The recently rekindled Gang of Six presented its $3.7 trillion deficit-reduction plan to Senate colleagues yesterday. As the debt-limit deadline approaches, the six senators are hoping to gain support. “We told our colleagues this morning that we want to hear from them in the next 24 hours,” Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) said. “Are they with us or not?” After reading what Heritage’s David Addington had to say about the plan, hopefully the answer is “no.” (Pictured are Republican Sens. Mike Crapo, Tom Coburn and Saxby Chambliss.) At the White House, meanwhile, …
A group of U.S. Senators called the Gang of Six has cobbled together the third Senate-originated half-baked idea this week that would lead to hiking the debt limit. All three Senate approaches — the McConnell Plan, the McConnell-Reid “Just Borrow More” Plan, and now the Gang of Six “Maybe Later in the Year” Plan — have one thing in common: procedural gimmicks that promise Congress will do in the future what it won’t do now to control spending. The time has passed for procedural gimmickry — Congress should cut spending …
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) is no stranger to fights with party leadership. And he’s not holding back in his criticism of the so-called “Plan B” that’s being developed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). “It seems to be a cover-up,” DeMint said this afternoon in an exclusive interview with Heritage. “It’s like leaving the door to the federal vault open and looking the other way and saying we had nothing to do with the robbery.” He blamed President Obama for politicizing the …
Catching you up on clips, commentary and news of the day. Sign up for the daily email update from Scribe. Evict Fannie and Freddie – Ed Feulner Debt Debate: Are the Poor in Poverty? – Z. Byron Wolf How Will al Qaeda Mark the 10th Anniversary of 9/11? – Marc Thiessen Justice Department trying to shield officials in guns scandal, ATF chief says – Richard A. Serrano The Obama administration’s disparate impact on taxpayer – Hans von Spakovsky & Alex Ingram Don’t Forget Welfare Reform – Mike Needham An agenda for …
The slow, painful end of Borders bookstores has finally arrived. After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February and taking actions to save the company, the 40-year-old chain with locations across the country will begin liquidation on Friday. All told, 399 stores will close, and 10,700 workers will lose their jobs. For those who enjoyed perusing Borders’s aisles of books, shopping its bargain bins, listening to music, or sipping coffee in its cafes, the company’s closing will come as a loss, but its end is a story of how …
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) will be stopping by Heritage today for The Bloggers Briefing. He will be discussing his new book, “The Great American Awakening: Two Years That Changed America, Washington, and Me.” As noted in Heritage President Ed Feulner’s review, the book chronicles the rise of a movement that provided a crucial wake-up call in the aftermath of President Obama’s victory. He will be joined by American Legislative Exchange Council Senior Director for Public Affairs Raegan Weber and Tax & Fiscal Policy Director Jonathan Williams. Listen to the podcast on BlogTalkRadio or Ustream.tv. …
McConnell-Reid “Just Borrow More” Plan Fails to Cut Spending and Degrades America’s Creditworthiness
Any Senator foolish enough to think the McConnell-Reid “Just Borrow More” Plan solves the debt ceiling problem should look again at what the Moody’s debt rating service said. The McConnell-Reid Plan simply hikes the debt ceiling so the government can borrow more money, with a commission thrown in, to meet in the future to recommend to Congress spending cuts that may or may not ever be enacted. The Moody’s rating service called for real action to drive down federal deficits, but the McConnell-Reid Plan provides none. The Moody’s statement of …
In this week’s Heritage in Focus, senior fellow Robert Rector breaks down the myths, distortions and confusion surrounding poverty in America. Make sure to listen to the full podcast, here. According to government data, one in seven Americans is poor, but is that really true? What does it mean to be poor in America? Moreover, are federal programs helping to eliminate poverty? Listen to Rector answer those questions and more, here. To get regular updates on Heritage in Focus podcasts, visit our RSS feed or subscribe on iTunes. To listen …
With the nation staring down $14 trillion in debt, a Senate that has failed to pass a budget in 811 days, and a government that can’t decide how to raise the debt ceiling, you might think that a plan to get spending under control and solve the debt ceiling impasse would be a welcome breath of fresh air in Washington. Well, it might be, unless you’re President Barack Obama or liberals on Capitol Hill. Today, the U.S. House is set to vote on a Republican-sponsored plan known as “Cut, Cap, …
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) visits Heritage today for The Bloggers Briefing. He will be discussing his new book, “The Great American Awakening: Two Years That Changed America, Washington, and Me,” which highlights the birth of the Tea Party. He will be joined by American Legislative Exchange Council Senior Director for Public Affairs Raegan Weber and Tax & Fiscal Policy Director Jonathan Williams. Listen to the podcast on BlogTalkRadio or Ustream.tv. It starts at noon ET. One topic likely to come during DeMint’s visit is Cut, Cap and Balance — the conservative …
