Archives for September 2011

Michigan is one of many states where Democratic senators are considered vulnerable in 2012.  After 18 years in the House, former Michigan Rep. Pete Hoekstra is considered the leading GOP contender to take on two-term Democrat Debbie Stabenow.  Why is Hoekstra seeking the nomination after initially rejecting efforts to get him into the race?  Why does he believe it’s time for Sen. Stabenow to go?  What economic expertise does he bring to the race and what is his plan to spur job creation in his state and around the nation?  And how does Hoekstra respond to accusations from other Republican candidates that he is the establishment candidate and not a true conservative?  We discuss these and other questions with Michigan GOP Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra.

Standard Podcast [ 11:33 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Republicans want President Obama to ease up on the amount of new regulations his administration is imposing.  Last week, Obama did rescind one new rule aimed at smog and ozone levels.  The Capitol Steps get comedic reaction from Al Gore.

Standard Podcast [ 6:30 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review like how Obama’s 2012 strategy is falling apart now that Democrats are also giving Obama’s jobs plan a thumbs down.  We cringe as Jimmy Carter makes it clear he hopes Mitt Romney is the GOP nominee next year.  And Harry Reid gives another stunning performance on the Senate floor – this time extolling the greatness of bike paths.

Standard Podcast [ 10:22 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A couple of weeks ago, solar panel maker Solyndra filed for bankruptcy.  The news was significant when considering the federal government passed along $535 million in taxpayer dollars to sustain and encourage these new green jobs.  But in addition to failing, Solyndra appears to have been a bad bet from the beginning.  What do the financial records show about the government continuing to give money long after it was clear the company was headed for disaster?  How did the administration possibly violate the law?  How significant are administration memos urging restraint before the federal money was ever granted to Solyndra?  And where will the investigation of lawmakers go from here?  We ask Virginia Rep. Morgan Griffith, a member of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Standard Podcast [ 5:38 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

John Gizzi of Human Events explains how Republicans scored huge special election wins in New York and Nevada.  He also assesses the most recent Republican presidential debate.  Was either Perry or Romney helped or hurt by their performances?  How about Michele Bachmann?  And Gizzi explains why the Obama jobs bill has no hope of passage on Capitol Hill.

Standard Podcast [ 9:33 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review see bad approval numbers for Obama in California as evidence that he’s in for a tough fight in many places next year.  We also discuss the worsening story behind the waste of $535 million taxpayer dollars in the green jobs firm known as Solyndra.  And we applaud Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert for claiming the title of “The American Jobs Act of 2011” to advance his goal of more tax relief for businesses.

Standard Podcast [ 11:15 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

On Tuesday, Republicans claimed a House seat in New York City that Democrats have held since 1923.  And it wasn’t even close.  So how much of a rebuke is this to President Obama and his agenda?  What can Obama do to win these voters back if the economy doesn’t improve?  Republicans aren’t very popular either, so how should they react to this news?  We discuss it all with Richard Benedetto, former longtime White House Correspondent with USA TODAY.

Standard Podcast [ 9:33 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney explains why he cannot support much of anything in the president’s jobs bill and what he believes would actually spark job creation.  What did blue collar workers in South Carolina tell him is needed to help business owners create more jobs?  Why is he strongly opposed to the Obama method of paying for a new jobs program?  And what does he expect will happen in the end?  We discuss it all with Rep. Mulvaney, chairman of the Small Business Subcommittee on Contracting and the Workforce.

Standard Podcast [ 8:20 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review cheer huge GOP wins in special New York and Nevada House races.  We also suspect Michele Bachmann went way too far on the vaccine issue.  And we react to the Democratic chairwoman suggesting the New York district her party lost for the first time in over 90 years is a tough district for Democrats to win.

Standard Podcast [ 11:29 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

For months, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton considered a run for the Republican presidential nomination.  Over Labor Day, he decided not to enter the race.  Why was he seriously considering it and why did he decide not to run?  What foreign policy issues does Bolton want front and center?  Which Republican candidates does he find particularly good or bad on those issues?  What does he expect to happen next week when there is a push for Palestinian statehood at the United Nations?  And how concerned is he about the increasingly radical Islamic government in Turkey?  We discuss it all with Amb. John Bolton.

Standard Podcast [ 9:50 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download