POLITICS - Two Opinions on Republicans 2011

"The GOP again twists reality on tax cuts, deficit" by Stanley J. Suser (Letters to the Editor) Washington Post 1/27/2011

Sen. Jeff Sessions's Jan. 24 op-ed, "Economic policy that's stuck in reverse," was just the latest example of the right wing's propensity to play fast and loose with the truth.

Mr. Sessions contended that President Obama agreed to maintain current tax rates only if Congress would agree to increase federal deficit spending and that the president continues to resist any meaningful steps to secure our financial future. He further contended that Obama's chief economic adviser, Austan Goolsbee, lashed out at Republicans for trying to lower the deficit as part of the effort to raise the debt ceiling.

Mr. Sessions, of course, is well aware that Mr. Obama intended all along to maintain current tax rates for 98 percent of the population and that it was he and his Republican brethren who refused to maintain the rates for this 98 percent unless the rates were also maintained for the remaining 2 percent (those making more than $250,000), which had a $700 billion impact on the deficit. Mr. Sessions also neglected to mention that it was Mr. Obama who set up the deficit commission to deal with our financial future in the face of massive GOP opposition that forced him to do this by executive order rather than more effectively through legislation.

Finally, Mr. Sessions's contention that Republicans have been trying to lower the deficit is laughable, given their insistence on maintaining income tax cuts and initiating estate tax cuts for the wealthy, which widens the deficit by close to a trillion dollars.

"Obama’s Re-election in 2012 Looks Good" by Paul Bedard (Washington Whispers), USNews 1/25/2011

Republicans aren’t as cocky about firing Obama in 2012 as they were just a few months ago. Aides to top GOP presidential prospects say the slow but upward trajectory of the economy could be a game-changer in the election.

Plus, they are up against a candidate who plans to raise $1 billion and operate two campaigns—one in the White House, the other in Chicago. That’s prompting B-list Republicans to reconsider plans to delay getting in the race. A quicker entry would give them more time to raise money, staff, and public awareness.

Which is why the Republican House will spend the next 2yrs trying to scuttling ANYTHING Obama does so they can blame it all on him, rather than ACTUALLY doing the people's business. It's their "Scorched Obama Policy."