Greg Corombos and National Review’s Jim Geraghty happily bid farewell to MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. They also shake their heads at Democrats still planning to spend their way out of the slow economy and worry about deficits later. And Greg and Jim have differing thoughts about whether George Allen should run for his former Senate seat once again.
Government Doesn’t Create Jobs
Missouri Rep. Sam Graves is the new chairman of the House Small Business Committee. What does he see as the key to sparking more job creation in the private sector? How aggressive has the Obama administration been in adding regulations through bureaucracy that it could not do through legislation? How does government spending factor into all this? And what do small business owners tell Graves would be the best thing Congress can do for them? We discuss all these questions with Chairman Graves.
Three Martini Lunch 1/21/11
Greg Corombos and National Review’s Jim Geraghty like the plan of House Republicans to make a ban on taxpayer-funded abortions their next legislative goal. They also examine President Obama’s rising poll numbers and have a lot of fun with some of the nicknames of the mafia figures rounded up on Thursday.
Furry with a Singe on Top
In the wake of Sarah Palin’s television series and as we wait for her to decide on a possible White House bid, the Capitol Steps have some fun with the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee.
No More Anchor Babies
Iowa Rep. Steve King is starting the new Congress with a bill to end birthright citizenship – the practice of conveying U.S. citizenship to anyone born in America regardless of their parents’ immigration status. So why is he proposing this change? Will it require changing the Constitution? How much of a difference will ending birthright citizenship make in stemming the tide of illegals flowing into the country? And how does Rep. King respond to allegations that his legislation lacks compassion and is even discriminatory? We discuss it all with Rep. Steve King.
Getting Specific on Spending Cuts
Republicans won back control of the House of Representatives due in part to a promise to bring runaway spending under control. Now, House and Senate conservatives are unveiling $2.5 trillion in spending cuts through 2021. What specific programs are being targeted for spending reductions? Which ones would be scrapped completely? Will Democrats go along with any of this? And are Republicans ready to make major changes to the political lightning rods of Social Security and Medicare? We ask California Rep. John Campbell, a member of the House Budget Committee and the Republican Study Committee, which is proposing the spending cuts.
Senate Retirements and Red China
We discuss a busy week in politics with John Gizzi of Human Events. Why did Joe Lieberman decide to retire? Are Democrats a lock to keep the seat? Are Republicans heavy favorites to win the North Dakota seat being vacated by Democrat Kent Conrad? Did anything change in America’s favor after this week’s state visit by Chinese leader Hu Jintao? Will the Republicans be able to even force a vote on the repeal of Obamacare in the Senate? And Gizzi offers his memories of January 20, 1981, when Ronald Reagan was inaugurated and the U.S. hostages were freed by Iran.
Three Martini Lunch 1/20/11
Greg Corombos and National Review’s Dan Foster applaud Mitch McConnell’s vow to force a vote on repealing Obamacare in the Senate. They also shred Tennessee Rep. Stephen Cohen for suggesting that Republicans calling Obamacare a government takeover of health care is the same as what Goebbels did in Nazi Germany. And Greg and Dan discuss whether today is the halfway point of the Obama presidency or just the midpoint of his first term.
Reflecting the Will of the People
Today, the House of Representatives will vote to repeal the president’s health care laws. And even though it won’t pass the Senate, Republicans are intent on doing what the voters told them to do – scrap the Obama health plan. Louisiana Rep. Bill Cassidy is also a longtime physician and says the current plan will kill jobs, reduce the quality of care and make our national debt much bigger. Hear his explanations about why Obamacare must be repealed.
China: A U.S.-Created ‘Frankenstein Monster’
As President Obama rolls out the red carpet for Chinese leader Hu Jintao, California Rep. Dana Rohrabacher has a much more critical view of our fastest-growing competitor. Rohrabacher says China was a third-world entity until America decided to engage it economically. So how did we get into this very unfavorable economic posture with the Chinese? How do we reverse our horrible positions on trade and with respect our our massive debt? And Rohrabacher saves his strongest comments to describe China’s human rights record. Listen to the full conversation, as we discuss all this with Rep. Rohrabacher.