Archives for September 2010

Some Republican leaders are publicly worried that surprising wins by Tea Party candidates are threatening the big gains the party could be making in November.  But many conservatives believe this new blood is just the shake-up the GOP needs.  So is the party in the midst of a self-destructing fight just weeks before Election Day or is this actually a healthy exercise?  We ask former Republican National Committee Deputy Chairman Frank Donatelli and find out why he’s confident Tea Party and traditional Republicans will be embraced by voters as they run against the Obama agenda.

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After a couple more Republican ‘establishment’ candidates lose to Tea Party-backed challengers, is there really a bitter divide within the GOP or just some healthy disagreement?  Can Christine O’Donnell really win the Delaware senate seat?  How did scandal-tarred Charlie Rangel win another campaign in New York?  And is the rejuvenated Middle East peace process already grinding to a halt?  We discuss it all with John Gizzi of Human Events.

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Many prominent Republicans are lamenting the win of Tea Party favorite Christine O’Donnell in Delaware’s U.S. Senate primary.  But longtime conservative activist Richard Viguerie says real conservatives should be happy.  Why does he disagree that O’Donnell can’t win in November?  Why does he say Delaware Republicans did the right thing even if she loses the general election?  Also the chairman of conservativehq.com, Viguerie explains why he sees this movement as much bigger than any specific election and why he believes we could be on the brink of conservative leadership that even eclipses the Reagan years.

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Congressional Republicans are hoping to add to their ranks in the midterm elections, but they are also fearful of what Democrats will try to pass in a lame duck session after the voting is done.  In addition to possible fights over immigration and massive spending bills, South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson says the majority will try to force card check legislation through as well.  So what is card check, and why does Wilson think it will be a major job-killer?  Wilson also explains why Republicans are so determined to make all of the Bush income tax cuts permanent and why he thinks they won’t add to the deficit in the long term.  We also ask Rep. Wilson whether recent primaries show a deeply fractured GOP or a party ready to chart a new course.

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The most recent housing sales figures are among the worst we’ve ever seen.  Is this all because the $8000 tax credits are gone or are there other key reasons why potential buyers are staying away?  Have we hit the bottom of the housing market yet?  How worried are prospective homeowners about the overall economy?  How much should low mortgage rates be a factor in deciding to buy?  We ask Dr. Lawrence Yun, chief economist at the National Association of Realtors.

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Congressional Republicans are presenting a united front in demanding that all of the Bush era income tax cuts be made permanent.  In fact, they appear ready to vote against extending tax cuts for some if all tax brackets are not included.  Why would no tax relief be better than tax cuts for some?  How much would the rich pay in taxes if they really paid their ‘fair share’?  And what will be the fate of the Bush tax cuts on capital gains, dividends and estates?  We discuss it all with Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, the top House Republican on the Joint Economic Committee.

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The Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate rejected a Republican attempt to repeal one provision from the health care plan approved earlier this year.  What will this provision require from business owners?  How will it impact their bottom line?  Why did the repeal effort fail?  And when would this provision take effect?  We ask Nebraska Sen. Mike Johanns, sponsor of the effort to repeal the language requiring much more reporting to the IRS.

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The latest report from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) shows the new health care laws bending the cost curve up rather than down, and that doesn’t even include the toll that Medicare changes will have on seniors.  Why will Medicare patients soon see longer waits to see doctors and even denial of care?  Just how low will Medicare spending get?  We ask Dr. Larry Hunter, president of the Social Security Institute.  Dr. Hunter will also explain why he believes the new health system is designed to fail – to enable even more government control.

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Last week, the Obama administration went on the offensive against against Republicans, as the president argued for making middle class tax cuts permanent but arguing for higher taxes on the top wage earners.  So what political calculation is behind this strategy?  How much is complicated by some Democrats calling for all the tax cuts to be made permanent?  How do Democrats define ‘rich’ and determine how much those people ought to pay in taxes?  What will actually happen in Congress and how will this fight impact the midterm elections?  We ask Michael Lewan, former chief of staff to Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman.

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Without any consent from Congress, President Obama issued an executive order giving the federal government the power to regulate coastal waters – which includes the Great Lakes, all major rivers and their tributaries in addition to nearby oceans.  So how will this impact most of us?  How will this give the government the power to control most of America’s major industries?  And how did this happen without any approval from Congress?  We ask Bonner Cohen of the National Center for Public Policy Research.

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