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GOP's 'Pledge to America' lays out a governing agenda
Washington (CNN) - House Republican leaders will unveil a 21-page "Pledge to America" on Thursday that presents a "governing agenda" for what Republicans would do if they win control of Congress in November.
CNN obtained a copy of the document Wednesday.
The plan focuses primarily on jobs and the economy, with a short reference in the "preamble" to the party's position on social issues.
According to the document, House Republicans want to permanently extend all the tax cuts due to expire at the end of this year, give small businesses a tax deduction equal to 20 percent of their income and require Congress to review any new federal regulations that add to the deficit.
The document lacks, however, a pledge against unrelated pet projects that members of Congress insert in spending bills to bring funding to their home districts - known as earmarks. Banning earmarks is typically a staple of Republican policy.
Some provisions matched positions of the conservative Tea Party movement that has helped defeat mainstream Republican candidates in several primary elections this year. For example, the document calls for a federal hiring freeze on nonsecurity employees and requiring all legislation to include a clause showing that it is authorized under the Constitution. FULL STORY
Atlanta pastor cancels interview about sex scandal
Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) - Atlanta-based megachurch pastor Eddie Long, accused of coercing young men into sexual relationships, will not be interviewed on a radio show planned for Thursday.
Long was scheduled to address the civil lawsuits filed against him on the "Tom Joyner Morning Show." Instead, his lawyers will speak, Long's lawyer told Roland Martin, a syndicated columnist and CNN political analyst.
Martin was scheduled to conduct the interview because he is substituting for Joyner at the radio show.
Long had also scheduled a news conference for Thursday. It is unclear whether this decision will affect the news conference.
A third lawsuit against Long was filed Wednesday, and it prompted Long to decline to do the radio interview, the lawyers said.
The new lawsuit was filed in DeKalb County, Georgia, State Court. It was brought on behalf of Jamal Parris, now 23, who was a teenager at the time he joined Long's church.
The suit, which claims Long encouraged Parris to call him "Daddy," also names the church and a youth academy as defendants.
Allegations that Long coerced young male church members and employees into sex are "a case of retaliation and a shakedown for money by men with some serious credibility issues," Art Franklin, the pastor's spokesman, said Wednesday. FULL STORY
Warren ready for work
Elizabeth Warren, Assistant to the President on Consumer Financial Protection Bureau , on being appointed to create the Consumer Financial Protection bureau, and what her priorities will be in creating the new organization.
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Hey Congress, any words on the proposed 2011 Federal Budget? You know, the one that is due in a couple of days.
I know, I know...you have to get back to your districts to campaign for re-election...
As voters, we must decide if it is acceptable politics, irresponsibility or just ineptitude.
Send a clear and unambiguous message. GO VOTE!
@Keith,
Both partys are top grade idiots. You may make it sound like the Democrats walk on water, they have sunk many times as well, so PLEASE, don't put them up on this pedestal, because they, as well as ALL politicians are a long way from it.
Is Obama and the democrats unstated goal of America becoming a bankrupt and socolist nation in trouble?
that's the same ole bull that Newt came up with in 1994's contract with America, feed the rich and screw the poor.
Regarding the Pledge to America-
It won't work. The American people have seen this before, and are too intelligent to buy into it, again.
"I guess if a man lives long enough he gets to see everything. And I do mean everything. What else do you have in your bag of tricks? The rich have been doing it to the poor since the beginning of time. The only difference between the Pyramids and the Empire State Building is that the Egyptians didn't have unions." -Carl Fox (Wall St. 1)
The Republicans are top grade idiots! Without the wisdom, of Democrats, and without the Democrats being the grown ups in this country – the idiot Republicans would be paid pennies for their labour by corporations, they would be living in asbestos filled homes, with lead paint on the walls, and drinking, and eating contaminated food, and water sold to them by corporations.
The fact is Republicans are like children who, never grow up, never evolve in their thinking - Over the years it is the wise, grown up DEMOCRATS who have instituted regulations to protect the American consumers, including the idiot Republicans
I have to comment on the "prenatal concerns" story.ARE YOU KIDDING ME??
I'm 56 years old and my parents generation preached about an expectant mother's diet and mental health.If you only listened to your elders THIS WOULDN'T BE NEWS.
And the idea that the correspondent heard of this program,in China,called the "cultural revolution" makes me wonder if our high schools are doing their job in basic ed.
PS-What's Lindsey Lohan up to?!
Donald Trump may have $4.5 billion, but his ideas are barely worth two cents. One wonders why CNN pays him so much deference and gives his musings so much air time.
Now he wants to tax China while lowering taxes for himself and his multi – millionaire buddies. He thinks the US should have confiscated Kuwait's oil and force Kuwait to invest in the US while his fat-cat buddies sit on their cash bundles, refusing to invest and hire Americans, and threaten to abscond off shore to evade taxes.
He worries that the US is losing respect worldwide. The answer to the question why is obvious – Donald Trump and the attitude that everyone else should solve America's problems so that the Donald and his ilk can live high on the hog.
The GOP/Tea Party "pledge" to require that every bill is justifiable per the Constitution is going to be interesting. Does the GOP/Tea Party believe the Founding Fathers envisioned nuclear power, global warming,the Patriot Act's invasion of privacy and electronic snooping, terrorist threats, etc.? My guess is there will be some very selective interpretation. If the GOP/Tea Party wants some bill passed, of course they will find some justification.
Sounds a lot like the prior GOP/Tea Party move to require all candidates for President to prove citizenship - which of course was NOT inspired by the birthers... (yeah, right)
Paul Ryan DID NOT answer how he, and the Republicans are going to create jobs ? What is the Republicans going to do to create jobs?
The Republicans have NO PLANS! NONE!
Paul Ryan also did NOT explain how he, and the Republicans are going to pay for the $4 TRILLION dollar tax cut they want. They have no way to pay for that – NONE! The Republicans will be adding that $4 TRILLIONS dollar to the deficit! The Republicans have no intention of reducing the deficit – they are going to INCREASE the deficit by $4 TRILLION dollars!!!! If the Republicans win – we will truly go bankrupt!
Plus, I notice that the Republicans are STILL going to be applying for earmarks! The Repulicans are already the TOP earmarkers in BOTH the House, and Senate, I guess they Republicans intend to continue EARMARKS.
So NOTHING has changed with the Republicans – except they want to add $ 4 TRILLION dollars to the already large deficit.
Just Pathetic!
ObamaCare isn't a pledge to special interest .. ie ... insurance companies? How isn't it? Hasn't Obama bailed out "big business" with his failed "bail-out" plans?
Americans need to realize... neither party is looking out for the best interest of the Country but only for their own special interest.
What is a bigger threat to the world... Iran acquiring nuclear power .. or Israel already having nuclear weapons? Israel has already shown ... and continues to show that it is a terrorist state and cares not for the human rights of others.
Dr Gupta talking about an experimental heart valve treatment that could save 1,000's of lives. Unfortunately, most insurers will deny the treatment due to it being experimental. It also won't be available to any of the 51 million uninsured Americans. So unless you have the money or are in Congress, you won't find this life saving surgery available to you.
Just another example why the HCR bill needs to be made stronger rather than being repealed. The GOP had a chance to help make the bill stronger. Instead, they succeeded in watering it down & almost blocked it by lying about pulling the plug on grandma, death panels, etc. The saddest part of this is many Americans believed them!
I can only hope Andrew Cuomo is defeated shortly. I am not sure why he has snowed so many people in New York – maybe it is the Kennedy glamor. He was head of HUD and made most of the policies that heavily contributed to the housing crisis we have today. Then as Attorney General he nearly wiped out an entire industry of appraisers while making his AMC (Appraisal Management Company) and Banker friends very wealthy. All of the actions that I have seen from him over the years are generally done without thinking and without any thought about unintended consequences. If he becomes Governor of New York. Watch out, the middle class and below will be in worse off for it. I hope someone finally puts him in his place!
PS... ObamaCare doesn't do anything for HEALTH CARE costs but instead only addressed health care INSURANCE and increases insurance companies profits. Insurance companies needs to be removed from the health care industry.
@Kieth .. why are you so opposed to all Americans getting fair and equal treatment and so in favor of some getting free health care while others have to pay 1000's to get the same treatment?
Please explain how fair it is that a mother of 9 that has never worked can get free health for herself and her kids while a working class family has to pay 1000's in insurance to get the same treatment?
I am truly amazed that the Republican party has the guts to pretend that they had nothing to do with what is going on in our economy today. They had the reigns for the 8 years prior to President Obama's watch, whereby we were plunged into two wars and went from a record budget surplus to the largest budget deficit since WWII. They also expanded government like no other administration. So much for fiscal conversativism and their dislike for "big government."
Regarding Sept 11–Had they not been asleep at the wheel in the first place, they would not have had to scramble afterward to make "national security" (i.e. airline travel) the nightmare that it is today.
Pledge to America??? We're still recovering from their last one! I can only imagine what goes on behind closed doors, considering the public displays of antagonism that make it to the news reports.
@ Dan,
President Bush found his veto powers after the Dems gained the majority. It was also at this time that the GOP began filibustering at an alarming rate. Since '08, they have been filibustering everything. Bills can't even get to the floor w/o a supermajority of 60 votes. It's not what our forefathers had in mind when they framed the Constitution. A simple majority of 51 is all that is required to pass a bill but it takes a supermajority of 60 to get past a filibuster.
The Senate also allows just 1 Senator to place a hold on a bill or Presidential appointment. As Sen Bunning did w/ extending unemployment benefits. After almost 2 years, many judgeships remain empty because of holds, not to mention heads of top agencies. With a hold in place, none of these can even to get a confirmation hearing or an up/down vote!
To the "average american" how much kickbacks have your cronies gotten in the last 10 years." No one is forcing anyone to buy insurance; they should be RESPONSIBLE to their familes and get them what they need. And of they cannot afford it, the government should step in and make it happen. That is why the middle class and the poor pay more taxes than the other 3%. You are NOT the "AVERAGE AMERICAN". People are/were dying and nothing was done (the last 8-10 years or longer) so now you want to repeal health care..BS... I have health care and if I have an emergency and I go to the ER, I do not intend to sit hours and hours for emergency treatment.
I was a republican and now over (9 years) I am an independent voter. I voted Dems on the last election because of the economic/morality crisis/issues the GOP had lead our country into. Now, the GOP is making a pledge to American (that u report is similar) to before with a few add-ons like repealing EVERYTHING Obama has implemented. Two Questions: 1) Did the GOP meet all of its previous pledges to America – can CNN provide a FACT check? and 2) Why would I vote for GOP control to put the country back in the same situation it was when we were at the worst brink of a major recession since the great depression. This doesn't make sense to someone who really thinks!!!! I mean who doesn't want clean energy? Who doesn't want healthcare for a loved one with a pre-existing condition? All of these things effect mainly the MIDDLE CLASS!!! ME!!! Now would I vote for a GOP that wants to take all of that away???
Alicia Williams
Tampa, Florida
Unfortunately, the HCR bill that was passed, is almost identical to the alternative to Hillary Clinton's HCR proposal put forth by Bob Dole & the GOP. This includes the proposed mandate. It's also almost identical to MA's HCR that was signed into law by Mitt Romney, which also included the mandate.
A study performed by MA before they passed HCR showed that many middle & upper class citizens didn't buy insurance because they were healthy. If they became sick or injured, they went to the ER & let the citizens pick up the tab for their irresponsibility.
You can argue about the mandate all you want but it's a necessary evil. If Americans choose not to buy insurance & then become sick or injured, the costs are passed onto the insured & taxpayer. Whether they show up at the ER or deplete their resources & then go on Medicaid and/or Medicare.
Enough the republicans want to get us to vote for their policies and get back the splinter group that said their policies were so bad they left for the tea party. They also want us to ignore all that they did during the time they had power and to blame the new party for doing the best they can to offset the issues they acquired from previous administrations.
They have complained about the programs and universally voted party lines to prevent anything from being done to change the economy and then blame the administration for not doing more.
You want the people to consider you do more than complain do more than vote party lines do more than destroy healthcare reform.
You can’t ignore history or you repeat it and stop telling me that that doesn’t worry about the past (that you created). I am also surprised that so many people can listen to these politicians and not realize that they are the snakes in the grass that created it.
When republicans can’t stand republicans its time for someone to say wow they really do stink and if they had done better they would have stayed in power.
But hey why deal with facts of course they don’t believe in evolution…so they will never evolve
The 'Pledge to America' would seem to be just another way of saying "No" in seven pages. Even Donna Bash has difficulty discerning anything major or positive in it.
ASK PAUL RYAN: How is it that the Republicans claim they want to reduce the deficit – when these same Republicans also want to pass tax cuts that will increase the federal deficit by $4 TRILLION dollars over the next 10 years?
ASK PAUL RYAN: How are Republicans going to pay for these tax cuts? And why would Repubalican want to add another $4 TRILLION dollars to the deficit, especially when the country is already unable to pay for the $2 TRILLION dollar tax cuts Bush passed when he was in office!
@Randall of Texas:
Let's remind ourselves who has had control of BOTH the house and the Senate since Jan 2007, as well as the White house for almost 2 years.
The Democrats could do just about anything they want; however, this President's agenda is so Liberal, 1/3 of his own party disagrees with him.
Although yes, you are partially correct with Clinton's budget, let's not put all of the blame on the Republicans. BOTH parties are to blame for this mess.
When they go to Washington and carry out their OWN agenda and not the will of their constinuents, we have problems.
God Bless.
Also, I think it's fair game to attack Bush (43) if those that want to hold leadership in the house and senate are using his policies to recontrol the office of the legislative branch. And what will that help if we have a government that is even more dysfunctional than what it is now– with nothing but grid lock, fueds, petty probes and political gamesmanship. Where none of it has a chance to help the president? Lets move forward not backwards.
Average American you are a heartless clown, and that is why you cannot understand that a President actually cares about those who have an illness, and need treatment, and need help so that they can get the treatment they need to stay alive.
I would like to know if CNN is planning to call, and ask the disgusting health Insurance companies in California – WHY they are willing to let children die – rather than offer sick children the opportunity to buy health insurance.
CNN, maybe you news folks should ask yourself, what if it was YOUR child who had a pre-existing condition, such as cancer, or a heart condition, that could be successfully treated, BUT your child would not be able to be cured, and would be left to die, simply because a health insurance company refused to offer health insurance to your child – that could pay for the treatment that could save your child's life.
The question I'd like answered is – how much kickback is Obama and his gang of cronies get for forcing Americans into buying insurance?
If we had stayed with the Clinton budget then the budget would be balanced by 2012. Now the racist white guys like Gingrich and Armey and Rove and their boys have the xtremist ready to regain control of the House and they will this time cut the legs off in half after they just knocked the middle class to its knees from behind in 2008. That is how dumb Americans are by their fickle minded TV changing mentality.
If you think the Reagan have been hoarding for the past few years well you are about to see it get even worse. You are even inclusionary or exclusionary...democrat want to include...
If the GOP was serious about reducing the deficit, they would be against extending the Bush tax cuts. They placed an end date on them because they knew they would add greatly to our nation's debt. Just extending tax cuts on those making less than $250,000.00 will add $3.2 trillion to the defict in the next 10 years. Extending all of them will add $4 trillion.
As for who the GOP considers small businesses, it was revealed yesterday that most SCorps are considered small businesses. These include billionaires like the Koch brothers & major corp's like Bechtel & the Chicago Tribune.
A hiring freeze on "non-security employees" is ridiculous also. Over the last decade, security related agencies & employees have expanded the govt to heights never before seen. One report said that just in the last few years, more than 30,000 federal buildings & offices were opened for security related agencies. Many of thse agencies are assigned the same exact tasks that other agencies are already doing. Is it any wonder that critical intelligence gets lost or overlooked?
Right out of the box on your show warren said there are too many regulations for business. Sounds like the same old corporate rhetoric. The new credit card bill raised interest rates 5-7% for people with good credit scores. We don't need help like that.
The very first thing the Republicants should pledge to do is repeal ObamaCare and replace it with a system that is fair to all Americans but like the Dumbocrats they are mostly all talk.
A religious zealot accuse of sex abuse? Where have we heard that before?