Free Republic

Governors reflect partisan divide in debt debateby Charles Babington The Associated Press 13 hrs ago SALT LAKE CITY — Governors nationwide are nervously watching the debt-ceiling debate in Washington, fearing that a partisan impasse could rattle financial markets and slow the economic recoveries they desperately want for their states. Yet many of them are sticking to the same partisan loyalties and talking points that are making it so difficult for President Barack Obama and Republican lawmakers to find a way to avoid a borrowing cutoff, which could force the government to default on some of its bills. In fact, some...

While some governors go out of their way to acknowledge the sanctity of military funerals, Oregon’s new governor says he won’t attend them in his state if it’s inconvenient to him. Gov. John Kitzhaber is making a departure from his predecessor, Ted Kulongoski, a former Marine who was so determined to attend military funerals he would cancel out-of-town travel to attend them. In fact, Kulongoski attended more than 100 military funerals during his eight years in office.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was there. So was Al Sharpton and AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka. Not on the invitation list? Any active governor from any border state. Which is odd since the meeting held yesterday at the White House was titled: President’s Meeting with Stakeholders on Fixing the Broken Immigration System. Are the active governors of our nation’s border states not “stakeholders” in our “broken immigration system”? Not for this White House. From day one, the Obama administration has sought to undermine state law enforcement cooperation and authority over illegal immigration. Within months of taking office, the Department of...

This short segment in a Washington Post story on President Obama’s interviews with local television stations is revealing: In some cases, Obama had a message he wanted to send directly to the people in particular states..... Notice the theme there? Here are three Republican governors of three states who face serious budget problems, and Obama — despite a lack of familiarity with the states’ financial circumstances, admitting that he hasn’t “followed exactly what’s happening with the Wisconsin budget” — weighs in on all three, all with the same theme: No, those spending cuts aren’t necessary.

(Reuters) - Support for California Governor Jerry Brown's plan to shut a $27 billion budget gap has eroded since he introduced it in January, a new poll by the Public Policy Institute of California showed on Wednesday. Democrat Brown wants to close the budget hole with a mix of spending cuts and tax hikes, and he wants voters to get the chance to approve the package in a special election. So far Republicans have opposed the special election and tax hikes.

There are a few very interesting points below headlines today claiming California residents strongly support extending the state’s once temporary tax increases via special election. Survey finds Californians back tax extensions Californians would overwhelmingly back extending temporary tax increases to help balance the state’s budget if asked to in a special election, according to survey results released on Wednesday. The survey found that, by a 58 percent to 39 percent margin, voters said they would vote in favor of a ballot measure asking them to extend temporary tax increases. If that’s truly the case, then why did voters flatly reject...

As predicted in Revolt! (Dick’s and Eileen’s new book) – States Lead the Way Toward Reform It is not only the Arab world that is in turmoil! Reform Governors like Scott Walker (Wisconsin), John Kasich (Ohio), Mitch Daniels (Indiana), Tom Corbett (Pennsylvania), Butch Otter (Idaho), and Rick Scott (Florida) are leading a movement for fundamental change in America. In Revolt!, Morris and McGann’s new book, they describe how newly elected Republican Governors – impelled by their budget crises and empowered with GOP Legislatures – will accomplish sweeping changes in our politics. Read how: * Republican Governors will destroy the political...

For months now, Republicans have turned to each other and said, "Who's the candidate?" President Obama is vulnerable in 2012, clearly, but you can't beat something with nothing, and right now, the GOP field looks pretty much like . . . nothing. Who'll have the stature to compete? Thanks to those Democratic lawmakers fleeing Wisconsin and Indiana to frustrate the democratic process they swore an oath to uphold, we may have an answer. They, and the demonstrators screaming about the governors seeking cuts in the absurdly generous benefits granted to public-sector workers, have created a national stage on which a...

While we are all praying for repeal (ultimately) let's hope between the House defunding, the courts ruling unconstitutional and the Governors fighting that they can slow this thing to a crawl until we take back DC in 2012.

Unless you're in favor of a fully nationalized health-care system, the president's health-care reform law is a massive mistake. It will amplify all the big drivers of overconsumption and excessive pricing: "Why not, it's free?" reimbursement; "The more I do, the more I get" provider payment; and all the defensive medicine the trial bar's ingenuity can generate. All claims made for it were false. It will add trillions to the federal deficit. It will lead to a de facto government takeover of health care faster than most people realize, and as millions of Americans are added to the Medicaid rolls...

Scott joins 32 governors and governors-elect in call to stop "federal health care mandates"JANUARY 07, 2011 Gov. Rick Scott, along with 32 other governors and governors-elect, signed a letter sent to federal leaders today, urging a stop to "excessive constraints placed on us by healthcare-related federal mandates." "It is imperative that we stop federal health care mandates that tie the hands of states," Scott said in a prepared statement. "Florida should get to determine what program is the right fit for our state in terms of a Medicaid program, and the federal mandates are essentially the federal government telling us...

Dire StatesDeep in debt, most governors will have to either raise taxes or cut spending - exactly what not to do when recovering from a recession. By Megan McArdle **SNIP** Many states have what you might call a “Don’t kill Grandma” problem: spending creates dependent—and stubborn—constituencies. At least New York doesn’t have the legislative gridlock of California, where ballot initiatives have mandated spending and prevented tax increases, and a two-thirds-majority requirement to pass tax increases has resulted in a stalemate between free-spending Democrats and tax-averse Republicans. New York’s local economy hasn’t been devastated by the collapse of a primary local...

President Obama and Vice President Biden ask newly elected Governors to call the White House before they "are really mad about something" and go to the media. "We prefer not to read about it in the press," Obama said. Video at link.

SAN DIEGO -- When at least four possible presidential contenders – Govs. Haley Barbour, Bobby Jindal, Tim Pawlenty and Mitch Daniels -- shared a stage at the Republican Governors Association conference Thursday morning, along with Bob McDonnell and Chris Christie, who do you think was the standout? Yes, Barbour's every word is quotable, Daniels has sewn up the David Brooks primary, and no one can say that Pawlenty doesn't present well. But if you read Politics Daily's Jill Lawrence, you might not be surprised to learn that it was Christie who got the most applause and laughs from the crowd....

SAN DIEGO – Incoming Republican governors from Pennsylvania to New Mexico are vowing to keep campaign promises to slice already cut-to-the-bone budgets and balance them without raising taxes. In doing so, GOP leaders intent on conservative governance signaled a desire to try to fundamentally change state government, shrinking it significantly. And they acknowledged that could mean more job losses and service cuts to already recession-hammered states anticipating more budget trouble ahead. "While we're all facing these challenges, there are incredible opportunities for us to go look at what the core missions of government were, and redefine the role," said South...

More than 30 Republican governors and governors-elect will meet in San Diego, California, Wednesday and Thursday to discuss issues confronting their states. The officials will address economic concerns, and highlight the personalities who are likely to play a role in national politics. In the November 2 election, Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives, the lower house of Congress. They also made dramatic gains in state legislative races, and took governorships from Democrats in a number of key states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan.

Perhaps this will set the stage for Congress to preempt the District of Columbia on gun control and restore gun carry rights in our Nation’s Capital. After all the DC City Council seems ill disposed to restore the civil right to arms in the District. For example, today on WTOP.com talk radio, former District Mayor and Ward 8's Council Member said nothing about restoring the right to arms in the District, but did take the time to give WTOP's Mark Plotkin a Realpolitik lecture about how things should be in the District, explaining that that DC Mayor Adrian Fenty lost...

Newly-Elected Governors to Target Health-Care Legislation: WSJPublished November 05, 2010 Newly-elected Republican governors were already planning to blunt key parts of the US health care overhaul and join lawsuits against it, suggesting states could trump Congress as the hottest front in the fight over the law, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. Republicans recaptured at least 11 governors' seats from Democrats in Tuesday's election. Democrats reclaimed at least two seats from Republicans, in California and Hawaii. While governors cannot avoid much of the law, they can throw sand in its gears and keep states out of involvement in a central...

October 12th Update: Possible Composition of Governorships: GOP 27, Toss Ups 7, Democrat 16 See RealClearPolitics webpage for Governorships: Real Clear Politics: 2010 Governor Races Possible Outcome for House (as projected by Real Clear Politics)> GOP 211, Toss Ups 39, Democrat 185 See RealClearPolitics webpage for House: Real Clear Politics: 2010 Battle for the House Finally, the Senate: Democrat 48, Toss Ups 6, Republican 46 See RealClearPolitics webpage for House: Real Clear Politics: 2010 Battle for the Senate

Here is a new hard hitting video from the Republican Governors Association. This is a very powerful and hard-hitting ad that needs to go viral. Wow! Just Wow!