate. This is one of the few times I’m glad I live in Philly.

Underdog candidate for Pa Governor, Sam Rohrer, had some straight talk about the looming ‘Pension Bomb’ at recent debate in Yardley, Pa. Ignoring potential Federal tax shenanigans for a moment, Pennsylvanians are facing a dramatic uptick in taxation at the state level due to breathtakingly unsound fiscal policies put in place in 2001.

The current edition of Back Channels clearly explains how we arrived at this ticking time bomb:

Here’s how the mess began: Starting in 2001, with a surplus in state pension funds – for teachers and for state employees – Harrisburg embarked on a series of fiscally irresponsible moves that essentially increased benefits but lowered contributions. Worse, contributions went on a payment plan equivalent to an adjustable-rate mortgage that starts with a low interest rate but mushrooms for most of the life of the loan.

Early on in Harrisburg’s pension-fund restructuring, employer contribution rates were at 5 to 7 percent of payroll for about 10 years. But starting in 2014, according to the Commonwealth Foundation, the contribution rates for school districts will climb to 33 percent, and stay above 30 percent for almost 10 years. They’ll drop after that, but not below 24 percent.

What does this mean to Joe and Jane taxpayer in Pennsylvania?

The cost to households goes from $212 this year to more than $2,000 by 2019, the Commonwealth Foundation estimates.

Understand the above amount is based upon the taxpayers shouldering the entire burden without the state taking any steps to correct this situation. So far, nothing has been proposed by Harrisburg and the clock is running.

Sam Rohrer has promising ideas:

One, put all new state hires on defined-contribution pension plans, such as a 401(k), instead of defined-benefit plans – the current system.

Two, reduce all pension enhancements – from vesting periods to multipliers to raises – to pre-2001 levels. While some argue that salary and compensation packages for state workers can’t be cut – as decreed by state judges who benefit from any increases – Rohrer says the state must reduce future obligations, while meeting any accrued since ‘01.

“There’s no way to deal with this issue significantly without rolling back benefits on the front end, at least for those not yet retired,” he says.

State GOP straw poll results were released recently and unfortunately Rohrer’s ideas may only be his own:

PA GOP Caucus Straw Poll

Where are the Jobs?

Graph courtesy of The Foundry

A critic of the newly minted Senator Scott Brown sneered at a  remark made after his swearing in ceremony regarding the state of the Stimulus – “The economic stimulus bill has not created one single job.”

It seems the Foundry has data that backs Senator Brown’s astute statement. Facts are stubborn things, ya know:

The figure above shows the projections the administration made in January with and without the stimulus bill, and the actual unemployment rate since then. Unemployment has risen not only above what the President’s advisors predicted would happen if the stimulus passed, but above what they estimated would occur without the stimulus. By the President’s own measure, the stimulus has failed. The promised benefits from the $800 billion in additional federal spending and debt remain invisible.

Keep burying your head in the sand, Libs, it makes the election of Scott Brown all the sweeter.

Congressman Mike Pence on the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget - 3.8 Trillion in spending proposals.

You know, Mr. Speaker, when I look at the president’s budget for fiscal year 2011, I think about what Albert Einstein said one time. He said that ‘doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result’ is the very definition of insanity.

Well, after years of runaway federal spending under both political parties, and after promises by this administration of fiscal discipline and reform, the president’s budget more than doubles the debt, it drives spending to a record $3.8 trillion, it pushes the deficit to a record $1.6 trillion, raises taxes by more than $2 trillion by 2020, during the worst recession in 25 years. Despite future spending freezes promised and commissions doesn’t change the fact that by any measure this budget is insane.

The American people know we can’t borrow and spend and bail our way back to prosperity. They know that deficits and debt threaten our prosperity and our posterity.

House Republicans have a better plan, a plan built on hard choices, fiscal responsibility and entitlement reform. “On behalf of our families, on behalf of our economy, we say: let’s reject this irresponsible and unsustainable budget, and lets come together around the principles of fiscal responsibility and reform, and let’s put our house in order.

Check out Better Solutions – a compilation of policy proposals House Republicans have developed and introduced since January, 2009.

Meh…Lots of promises, empty on precise details.

The Republicans respond:

More coverage at

Mike’s America
Flopping Aces

Sarah Palin - A New Face on Fox

Recall all those delusional folks who claimed Sarah Palin brought down McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign?

Turns out they were wrong.

Via Breitbart:

Sarah Palin and Sen. John McCain plan to campaign together again.The Arizona Republican announced Wednesday that the former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate will join McCain in Phoenix on March 26 to help campaign for his re-election to the U.S. Senate.

It seems McCain knows a winner – I predict a win for McCain.

“A wicked political pivot” – Sarah Palin on Scott Brown’s miraculous win in Massachusetts.

As the sun rose on the 20th, I rechecked Drudge Report to see if the upset of the century wasn’t a dream. No, this was no dream, a miracle did indeed occur in Massachusetts.

Scott Brown, the Republican candidate overcame a staggering 20 point deficit to capture the open Senate seat on January 19th in Massachusetts, out-pacing his opponent, Democrat Marcia Coakley, by 5 points in the final tally. The reliable rank-and-file Democrat voters in the midnightblue state of Massachusetts set off a nuclear explosion felt across the political spectrum. The message was clear, ignore citizens at your peril. Massachusetts is the state whose health care system was promoted as a model for Obamacare, and the citizens decisively voted for the candidate who stated his opposition to government run health care. This election was a demoralizing blow to Democrats in losing such an intrinsically ‘democrat’ Senate seat. However, it was not a win for Republicans either. Scott Brown ran a smart campaign which defined him as a center right populist without strong attachment to the GOP. As much as Obama is bad luck to candidates, so is the GOP.

What repercussions does this ‘wicked political pivot’ have in local elections in Pennyslvania? The vote in Massachusetts telegraphed that any politician, Republican or Democrat, that voted for the reckless stimulus bill and supports the pork laden health care bill are now extremely vulnerable in 2010. If the Brown momentum continues, Arlen Specter (D) and Patrick Murphy (D) can be carried out of office by center right conservative candidates – GOP not withstanding.

I wish Senator-Elect Scott Brown all the best in his new position and I, along with the citizens of Massachusetts, will look to see if he holds true to his promises.

MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!!

Senator Jim DeMint (R) responds to Scott Brown’s stunning win in Massachusetts Special Election:

Greenville, SC — U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), chairman of the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF), made the following statement tonight after state Sen. Scott Brown was declared the winner of the special election for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts.

“Republican state Sen. Scott Brown has won the special election for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts. The outcome of this race is truly historic and could be the beginning of a fundamental realignment in American politics toward common-sense, conservative candidates,” said Senator DeMint.

“Massachusetts has not elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since 1972, and President Obama won 62 percent of the vote in the Bay State just 13 months ago. This Senate seat was held by Ted Kennedy for nearly 50 years and was considered one of the safest Democratic seats in the entire country.

“Scott Brown defied the odds because he gave freedom-loving Americans in Massachusetts and across the nation principled reasons to support him with their time and money. He ran against government-run health care, he ran against Washington spending, and he courageously supported broad-based tax cuts to create jobs. He won this race because he was willing to push bold, conservative ideas that set him apart from the Democrat in the race.

Scott Brown is declared the winner of the Massachusetts Special Election. Congratulations to the newest successor to The People’s Seat – Well Done!