Mitch McConnell Joins Filibuster Against Gun Control
[Breitbart.com]
by AWR Hawkins CWN Post: April 09, 2013
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) says he will join GOP Senators to filibuster a bill expanding gun control regulations if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) brings it up for a vote this week.
This puts McConnell shoulder-to-shoulder with Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), and eight other Senators who have said they will block a push for gun control in the Senate.
Currently, Reid’s gun control package focuses on instituting universal background checks and new laws against gun trafficking. Reid has made it clear he will allow also amendments establishing an “assault weapons” ban and Sen. Richard Blumentahl (D-CT) has made it clear he will also try to add a “high capacity” magazine ban as an amendment.
McConnell says he now stands with Paul, Cruz, Lee, Rubio, Inhofe, and the other Senators who have vowed to oppose any “motion to proceed to any legislation that will serve as a vehicle for additional gun restrictions.”
Senators work on possible breakthrough on gun background checks
[FoxNews.com]
Published April 08, 2013
Two prominent senators are working toward forging a compromise proposal on expanded background checks, aiming for a breakthrough on the biggest impasse in controversial gun control legislation.Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Pat Toomey and West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, an influential moderate, are said to be working on a deal that would allow the checks to apply to purchases at gun shows and Internet sales — but, importantly, exempt some sales between hunters or close relatives.
It’s unclear whether such a proposal would be embraced by pro-gun rights conservatives and the National Rifle Association, which so far has opposed the kind of comprehensive firearms legislation pushed by President Obama and his allies in Congress. But the issue of family members and others being subjected to an expanded background check system for sales between them has become an obstacle.
The NRA and other gun-rights advocates, while arguing the checks would eventually lead to a federal gun registry, also said they would be too cumbersome for the two groups – citing faraway trips to government offices and mandatory record keeping. They also say criminals would find ways to avoid the checks.
Here we go: Reid calls for Senate to revamp filibuster
[HotAir.com]
May 11, 2012
by Allahpundit
Via Guy Benson, who has background on Reid’s outburst as well as irresistible video from 2005 of Dingy Harry (plus a bunch of other Democratic all-stars) singing the filibuster’s praises while they were in the minority, natch. You know who I think is actually to blame for this bit of theater? Richard Mourdock. Let WaPo explain:
Tuesday’s landslide victory in the GOP primary by Indiana state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, a staunch conservative who beat longtime Sen. Richard G. Lugar, gave Democrats hope for claiming a seat they have not seriously contested in three decades…
“Eight months ago, I thought that Republicans had a 60 to 65 percent chance of taking the majority. Now, it’s a 50-50 proposition as to whether Republicans can take the majority,” said Jennifer Duffy, a longtime expert on Senate races who works for the independent Cook Political Report.
The JOBS Act and the Maxine Waters Test
American [Spectator.org]
By John Berlau on 3.19.12 @ 6:08AM
Key Senate Democrats do a job on small business startups that even Maxine Waters and Barney Frank support.
Call it the Maxine Waters test of political moderation. Late last week, this test was failed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Carl Levin (D-Mich.), and Jack Reed (D-R.I.).
They comprise, as Politico writes, “a chorus of Democratic senators… raising objections to a bill designed to help small businesses — throwing bumps in the road to passage of the legislation that had sailed through the GOP-led House and won President Barack Obama’s endorsement.” And this bill, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, also won the endorsement of 158 House Democrats who voted “aye” on Mar. 8, including Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.)
Boehner Demands Year-Long Tax Cut, Challenges Senate to Heavier Lift
[FoxNews.com]
Published December 19, 2011
WASHINGTON – Under the gun from his Republican caucus and unwilling to let the Senate off the hook, House Speaker John Boehner on Monday said the House GOP will reject a two-month payroll tax cut bill that does nothing to help businesses plan or Americans save.
House leaders are planning a vote Monday night to approve a larger package than the Senate-passed legislation, whose price tag is $33 billion and which allows for the Social Security tax rate to stay at 4.2 percent from 6.2 percent for another two months instead of the year that most members prefer.
Politics over Country: Senate Dems Delay Stopgap Funding/Disaster Bill
[MichelleMalkin.com]
By Michelle Malkin • September 23, 2011 02:08 PM
Ah, the games Beltway people play.
Harry Reid is stalling:
The U.S. Senate agreed to delay further action on a stopgap spending bill until Monday as Democrats and Republicans remained at odds over the measure, which would refill depleted disaster funds and ensure the government does not shut down in October.
“Everyone once in a while needs a little cooling off,” Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said. “We’ll come here Monday and more reasonable heads will prevail.”
What are Senate Dems doing instead of working this weekend?
This: Attending a fall beach retreat in South Carolina.
Like someone said: “There is nothing wrong with our country. There is something wrong with our politics.”
Reid and Cantor on Collision Course; Government Shutdown Near?
[FoxNews.com]
by Trish Turner | September 20, 2011
It’s a little early to be talking about a government shutdown possibility, but at the moment, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Republican leaders in the House appear to be on a collision course over how to fund disaster relief, one that could shutter the federal government in the next two weeks if a compromise is not found. And none appears to be in the works.
The current stopgap funding bill, called a Continuing Resolution (CR), expires at midnight on September 30, but lawmakers are scheduled to be out next week in observance of Rosh Hashanah, thereby speeding up the legislative clock. Congressional leaders know they have to use the CR, considered a must-pass bill, as a vehicle for disaster relief, as it is the least likely to be blocked.
Even more pressing, FEMA says it will run out of money by September 26, if Congress does not at least approve a chunk of emergency funds as soon as possible.
Gore, Reid and More of Stimulus’ Biggest Bust: Obama’s Perfect September Storm
BigGovernment.com
Posted Aug 12th 2011 at 1:45 pm
This WaPo article — “Obama tries to change subject back to green jobs” — is an instant classic of a new, Obama-era genre: cheerleading for expensive schemes which exist solely due to political whimsy and consideration, and are therefore little more than make-work.
The item begins, “After spending weeks talking about topics he probably would have preferred to avoid — debt limits, deficits, a plunging stock market — President Obama will hit the road Thursday to talk about jobs. Specifically, about how his administration is trying to create more of them.”
The green ones. Which schemes failed where the president used to tell us to look but no longer does because the failures were exposed. As his spokesman admits “the White House doesn’t create jobs”.
And his critics say he’s out of ideas! But, hmm. Yes. I suppose that ‘green jobs’ thing went over well last time he led with it. Still, if ending up as a punch-line is victory, what does defeat look like?
More to the point, how much would whatever constitutes defeat cost us? Because WaPo says about this, the Obama administration’s chosen, sterling example of the economy they seek to design (what happened to telling us to look to Spain?), in return for $305 million in cited wealth transfers, “All told, the company has said its advanced battery operations could create 500 new positions.”
That is, this rosy, nice round-numbered scenario of ‘could’ (read: unlikely), produce temporary jobs — that is, they all disappear when the wealth transfer and/or mandates or preferences are burned through — at $610,000 per.
Bad news: Rand Paul outsmarts, embarrasses slow-witted Democrat
HotAir.com
Is this who we are now? Humiliating dullards for sport? Poor, poor Harry.
In Reid’s defense, much like Bob Gates, he’s only trying to swallow the “turd sandwich” prepared by our master chef in the White House.
On Wednesday, Paul, with little notice, attached an amendment to the small-business re-authorization bill. The amendment, which chastises President Obama for his actions in Libya, urges members to adopt the president’s own words as “the sense of the Senate.”
Video: WH blames Senate Democrats for budget stall?
HotAir.com
posted at 9:35 am on March 4, 2011 by Ed Morrissey
Well, sort of. Chuck Todd reports for NBC that his sources at the White House think that Harry Reid and his caucus haven’t done enough to reach out to the House Republican leadership. Having Joe Biden lead a meeting is more a facilitation or mediation rather than seeing a need for presidential leadership, and that Barack Obama’s offer of $6.5 billion in cuts was merely an ice-breaker.
Anyone buying this? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/OgLtN1PQQNw?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0
The shot here is actually rather apropos. Leadership of both parties have openly complained about the lack of leadership on the budget over the last couple of weeks. John Boehner hadn’t even heard from Obama until the Speaker of the House told reporters about the Silence of the ‘Bams, at which point Obama finally talked to Boehner on the phone for a few minutes. Senate Democrats have started grumbling about the lack of leadership and engagement from their President, a problem they didn’t seem to mind while failing to produce a budget while they held the majorities in both chambers of Congress. The lack of direction makes it more difficult for Harry Reid to keep his caucus united, especially when many of them face tough re-election battles in red states next year.
Thus we have the Obama version of leadership — sending a second in his place to do and say nothing, while arguing that the budget isn’t their problem at all. Empty podium, indeed.
Reid To Destroy GOP By Filibuster!
Reid Pushing For A Vote This Week!
ALERT: Dictator Harry Reid is pushing a new rule to give liberals carte blanche power to pass any bill they want – whether the American people like it or not!
It’s obvious Harry Reid didn’t get the message in November. Instead, he’s launching a colossal power grab that will make it impossible for the GOP to filibuster many cases like liberal Supreme Court nominations. Reid’s pushing to change the filibuster rules this week to a simple majority of 51 instead of the original two thirds. This rule change would also make it easier for Dems to ram legislation through the Senate.
The liberals must be plotting to drop some pretty big legislative bombs on the new Congress, or they wouldn’t be itching to gag the opposition. Hopefully, they don’t have an ObamaCare 2 up their sleeve. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) said, “It would forever change the nature of the Senate and constitute a naked partisan power grab. Such a move would disrespect our bipartisan system and the will of the American people.”
Reid Relentless Bullies GOP
Harry Reid is a bully and Congress is his playground. Too bad it’s not lunch money he’s after. Whenever a Republican tries to accomplish something, Reid just grabs one of his gang members to harass the lawmaker until they go away. If that doesn’t work, he’ll manipulate the rules of Congress until he can figure out a way to destroy his opposition.
The Democrats’ Healthcare Conundrum
PajamasMedia.com
The battle over President Barack Obama’s plan to change the U.S. health care system is far from over. Getting a bill through the Congress and signed into law may have won him the first round – but the debate renews with the opening of the 112th Congress.
As several legal and constitutional challenges work their way through the federal courts system, the U.S. House of Representatives, now controlled by the Republicans, has scheduled a vote (this week) to junk the whole thing. It’s likely to pass, perhaps even by a veto-proof majority if the Democrats who voted against it last year – and who are still in Congress – join with the GOP in pushing for its repeal.
This means, once again, that the action moves to the United States Senate where, it should be recalled, the original ObamaCare proposal languished for months until Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid could figure out a strategy to get it to the floor for a vote.
With the Democrats still in the majority in the Senate – albeit by a narrower margin – most political commentators expect the repeal language to die a slow, lingering death as Reid uses every parliamentary trick at his disposal to keep it from coming to the floor for a vote.
Graham Blasts GOP ‘Capitulation’ During Active Lame-Duck Session
Newsmax.com
Tuesday, 21 Dec 2010 07:00 PM
The latest Democratic victory: A 67-28 vote Tuesday closing off debate on the President’s New START treaty with Russia limiting nuclear arms. Despite a tense, closed-door meeting among GOP senators before the vote, 11 Republicans agreed to close off debate on the New START agreement.
Senator Denounces Federal Budget Bill as ‘Trojan Horse’ to Fund New Health Care Law
FoxNews.com | AP
Published December 09, 2010
AP – Dec. 1: Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., right, speaks during a meeting of the commission on Capitol Hill.
A Republican senator on Thursday denounced the $18 billion in provisions added to a catchall spending bill to keep the government running through next year, saying they’re a “Trojan horse to fund the new federal health care law.”
The Senate will decide the fate of the $1.2 trillion budget bill that narrowly passed the House Wednesday night and would keep the government running through September of next year. But Senate Democrats are planning to add more money, including thousands of pet projects sought by lawmakers.
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., noted that the Senate version would provide $19 million to the IRS for dictating health insurance under the new law; $6.25 billion to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for new health reform programs, and $210 million to the Health Resources and Services Administration for public health workforce programs.
Reid, Senate Democrats Threaten to Block Obama Deal on Tax Cuts
Newsmax.com
“I’m not here to play games with the American people or the health of the economy,” Obama said of his day-old deal, which is designed to avert a scheduled Jan. 1 expiration of tax cuts at all income levels.
In a remarkable political role reversal, Republicans lined up to support the package, while lawmakers of the president’s party said they were prepared to oppose it. Liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., pledged to “do everything I can to defeat this,” including a filibuster to prevent a final vote.
The deal includes an extension of expiring Bush-era tax cuts for all income levels — not just for lower and middle-income taxpayers, as Democrats wanted. It also contains a renewal of jobless benefits due to expire in a few weeks, and a one-year cut in Social Security taxes paid by workers.
Senate Democrats View 2012 with Trepidation
FoxNews.com
By Shannon Bream | November 22, 2010
While not even a month has passed since the last national election, Democrats are already worrying that 2012 may prove to be a tougher environment for the party – and one that could spark major turnover.
See, Senate Democrats have a lot to lose come 2012, because of the 33 seats in play next election, 23 are currently held by Democrats – or the Independents who caucus with them.
Republicans are only tasked with defending 10 seats, and GOP leaders feel confident they’ll actually net at least four additional seats and win back control of the Senate.
Some analysts, who have already begun digging in to the 2012 races, give Republicans the advantage. Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics says, “There are 13 Democrats who are vulnerable to very vulnerable, while there are just six Republicans who are vulnerable to very vulnerable.”
Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) admits she’s feeling the heat. When asked about her 2012 re-election bid she replied, “I’d be less than honest if I didn’t say that I was worried.”
McCaskill is likely to be among the GOP’s top targets, which will probably also include: Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.).
And McCaskill acknowledges that Democrats have an uphill battle, “The voters obviously spoke very loudly a few weeks ago, and I heard them.” Other Democrats facing re-election, like Senator Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) are publicly floating the idea of retiring altogether.
Rasmussen: Angle edging Reid 50/47
HotAir.com
posted at 12:15 pm on October 18, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
printer-friendly
Did the only debate in the Senate race in Nevada provide any movement? Perhaps just a bit, although today’s Rasmussen survey result falls well within the margin of error of the poll previous to the debate. Sharron Angle hits 50% and tops Harry Reid by three points as Nevada voters start to solidify their choices:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his Republican challenger Sharron Angle remain locked in a tight race for the U.S. Senate in Nevada in the first survey following last Thursday night’s debate.
A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the state finds Angle with 50% to Reid’s 47%. Two percent (2%) prefer another candidate in the race, and one percent (1%) are undecided. …
Reid postpones vote on campaign finance reform bill — so Dems can hold giant ritzy fundraiser
HotAir.com
posted at 10:12 pm on September 21, 2010 by Allahpundit
printer-friendly
Are we absolutely sure we want this guy out of the Senate? We want the smart Democrats out, definitely. But shouldn’t there be a place for liberals who are nothing but liabilites to their own party?
I’m moving the Reid/Angle race from the “borderline suicidal if we don’t win it” column, where it currently resides with the Rubio/Crist contest in Florida, to the “well, at least I’ll get six more years of easy content” column, where you’ll also find the Boxer/Fiorina showdown.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid just scheduled a vote on the DISCLOSE Act, which would force donors to publish their involvement in political ad campaigns, for Thursday.
Why not tomorrow, you might ask? Because there are no votes in the Senate scheduled for tomorrow. And that may be, in part, because there’s something else going on tomorrow: A big New York fundraiser for the Senate Democrats…
Reid’s new pet?
HotAir.com
posted at 10:55 am on September 21, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
printer-friendly
The big question today is which Senate race is Harry Reid trying hardest to lose — Delaware, New York, or his own? First he calls Delaware nominee Chris Coons his “pet,” and then Reid takes the pet idea to a new Penthouse level with Kirsten Gillibrand, who didn’t exactly appreciate the attention:
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had an unusual form of praise for New York’s junior senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, this morning at the fundraiser Mayor Bloomberg hosted for him at his townhouse – referring to her as “the hottest member” as she sat just a few feet away, according to three sources.
The comment prompted Gillibrand to turn red, according to the sources, and created a bit of stir among the small crowd there.
“It was pretty shocking when he said it,” said one source familiar with the remark and the reaction.
Not even Reid’s intrepid spokesman Jim Manley could defend his boss:
Reid spokesman Jim Manley, reached by POLITICO, said, “What can I say, she made The Hilll’s ‘Most Beautiful list. Of course he also went on to praise her skill and tenacity and described her as an effective member of the New York delegation as well.”
Nice try. Reid did manage to follow up his “hottest member” remark with praise that Gillibrand knew some policy issues better than some other people, as Politico reports it:
He also then discussed her knowledge of securities law as extremely deep, and suggested she was better on certain policy elements than other people, according to the sources.
After nearly two years in the Senate, that’s as much praise as Reid can rustle up for Gillibrand? She would have been better off had Reid said nothing — or perhaps better off had he not showed up at all.
It’s doubtful that Reid’s remarks will damage Gillibrand’s chances for victory in New York, but his remarks about Coons has already gone into Christine O’Donnell’s advertising painting Coons as Reid’s lackey. The real damage, though, may be done not in these two states but back home in Nevada. Reid had tried gaining traction against Sharron Angle by painting her as an extremist given to odd public statements. These two strange and somewhat creepy endorsements may have Nevada voters wondering whether Reid is the oddball that needs to be kept as far from Washington as possible.
Proposal to End Military Abortion Ban Complicates Defense Budget Bill
FoxNews.com
Published September 20, 2010
AP
Jan. 5, 2009: Roland Burris talks with the media after arriving at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Linthicum, Md.
Add abortion to the list of hot-button social issues that could derail a sweeping budget blueprint for the nation’s military.
An amendment from Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., to end a longstanding ban on abortions at U.S. military hospitals overseas is attached to the defense authorization bill set to come up for a vote in the Senate.
The move has been widely opposed by social conservatives and only further complicates the debate over the defense spending package. Senate Democrats already have drawn the ire of Republicans by trying to add to the bill measures to repeal the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy banning gays from serving openly in the military and provide young illegal immigrants who attend college or join the military a pathway to citizenship.
The Senate will meet Monday to resume consideration of the defense bill, with a vote to start formal debate set for the following day. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has indicated that even if the Senate clears that hurdle, which requires 60 votes, the defense bill likely will not come up for a final vote until after the November election.
CNN/Time poll puts Angle slightly ahead of Reid
HotAir.com
posted at 12:55 pm on September 16, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
printer-friendly
The difference between sampling likely and registered voters gets made plain in the latest CNN/Time Magazine poll in Nevada, among other states, where the results of the former show Sharron Angle taking her first slight edge over Harry Reid, 42/41 in a virtual tie. Time breaks down the internals, but avoids one key observation on the top-line results:
Most striking is how closely fought the Nevada Senate race remains. The poll in that race, which pits the most powerful Democrat in the Senate against former state assembly member Angle — shows that Angle is capturing 42% of likely voters polled to Reid’s 41%, a statistical dead heat. Angle’s standing against Reid comes despite the fact that there’s an official Tea Party candidate on the ballot who might be expected to siphon away votes from her. But Scott Ashjian is backed by only 5% of those polled.
There is a striking gender difference among those polled in Nevada. Women go for Reid by a 51-33 margin, while men back Angle, 49-32. With both parties’ bases mobilized and overwhelmingly backing their nominee, the critical ground will be fought over independent swing voters. Angle wins here, collecting 40% compared to Reid’s 33%. Among self-described moderates, Reid holds sway, 57-23, while Angle has a big margin among conservatives, 72-13. Reid wins among those who attended college (44-40) as well as those making less than $50,000 a year (45-31). But Angle prevails among those with no college experience (44-37). They’re evenly divided among voters making more than $50,000.
The key observation? Take a look at the numbers from the two sample types in the survey:
- Registered voters: Reid 42, Angle 34
- Likely voters: Angle 42, Reid 41
There are two implications from these numbers. First, and obviously, Angle supporters are more enthused and active. Harry Reid’s supporters are not all that inclined to show up on Election Day. That bodes well for Angle as voters make up their minds in the next seven weeks. But even among all registered voters in a CNN/Time poll, Harry Reid can’t get above 42% support. He’s a multi-term incumbent who has been in state politics for 40 years, and seven weeks from an election only four in ten voters can muster a commitment to his re-election.
NRA to Harry Reid: Get lost
HotAir.com
posted at 7:02 pm on August 27, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
printer-friendly
How big a deal will this be in the Nevada Senate race?
The U.S. Senate recently considered a number of issues important to NRA members, including the confirmation of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Out of respect for the confirmation process, the NRA did not announce its position on Ms. Kagan’s confirmation until the conclusion of her testimony before the Senate Judiciary committee. Her evasive testimony exacerbated grave concerns we had about her long-standing hostility towards the Second Amendment. As a result, the NRA strongly opposed her confirmation and made it clear at the time that we would be scoring this important vote.
Halperin: Obama fumbling Social Security reform by running Dem playbook
HotAir
posted at 9:30 am on August 23, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
printer-friendly
With Social Security already running in the red a full nine years before Peter Orszag insisted the deficits would begin, even Harry Reid has to acknowledge that Congress needs to act on fixing the entitlement program. That will force both parties to take political risks in crafting solutions for the crisis. Time’s Mark Halperin notes that Barack Obama, the man who made “change” into a campaign slogan, has instead decided to lead a Democratic charge to frighten the elderly rather that work for a solution to the problem, and he’s not happy about it:
In a move as predictable as Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown, Democrats are using Social Security scare tactics to gain ground before the November election. President Barack Obama is not only tolerating this classic old politics maneuver by his party — he is leading the charge. …
It is clear why Democrats are raising the specter of Republican efforts to alter Social Security. This tactic has worked in the past, as older voters — who typically turn out at the polls in higher percentages, especially in midterm years — tend to trust Democrats more than Republicans to protect the cherished retirement program. And given the weak economy, Obama’s mushy poll numbers and the lack of traction on the White House’s legislative achievements, it is no surprise that Democratic leaders would turn to the tried-and-true tactic. Also, with some prominent Republicans still calling for a fundamental change to the system by adding private accounts, the GOP has opened itself up to political attack.
But Obama is living in a parallel Vulcan universe if he thinks he and his strategists can spend the next two months using campaign appearances, advertising, robocalls and other voter communication to demonize Republicans on Social Security, and then turn around in January and try to make a deal on that same issue.
Selling Obama’s Spending Plans: Just Pay Separate Processing and Handling
BigGovernment.com
Posted Aug 9th 2010 at 9:27 am
Sound familiar? Most everyone has heard it time and time again. It’s the way many TV sales pitches end after seeming to give the viewing audience something for nothing. It’s a sucker’s pitch. It usually works like this: you are offered the gadget of the moment for the bargain price (typically) of $19.95, and you get an additional gadget for free. Then comes the addendum (very quickly and often in a whisper) “just pay separate processing and handling.” The fee is never disclosed, but it’s always there (typically $9.95 for each gadget, or another $19.90 for both which brings the total to $39.85 exclusive of shipping charges) proving there are no free lunches. This deceitful advertising used by television pitchman works so well that its equivalent has become the new Obama-Pelosi-Reid pitch to disguise the true cost of their programs.
And while this may not be a precise analogy for the way things are done in Washington, it’s close enough. “Just pay processing and handling” is our metaphor for the entire panoply of Washington speak that produces programs, the costs of which are often orders of magnitude more than originally represented. We are, almost daily it seems, pitched free lunches or “benefits” by our government. And while the seemingly irreversible debt we are currently piling on our children and grandchildren is truly unprecedented in American history, this administration did not invent the government “free lunch” shell game; they’ve simply refined and extended it with complete abandon. As Ronald Reagan so aptly warned, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are I’m from the government and I’m here to help.”
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