Congress: Hoyer's call

Moody's warns on tax cut deal
Moody's warns on Tax Cut deal Posted by Colin Barr December 14, 2010 9:09 am Moody's is the latest to warn that the tax deal could imperil the United States' fiscal position. The Rating Agency said in a report Monday that last week's agreement between the White House and congressional Republicans should bolster Economic Growth in the next two years – but at the expense of the nation's already perilous Budget position down the road. Picture of profligacy? The agreement to extend the Bus...

House Dems stew over Obamas handling of tax deal
WASHINGTON (AP) — The struggle over Tax Cuts is seriously straining President Barack Obama’s relationship with House Democrats, who have backed him on key issues even when it cost them politically. Expressing hurt and bewilderment, Democratic lawmakers say Obama ignored them at crucial negotiating moments, misled them about his intentions and made needless concessions to Republicans. The president has responded that he acted honorably and drove the best bargain he could. But even his...

Moveon.org for the middle: Can Nolabels.org cure partisan politics?
Former Rep. Tom Davis (R) of Virginia greets House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D) of Maryland before the start of a Congressional Hearing on Jan. 27, 2009. The American public has been saying for years that it wants Bipartisanship - or better yet, nonpartisanship. Barack Obama campaigned for president on it. As voters, more and more Americans self-identify as independent, even as the two major parties cater to their ideological wings. Has Obama won the Tax Cut staredown of 2010? Obama to...

Bloomberg: No Presidential Run in 2012
By Louise Radnofsky New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he isn’t running for president in 2012. Really. Period. Mr. Bloomberg, who dropped his Republican Party Affiliation in 2007 to become an independent, was asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday whether he believed that an independent Candidate could become president. “I don’t know,” he replied. “I’m not going to run for president.” The emphatic denial stands in contrast to the coy ..

Bloomberg dismisses 2012 talk
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg insisted on Sunday that he’s not interested in running for president in 2012. He told NBC’s David Gregory on “Meet the Press” that he’s not considering running for president at all because he wants to focus on the rest of his term as mayor. “No way, no how,” Bloomberg declared. “I’ve got a great job.” Bloomberg’s frequent public comments on the need for Bipartisanship in Washington have stirred c...

Chuck Todd
In addition to his on-air analysis, Todd has been responsible for all aspects of the network’s political coverage, including maintaining contact with the campaigns and serving as the point person for political news and information.  He is also the editor of " First Read," NBC’s must-read guide to political news and trends in and around Washington, D.C. ( www.firstread.MSNBC.com), writes weekly analysis columns for MSNBC.com, and hosts regular online politics discussions on Newsv...

Obama takes center stage – this time as a moderate
It took a month for Barack Obama to make clear what he has learned from the Midterm Election “shellacking,” but the time has not been wasted. Future political historians are likely to trace his recovery – and re-election, if that’s what happens – back to decisions made in December. In these last few days, he has regained the economic initiative from the victorious Republicans, separated himself from the left of his own party and staked a strong claim to the terri...

Romney comes out against Obama's tax cut deal
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) announced on Tuesday that he opposes the Tax Cut deal making its way through Congress. Romney, one of the top contenders for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, said that President Obama's deal on tax cuts with congressional Republicans wouldn't add enough certainty to a struggling economy. "Given the unambiguous message that the American People sent to Washington in November, it is difficult to understand how our political leaders could have reach...

Romney comes out against Obama's tax cut deal
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) announced on Tuesday that he opposes the Tax Cut deal making its way through Congress. Romney, one of the top contenders for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, said that President Obama's deal on tax cuts with congressional Republicans wouldn't add enough certainty to a struggling economy. "Given the unambiguous message that the American People sent to Washington in November, it is difficult to understand how our political leaders could have reach...

Second ranking Senate Democrat sees tax cuts
WASHINGTON — The No. 2 Senate Democrat says he believes the overwhelming margin by which the Senate advanced Legislation maintaining Bush era Tax Cuts means the Legislation finally will clear Congress, likely by Christmas. Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin of Illinois tells CBS’ "The Early Show" that the 83-15 tally by which the measure cleared a major procedural vote will help facilitate its passage in the House as well, where Democratic opposition has been more fierce. Durbi...

Sink worst candidate of the year?
Visit MSNBC.com for breaking news, world news, and news about The Economy Alex Sink, the Democratic who lost to Republican Rick Scott in the closest Governor's race in more than a century, was named the Worst Candidate of 2010 this morning by MSNBC's The Daily Rundown program. That means she beat out Delaware's Christine O'Donnell, New York's Carl Paladino, and Nevada's Sharon Angle. Chuck Todd, one of the show's hosts, decided that Sink won the dishonor after losing to a candidate whose compa...

Chuck Todd: White House Confident Tax Cut Compromise Will Pass
Visit MSNBC.com for breaking news, world news, and news about The Economy Chuck Todd: Lester. Today was perhaps the last day upset Democrats had to talk the White House and other members of their own party out of the Tax Cut Compromise. And talk they did. But, Rhetoric aside, this compromise appears poised to clear a big hurdle tomorrow in the US Senate ... After a week of pulling out all the stops to sell the Tax Cut deal to reluctant House Democrats, the White House is confident the deal wil...

Sink wins worst candidate award from MSNBC
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink finally won something this fall — but it’s not recognition she’ll be bragging about. MSNBC co-hosts Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie gave her their “Worst Candidate of 2010″ award this morning. “You lost to a guy who defrauded Medicare,” Todd said, pausing for emphasis. “In Florida! Okay? More people on Medicare in Florida than maybe any other state.” Sink’s opponent, first-time Republican Candidate Rick...

Bloomberg and Goolsbee on Meet the Press Dec. 12
Mayor Michael Bloomberg talks about adult governing. He also breaks the media's heart saying he's not running for president. The media thinks everyone is running for president. Watch his eyes when David Gregory asks him if he's running for president: Visit MSNBC.com for breaking news, world news, and news about The Economy Visit MSNBC.com for breaking news, world news, and news about The Economy ...

GOP budget hawks chicken out early (Politico)
Well, that didn't take long. Less than a month after handing the president a shellacking, Republicans who ran against Obama's fiscal recklessness added another Trillion dollars to America's Debt. Even before being sworn in to start the 112th Congress, the GOP has become a co-conspirator in what Charles Krauthammer is calling the "swindle of the year"—a scheme that will "pump a Trillion borrowed Chinese dollars into the U.S. economy over the next two years." It seems ...

Will Conservatives Revolt Against The Tax Deal?
Jonathan Bernstein predicted the other day that House Republicans might suddenly turn against the tax deal en masse. This morning, Mitt Romney has an op-ed denouncing the deal: President Obama has reason to celebrate. The deal delivers short-term economic stimulus, and it does so at the very time he wants it most, before the 2012 Elections. But the long term health of our great engine of prosperity will remain very much in doubt. Is this a straw in the wind? Certainly if anybody has reason to ...

Open Thread
Who benefits from the Billionaire Tax Cut? Visit MSNBC.com for breaking news, world news, and news about The Economy Of all the Tax Breaks pushed by Republicans, none is more designed to minimize the conservative core American value of one's making it on his/her own, because only those who have been given everything on a silver platter are being bequeathed with this bounty. Too bad the kids of the billionaires are so poor at making it on their own that they require such inordinate help from thei...

U.S. Senate Votes 83-15 to Invoke Cloture on Obama Tax Cut Rate Deal with Republicans Video 12/13/10
Visit MSNBC.com for breaking news, world news, and news about The Economy President Obama’s Tax Deal with GOP Leaders got the needed 60-votes in the U.S. Senate today to schedule the bill up for an Up or Down vote. By an 83-15 margin, Senators voted to invoke Cloture, and are expected to vote on the measure within a day or two. Obama praised the Senate for moving it forward, and is calling on the U.S. House to act quickly as well once it passes in the Senate. ...

Todays Best Person in the World: White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs (Seriously)
When MSNBC hosts aren’t excoriating historically illiterate pundits for making historically illiterate comparisons between President Obama and former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain—they are both “appeasers,” you see—they are likely to be found…making historically illiterate comparisons between President Obama and former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. So when not linking approvingly to real Nazis on his Twitter feed, MSNBC host Keith Olbermann can

Dem Senators Want Last-Minute Changes To Tax Deal
WASHINGTON (AP) — The tax package negotiated by President Barack Obama and GOP lawmakers is headed toward passage in the Senate even as House Democrats consider changes to the Estate Tax. The bill could be passed and sent to the House by Tuesday. The Senate voted 83-15 Monday evening to advance the package, which would provide a two-year reprieve from Tax Increases scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1 at all income levels. “This proves that both parties can in fact work together to g...

Very Pissed, Neil Cavuto Rips Chris Matthews Over Calling Chris Christie Fat
Without ever using Chris Matthews‘ name, Fox News’ Neil Cavuto roasted the MSNBC host for comments he made mocking the weight-not the political performance-of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie . In an admittedly personal commentary, Cavuto-describing himself as “slightly overweight…very pissed”-says judging leaders for “nonsense” like “how you look” and calls it “Racism…with a scale.” Cavuto mocks Ma...

Dishonorable Obama, Congress & Media Dont Give a Serious God-Damn About Massive & Gratuitous Poverty and Violence
Meet the Press hosted apologists for Obama and corporatists everywhere. Defense of Tax Cuts for the rich the topic this time. Opportunities for disgust and disdain against those purist ideology-lefties a/k/a more "hippie punching," of course was enjoyed by all. All but one, Anthony Weiner who was the token liberal sounding one this week (to be piled on). Mikey Bloomberg was blunt that liberal complainers need to “suck it up!” And, oh yes, he wants a subway series. (Yeah, let’s ...

Bloomberg on 2012: "I'm Not Looking at the Possibility of Running, No Way, No How"
Michael Bloomberg on Meet the Press tell David Gregory he's not running which is probably a good decision since he wouldn't have a chance, the man spent $103 million on his Reelection campaign for mayor and barely won in 2009 Visit MSNBC.com for breaking news, world news, and news about The Economy ...

Bloomberg: 'The Founding Fathers Weren't Interested In Party Politics'
Mayor Mike Bloomberg appeared on "Meet the Press" yesterday and said a) that he is not no-how, no-way running for President; b) he wants to be the greatest mayor in New York City history and; c) political parties are overrated. He will be making that case further at a political convention at Columbia University today that will also feature Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh and Connecticut Sen Joe Lieberman and will look to move the dialogue beyond liberal vs. conservative. We will be blogging from there ...

Bloomberg Dismisses Presidential Bid
(NewsCore) - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Sunday once again dismissed suggestions he would launch a 2012 presidential bid, saying there was "no way, no how" that was going to happen. In an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," Bloomberg said his focus remained on City Hall, not the White House. Bloomberg said he wanted to leave office having a reputation "as a very good, maybe the greatest mayor ever." The three-term mayor, who briefly flirted with the idea of running in 2008 as an I...