January 9, 2017 6:00 AM
Morning Reads — Defrost Edition
The legislative session is beginning and our hearts are as cold as ever! Also, for the newbies, finding the restrooms in the Capitol is harder than you think. Best of luck.
House will convene at 10am tomorrow. Swearing-in of members & House officer elections on agenda. Watch at https://t.co/Itd8bmC5Sb. #gapol
— Kaleb McMichen (@KalebMcMichen) January 8, 2017
State
- The ice panic continues; schools are closed!
- How did Gwinnett County become a hotbed for homelessness?
- Voters oppose new “Religious Liberty” and guns on campus legislation per an AJC poll.
- Medical marijuana expansion will be proposed again.
- Representative Trey Kelley released a list of books he read in 2016. Several great recommendations.
National
- Republican leaders doubt Trump’s administration can better relations with Russia.
- A look at America’s opioid crisis.
- Sean Hannity hannitied again.
- Americans are slowly beginning to rely on their smartphones exclusively for internet access.
- How voice command is changing computing.
Important
About Author
Will Kremer
Will is an active member of the Georgia Republican grassroots. He previously served as Chairman of the Georgia Association of College Republicans, 2nd Vice Chairman of the 7th District Republican Party, and Treasurer of the Forsyth County Republican Party. Promise Land = Forsyth County.
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AJC – “Joe Biden shuts down attempt to invalidate Georgia’s electoral votes: ‘It’s over’”
Finally, the sophomoric tricks and stunts to overturn the results of an election are over.
I understand the Senate will be proceeding this week with confirmation hearings including some nominations that have yet to submit all vetting paperwork. It’s another Rube party lowering of the bar, but not unexpected since Trump providing tax returns wasn’t necessary.
Presumably HHS Secretary nominee Tom Price’s vetting paperwork has been submitted. The inquiry into Price’s stock trades isn’t going to reveal anything actionable. But hey, that it was clear there was nothing actionable on Clinton after the third Benghazi investigation didn’t stop four more investigations costing millions over a course of years, simply for partisan advantage.
Respect for Trump? His tweet this morning that Meryl Streep is an over-rated actress is but a demonstration he’s as small a man as his hands indicate.
With the botched forecast of this past weekend (“snow? What snow…?), perhaps we might equate the accuracy of the local weather forecasts with that of the many pollsters last fall who predicted an easy Clinton win in the Electoral College….
It’s irrelevant that 54% say the legislature should not revisit campus carry because those 54% won’t be required to carry a weapon on campus. Legalization only affects those licensed individuals that want to carry on campus.
without saying anything abt the substance of campus carry, i find it incredulous to casually dismiss over half of the state’s population’s feelings about public safety in public institutions. institutions that they may in fact encounter or be intertwined with even if they never personally visit a campus. for instance, maybe they have a child who may go to a campus some day. the premise of counting only those who may take advantage of a law is absurd.
Maybe next time they should poll only those that possess carry permits.
or the ppl who may at some time obtain a permit? or the ppl who are on campus or may at some point be on campus or have a loved one on campus? or the ppl who financially support the campus? or the ppl who elect representatives to administer the campus?
Trump is dumber and much more impulsive than Hannity, so there’s certainly cause to fear the tweet of a sociopath President so easily trolled, especially when he proposes major foreign policy/defense changes and doesn’t even know what the nuclear triad is.
You are aware that the election is over, right? Your team lost.
Does that preclude criticism somehow?
Not at all. I was simply pointing out the fact that the election is over. I distinctly remember being told in 2009 that my team had lost and the savior Barack Obama was going to save us all and that I needed to have a seat and be quiet. My team had lost.
I won’t stoop to the level of that person and say Trump is our savior becasue he isn’t. My hope is that he tires of being president and Pence gets to step in.
I still can’t stand the guy, but do love the people he is surrounding himself with.
and won or lost, the man is still tweeting. looking forward certainly doesn’t mean to turn a blind eye.
Oh, God, the “worthy opposition” brigade…Do you want some Cheese with that never ending Whine?!
personally, i’m not a whiner. but there is that whole checks and balances and accountability thing that i wouldn’t dismiss either. i also hope for negotiated collaboration rather than pointless opposition for the sake of opposition. i think the 1st opposition the pres-elect must deal with is from republican congresspeople.
Eiger, Lucky you…got the (Made in China) Championship T shirt. The ‘Team’ triumph does not diminish the reality that a childish, impetuous, fact denying, constantly lying, bankrupt, debt ridden, narcissistic, sociopathic, bully is about to be our president.
Go back through all of my posts this election cycle. You will clearly see I hated the guy and still don’t like him. I got over it and you can too. Or continue to whine. It’s up to you.
Thanks for your additional comments. I agree, whining does no good. Neither does staying silent about the endless BS from our elected representatives.
I’m sure Mattis will call YOU, Dave, and have you explain what the nuclear triad is…Thank The Lord, you’re here…
As far as being trolled, he’s gonna bust the ass of anybody, especially the media, who distorts and lies about what he says…I cannot wait to see which media organization has it’s White House credentials suspended/revoked first…
Kind of like Obama taking credit for cutting the deficit in half after he doubled it in his first two years and then the Republicans took control of the House and started cutting things? You mean like that…..
Keep on whining. The man isn’t in office yet, but somehow he is responsible for “kicking 30 million people off of health insurance while simultaneously killing 3 million jobs and creating massive uncertainty within the healthcare industry.”
Isn’t the deficit a Republican creation that was unstoppable by Obama?
Not at all. When Obama came into office he and the Democrat controlled Congress went on a spending spree and doubled the yearly deficit. Republicans then took control in the 2010 midterm elections and started fighting Obama’s massive increase in federal spending. That is when Obama started taking credit for the reduction in the deficit when in reality it was becasue of House republicans.
So the Trillions in debt/deficit created during the Bush years are just ignored?
No, they aren’t ignored. There is a big difference in deficit spending and the actual debt we have. Yes there were deficits during the Bush years and those deficits went towards increasing our debt. And yes there were republicans like me that were upset that Bush was running what we thought were massive deficits. We didn’t believe that a single president would run a deficit over a trillion, but we were wrong.
President Barack Obama: Total Projected Plus Actual Deficits = $6.616 trillion
FY 2017 – $441 billion projected.
FY 2016 – $600 billion expected.
FY 2015 – $438 billion.
FY 2014 – $485 billion.
FY 2013 – $679 billion.
FY 2012 – $1.087 trillion.
FY 2011 – $1.300 trillion.
FY 2010 – $1.587 ($1.294 trillion plus $253 billion from the Obama Stimulus Act that was attached to the FY 2009 budget).
President George W. Bush: Total = $3.293 trillion
FY 2009 – $1.16 trillion. ($1.413 trillion minus $253 billion from Obama’s Stimulus Act)
FY 2008 – $459 billion.
FY 2007 – $161 billion.
FY 2006 – $248 billion.
FY 2005 – $318 billion.
FY 2004 – $413 billion.
FY 2003 – $378 billion.
FY 2002 – $158 billion.
Notice that republicans took over the House in 2010. When did the deficit start dropping? It has dropped every year that republicans have controlled the House under Obama. That is not just by chance.
Also notice when the the “big deficits” started. Who controlled Congress in 2008 when the the deficit went from $161 billion to $459 billion? You got it… Pelosi and Reid.
So yes, President Obama was disingenuous when he said he cut the deficit. He didn’t. He increased it then the republicans cut it for him.
“It has dropped every year that republicans have controlled the House under Obama. That is not just by chance.” Actually that is not true. Spending this year increased for a number of reasons and it shouldn’t have. Republicans didn’t fight hard enough this year. They will need to do better next year.
Thanks for the details. I know there are differences between deficit/debt/spending. I just don’t understand the minutae to actually use those intelligently here. Admitting my ignorance, and thanking everyone here-as usual-when I need to be schooled.
Couple of things that I would like to say that I believe expose your hypocriticalness. Is that a word? Probably not. Trump makes up words so I will too.
“I’m not going to hammer the guy over doing what he thought was necessary to save the economy.” Yet, you will attack republicans for passing spending cuts and tax reductions. We believe less federal spending along with letting people spend their own money is what will save the economy.
So your real statement should be “I’m not going to hammer the guy over doing what I thought was necessary to save the economy.” Fixed that for ya.
Next, we have this profound statement, “like President W. Bush, had to deal with higher mandatory spending as the result of increases to Social Security and Medicare benefits brought about by an aging population.” Wow, a democrat that sees the real problem. I’m clapping at my desk at how proud I am right now, but my excitement is short lived becasue I know you are one of the guys who attacks us republicans for wanting to fix social security and medicare so that we can keep the promises we made to current seniors and so that the safety net will be there for future generations as well. See I didn’t say cut just for future debate reference here.
I’ll tweak your statement once again. “I’m not going to hammer the guy over doing what he thought was necessary to save social security and medicare.” That is what you should say, but you don’t. Why? One word.
Hypocriticalness
1) I will eagerly admit that republicans have a problem with spending, but I will also admit that I don’t believe you can cut or tax your way out of the deficit spending and debt we have. The only way to fix the problem of our debt is to grow our way out of it. Cutting taxes and federal spending will help our economy grow itself out of deficit spending. This is what happened when the economy was booming in the late 90s.
2) “I think reasonable people can disagree on the steps the Administration took (as you and I seem to), but given where the economy is today, I’d say he did a halfway decent job.” I’d argue that the crippling deficits and massive regulatory burden from agencies like the EPA and others has caused us to have the slowest recovery in modern history. But we can disagree on that.
3) “However, I’m not going to hold back on Republicans, or anyone else, wanting to control entitlement spending while simultaneously advocating for a repeal of Obamacare without a viable replacement plan.” Here is your solution. TrumpCare (aka known as Tom Price’s Empowering Patients first act)
“Since Medicare and Medicaid benefits are mandatory spending, the only way to lower expenditures is to lower the cost of healthcare nationwide. “ Here is your solution. TrumpCare (aka known as Tom Price’s Empowering Patients first act)
Link to the Empowering Patients First Act is at the bottom of this page. http://tomprice.house.gov/HR2300
just from rough memory, the U.S. has engaged in annual budget deficit spending since the 70’s, with the exception of like 1997-2001 or something similar.
True. I’ll point you to my comment above and ask you who controlled Congress in 1997?
well, republicans gained control of both houses in 1994, correct?
so…delay of game? note: there is most always some lag between policy implementation and economic effects.
anyways, i think there is often a conflation between the President and the economy that belittles both. the late 90s had a budget surplus due to not only policies of the mid-90s, but tech advancements. many would say the tech economy was more important. similarly, annual deficit spending was driven in part due to the recession economy, which included lower revenues along with the spending policies.
I’m well aware of how this all works. And yes there are a lot of factors that play into what causes the deficit. But I will say it again, “President Obama was disingenuous when he said he cut the deficit. He didn’t. He increased it then the republicans cut it for him.”
Don’t be too hard on Obama, Eiger. Votes cost more money these days!
well, i was addressing the numbers, not the rhetoric. but to get to the rhetoric: the Pres signs the appropriations bills passed by Congress. whether there were extended negotiations or not, there existed some level of agreement on spending. so, when he said “we” (not “I”) reduced the deficit, well, that’s true. he may even have included the Congress as implicit partners in that. totally politician-lawyer speak. but does that make all “spin” disingenuous?
for the record, i think most all spin has at least a dash of intent to obscure, if not deceive. but it’s also just putting your best argument forward. like a strong first negotiating position. who, then, should cast the 1st stone?
And by “The Republicans” we mean the Economic Recovery. The deficit dropped because the economy stopped being in freefall. But more to the point, the idea that cutting spending and the deficit in the middle of an economic freefall is a good idea is a particularly stupid one: It’s called the paradox of thrift for a reason. Obama cut the deficit from the heights of 08-09 because most of the spending was a temporary measure (TARP, Stimulus, etc.). The GOP trashed the Clinton surplus because their measures were structural changes: The huge Bush tax cuts. And, of course, if you want to talk deficit reduction, one reason it went down under Obama is that, unlike the House GOP, he was willing to let them expire on top earners. Of course, Ryan and co. are gearing up for another new round of massive tax cuts for them anyway, because they’re the real fiscal conservatives.
“Republican leaders doubt Trump’s administration can better relations with Russia.” Trump only want business deals that profit him, his family, and the people he owes ‘big league’ money. He doesn’t care whether America and Russia can have ‘better relations.’
Is your first sentence a quote from somewhere? And are your sentences two and three your opinion or another quote?
Sentence one – morning read topic in quotes. Opinion follows.
Ok. Well, those last two sentences have to be disingenuous on your part. He doesn’t need more money and I guarantee you he cares about America. You’re better than this.
Maybe it’s just me, but his words and actions suggest he is flat broke.
if only there were some objective way to measure and document income, and losses and profits from business.
The entertainment world including much of mass media has declared a seige of ugliness on Trump, creating drama to get attention. The president-elect and his supporters will not sit quietly.
Meryl Steep got unexpectedly insulting (not jokes) at the Golden Globes at a president elect. Not acceptable behavior.
A popular actor took a cheap shot at Trump on tv today, the audience booed and the program went back on track promoting his latest entertainment work.
Saying what you are for to a mass audience trumps who you are against.
I will take Streep’s behavior over Trump mocking a disabled person any day of the week. She had an audience. Hurts to hear the truth, doesn’t it? You support a horrible person. A liar. A sexual assaulter.
A racist.
We will never accept. We will never be silent.
Look at his tweet. He didn’t mock the reporter’s disability. Read his explanation. You actually have the stupidity to put anything about a “sexual assaulter” into your comments about Trump? Seriously? Locker room talk versus your candidate’s husband ACTUALLY brutally raping a woman and sexually harassing scores of others? God, you have Kool Aid poisoning! You are truly sad.
Don’t sh*t in my hand and tell me it’s a bar of gold. I have seen the video. Millions have seen the video. He is lying. Again. He lies.
Deluded women who change their story of ‘rape’numerous times tend to not be believed.
just looking at ms. streep’s comments abt the disabled reporter and the responsive tweet: mr. trump’s explanation was bogus. there is a reason why he can say something 100 times and not have anyone believe him. and it’s not partisanship. it’s bc the explanation is a tortured attempt to justify obviously poor if not terrible behavior. and not a drop of apology, which would have resolved the issue cleanly. the tweet then devolves into name-calling, saying ms. streep’s abilities are over-rated… we’ve seen that move to evade and attack before. i don’t think anyone, especially actors, regardless of party affiliation, doubts her acting ability.
“We will never accept. We will never be silent.” You’re dang right about that. We will never accept the criminal behavior that has been engaged in by both Clintons. Thanks to a genuinely honest Justice Department, they both will be going to jail. You better hope Obama pardons them.
Be a dear and actually specify what criminal charges they are guilty of that won’t get said Justice Department immediately laughed out of federal court? Please be specific and show your work.
Sure. Five words for her: “Gross Negligence ” and “Pay to Play.” And for him? “The Clinton Foundation.” Who’s taking bets on whether Comey is let go within a month?
When I said “Show your work” I actually meant it. Demonstrate the “pay to play.” Demonstrate what, precisely, is illegal about “The Clinton Foundation.” Demonstrate a case actually prosecuted for “Gross Negligence” and whether there’s a demonstrable line of case law that would support a charge. You can’t. And if you can, prove it.
I’ll let Sessions prove it. In the meantime read Swietzer’s book on The Foundation. It’s the basis for the FBI’s entire criminal case. The next few months should be really interesting, to say the least.
You mean this one…?
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/clinton-cash-publisher-corrects-7-or-8-inaccurate-passages-117946
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/05/05/clinton-cash-author-peter-schweizer-admits-hes/203528
Yep! That guy. Trump comes out and says he doesn’t want to do her or her family harm. Obama doesn’t pardon her for any number of legitimate legacy reasons and then – boom – she’s vulnerable to the Bureau’s continuing probe. Trump is crazy like a fox. This is going to be so funny to watch. Who do yall think replaces the hapless Comey?