Democrats and Democratic Groups Continue To Attack Limbaugh

American's United for Change have released an ad that asks "Who's the Leader of the Party's Leader? And later this week, the liberal group will release another ad.

"Democrats are engaging in a concerted campaign to link the national Republican Party to conservative talk-radio show host Rush Limbaugh, an effort that will ramp up over the next few days in the form of another round of television ads and an increased rhetorical focus on the issue from Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, according to sources familiar with the plans."

Limbaugh is an easy target and is being pummeled with increased intensity. "Rush is the bloated face and drug-addled voice of the Republican Party," said Paul Begala, a longtime Democratic strategist who rose to prominence during Bill Clinton's presidency. "Along with lots of others, I intend to continue to turn up the heat until every alleged Republican either endorses or renounces Rush's statement that he hopes our President fails."

As part of the coordinated effort, Tim Kaine called Limbaugh "the leading force behind the Republican Party, its politics and its obstruction of President Obama's agenda in Washington" as DNC officials explained that the Limbaugh critique would escalate.

Chris Cillizza reported: "The ramping-up of the "Republicans equal Limbaugh" strategy began over the weekend when White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, appearing on CBS's "Face the Nation," argued that the talk-radio host "is the voice and the intellectual force and energy behind the Republican Party."

At this afternoon's White House Press briefing; press secretary Robert Gibbs took a sharp jab at Limbaugh's ample midsection when he answered a question about the Democrats concerted attack against the talk show host and replied: “I’m a little surprised at the reaction and the fervent reaction that Mr. Limbaugh got from CPAC. I’ve encouraged members of the press to ask Republicans whether they agree with Mr. Limbaugh’s adage that he hopes that the president’s economic ideas fail. I was a little surprised at the speed in which Mr. Steele, the head of the RNC, apologized to the head of the Republican Party.”

Gibbs' remark pitted Michael Steele, the actual head of the RNC, who is turning out to be nothing more than a figurehead against the defacto head of the conservative ideologues who control the GOP via the commands of Limbaugh.

"The strategy has already proven effective as Limbaugh and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele spent the day sparring following a television appearance in which Steele called Limbaugh's show "ugly" and "incendiary". Limbaugh went after Steele on his show on Monday and the chairman quickly backed down, offering his apologies for what he described as a misunderstanding."

"National Democratic strategists believe that they have only begun to mine the Limbaugh vein, maintaining that while he is a potent force -- and much beloved by the GOP's conservative base -- he is widely disliked by independent and swing voters. In a recent poll by Democratic survey firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, 44 percent of Republicans felt warmly toward Limbaugh while 32 percent expressed "cold" feelings. Compare that to the broader swath of all voters where 58 percent felt coldly toward Limbaugh and 21 percent felt warmly."

National Democratic leaders feel convinced that by raising Limbaugh's incendiary remarks to the point where they become common knowledge among everyday Americans is "the best way to keep Republicans in a permanent minority status is to keep Limbaugh" the face that represents the GOP.

RNC Chairman Michael Steele has become the latest high-profile Republican to grovel in abject humility before radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. Tell me if you agree that this spectacle -- one of the nation's two major political parties held hostage by one large man with a microphone -- is embarrassing and almost sad.


Eugene Robinson explains: "Steele, interviewed on comedian D.L. Hughley's CNN infotainment show, said two things about Limbaugh that are hard to refute: that he is an entertainer, and that some of the sentiments expressed on his show are "ugly." Hughley was pressing the RNC chief on Limbaugh's diktat that right-thinking conservatives must do what they can to ensure that President Obama fails. Steele wasn't ready to sign up for that program."

"At least he wasn't until Limbaugh took to the airwaves to set him straight," Robinson continued. "Limbaugh reminded Steele that he had offered help, in the form of air time, during Steele's failed 2006 run for the Senate. He peremptorily explained to Steele what the duties of the RNC chairman should be and ordered him to stick to those tasks -- suggesting, in effect, that as far as the public dialog is concerned, the Republican Party's first African American chief should be seen and not heard. (Those are my words, not Limbaugh's; his were more circuitous, but also more high-handed.)

Within hours, Steele had apologized humbly for saying anything bad about the Big Man. This was no surprise," Robinson explained; "really. Since the election, Republicans have been falling over themselves to to apologize for any offense, real or imagined, they might have given to the radio host who claims to have 22 million listeners. Rep. Phil Gingrey of Georgia -- who was bold enough to note that it is easy for Limbaugh to throw bricks from his perch while Republican leaders in Congress had to, you know, actually write legislation and marshal votes -- apologized even more profusely than Steele.

Teetering on the Precipice

Once again it should be plainly clear to even the most skeptical of observers: the political debate in this country is driven by a corporately controlled media that shapes the coverage of the news by determining how much emphasis is placed on individuals and events enacted by political and economic circumstances will be covered.

A political election is held in 2006 and the Republicans lose control of the Congress. Two years later, the Republicans lose more seats in the Congress and they also lose the presidency by a fairly large margin.

The people have spoken with their power of the ballot. 'Turn out the Republicans and provide the Democrats with a workable majority n Congress and a Democratic president who wants to change the short term as well as the long term direction of the nation, with the government playing a more responsible role in this process of change

Out with the policies of the past that have torn down our country for the past several decades and in with new policies that give the American people hope for a better future.

So what has happened?

Instead of getting off to a unified start to fix and repair all the damage that had been done over the last decade; we act as if it's 1980 again and witness Republican after Republican in the main stream media news go on and on about how the Democrats are too liberal and want to -- can you believe this -- spend America out of its ever expanding caste of unemployed workers and recession entrenched economy!

Why it's as if the Democrats have desecrated the final resting place of Ronald Reagan. They've dug him up and unceremoniously attempted to disintegrate what remains of his corpse and claim he never existed. It's as if a group of Russian hooligans had smashed the glass that covers Lenin's tomb!

To further add to this sudden incoherence of the main stream media to grasp and explain our dire economic predicament that grows worse with each passing day. They do what they are best at:they report the dire conditions and then put a Republican or a Republican and a Democrat on together 'to discuss' what the country should do! Even though everyone knows we have a horrible problem that is only getting worst, the media feels its best to give 'both' sides a chance to give their 'opinions' on how to fix America.

We act as if this problem just suddenly occurred and we have plenty of time to think through till we find a solution. That means the Republicans get plenty of airtime and ink to belittle government spending as pork and how tax cuts are the only answer! All the while the Democrats act dumbfounded and even defensive since they are the ones' trying to spend the people's money.

And then we get shame theatrics from Senators like Mr. Thune who stand at the Senate podium with a chart and one day says if we stacked $100 bills one on top of another in the amount of the money Democrats want for the stimulus it'll be over 39 miles high! Who cares! Its a third grade stunt! The media care that's who, because Thune's sound bite and short video made all the network and cable news outlets hundreds of times over several days!

The next trick for Thune was to use those same $100 bills and circle the earth with them 39 times! Incredible! The main stream media gave that sterling observations the same extensive and extended coverage that the 39 mile high stack of money received,

Earlier in the week The main stream media was enraptured with the 'biblical' note that if we were to stack a dollar day since Jesus was born, equal to the money in the stimulus needs for funding we'd still be stacking! Again the main stream media ate it up and broadcast it as if it had some sort of relevance to averting a depression that Bush and his Republican cronies caused.

All the while this GOP side show is going on the stimulus is suffering from a thousand pin pricks that are letting the air out of a once large balloon and turning it into a limp reflection of itself.

The Republicans will continue to nit and pick and slowly strangle the stimulus unless the Democrats get tough and push their plan harder to the Congress and to the American people.

It's really a simple message that needs to be repeated every time a Republican squawks or whines. Put the blame where it belongs; on Bush and the Republicans.

This is not time for the Democrats to lose their will. Play hardball; because thats what the Republicans are doing with all their complaining and calls for tax cuts.

If the Democrats let the Republicans emasculate the stimulus they lose; if the Democrats fail to make the bill larger than it is now; they'll lose because they won't have the money necessary to succeed. This is the time for the Democrats to act like leaders and PUSH their bill through by forgetting partisanship and getting the legislation they need through. And if Republican arms need to be twisted to the braking point so be it. Obama has the political capital and the people behind him no matter what that drug Addict Limbaugh or any other Republican has to say.

The Democrats control the government; this is not the time to get rolled over by the GOP and its talking heads; humiliate recalcitrant Republicans in public if that's what it takes; but get the job done! Let America grow again and stick to the Constitution when you're dealing with threats to our nation.

Finally, all Republicans want to do is not to save the country, but to save their party by obfuscating, lying, and dragging their feet on the stimulus. The best thing that could happen for them is to create a deflationary trap that has been set by Bush's overuse of the Federal Reserve's ability to support the economy by cutting interest rates. We stand right now practically at zero and still the economy is uncontrollably falling into the abyss.

The Republicans intend to create such an economic slump that it will rival the Great Depression and more importantly give the GOP something to bludgeon Obama over the head with so they can return to power.

Because once deflation starts it starts to feed on itself it could easily consume the four years of Obama's presidency; even eight years if the Republicans come up with another dud of a candidate. But it need not get that far.

It's time for Obama to go on a take no prisoners offensive. There are a lot of Republicans already retiring in 2010 and there's scores of Republicans who come from districts and states Obama just won a few weeks ago. Go after the GOP where they are weakest; go after them where Obama won.

It's now or never. Don't let the Republicans push America into it's deflationary trap! Because once the trap is sprung the main stream media in tandem with newly energized Republicans will turn Obama into a caretaker president. Obama's got to get tough; because less than a month into his first term in office he's fighting for his, and his party's survival!

U.S. Climate Action Partnership, Representing a Group of Businesses and Environmentalists Agree to Act on Climate Change

The Washington Post reports that: “An influential group of large U.S. corporations and environmental organizations have forged a detailed blueprint for limiting greenhouse gases in the hope of shaping and pushing forward climate change legislation this year.” Staff writer for the Post, Steven Mufson explains that: “The U.S. Climate Action Partnership says its ability to reach consensus is a crucial step forward since its 32 members include corporate giants such as General Electric, Conoco Phillips, Duke Energy, DuPont and General Motors as well as the Environmental Defense Fund and World Resources Institute. Mufson adds details to the groups intentions: “Their plan for a cap-and-trade system calls for a 42 percent cut in emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels, limits on emissions from petroleum products and natural gas, rich incentives for the first few coal plants to capture and sequester carbon dioxide emissions, and a carbon market board to examine offsets and contain costs.” Mufson adds that: “The plan would also require any coal plant permitted after Jan. 1, 2015, to emit no more than half the carbon dioxide emissions now considered normal and require any newly permitted plant today to have the ability to be retrofitted to meet that standard.” A chief executive for General Electric, Jeffrey R. Immelt, contends that: “The fact that we got this coalition to coalesce around a set of choices I think is impressive... Most businesses prefer to make investments with certainty about what regulations are going to be in place." Critical assessments of legislating climate controls have mostly centered on fears that a weak economy would contribute to the inability of companies to handle more expenses; however, Charles Holliday, Chairman of DuPont supports climate friendly legislation and as Mufson reports, DuPont “would likely boost spending on thin film solar panels and some biofuel projects if a bill established incentives for non-carbon energy sources.” The U.S. Climate Action Partnership had initiated a program of similar intentions in 2007, “but, as Mufson explains: “at that time members could not agree on key specifics. Environmental Defense Fund president, Fred Krupp explained that currently agreed to plan is “more aggressive than what we called for two years ago." Mufson adds that the current plan establishes: “A cap-and-trade system (which) establishes a limit on carbon emissions, then allows companies to buy and sell allowances in order to meet the targets. Climate Action Partnership's proposal would allow companies to offset a limited amount of their own emissions by reducing emissions in developing countries. However,” Mufson explains, “elements of the plan designed to win corporate support will likely face criticism from some supporters of cap-and-trade. Whereas many economists and environmentalists support auctioning all emission allowances, Climate Action Partnership says its blueprint gives a significant number allowances away free to companies currently releasing carbon dioxide. The free allowances would be phased out.” Mufson also believes that: “Some lawmakers might also balk at a proposal to subsidize a limited number of coal plants designed to capture carbon dioxide emissions. The subsidies could cost as much as $540 million a year for a 1,000 megawatt plant.” In describing the U.S.CAP as being broad, Mufson points out that: “many corporate executives and economists remain skeptical. Last week, Exxon Mobil chief executive Rex Tillerson called cap-and-trade a "stealth tax" and instead endorsed a tax on carbon emissions that he said would be more transparent and predictable.” Former Clinton undersecretary of commerce, Rob Shapiro contends that: "Cap and trade introduces enormous volatility in the price of permits,” leading Shapiro to conclude that: "cap and trade is so complex that it allows a lot of mechanisms for gaming the system." Mufson adds that: ...” there is widespread support for a cap-and-trade system among leading Democrats and Obama nominees. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), who will hold a hearing on the business group's blueprint today, is eager to pass a cap-and-trade bill.” Drew Hamill, speaking on behalf of Nancy Pelosi, The speaker of the House, stated: "We will move forward as fast as we can recognizing that we'll need considerable bipartisan consensus given the size of the issue ... It's a huge issue. It's going to take time to get everyone on the same page." He said Pelosi had not set any target date for the legislation, adding only that "it's not something you start out of the gate with." Mufson reported: “In one sign of the difficulty of keeping a coalition together, the National Wildlife Federation withdrew from Climate Action Partnership rather than endorse its blueprint. In a statement yesterday, the group called Climate Action Partnership "a welcome, strong force for action," but said that it would independently try to "enact a cap-and-invest bill that measures up to what scientists say is needed and makes bold investments in a clean energy economy."

Obama and Congressional Democrats Contemplate Expanding Help to Jobless Americans

JACKIE CALMES and CARL HULSE report in the New York Times that: “President-elect Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats are considering major expansions of government-assisted health care insurance and unemployment compensation as they begin intensive work this week on a two-year economic recovery package. One proposal, as described by Democratic advisers, would extend unemployment compensation to part-time workers, an idea that Congressional Republicans have blocked in the past. Other policy changes would subsidize employers’ expenses for temporarily continuing health insurance coverage to laid-off and retired workers and their dependents, as mandated under a 22-year-old federal law known as Cobra, and allow workers who lose jobs that did not come with insurance benefits to be eligible, for the first time, to apply for Medicaid coverage.” In his weekly YouTube and radio address on Saturday Obama explained the need for swift action. “Economists from across the political spectrum agree that if we don’t act swiftly and boldly,” Mr. Obama said, “we could see a much deeper economic downturn that could lead to double digit unemployment and the American dream slipping further and further out of reach.” In describing his economic plan, Obama said he intends to use government spending and tax incentives to increase renewable energy production; prioritize energy efficient government buildings; make infrastructure repairs and improvements; and bring modernized methods to health care and he pledged to “put people back to work today and reduce our dependence on foreign oil tomorrow.” Obama also intends to “reshape the economy, especially for the good of low-wage and middle-class workers.” One of Obama’s goals is “that he would seek money to develop a national energy grid to harness and distribute power from wind, water and other local alternative energy sources.” Congressional Democrats plan to be very aggressive in keeping “...the emerging legislation free of the pork-barrel projects that could invite criticism from Republicans and foster public skepticism.” House leadership has pledged that: “Every dollar will have to be justified as to whether it is targeted to our economy,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, said last week. “This is not a bill that will be an excuse to put things in that otherwise might not be justified.” Democrats are under extreme pressure to produce meaningful results without overspending. “...officials said the size of the proposed two-year stimulus, equivalent to nearly a year of federal discretionary spending, had tested imaginations both in Congress and the Obama camp. Aides and advisers are struggling to identify enough projects that would meet Mr. Obama’s criteria that they be truly stimulative, create jobs and not be open to being branded as pork. This has really forced people to think outside the box,” one aide on the House Appropriations Committee said, “because this is more money than anybody expected to be spending.” There have also been: “Tensions on the opposite side involve demands from fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats in the House and from some Senate Democrats — notably the Senate Budget Committee chairman, Kent Conrad of North Dakota — for provisions imposing budgetary controls on future spending and tax cuts for the long-term health of the economy. According to both sides, Obama officials have assured the fiscal conservatives that Mr. Obama would propose long-term controls in his first five-year budget, which is due by late February.” Conservative democrats “support deficit spending to jump-start the economy” but they also make the case that proper planning must be in place to retire the creation of increased debt. An idea that is making its way among Democrats is the creation of “a bipartisan commission to propose limits on future benefits for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the entitlement programs whose projected future costs would squeeze out all other spending; a nonpartisan entity to designate infrastructure projects, like roads and public buildings, based on merit, and federal pay-as-you-go rules requiring offsetting savings for spending increases and new tax cuts.”