Monday Brief: K Street and the Debt Committee

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Subscribe to The Patriot Post — It's Right and It's FREE: click here.   Brief · November 14, 2011 The Foundation "The history of ancient and modern republics had taught them that many of the evils which those republics suffered arose from the want of a certain balance, and that mutual control indispensable to a wise administration. They were convinced that popular assemblies are frequently misguided by ignorance, by sudden impulses, and the intrigues of ambitious men; and that some firm barrier against these operations was necessary. They, therefore, instituted your Senate." --Alexander Hamilton Government Greasing palms and cutting deals "The bipartisan debt panel to nowhere is exactly where K Street lobbyists want it to be: hopelessly deadlocked. ... Instead, we are witnessing another obscene special-interest splurge to preserve the status quo. All in the name of 'reform,' of course. The only thing 'super' about the so-called budget control super committee is the size of lobbying muscle exerted on its members. Almost 100 registered lobbyists who are former employees of super committee members are now 'representing defense companies, health-care conglomerates, Wall Street banks and others with a vested interest in the outcome of the panel's work,' the Washington Post found in September. ... On the other side of the revolving door, 10 out of the panel's 12 members have now raked in donations from foreign registered agents totaling more than $50,000 in direct campaign contributions during 2011 alone, according to government watchdogs. ... Moreover, all 12 super committee members have been contacted by foreign lobbyists, eager to secure targeted exemptions, loopholes and protectionism. ... [Last] week, the Seattle Times disclosed that [super committee co-chair Patty] Murray held a two-day staff retreat at heavyweight lobbying outfit Strategies 360, which was founded by Democratic political operative Ron Dotzauer. The group donated meeting space to Murray's team and skirted ethics rules by offering similar deals to nonprofits. ... According to OpenSecrets.org, Strategies 360 has conducted $985,000 worth of lobbying targeting more than a dozen government agencies this year. A spokesman for the senator ... sniffed that the report was a 'non-story.' ... Remember: The 'K' in 'K Street' stands for 'Kabuki.'" --columnist Michelle Malkin What's your outlook for the debt committee? Insight "The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." --John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) Essential Liberty "The Declaration of Independence recognizes that the inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness don't come from the divine to government, but from the divine to you and me. But when the elected delegates went off to the Continental Congress to represent the people of the 13 colonies -- and eventually sign the Declaration of Independence -- everyone in America was a 'subject.' Yet alive in the hearts of those 'subjects' was a unique vision; a vision of life without kings, where each human being is himself sovereign before God. This patriot vision, found in the Declaration of Independence, articulates our national creed and is the very foundation of American exceptionalism. In it, we are truly unique in the annals of time, but ... the preservation of our revolutionary American idea -- that individuals are sovereign -- is not foreordained. Its survival hinges, as it always has, on its power to bring forth a new generation of veterans who are willing to lay down their lives to protect it and a people wise enough to honor them when they do." --ConservativeHQ's Richard A. Viguerie Opinion in Brief "The good news is that the GOP field is united around free-market principles and united against government bailouts for housing, autos, energy and banks. I was, however, disappointed [during Wednesday's CNBC debate] with all the candidates' responses to the financial crisis in Italy, in particular, and Europe overall. No one wants to bail out Italy or Greece or Europe. And yes, the GOP candidates did provide examples of why America must change course to avoid the European disease brought on by social-welfare entitlements. But the fact remains that U.S. stock market investors are very worried about a banking-contagion threat in a worst-case European scenario. If that were to happen, it would absolutely spread to the United States. And if that were to happen, we'd need some strategic contingency planning about the proper roles of the Federal Reserve, FDIC and Treasury. It's not just bailouts or nothing. I think the Republican field has to think about this in order to connect with the investor class. Remember, investors are the most likely to vote in presidential elections. No one wants more TARP bailouts. But no one wants a financial catastrophe that could sink our economy, either." --columnist Lawrence Kudlow The Gipper "I'm sure everyone feels sorry for the individual who has fallen by the wayside or who can't keep up in our competitive society, but my own compassion goes beyond that to the millions of unsung men and women who get up every morning, send the kids to school, go to work, try and keep up the payments on their house, pay exorbitant taxes to make possible compassion for the less fortunate, and as a result have to sacrifice many of their own desires and dreams and hopes. Government owes them something better than always finding a new way to make them share the fruit of their toils with others." --Ronald Reagan Political Futures "[M]aybe it's best that there is some loathing between conservatives and our presidential nominee. The last thing we want to do is fall in love with a politician. Because what type of people become skilled politicians? People who hate government? No, those people never learn to work in the system. The people who succeed in politics are those who kinda like government and see it as a great tool for change -- i.e., they're the enemy. No one gets to the level of being able to run a skilled campaign for president and remains a true conservative. ... The true conservatives are always going to be those of us who never have the taint of politics on us, and if we want real change that reduces the size of government in this country, that means we'll have to put even more pressure on a Republican president than we do on a Democrat." --columnist Frank J. Fleming Can we hope for a true conservative nominee? Re: The Left "Today's liberals would have you believe they occupy the moral high ground on every political and cultural issue. But have you ever taken inventory of their double standards? ... Democrats maligned former President George W. Bush's economy for the better part of his two terms, despite the robust growth, unemployment below 5 percent and a 2007 deficit less than 10 percent of what it is today. They tell us that President Obama's horrendous economy, on the other hand, is not even his fault. ... Democrats have slandered genuine grassroots Tea Partiers as lawless, racist, AstroTurf scofflaws who are sometimes even domestic terrorists, despite the Tea Partiers' peaceful, respectful behavior, no evidence of racism and almost no arrests at any of their events. ... But when leftist Occupy Wall Street protesters have truly been organized from above, have engaged in lawless and violent behavior leading to many arrests and have spewed anti-Semitic bile, liberals, including President Obama himself, have lionized them and identified with their cause. ... I'll stop here, even though I'm not yet halfway through my list." --columnist David Limbaugh Culture "'Of course we're going to riot,' Paul Howard, a 24 year-old aerospace engineering student at Penn State University, told The New York Times. 'What do they expect when they tell us at 10 o'clock that they fired our football coach?' The coach in question, as we all know, is Joe Paterno, the decades-long patriarch of Penn State football. Paterno was fired by the board of trustees for his part in a reprehensible non-response to the alleged rape of a 10-year-old boy in the locker room showers. You have to wonder what's wrong with our society when someone can say, 'Of course we're going to riot,' but not over the cover-up of pedophiliac rape. Rather, students feel it is their obvious right, perhaps even duty, to throw violent temper tantrums when a multimillionaire football coach is fired, simply because the coach is part of their 'college experience.' ... People keep saying the cover-up proves the corruption of college football. Maybe so. College football certainly has its myriad and manifest vices. But what about the riots? These aren't simply a product of football culture, they're a product of a campus culture that teaches students they have an absolute right to whatever their hearts desire, starting with a fun-filled college experience and, afterwards, a rewarding career." --columnist Jonah Goldberg Faith & Family "The Girl Scouts (GSUSA) gather[ed] ... in Houston (November 8-13) to celebrate its 100th Anniversary, with a convention theme of 'Renewing the Promise: Girl Scouts in a New Century.' ... A quick look at the speaker lineup for its upcoming convention makes clear that the Girl Scouts are promoting not the traditional values of the original Girl Scouts, but the radical, raunchy values and relativistic decision-making of the trendy left-wing Girl Scouts. ... The women showcased at this year's convention ... reveal an agenda-driven organization. Speakers include: Swanee Hunt, a powerful Democratic fundraiser and philanthropist with a mission to achieve 'gender parity.' ... Annise Parker, Mayor of Houston, is a pro-abortion lesbian who presided over the opening of Houston's new Planned Parenthood abortion center. Marlee Matlin, an actress and LGBT supporter, is known for her portrayal of a deaf lesbian on Showtime's 'The L word.' ... If you are a former Girl Scout, and want the Scouts to return to a wholesome emphasis on character, leadership, and service in the context of traditional morality, then make your voice heard. Email or phone them to protest the promotion of pro-abortion and LGBT advocates and to ask them to stop trampling over the religious and moral concerns of their own members." --columnist Rebecca Hagelin We Depend on You The Patriot Post has always been on the frontlines of the battle to restore the constitutional limits on the central government -- and thousands of Patriots have joined our ranks in the last decade. We don't just "preach to the choir" -- because our donors support the distribution of The Patriot Post without charge, we reach large numbers of those who are politically indifferent, and fire them up! "I am a missionary serving in Africa, and want you to know that The Patriot Post keeps me current with important debates and issues back home. I appreciate your writing on both Muslim fundamentalism and Christian liberalism. Americans do not really grasp the nature of Islam around the world -- the hatred and oppression it inspires. Thank you for being a voice of liberty in a desert of despair!" --A Patriot in Niger We still must raise $262,800 for the 2011 Year-End Campaign before year's end. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to support our 2010 Year-End Campaign today with a secure online donation. Every dollar you contribute provides a free subscription for someone serving our nation, or a young person who will fill a family, community and national leadership role in the next generation! If you prefer to support us by mail, please use our printable donor form. "Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the Cause, and the aid of the supreme Being, in whose hands Victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble Actions." --George Washington Reader Comments "After several years of reading and enjoying the many truths that have been expounded upon by The Patriot Post, I cannot help but join and contribute to finance 'the cause.' Please accept my sincere thanks for your willingness to stand up for our freedom. (SALUTE)" --Len, USAF (ret) "In response to Mark Alexander's essay The Most Nobel of American Patriots, and as a Veteran who has been married to two Veterans, I take this opportunity to thank each and every Veteran who served in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and who serve in peace time. Thank you for the depths of my patriotic heart." --Norma "Thank you for today's article and for your consistent efforts to tell the truth about America's past and present. As a Pastor, I am constantly warning our people about the erosion of liberty in our country, and by our current administration. The damage may very well be irreparable if Mr. Obama is re-elected. Thank you for standing for true freedom and liberty, and thank you for standing strong for our military and her veterans!" --Pastor David "The debt committee should not waste any more of the taxpayers' money as this was a farce, a doomed effort from the very beginning. The Demos want everything their way and will not consider any alternatives. The want-to-be-president couldn't come up with a budget when Demos were in charge of both the House and the Senate. Who in the world believed that there would ever be a budget now let alone any 'compromise' involving Republicans?" --Morning Glory "It's simple. Eric Holder is an accomplice to murder. He is a liar and he is trying to get more gun controls based on his own actions. Remember right before Fast and Furious was exposed both he and Hillary Clinton among others were saying that the cartels were getting these guns through the 'Gun Show Loophole.' He needs to go ASAP!" --Vince     The Last Word "It turns out that a committee created to reduce the deficit is instead going to increase it. As The Hill reported: 'Democrats on the supercommittee have proposed that the savings from the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan be used to pay for a new stimulus package, according to a summary of the $2.3 trillion plan obtained by The Hill.' ... [I]n what sense are these 'savings'? The Iraq War is ended -- or, at any rate, 'ended,' at least as far as U.S. participation in it is concerned. How then can congressional accountants claim to be able to measure 'savings' in 2021 from a war that ended a decade earlier? And why stop there? Why not estimate around $2 trillion in savings by 2031? ... Come to think of it, didn't the Second World War end in 1945? Could we have the CBO score the estimated two-thirds of a century of 'budget savings' we've saved since ending that war? We could use the money to fund free master's degrees in Complacency and Self-Esteem Studies for everyone, and that would totally stimulate the economy. The Spanish-American War ended 103 years ago, so imagine how much cash has already piled up! ... [T]he [Obama] administration then proposed a 15-cent tax on Christmas trees in order to fund a federal promotional campaign to promote the sale of Christmas trees. Possibly Commerce Department research showed that there's a dramatic fall-off in the sale of 'holiday trees' round about December 26 every year, and Obama figured a little stimulus surely couldn't hurt. He was forced to rescind the proposal, presumably after an ACLU chum pointed out that settling the Bureau of Christmas Tree Promotion lawsuit would wipe out all the budget savings from the French and Indian Wars." --columnist Mark Steyn Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus et Fidelis! Nate Jackson for The Patriot Post Editorial Team   (To submit reader comments click here.)   Patriot News Review Federal Judge Backs High School in Flap Over American Flag Shirts Retired Army Captain Receives War Medals 66 Years Late White House Unveiling $1 Billion Plan to Expand Health Workforce As Deadline Nears, Debt Reduction Panel Weighs Undoing Its Own Rules China's Biggest Ratings Agency Threatens U.S. Debt Downgrade Riot Police Begin Sweep of Occupy Oakland Camp More News The Right Opinion Jeff Jacoby: A Deep Breath for Free Speech Ken Blackwell: Perry Can Win if Leadership Trumps Debates Michael Barone: Tea Partiers, Like Peaceniks, Upset Political Order Burt Prelutsky: Talking Politics George Will: Our Problematic Speech Ken Blackwell: The Iron Lady versus the Tin Woman Burt Prelutsky: Quo Vadis, Herman Cain? Argus Hamilton: From The Comedy Store Peggy Noonan: The Republican Unreality Show Jonah Goldberg: 'Right to Riot' Cemented in Campus Culture Michelle Malkin: K Street's Super Committee Splurge David Limbaugh: The Left's Many Double Standards More Opinion Grassroots Commentary Murder Most Foul Let's Conversate About the Argubate Endemic Corruption Is Cain Able? A Restoration of Piety, Part II Who Votes for Democracy? More Commentary Policy and Analysis Heritage Foundation Insider Heritage Foundation Research American Enterprise Institute Center for Strategic and International Studies The Cato Institute Hoover Institution National Rifle Association Ludwig von Mises Institute Citizens Against Government Waste National Center for Policy Analysis The Heartland Institute (Please pray for our Armed Forces standing in harm's way around the world, and for their families -- especially families of those fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, who granted their lives in defense of American liberty.) Follow The Patriot Post:

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