Obama's Smart Buffett Move

Politico Arena Topic: Will Obama's "Buffett Tax" Fly with Voters?

The deficit plan is a smart move politically, especially heading into a general election year. President Obama needs to shore up a base that has been eroding since the midterm elections and that is still reeling from the GOP-favoring debt ceiling deal agreed to last month. The plan forces Republicans into a box of either supporting deficit reduction with shared sacrifice or siding with the very wealthiest interests in the country.

Raising taxes on the wealthy—especially millionaires—is popular among a significant majority of Americans and most citizens would embrace the Buffett rule. It has little chance of getting through the Congress but the plan is more of a campaign document anyway.

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Playing Politics With Disaster Relief

Politico Arena Topic: Should disaster aid be conditional?

It is an accepted norm that the Federal Government aid state and local government when a major calamity occurs as those incidents overwhelm their capacity to respond in the short term and recover in the long term. That is the purpose of the Disaster Relief Fund and the intent of the Stafford Acts. There are years such as 2011, the most devastating tornado season in the U.S. in a lifetime, when the number and costs of disasters depletes that fund.

It is outrageous that members of the United States Congress are playing politics with communities and people directly affected by these devastating events. As was the case with the debt ceiling, many Republicans are willing to hold communities hostage in an effort to shrink the size of government. Where were these budget-balancing Republicans when a Republican president and Republican-led Congress, blessed with a balanced-budget after the Clinton years, passed Medicare Part D without paying for it? What about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that were similarly not paid for? How about the massive tax cut that benefited mainly the wealthy that has added to the country’s debt? I’ll tell you where they were: on the floor of the Congress voting for these massive government programs without any offsetting spending cuts.

Real citizens and communities are hurting from Hurricane Irene as people in Joplin, Missouri continue to wait for Federal assistance to help recover from one the deadliest and costliest tornados in American history. Americans expect the Federal Government to act in these situations and if the GOP continues to be an obstacle, there will be electoral consequences down the road.

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Throwing Kisses While The Ship Sets Sail

Politico Arena Topic: Has Sarah Palin been eclipsed?

The ship has left the port and is sailing out to sea. Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and others boarded awhile ago. Rick Perry, realizing the ship was leaving, finally jumped from shore and climbed aboard. Sarah Palin, though, is still waving and throwing kisses to the crowd even while the TV crews keep reminding her the ship is moving towards the horizon.

We all know that she claims to live by her own rules, but there are some rules you can’t invent—real tangible ballot deadlines and intangible fundraising windows. A serious candidate for the presidency pays attention to such things. And frankly, even if she were to somehow get on that ship, there may be nowhere for her to stand at this point.

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My Nirvana: Green Bay Packers at the White House

Two of my favorite things in life: the Green Bay Packers and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. On August 12, 2011, those two personal loves met as President Barack Obama invited the Packers to come their NFL Championship. And here is the video from that momentous occasion. I just wish I could have been there in person...

Time to Convene the Do Nothing Congress

Having survived a torturous process and passed legislation that raises America's debt ceiling, Congress has decided to go on vacation. One problem: the debt ceiling nightmare pushed nearly all other important work to the back burner and Congress recessed before accomplishing some important matters such as continue funding the Federal Aviation Administration. So because of yet another political stalemate, Congress went home and their negligence has left 74,000 FAA workers out of work--not exactly a stimulus to the sagging economy.

There is one thing that one person could attempt to do about all this: President Obama has the constitutional authority to order Congress back to town to deal with this issue. According to Article II, Section III, of the U.S. Constitution, the President "may, on extraordinary Occasions, convene both Houses." The partial shutdown of the FAA would certainly qualify as an "extraordinary occasion" which potentially puts public safety and the health of the economy at risk.

Convening Congress via the extraordinary occasions clause has not been done since 1948 when Harry Truman ordered the do-nothing 80th Congress back to Washington to deal with the issues of the day--a tactic many credit with allowing Truman to embarrass Congress and win a close reelection. Truman had it right and today's 112th Congress can similarly be described as do-nothing. It is time for this President to act boldly, especially when many Americans, his base most of all, view this President as too willing to capitulate to his political enemies. This President should bring Congress back to town and keep them there until they carry out their responsibility and fund the FAA.

Obama's Reelection Chances...Fifteen Months Out

Politico Arena Topic: Will President Obama Lose the 2012 Election?

President Ronald Reagan was at 43 percent in the Gallup Poll at the beginning of August 1983 (the exact point in his presidency that Barack Obama is at now). Fifteen months later he won a landslide victory for reelection. Lesson: if twenty four hours is a lifetime in politics, fifteen months is an eon.

Although things look bad for President Obama’s reelection at this moment in time, fortunately for him the election is not next week. It is impossible to predict what will happen over a year from now or to predict whether or not President Obama will be reelected. One thing that political scientists are sure of, however: if the economy improves substantially and unemployment falls, this will help the president immensely. If the economy continues to stagnate or worsen, President Obama is in huge trouble.

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Invoke the 14th Amendment--Political Consequences Be Damned

Politico Arena Topic: Should Obama Invoke the 14th Amendment?

In the event that Congress is unable to come to agreement on a balanced deficit reduction bill or a clean bill which simple raises the debt ceiling, President Obama should absolutely utilize his unilateral powers to raise it. During George W. Bush’s presidency, Congress raised the debt ceiling seven times with little fanfare. During Ronald Reagan’s presidency, Congress raised the limit eighteen times. I have little doubt that Presidents Reagan or Bush would have raised the ceiling unilaterally had Congress pulled the kinds of political shenanigans we are seeing today—consequences be damned.

The president’s most important responsibility is to protect the American people—allowing the country to default on its obligations would do irreparable harm to the economy and the citizenry. The President—any president—has a duty to not let that happen. Even without the 14th Amendment, President Obama would be justified in using his prerogative powers just as Abraham Lincoln did during the Civil War, and other presidents such as Woodrow Wilson and FDR did during times of crisis.

There would certainly be a political cost to using unilateral powers to end this congressionally contrived crisis; however, the costs of doing nothing would be much steeper. The House would likely move to impeach the President but even if successful, a conviction would be unlikely in the Senate where a 2/3 majority is necessary for removal. For many, President Obama would be a hero as he moved decisively to save a country held hostage by Tea Party radicals in the House of Representatives.

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Obama, the Bully Pulpit, and Irrational Lawmakers

Politico Arena Topic: Are President Obama's Public Appearances Helping the Debt Talks?

I don't know if President Obama's public appearances will spur most House Republicans to compromise because nothing has moved them yet--not even their own Speaker who seems more like a hostage than a leader. Perhaps the bully pulpit will prod the American people to slap some sense into these recalcitrant lawmakers but I don't think so. This is not a rational bunch and they seem hell-bent on driving this economy off a cliff.

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The Only Pledge Worth Signing is a Pledge Not to Sign Pledges

Politico Arena Topic: Is Tax Pledge Helping or Hurting Debt Talks?

I’m sure the conservatives in the Arena will argue that the Norquist pledge has been helpful in focusing the debt ceiling debate on tax cuts. I disagree. The Norquist pledge added another layer of complexity to an already difficult process of cutting a balanced deal as Republican lawmakers openly fear breaking their pledge and incurring Norquist’s wrath.

Read my lips: pledges suck. As the country hurtles toward default, I hope candidates will rethink signing pledges offered up by special interests. Pledges may help candidates get elected but they destroy the ability to govern effectively once in office. Pledges prevent politicos from negotiating, bargaining, and compromising on policy — crucial ingredients to governing in a representative democracy. The only pledge worth signing is a pledge to not sign pledges.

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From Congress to My Classroom: Zack Space

One of the perks of my job is that from time to time I get to have some great guest speakers come talk to my classes. Today was no exception. Former U.S. Representative Zack Space (D-OH) drove up from Dover to visit both my American Congress and American Presidency classes. Space was elected in Ohio's 18th CD in the wake of the scandal that embroiled Bob Ney, the six term Republican member of that district. The 2006 wave carried Space and several freshman Ohio Democrats into Congress where he eventually landed a spot on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Space's talk today included such topics as the current debt-ceiling fight, civility or lack thereof in Congress, and some of the tough votes he had to cast including health care and the cap and trade bill. One of 54 members of the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, he was frequently caught in the middle on many policy issues. Space served two terms and was defeated by Bob Gibbs in 2010. Of course, 2010 was a tough year for Dems, but especially for Blue Dogs as the herd was thinned by over half .

If the students were grading Zack Space, he'd get an "A" as he was funny, knowledgeable, and forthright. I hope he agrees to come back in the future.

Allen West, Threats to the Gene Pool, and Dishonoring Congress

Politico Arena Topic: Should Allen West Apologize to Debbie Wasserman Schultz?

Republican Representative Allen West (R-FL) went way too far in his personal attack on Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), his colleague in the House and his representative since West lives in her South Florida district. But what do you expect from a guy that wrote to his constituents that: “I must confess, when I see anyone with an Obama 2012 bumper sticker, I recognize them as a threat to the gene pool.”

Clearly the GOP lurched far-rightward after the 2010 election; however, guys like West have gone so far right that Ronald Reagan would be considered a RINO and have little chance of rising to the top of the GOP. His personal tirade against Wasserman Schultz demonstrates a lack of civility and calmness of demeanor that should be expected of our elected officials. West’s behavior dishonors Congress and should be condemned.

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Praying Away the Debt Ceiling

Politico Arena Topic: Debt Ceiling: Looming Catastrophe or Y2K Redux?

To default on America’s debt is a path this country has never taken nor should it. Most experts on this topic argue that the consequences of not raising the debt ceiling would be catastrophic. Do members of Congress really want to test out their chicken little theory that nothing will happen should the ceiling not be raised?

As far as Michele Bachmann is concerned, this just proves that she is not a serious candidate for president. I suppose the country can just pray away the debt-ceiling crisis just like clients in the counseling clinic owned by her husband and herself can pray away their gayness.