Posts Tagged ‘politics’

Check out our first politics file of the season

here.

Includes midterms and agenda evidence including hard to find Democrats uniqueness as well as economic stimulus, stem cell research, and more!

We are back! Here’s our first card of the day for this season:

NO AGENDA ITEMS BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER – CONGRESS IS DEADLOCKED

REUTERS 9-1-2010

OBAMA STRUGGLES WITH URGENT TASK OF FIXING ECONOMY, BOHAN

(Reuters) – President Barack Obama has declared fixing the U.S. economy his “central mission” but he has few tools to bring down nearly double-digit unemployment or jump-start the faltering recovery this year.

To get a quick fix, he would need a big initiative, but the president stands almost no chance of getting Congress to pass any substantial legislation in the few weeks left before the mid-term elections — a stretch of time he calls the campaign “silly season.”

Even if he could, it would be too late to help his Democratic party before Election Day on November 2.

“Between now and the time the Congress packs up for good to spend full-time on the fall campaign, the chances are between slim and none that any new significant economic legislation will pass,” said William Galston, a former domestic policy adviser to President Bill Clinton and now a scholar at the Brookings Institution think-tank.

Obama returned on Sunday from a 10-day vacation in Martha’s Vineyard to confront a batch of grim economic data and rising frustrations among Americans about the scarcity of jobs.

His week is jam-packed with foreign policy events, and he has scrambled to tell voters that the economy is his top concern.

Obama and his aides are discussing new measures they want to roll out quickly but the White House has suggested these will be “targeted” rather than a bold new package.

So that leaves the presidential bully pulpit as the main tool Obama must rely on to both convince voters and inspire confidence among businesses, consumers and investors.

But critics accuse him of fumbling that effort.

“This is a president who has lost control of his public message. It wanders unleashed from park to alley, stopping to sniff every cable news story along the way,” Michael Gerson, a former speech writer for President George W. Bush, wrote in the Washington Post on Wednesday.

Gerson said that instead of focusing on “jobs, jobs, jobs,” the White House has allowed the conversation to drift to subjects like immigration and a planned mosque near the site of the September 11 attacks in New York.

IMPACT – START – NUCLEAR WAR / SPILLOVER

START PAVES THE WAY TO REDUCTIONS WORLDWIDE AND PREVENT NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE

HUFFINGTON POST 4-27-2010

NEW START AND THE OBAMA NUCLEAR AGENDA, GARD

New START is also being criticized for not going much further in reducing not only deployed strategic warheads but also the number of warheads each side holds in reserve. Yet the treaty must be evaluated in the context of President Obama’s full nuclear agenda as outlined in his April 5, 2009 speech in Prague. Russia and the United States, between them, hold about 95% of the world’s nuclear weapons. Restoration of a stable and predictable U.S.-Russian nuclear relationship and further movement away from their dangerous cold war nuclear postures are important to obtain the cooperation of other states in the comprehensive nuclear agenda. Also, the President views New START as an interim step towards seeking to reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles of the other nuclear states, such as China, France, Great Britain, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea.

It is widely recognized that the worldwide nuclear non-proliferation arrangements embodied in a 1970’s treaty signed by most of the nations is eroding. Strong measures must be taken to prevent an increase in the number of states with nuclear arsenals, with the attendant increased dangers of their use and to decrease the likelihood of terrorists obtaining a nuclear bomb. The Administration’s nuclear policy study, released on April 6th, elevates the prevention of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism to the top priority on the U.S. policy agenda. The new policy is another important step in reducing the salience of nuclear weapons in U.S. security strategy by limiting the circumstances in which nuclear weapons would be employed.

At President Obama’s invitation more than forty heads of state or their representatives gathered in Washington, DC, on April 12th and 13th, with the goal of setting guidelines to prevent terrorists from stealing or buying the materials to make nuclear bombs. The summit focused on securing all worldwide fissile materials, useful in fashioning nuclear bombs, within four years.

New START is just that: a start. Despite the end of the U.S.-Soviet competition, the remaining 23,000 nuclear bombs across the globe present a clear and present danger to U.S. security. The President’s program to focus the world’s attention on this problem and to take serious steps to ameliorate this threat is critical to preventing nuclear catastrophes.

IMPACT – START – IRAN

START WILL BOOST US-RUSSIAN COOPERATION ON IRAN

INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE 4-9-2010

US SIGNALS NUCLEAR ARMS TREATY WITH RUSSIA, BAKER

Mr. Obama hopes to use the trust built during

the treaty negotiations to leverage more cooperation from Moscow on other issues, most notably pressuring Iran to give up its nuclear program.

Speaking after signing the treaty with Mr. Medvedev, Mr. Obama said the United States and Russia were ”part of a coalition of nations insisting that the Islamic Republic of Iran face consequences, because they have continually failed to meet their obligations” under international rules governing the use of nuclear materials.

”Those nations that refuse to meet their obligations will be isolated and denied the opportunity that comes with international integration,” he said. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, but the United States and its Western allies suspect that Tehran wants to build a nuclear weapon.

CONSENSUS IS THAT OBAMA WILL GET HIS CHOICE OF NOMINEE BUT IT WON’T BE WITHOUT A MAJOR FIGHT

INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY 4-12-2010

JUSTICE STEVENS’ EXIT MAY MOLD SENATE MORE THAN COURTS, HIGGINS

GOP No Longer Powerless

Scott Brown’s stunning Massachusetts victory on Jan. 20 means Republicans have the power to block an Obama nomination. Last year, they lacked the strength to even try to filibuster Sotomayor’s confirmation. The consensus is the president ultimately will get his choice on the bench, however.

Stevens, who turns 90 this month, was nominated by President Ford in 1975. Initially assumed to be right-leaning, he moved left early on and became the leader of the court’s liberal wing after the retirement of Justice Thurgood Marshall in 1991.

With the current court so closely divided, any vacancy holds the possibility of tipping its balance. That makes the stakes high for the Senate since the nomination could influence the court for decades.

The last several nominations have been intensely fought with White Houses trying to satisfy core supporters without getting bogged down in confirmation battles.

Carrie Severino, chief counsel to the conservative Judicial Crisis Network, notes the timing of Stevens’ announcement puts the onus on Obama to have a replacement before October, when the court’s next session begins.

“The president will be under a lot of pressure to appoint somebody who can actually be confirmed. He’s got one shot to do this,” Severino said.

Pushing through a liberal nominee in the current environment will likely be tough. That may explain the brief statements from many Democrats Friday stressing a need to avoid conflict.

“Fair, Respectful Hearings’

Reid called for the GOP to join them in “conducting fair, respectful hearings and (a) swift confirmation.” Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Judiciary Committee, called for a “thoughtful and civil discourse.”

Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on the other hand, sounded like he was gearing up for a fight.

“Americans can expect Senate Republicans to make a sustained and vigorous case for judicial restraint and the fundamental importance of an even-handed reading of the law,” McConnell said in a statement.

Ponnuru said that if — as is likely — Obama nominates somebody who is seen as a liberal, Republicans will use that in the election “because the electorate this year is a conservative electorate.”

“Republicans have moved away from the simple-minded deference to presidential nominees that characterized their behavior during the Clinton years,” Ponnuru said, noting that Democrats similarly fought against Republican nominees.

This time, liberals are treading carefully. Asked if she had an ideal nominee, Aron said yes, but she wasn’t going to say who.

“That would be the kiss of death, so I’m just going to keep my big mouth shut,” she said.

We’ve got updates on new disads including Education Reform and Nuclear Power, as well as some old staples including Health Care, Budget Deficits, Climate Change, and more!

Get your file here.

AFF – IMMIGRATION REFORM – INTERNAL LINK

NO CHANCE OF IMMIGRATION REFORM – NOBODY IS PUSHING

LA TIMES 2-10-2010

COME TOGETHER RIGHT NOW, JACOBY

Like a door slamming shut, the conventional wisdom is hardening. The chances that Congress will take up comprehensive immigration reform this year are increasingly seen as poor to nil.

What killed the prospect, many think, was the Massachusetts special election to replace the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. Democrats and Republicans both heard the message: Voters are angry at Washington, and incumbents are at risk for their political lives.

And many lawmakers drew what seemed like the obvious conclusion: Don’t touch anything controversial between now and election day in November. Stick to the blandest diet possible, nothing but political comfort food.

And of course, immigration reform is anything but political comfort food.

IL – DADT – POLITICAL CAPITAL

OBAMA’S PERSONAL INTERVENTION WILL BE KEY TO DADT

DEFENSE AND AEROSPACE BUSINESS 2-10-2010

EXPERTS SAY PRESIDENT OBAMA’S REMARKS ON GAY BAN, PALM CENTER

Experts said tonight that President Obama’s endorsement of congressional repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” during his State of the Union address falls short of the challenges ahead for repeal in 2010. “Including repeal in the State of the Union Address makes clear that the President considers this issue important,” said Christopher Neff, Deputy Executive Director of the Palm Center and previously the first federal lobbyist for “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal. “Yet the path to repeal will require both a command decision by the President and a clear timeline which follows. Leadership from the Pentagon will likely be mixed during upcoming hearings, and votes will be close in the House and Senate. It’s the President who is the game-changer on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ in 2010.”

For one of the biggest weekends of the year, we’ve made sure to include the most recent evidence hot off the presses from this morning.

DC is largely snowed in, but many politics scenarios are ripe for running this weekend.

• DADT
• Midterms
• Jobs Stimulus
• Climate Change & Energy

and MORE!

Get your politics updates now!

Wow. The biggest weekend of the season, with thousands of debaters on both coasts!

We’re hard at work on what will be our best politics file yet, and aim to have it posted with the most recent evidence by MIDNIGHT tonight! (*UPDATE: Check in the morning)

Also, we will be Live-Blogging the Cal Tournament this weekend – so check back for thoughts, insights, funny stories, and pictures. (And of course, results).

Good luck as you continue your preparations.

OBAMA PUSHING DADT – PRESIDENT IS KEY TO PASSAGE

DEFENSE & AEROSPACE BUSINESS 2-10-2010

EXPERTS PREVIEW OBAMA’S OPTIONS ON DON’T ASK DON’T TELL, THE PALM CENTER

The Palm Center today shared its analysis of President Obama’s likely options as he is expected to address the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law and policy during Wednesday night’s State of the Union Address. The analysis appears below.

“President Obama has the opportunity to announce the end of one of the most notorious policies of federal discrimination left standing in the United States,” said Christopher Neff, Deputy Executive Director of the Palm Center. “This is a defining moment.” Neff noted that last week, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Skelton (D-MO) expressed his support for retaining “don’t ask, don’t tell,” while this week Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) reiterated his long-time support for repealing the policy. “The President is not just the tie-breaker here,” said Neff. “He’s the Commander-in-Chief, and he gives the orders as head of the armed forces. The question now is how strong a position the President will take.”

In recent months, “don’t ask, don’t tell” has been identified as one of the main “enthusiasm gap” issues for Democrats and one of the signature campaign promises yet to be addressed by the President. Reports indicate that President Obama may announce support from military leaders for repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” in his Wednesday night speech. If true, the White House must decide how exactly to deploy that support to navigate the challenging waters of changing the law in a tough political climate.

“Presidents are tasked with important choices and this is one of those choices,” said Nathaniel Frank, Senior Research Fellow at the Palm Center. “The military community and gay community will be watching to see how the President keeps his promises or keep us waiting.” Frank, a historian who has closely studied the history of this controversial issue, said that delays and inaction by both political and military leaders have caused more problems than resolutions in the past. “The key here is acting decisively, just as in war itself,” he said. “This is essential both politically and operationally, because the last thing that’s needed is a protracted replay of the 1993 culture wars.”

Neff noted that the upcoming annual budget hearings in early February will be the next test for the President’s position. These budget hearings will bring the service chiefs from all the departments before the House and Senate committees ahead of any formal “don’t ask, don’t tell” hearings and could serve as a platform for the delay strategy offered by opponents of repeal.

Part of Obama’s new budget includes billions more for educational programs, and a change in emphasis from testing to focus on career preparation. While No Child Left Behind has often been a political football, here’s hoping that this funding change will sail smoothly through:

President Barack Obama is seeking a major overhaul of the U.S. education system, with a shift from an emphasis on testing to an emphasis on career preparation — a plan that he is backing up with billions in budget incentives.

The administration has already pumped $100 billion into education and is now moving to rewrite legislation that has governed the nation’s schools for nearly a decade.

Obama’s proposed $3.8 trillion budget includes $49.7 billion for education, and much of the 7.5 percent increase is focused on programs under No Child Left Behind, which could come up for reauthorization this year.

In the week since Obama’s State of the Union, he has begun to work with congressional allies and opponents to lay the groundwork for his ambitious agenda, including:

• Climate Change
• Budget
• START
• DADT

and much more!

Get Your File Now!

1NC – IMMIGRATION REFORM

OBAMA PUSHING IMMIGRATION REFORM IN THE STATE OF THE UNION – WILL BE A TOUGH POLITICAL TASK BUT BOTH PARTIES WILL COME TOGETHER TO PASS – KEY TO ECONOMY

SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS NEWS 1-28-2010

PRESIDENT PITCHES IMMIGRATION REFORM, MARTIN

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama urged lawmakers in his State of the Union speech Wednesday to drop partisan divisions and pass immigration reform legislation.

“We should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system,” Obama said, “to secure our borders, enforce our laws and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation.”

The president supports earned legal status for the estimated 12 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States, a contentious issue that has blocked reform legislation in the past.

Republicans oppose citizenship measures as an amnesty for lawbreakers who entered the country illegally. It remains the most politically divisive issue of immigration reform efforts.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he was ready to work on a bipartisan bill to fix the broken immigration system, but said the president must be an active leader to move any legislation forward this year.

“The president cannot be a bystander and expect immigration reform to just happen,” Cornyn said.

Immigration reform this year faces election-year hurdles that include an electorate angry about the economic recession. Obama’s nod to reform in his speech was noted by Democrats.

“I am going to give the president a lot of credit for broaching the subject in this particular environment of ‘Just Say No to Everything,’ ” said Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D-San Antonio.

But Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, said the electoral victories chalked by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, both Republicans, came on campaign platforms opposing earned legalization for undocumented immigrants.

“The message from voters is twofold: listen to us, and we oppose amnesty,” Smith said.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, said politics shouldn’t “stall our progress in our efforts to achieve immigration reform,” adding, “I have faith in the president to see his promise through.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and business groups want immigration reform and guest worker programs to provide labor for industries as diverse as hospitality and high-technology.

Religious and immigrant rights groups have pushed for reform to unite families and provide a more humane approach to immigration.

A 2007 bipartisan bill failed in the Senate. A new effort has begun in the House, but not yet in the Senate.

Obama last year appointed Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to lead a bipartisan task force to work through the more volatile issues on immigration reform. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama believes Congress can build a coalition, come to consensus and pass a bill.

We’ve got some new disads this week, such as Deficit Freeze and US-Russia START treaty, as well as some updates to classic scenarios such as Health Care and Financial Regulations.

Get your file now and receive FREE updates on the political reaction to Obama’s State of the Union as it develops over the next couple days.

Some of the updates includ:

• Energy Legislation
• US-Russia START
• Financial Regulations
• Health Care
• Budget Deficits

Get your file now here!