Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review appreciate David Axelrod seeming to make the case against Obama’s re-election and pathetically trying to make the case that Obama is still the outsider in the race. They also discuss the failure of Dodd-Frank to do anything about the biggest banks gaining an even larger share of the industry than before the 2008 collapse. And they discuss the scandal involving the Secret Service and prostitutes in Colombia.
Here We Go Again
North Korea’s vaunted missile test proved to be an embarrassing failure but America shouldn’t let that distract us from the regime sinister intentions. That’s the message from retired U.S. Army Major General Paul Vallely, who served as deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army in the Pacific. Vallely says the malfunction of the missile doesn’t change the fact that North Korea’s weapons program is a threat to the U.S. and our allies and that diplomatic efforts at deterrence have been a consistent failure. We ask Vallely what approach might yield better results and what role China is playing in North Korea’s bluster.
House GOP Eyes Bigger Majority
Democrats have high hopes of winning back the majority in the House of Representatives this year, but the man charged with keeping the GOP in control is confident his party will remain in power. Texas Rep. Pete Sessions is chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), which is tasked with electing Republicans to the House. Sessions says the dissatisfaction with the Obama administration that was palpable in 2010 is still very much alive. He says Republicans have a message of lower taxes, more jobs, less spending and less regulation and that the president is relying on division to secure a second term. Sessions lists the seats currently held by Democrats that he sees as ripe for the picking and discusses some of the toughest seats for Republicans to defend. He offers his counter to President Obama’s argument that a do-nothing Congress is holding up our economic recovery and Sessions offers a very specific prediction for the House races this Fall.
Conservatives Will Embrace Romney
Rick Santorum’s withdrawal from the 2012 presidential race has most Republicans concluding that Mitt Romney will be the nominee. And John Gizzi expects that conservatives will embrace Romney because they can’t stomach the thought of another Obama term. He also expects Romney to choose a conservative running mate. Gizzi also explains why he believes President Obama is being dishonest in claiming President Reagan would have supported the “Buffett Rule” and why Romney may be able to make progress with female voters by hammering Obama’s economic record with respect to women. And Gizzi shares a little known political anecdote about the late news legend Mike Wallace.
Three Little Wives of Newt
This past week, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Most observers see this as the unofficial signal that Mitt Romney will definitely be the GOP nominee. But Newt Gingrich is still hoping to be the conservative alternative to Romney in the remaining states despite being millions in debt. This week the Capitol Steps examine the issue that might be most memorable from the Gingrich campaign.
No, They Can’t
For millions of Americans, the instinct whenever a problem arises is to look to government for a solution. However, John Stossel of the Fox Business Network says history shows that government almost always makes things worse. In his new book, “No, They Can’t”, Stossel explains why government stifles individual responsibility and the incentive to work hard. He also sets the record straight on the battle over “fairness” and explains why letting big and small businesses fail is ultimately a good thing for the economy.
Space Junk
In recent years, NASA officials have spoken up frequently in defense of the theory that human activity is adding too much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and is dangerously elevating the earth’s temperatures. But that belief is not universal in the nation or even within NASA. That’s why a large group of former astronauts and Johnson Space Center officials are pleading with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to stop presenting an unproven contention as settled science. Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham says the space agency has no business wading into a politically charged debate and believes the prestige of NASA is being used to achieve political goals that are not good for America. Cunningham also offers his thoughts on the end of manned space flights here in the U.S. and what the priorities of our space program ought to be.
Three Martini Lunch 4/13/12
Greg Corombos of Radio America and Jim Geraghty of National Review like new polls from Fox News showing Mitt Romney leading President Obama and winning among independents. They’re also stunned at Jay Carney’s pathetic attempt to claim Hilary Rosen has not been a White House insider. And they have fun with North Korea’s failed missile test but still see the nation as a serious threat.
‘Absolutely Disgraceful’
Democratic party spokeswoman and Obama insider Hilary Rosen is drawing severe criticism for suggesting Ann Romney can’t have any meaningful economic insights because she “never worked a day in her life”. Romney chose to stay home and raise five sons. Ann Wagner is the mother of three children, is a former Republican National Committee Co-Chair and is now running for Congress in Missouri. Wagner explains why she was so deeply offended by the comments and what she thinks they indicate about the administration’s views toward stay-at-home mothers. She also comments on the Romney campaign assertion that the vast majority of job losses on Obama’s watch have impacted women. She details what sort of agenda she would pursue if elected to Congress and why she expects conservatives to rally enthusiastically behind Mitt Romney.
Inside the GSA Waste Probe
Over the past several days, more and more instances of astonishing waste of taxpayer dollars by the General Services Administration (GSA) have come to light – from lavish parties in Las Vegas to week-long trips to Hawaii for just one hour of official business. California Rep. Jeff Denham is chairman of the Transportation subcommittee with jurisdiction over the GSA. He explains why he thinks there are many more flagrant examples of waste yet to be uncovered and why this level of corruption is not just par for the course. Denham previews the hearings he is planning to lead and the questions he wants answered. He tells us what power Congress has to respond to all this and offers his assessment of whether President Obama’s outrage at this waste is genuine.