Free Republic

Like many political Americans, right or left or center, I'm still grappling with what President Obama did this week.  I'm trying to get a handle on what it means not so much for the country and the economy, but rather for Barack Obama. On Monday evening came the remarkable announcement by Obama that he had compromised with Republicans on a "framework" to extend the Bush tax cuts.  My take on that action was that Obama was motivated entirely by politics and not at all by ideology. That take was quickly reinforced on Tuesday, when Obama, almost chastising his angry left-wing...

'Obama attacking Social Security'Fri Dec 17, 2010 6:55PM US President Barack Obama's controversial tax cut deal with the Republicans "is an attack on Social Security," an online columnist says. “This is a total sell-out by Barack Obama… That's a huge problem. It will lower the pay-roll tax. The tax [that is needed] to fund Social Security. It is an attack on Social Security …,” online columnist Allen Roland told Press TV on Friday. Roland continued, “It will cut one third of Social Security funding this year alone. That's the only safety net that we have. Can you believe that the...

WASHINGTON — Russia warned the United States Senate on Monday not to rewrite the new arms control treaty being debated on Capitol Hill as American lawmakers clashed about the politics of ratification in the waning days of the Congressional session. Republican critics of the treaty, known as New Start, offered more amendments to the treaty’s language on verification and launcher limits. But any change to the treaty text would require both countries to return to the negotiating table, and Moscow made it clear that senators had to accept the treaty or reject it as it is, without amendments. “I can...

On Sunday night, after a weekend of wrangling, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) filed for cloture on the New START treaty, setting up a crucial Tuesday vote on whether to end debate. A final vote could come on Thursday. As Josh Rogin observes, keep an eye on Sen. Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) as the clock ticks...