'Obamacare' shreds social safety net
By Frank Donatelli
Politico.com
January 26, 2012
Coming soon to a polling place near you: “Republicans are undermining Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Vote Democratic to stop them.” This has become a staple of liberal Democratic campaigns. Count on the Obama ‘reelection express' to pound this message home.
President Barack Obama continues to score political points in the battle over extending the payroll tax cut. Yet this fight underlines a key part of his legacy: He has weakened, perhaps fatally, the “social safety net” of entitlement programs, to which liberals claim such devotion and routinely attack conservatives for wanting to undermine.
It's a Democratic campaign staple to attack Republicans for wanting to “destroy” Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, but Obama has done a better job of that than anyone. Syrupy rhetoric is no antidote for his terrible economic policies.
Start with Medicare. The trustees who run the program have been telling us for some time that the current benefit and financing system is unsustainable. Indeed, its 2010 report notes that the Medicare “trust fund” will be exhausted five years sooner than previous estimates.
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GOP candidates spar in Florida debate in preparation for critical primary
By Frank Donatelli
FoxNews.com
January 23, 2012
Florida is easily the largest, most important and diverse state to vote in the Republican primaries so far.
It's the fourth largest state in the country and winning there is an absolute must if the eventual Republican nominee is to win the White House. Its voters include white Evangelicals, blue collar workers, lots of retired military and seniors, "refugees" from the colder state of the Northeast and Midwest, and a generous dose of minorities.
As for the candidates, each had an overriding priority in the debate Monday evening.
Newt Gingrich is riding the "Big Mo." He wanted to reassure voters that he is the "big picture conservative" who can best engage President Obama on key economic and foreign policy issues.
Mitt Romney's chief goal was to slow Gingrich's surging momentum and poll numbers. He also wanted to refocus the debate to his strength as a steady and credible conservative who has the business experience necessary to fix America's broken economy.
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Few Like Obama's Keystone Pipeline Decision
By Frank Donatelli
NewsMax.com
January 23, 2012
Everyone agrees that the 2012 election will be about jobs and the economy. Two years into a “recovery,” America still suffers from record high unemployment and underemployment. Politicians are searching far and wide for ways to generate more jobs and economic opportunity.
That's why the Obama administration's decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline is so stunning. The pipeline would carry oil from the oil sands fields of Western Canada to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico and generate as many as 20,000 new jobs, many in construction.
The proposal has overwhelming public support, including strong support from many Democrats as well as national labor unions.
The pipeline would further energy independence, i.e., access to energy supplies from friendly sources, a stated goal of Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns since the 1970s. Yet the administration still said no to this project.
So we have to ask: who exactly is happy with this decision?
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DONATELLI: Walker confident despite looming recall
By Frank Donatelli
WashingtonTimes.com
December 22, 2011
Wisconsin GOP governor believes doing the right thing is a winning strategy
The class of Republican governors and state legislators elected in 2010 are fully invested in fundamental reforms at the state level. These Republican officeholders are moving aggressively to reform governmental institutions, tax policy and large state programs such as education and Medicaid. In effect, they're finally bringing the states into the 21st century.
By any reckoning, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is a leader in this class of reformers. He was a successful county executive in heavily Democratic Milwaukee County, winning re-election in 2008 with nearly 60 percent of the vote even as Barack Obama was carrying the county handily. He was elected governor last year with a dual charge to reform a bloated, inefficient state government and establish a pro-business environment to create long-term private-sector jobs.
He has begun to deliver on those promises. He has already reformed the state agency charged with bringing jobs to the state by substantially increasing participation of the private sector and job creators. He held the line on taxes and balanced a budget that was deeply in the red. A state that had lost more than 150,000 jobs from 2007 to 2010 has seen a net increase in private sector jobs in 2011, Mr. Walker's first year in office.
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DONATELLI: Remember who we're fighting
By Frank Donatelli
WashingtonTimes.com
December 9, 2011
Obama the 'Occupier'
Barack Obama has never had a limited view of his importance to America. This is a man who wrote two - two - books about himself before he ever held a real job. His nomination made his wife finally feel pride in her country. On the last night of the primary season in 2008, this humble man proclaimed, "This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal."
So it should come as no surprise that President Obama feels that America's institutions, developed over 200-plus years, are inadequate to give most Americans a "fair chance" in life. In a major speech in a Kansas high school, Mr. Obama told us too many Americans no longer can become part of the middle class, whether or not they play by the rules. He blames not himself, of course, but large corporations and wealthy interests, many of which also contribute to his campaign. America has pioneered democracy, the rule of law, free-market economics and the Bill of Rights, but Mr. Obama thinks it's our system that denies most Americans a "fair chance" to succeed.
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December 1941: The Month That Changed America Forever
By Frank Donatelli
HumanEvents.com
December 7, 2011
The tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, will long be remembered by Americans. So too will November 22, 1963, and the assassination of President John F Kennedy. Yet the most important date of the last 100 years in American history continues to be Dec. 7, 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, a date that will forever live in "infamy," a day that forever changed the character of the American Republic and its people.
Craig Shirley examines the entire month that led to World War II in December 1941: 31 Days that Changed America and Saved the World in a successful attempt to capture the sights and sounds of that long-ago era. In impressive detail, he tells us about the attitudes, cultural mores and prejudices of an America on the eve of entry into the second great war. (It was not yet World War II). He also chronicles America's response to the Japanese attack as it abruptly switches from peacetime pursuits to a war footing to begin the massive effort that would ultimately vanquish the first great totalitarian menace of the 20th century.
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The demise of Herman Cain
By Frank Donatelli
TheHill.com
December 5, 2011
The presidential campaign of Herman Cain is now history and a wild ride it was. An "also ran" when the campaign began, he took off like a rocket, and despite arrows from the liberal establishment, or maybe because of them, he soared above the GOP field until he was laid low by charges, rumors and just plain sophomore mistakes. The outcome of few races are inevitable and Cain’s implosion certainly was not inevitable. Here are a couple of things he could have done to change the result.
GET SOME COMPETENT HELP. A presidential campaign requires a full cast but Cain’s effort was a one-man performance from the beginning. He had no committee of wise men, few committed fundraisers and no staff that had ever been involved in a national effort. His staff had no experience with the pressures of a national campaign -- hence were of no help to the candidate when the tough times came. A green staff and a green candidate who had run statewide only once previously couldn’t handle the pressures of the national microscope candidates are constantly under. In politics, experience really does matter.
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Obama's Lack of Leadership Killed Off Supercommittee
By Frank Donatelli
Newsmax.com
November 28, 2011
There is a revolution occurring in U.S. domestic energy production.
The skeptics have been proven right. The super committee failed in its attempt to agree on a package of $1.2 trillion of deficit reduction over the next 10 years. But it was not for a lack of trying.
Most members worked hard to find common ground. They looked at many proposals from past commissions, ideas from other committees of Congress as well as their own plans. In the end, the committee was done in by a lack of leadership in high places and competing visions of America's future.
Let's first note the total lack of leadership by the president of the United States. Big initiatives like deficit reduction cannot happen without the president's active involvement and President Barack Obama's administration never participated in any serious way in the committee's work.
On the few occasions he spoke about the committee in public, it was almost always in a partisan context, threatening to veto any agreement that didn't contain job-killing tax increases or one that did include meaningful entitlement reform. Yet cynically, he talked openly about a large deal of $3 trillion or $4 trillion, even as he opposed the elements that might have made such an agreement possible.
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Energy Independence Is Within Reach
By Frank Donatelli
Newsmax.com
November 9, 2011
There is a revolution occurring in U.S. domestic energy production.
Are the "green jobs" so heavily subsidized by the Obama administration finally coming to fruition? Maybe it is ethanol-based fuels that benefit from huge tax breaks? Is it a solar panel breakthrough from companies like Solyndra that received a half-billion-dollar loan guarantee from the federal government?
You may be surprised to learn that it is none of the above. The revolution in American domestic energy production comes from old-fashioned fossil fuels. That's right, oil and gas exploration and production is on the upswing here in America. This is despite the "cold war" against fossil fuels.
Just to recap, this administration has hindered exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, set the EPA on a jihad against the industry, championed removal of energy tax incentives that would still be available to non-energy companies, and heavily subsidized alternative energy sources.
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Republican momentum is still strong!
The Republican momentum generated in the wake of
the 2010 elections is still strong. The unpopularity of President Obama and the
utter failure of his economic policies make the GOP the logical home for those
seeking change and a distinctly different path from the disastrous road we are
on. The table is set for 2012 when Americans will say no to the Obama record of
high taxes, record breaking deficits and 9% unemployment.
The results from last night's elections were
encouraging, but much remains to be done. Victory one year from now will not be
easy. We must work together to recruit and
train candidates to defeat the Obama agenda and his far left policies. We must identify and register more Republicans. We must reach out to more women, Hispanics, and other minorities that share our values.
With less than one year until voters take to the
polls again, we are continuing the
movement to elect more conservative Republicans at all levels of government across the country. I am pleased to report to you about many
Republican victories in last night's elections. We are proud to have
played a role in directly supporting the candidates running in these races and
as we look to 2012 and beyond, we will study these races for ideas to
elect more Republicans to office and
getting our country back on track.
Virginia Senate and House
Last night was a nail biter for the people of Virginia with control of
the Senate up for grabs. Ultimately control of the chamber came down to just 86
votes in favor of Republican challenger Bryce Reeves against incumbent Senator
R. Edward Houck (D). This win along with the victory of Senator Bill Stanley
against three term Democrat Roscoe Reynolds ties the Senate 20-20 with
Republican Lt. Governor Bill Bolling as the tie breaking vote. We were also
successful in the House, increasing the Republican majority by 7 seats for a
total of 66 out of 100 seats with one
more race too close to call.
New Jersey Senate and Assembly
This cycle, we
contributed to over 50 candidates running for local and state legislative
office in New Jersey.
Today, we are glad to report to you that our efforts helped elect a number of these candidates
and maintain all Republican senate seats.
Mississippi Statewide and Legislative Elections
As expected, Lt.
Governor Phil Bryant was victorious last night winning the race to replace
Haley Barbour as Governor. This is the first time two Republican governors have
been elected consecutively in Mississippi
in modern times. In the Legislature, Republicans maintained their majority in
the Senate with a possible pickup of 3
seats for a total of 30 out of 52. In the House, reports indicate that Republicans are leading in enough races to win control of that chamber as well.
In closing, we are proud to have played a role in all these
races and congratulate the candidates on running strong and focused campaigns. All of our efforts here are made possible by your
generous and continuing support. Your
help is timely and most appreciated.
Obama Is the New Carter
By Frank Donatelli
Newsmax.com
October 12, 2011
Remember the heady days of 2008 and 2009 when Barack Obama was heralded as the "smartest man ever to be elected president?" Remember when he won the Nobel Peace Prize after less than one year in office? Remember when more than one liberal historian routinely compared him to Franklin Roosevelt or Abraham Lincoln?
What a difference three years makes. Approaching his third anniversary in office, President Obama looks more and more like a former president, our 39th chief executive James Earl Carter.
Start with style. Both Carter and Obama were mainly unknown to the American public when elected. Both campaigned on a platform to change the way Washington does business. Carter railed against the "Three Martini Lunch" and Obama against the "Rich" who "don't pay their fair share."
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Obama and Carter: Perfect together
By Frank Donatelli
Politico.com
October 10, 2011
Remember the heady days of 2009, when Barack Obama was heralded as the "smartest man ever to be elected president?" Remember when he won the Nobel Peace Prize after less than one year in office? Remember when more than one liberal historian routinely compared him to Franklin D. Roosevelt or Abraham Lincoln?
What a difference two years makes. Approaching his third anniversary in office, Obama looks more and more like another former president – our 39th chief executive, Jimmy Carter.
Start with style. Both Carter and Obama were largely unknown to the wider American public when elected. Both campaigned on a platform to change the way Washington does business. Carter railed against the "three martini lunch," and Obama against the "rich" who "don't pay their fair share." Both had a strong streak of morality and believed their motives pure, certainly above the base concerns of everyone else. Both believed the world began with their election.
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5 myths in President Obama's jobs speech
By Frank Donatelli
Politico.com
September 12, 2011
Politics always involves uncertainty, but less so when predicting President Barack Obama's economic actions. Sadly, those of us who said that his jobs speech wouldn't call for the two things that could most help job creation – real regulatory reform and a pledge not to increase taxes – were correct.
But the speech, and a $450-billion price tag for the American Jobs Act, did contain a lot of fluff and rhetoric. As Ronald Reagan said, "It's not that liberals are ignorant. It's just that they know so much that isn't so."
1. The president emphasized that his speech was not political. Ignore that, several hours before, his campaign sent an e-mail to supporters (Subject Line: "Before I head to the Capitol) with a request for donations. Obama's rhetorical formulation "Pass this jobs bill" was designed to take the focus off of his own terrible three-year economic record and imply all can be repaired if this bill passes. He is desperate to blame Congress for his deplorable record. He wants us to forget his $800-billion stimulus, $4 trillion of cumulative debt and reckless passage of Obamacare. In fact, this was a totally political speech – the first to use the grand majesty of a Joint Session of Congress as backdrop.
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What Obama Must Say in Jobs Speech
By Frank Donatelli
Newsmax.com
September 2, 2011
President Barack Obama is poised to give a national speech next week on his plan to create jobs. One would say, "It's about time" given the fact that the unemployment rate has not been so high for such a sustained period of time since the Great Depression.
In his two and one half years in office, he has focused more on expanding the size and scope of the federal government than private-sector job creation. The question is whether his new focus will finally result in job growth.
According to news reports, the president will call for a program that emphasizes tax credits for new hires, enhanced infrastructure spending, and yet another extension of unemployment benefits.
Properly developed, some of these ideas have merit but the key fact about the speech will not be what he says, but what he won't say.
Tax credits for new hires have merit in some cases such as hiring unskilled workers or the otherwise hardcore unemployed. The credit reduces a firm's marginal costs allowing the worker to gradually become more productive. A credit is unlikely to employ the more skilled workers who have been laid off because of poor business conditions.
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Obama should govern, not campaign
By Frank Donatelli
Politico.com
August 17, 2011
President Barack Obama has always enjoyed campaigning for president more than actually being president. It's been hard to keep him off the campaign trail, even if it became clear that he wasn't helping the causes he campaigned for — the stimulus, Obamacare or Democratic candidates in 2010.
But he's at it again. This past week, he embarked on a "listening tour" of several Midwestern battleground states to discuss the economy. Despite its blatant political agenda, taxpayers are footing the bill. A billion-dollar reelection kitty doesn't buy nearly as much as it used to.
Predictably, Obama's speeches have been long on rhetoric and blame-shifting, short on real economic solutions. The president lit into Republicans, Congress, the tea party, millionaires and billionaires. He blamed everyone but himself for our terrible economic circumstances.
It's a puzzling strategy for a president and a campaign team hailed as the smartest ever. Can Obama really keep up a relentlessly negative message for the 15 months between now and November 2012?
No one knows what the 2012 election holds. But the debt limit agreement essentially brings to an end the radical experiment that was the Obama era – when every problem had a federal solution and the federal government knew best how to direct economic activity.
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GOP sets debt reduction agenda
By Frank Donatelli
Politico.com
August 2, 2011
The recent showdown over the debt ceiling calls to mind Otto von Bismark's famous dictum that the two things no one should ever see being made are laws and sausage.
The standoff was not pretty. There were, however, important principles at stake. We may have finally turned the corner on America's mad dash to spend and spend and saddle future generations with bills that we have refused to pay.
No one knows what the 2012 election holds. But the debt limit agreement essentially brings to an end the radical experiment that was the Obama era – when every problem had a federal solution and the federal government knew best how to direct economic activity.
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DONATELLI: Republican states balancing their budgets
By Frank Donatelli
WashingtonTimes.com
July 15, 2011
Their success should be a model for overspenders in Washington
At a time when Washington continues to struggle to trim deficits that approach $1.5 trillion annually, Republican-led states, along with a few Democratic officials, continue to take the tough steps necessary to balance their state
budgets without tax increases. Here are a few of those states and the policies they have put in place to achieve these impressive results:
In Virginia, Gov. Robert F. McDonnell stood firm against tax increases last year and balanced his state's two-year budget. Virginia taxpayers were rewarded when Mr. McDonnell recently announced a surplus of $311 million for the fiscal year just completed because of higher-than-expected tax receipts. It's questionable whether the surplus would have materialized had he raised taxes last year, as many were demanding.
In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal and the first Republican legislative majority since Reconstruction passed a $25 billion budget that closed a $1.5 billion hole without tax increases. Mr. Jindal also realized his goal of not reducing funds for kindergarten through 12th grade and higher education, though those programs would absorb inflationary costs. The budget establishes Coordinated Care Networks, which outsource to the private sector the job of matching Medicaid beneficiaries with physicians and other providers. Most impressively, for the first time, the Louisiana budget contains no "member amendments" – otherwise known as earmarks – for projects in districts of powerful members.
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Senator McConnell's Debt-Ceiling End Game
By Frank Donatelli
FoxNews.com
July 15, 2011
We are now two weeks away from the White House imposed August 2nd, 2011 deadline to raise the debt limit and one thing is clearer than ever: Not even a U.S. government default will deter President Obama and liberal Democrats from continuing their quest to permanently expand the size and scope of the federal government to unprecedented levels. The White House and the Senate Majority have thrown up a wall of opposition to any meaningful reductions in federal spending even in return for raising the debt ceiling.
Let's review the bidding. President Obama's February budget made no long-term impact on the deficit. The Senate Democratic Majority won't even propose a budget, let alone actually try and pass one. The Democratic Chair of the Senate Budget Committee focuses his attention almost exclusively on tax increases and defense cuts. In the bipartisan deficit reduction talks chaired by Vice President Biden, Democratic representatives focused almost exclusively on which taxes should be increased.
When the president finally became involved in the discussions, the White House leaked the news that the president would accept major entitlement changes in Social Security and Medicare if the Republicans would accept, drum roll please, tax increases. Liberals predictably howled about this, threatening all methods of retaliation against any officeholder who would even consider the possibility of amending these programs.
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DONATELLI: Federal budget can be balanced with spending cuts
By Frank Donatelli
Published in The Washington Times
July 8, 2011
Republican-led states already have succeeded with no new taxes
As the budget season rolls on, a remarkable trend is emerging: States with Republican governors and legislative majorities are balancing their budgets and reforming key programs without raising taxes. Conversely, states with Democratic governors and legislatures are content to raise taxes without basic program reforms. This philosophical and partisan divide focuses on the age-old question of the proper size and scope of government and Republicans and Democrats are providing starkly different answers.
Republican led states that have enacted budgets without tax increases include Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Maine, Texas and Florida. Pennsylvania, Texas and Florida reduced spending in absolute terms. In addition, virtually all of these states offered some tax reductions for business investment designed to generate more job growth. Indiana cut their corporate tax rate. Maine cut their top marginal individual rate at a time when Democratic governors are trying to raise theirs. Pennsylvania phased out the business franchise tax for thousands of small businesses. New Jersey put a cap on local property tax increases and Ohio phased out the "death tax." These Republican leaders realize that while the spending side must remain in check, growing revenue and generating new jobs is the long-term answer to their states' fiscal health and financial future.
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Putting reelection ahead of nation's woes
By Frank Donatelli
Published on Politico.com
July 5, 2011
You won't have to look closely to notice the Cheshire cat grins on the faces of White House aides. With June over, news organizations are scurrying to report second-quarter fundraising totals, and President Barack Obama's numbers promise to be eye popping.
He's already held more than 30 fundraising events and has filmed at least one solicitation video in the White House. Never mind that unemployment is 9 percent and deficits exceed $1 trillion annually. The president's reelection effort is flush with cash.
Just a little more than halfway through a four-year term, Obama is off and running for reelection. No other incumbent president has begun his campaign so early or campaigned so intensely at this stage.
The downside, of course, is that this "all politics" focus detracts substantially from the president's ability to do the job he has been elected to do – namely, to make tough choices and offer leadership to find solutions to our growing national problems. His concentration on reelection politics makes that far more difficult.
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The answer isn't taxes but growth
By Frank Donatelli
Published on Politico.com
June 15, 2011
Contrary to all expectations, congressional negotiators working with the administration and Vice President Joe Biden are reportedly making progress in finding some common ground on a package of measures to cut the deficit as part of a plan to potentially raise the debt ceiling.
This is extremely good news. The huge deficits now envisioned for the next decade are unsustainable and could substantially harm America's economic prospects. Unless we want to resemble Greece soon, we need to move quickly to get our fiscal house in order.
One thing not on the table in the Biden-led discussions is additional tax increases. The Washington elites almost universally disapprove of tax increases — arguing that spending cuts and tax increases are necessary to bring the budget back into balance.
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DONATELLI: GOP mustn't go wobbly on Medicare reform
By Frank Donatelli
Published in The Washington Times
June 2, 2011
Public will listen if we just point out the impending financial crash
In light of the results of the special election in upstate New York, where Democrats scored an upset victory by accusing Republicans of wanting to "end Medicare," the GOP is being urged to abandon the effort spearheaded by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan to reform this most giant entitlement program. Lyndon B. Johnson once ran an ad accusing Barry Goldwater of wanting to blow up the world. In this election, Democrats followed up with an equally subtle pitch showing grandma being pushed over a cliff. What liberals won't do in pursuit of the Great Society.
It would be a mistake if the GOP abandoned this critical effort. Even if nothing will move before 2012, it is important that the issue be discussed as a prelude to a serious reform effort after 2012. Remember that President George W. Bush tried to introduce Social Security reform in 2005 without a proper foundation. He got nowhere. And though it may not matter in the hothouse of national politics or in the minds of national pundits who chuckle about Republican overreach, it is the right thing to do and is key to fixing our trillion-dollar deficits and restoring our economic future.
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Obama the Desperate
By Frank Donatelli
Published on Politico.com
May 17, 2011
From one perspective, things look great for President Barack Obama's reelection. He is unchallenged for his party's nomination, and his liberal base overwhelmingly approves of his job performance. Why wouldn't it?
He is already raising large amounts of money, and his handlers confidently predict his final war chest will approach $1 billion. (Remember campaign finance reform?) As almost every poll shows, he decisively defeats all potential Republican challengers in current matchups. From this limited tactical viewpoint, he looks strong for reelection.
But look a little deeper from a strategic perspective, and you see how desperate his situation is. Consider these numbers: four, nine, 10 and three.
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DONATELLI: Remembering Bill Rusher
By Frank Donatelli
Published in the Washington Times
April 19, 2011
Conservative pioneer helped lay the foundation for the Reagan uprising
Another member of the founding generation of the modern conservative movement left us this past week. William A. Rusher was a tireless advocate for conservative causes spanning half a century and had careers as a successful attorney, associate counsel for the Senate internal security subcommittee and a syndicated columnist.
However, Mr. Rusher achieved his greatest fame as the longtime publisher of National Review – from being hired soon after its founding in 1957 until his "retirement" in 1988. While not as celebrated as editor William F. Buckley Jr., Mr. Rusher was just as important to the growth of modern conservatism. He worked tirelessly in those years to make National Review a success. He also was a key architect in the founding of Young Americans for Freedom in 1960, the conservative takeover of the Young Republicans, the New York Conservative Party in 1961, the American Conservative Union in 1964 and in the seminal but unsuccessful candidacy of Barry Goldwater for president in 1964. In fact, Mr. Rusher had an uncanny knack for being at the precise intersection of policy development and political activism, something to which many aspire, but which few achieve.
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DONATELLI: Obama's 'smart' campaign
By Frank Donatelli
Published in the Washington Times
April 6, 2011
This time, Americans won't be fooled by promises
There were two major political announcements this week, one from President Obama and the other from a leading House Republican. The content of each tells more than you need to know about the direction of the two parties and the tenor of the upcoming presidential campaign.
The country is facing a third consecutive year of trillion-dollar deficits and unemployment near 9 percent. We are now involved in a third war in the Middle East. Health care and energy costs are rising again and Mr. Obama announced his campaign for re-election.
That election is not for another 18 months. The Democratic convention is 15 months away. The president has no primary opponent and no primaries to win, but why wait when there's a billion dollars to be raised and so many speeches to give?
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Libya demonstrates U.S overreach
By Frank Donatelli
Published on Politico.com
March 21, 2011
There are lots of reasons to question U.S. involvement in yet another military theater in the Middle East.
Washington is now committed to an international effort to limit Libya's Col. Muammar Qadhafi's ability to make war on his own populace. There are serious questions here about scope of mission, timing and sustainability of this latest military operation.
Let's be clear: Qadhafi is a war criminal who happens to be in charge of a country. He was fingered in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, which claimed the lives of 270 innocent civilians — including 190 Americans. He was complicit in the 1986 bombing of a discotheque in Berlin, killing more Americans, which resulted in a retaliatory strike against Libya by President Ronald Reagan. He has killed scores of his own people in his four decades in power.
It is in our interest to have him removed and preferably eliminated. But there are real questions about this military operation.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/51678.html#ixzz1JbMZAo7f
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DONATELLI: Ohio poised to join reform movement
By Frank Donatelli
Published in the Washington Times
March 18, 2011
While the national spotlight has been on Wisconsin's efforts to downsize state government and get structural deficits under control, Ohio also has been moving to rationalize its state government in an era of high unemployment and static state revenue.
The Buckeye State will soon consider the budget proposals of newly elected Republican Gov. John Kasich, which would close Ohio's $8 billion, two-year budget deficit by, among other things, reducing payments to localities, restructuring Medicaid and selling five state prisons. As in similar reform efforts in Wisconsin, Florida, Indiana and other states with Republican governors, no tax increases are proposed.
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Chairman Donatelli: To Reform Government at the State Level, We Must Start With the Unions
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has introduced sensible, long overdue reforms designed to give elected officials more flexibility to provide and deliver vital public services. Program control over important services such as education should be the province of governors and mayors, who are responsible to voters and taxpayers, not public unions whose leaders more often than not have a private agenda that is in direct conflict with popular will.
The governor's budget message Tuesday demonstrated just how urgent reform is. Public education in Wisconsin is slated for major budget reductions unless long overdue changes to state government are enacted. The changes focus not only on current labor costs but also require long term structural reforms in how the state delivers vital services such as education if Wisconsin is to eliminate its structural deficit and balance its budget.
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Chairman Donatelli: Look To The Red States
Most large states now boast Republican legislative majorities. The 2010 elections left Democrats in a depleted condition at the state level.
Not so President Barack Obama's home state of Illinois. The Land of Lincoln is still reliably blue — even in these times. Despite the public's outcry against big and intrusive government, the Democratic-dominated Illinois Legislature last week did the predictable: It raised state taxes in an attempt to close the state's enormous budget gap.
They didn't raise them a little. They raised them a lot: 66 percent on individuals and 45 percent on corporations. For you gentle souls who believe that only the "rich" will pay this tax increase, you might be disappointed to know that a family of four, with income of $60,000, is likely to pay more than $1,000 in extra state taxes.
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GOPAC Names David Avella President
Caroline Wren Promoted to Associate Director of Major Donor Programs, Kitty Loyd Appointed Administrator, Megan Rodriguez Appointed Political Coordinator, and Martina Egerer Appointed Finance Coordinator
GOPAC today named David Avella as its new President. Mr. Avella who currently serves as Executive Director will take up his new position effective immediately.
"The GOPAC Board of Directors enthusiastically voted to promote David to be President of GOPAC. We all recognized David's hard work on behalf of our organization and believe that his appointment will enable us to take the next step in increasing our influence and effectiveness on behalf of the GOP and the conservative cause," said Frank Donatelli, GOPAC Chairman."
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Chairman Donatelli: The Wave Has Yet to Crest
Just last week, the GOP had one of its greatest nights ever: gains of 60
plus House seats, new governorships in many large industrial states and an
increase of 675 seats and counting in state legislatures across the country.
Republicans now have more House members than at any time since 1946 and the
most state legislators since 1928. The relative disappointment of a loss of
a couple of hotly contested Senate seats is minor by comparison.
And yet, as Ronald Reagan would say, "You ain't seen nothing yet." That's
because there is still room for Republicans to make ADDITIONAL gains as we
look to the congressional elections of 2012.
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Chairman Donatelli: For GOP, issues have bang for bucks
All campaigns are products of the three "M's": money, manpower and message.
The Republican Party has done a great job this year on the first, money. A network of conservative 501(c)(4)'s, 527s and GOP committees are decisively winning the money battle against Democrats – evening the score for 2008.
No less than President Barack Obama himself has noticed, and he doesn't like it one bit. He has taken to calling out GOP operatives by name. Bad idea, Mr. President. Question: Could you imagine Ronald Reagan personally attacking, say, Bob Beckel, who managed Walter Mondale's campaign against him?
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Chairman Donatelli: Let's reform state government
The midterm elections are likely to result in major gains for Republicans. They are preaching a clear message: the need to make the federal government smaller and more accountable to the American people.
Yet no matter how well Republicans do in November, the Obama administration is still likely to stand in the way of real reform at the federal level, ensuring a standoff that could last through the 2012 presidential election.
There doesn't need to be a stalemate at the state level, however, since voters across the nation are poised to elect GOP governors and conservative state legislative majorities. They will be able to act immediately to address the fiscal crises that plague their states, devising innovative and less costly ways to deliver vital public services to their citizens.
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Republican Redistricting after 2010
An Interview with GOPAC'S Frank Donatelli and David Avella
GOPAC's Frank Donatelli and David Avella discuss the Republican prospects for legislative gains in several states.
C&E: The GOP has a chance this year to make gains in state legislative races; that's accepted. What about states like Texas with an outside chance that Democrats could make gains in legislatures and in state houses?
Donatelli: I think, across the board, the opportunity is there for Republicans. The big limitation right now is nothing more than financial. I see gains in all parts of the country right now if Republicans can run good campaigns. As far as Texas, there are close margins in the House and some strong Democratic challengers, but I think there are even stronger Republican challengers. More Republicans filed in House races than Democrats, and we are challenging more incumbents than [Democrats]. We have at least 10 strong challenges. It will be a battle, but I am confident we will pick up seats in the Texas House.
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DONATELLI: It's Back to the Future for Obama and the Democrats
By
Frank Donatelli
Published on
FoxNews.com
Monday, August 16, 2010
Democratic policies don't wear well with the public. History tells us as much. The last three Democratic sweeps (control of the White House and Congress) have been followed quickly by the unraveling of the Democrats' winning coalition, a backlash against liberal overreach and finally replacement by a reenergized Republican Party.
1964: President Lyndon Johnson brought in huge majorities of Senate and House Democrats in the second biggest popular vote landslide ever.
President Johnson quickly ramped up domestic federal spending with his "Great Society" program featuring the War on Poverty, Model Cities and Job Corps as well as new entitlements Medicare and Medicaid.
Unfortunately, Johnson also chose to escalate the Vietnam War leading to huge strains on the federal budget.
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DONATELLI: Obama, Reagan, and the economy
By
Frank Donatelli
Published in
Politico
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
It's easy to understand why President Barack Obama's friends don't want to acknowledge that July represents 17 months since Congress passed the $787 billion economic stimulus bill — the president's signature measure to jump-start the economy and fight unemployment.
Obama says the economy is headed in the right direction; jobs are being created, not lost, and he is doing everything possible to revive the "worst economy since the Great Depression." Most of the national press has been remarkably accepting of this narrative - even if the president has been vague, at best, about when we might finally see an uptick in economic growth and job creation.
But in another economic time, President Ronald Reagan's economic recovery program took 17 months to take hold. It took from the time Congress passed his tax cuts, in August 1981, until the recession he inherited finally ended in January 1983.
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DONATELLI: We're looking more like France
By
Frank J. Donatelli
Published in
POLITICO
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Republicans can barely contain their glee at their electoral prospects for this year.
There is reason for this optimism. The Obama administration's poll numbers continue to sink, and history tells us that things could get worse before they get better.
Republicans are poised to have one of our best elections ever in November.
But what the GOP will find if and when it wins one or two houses of Congress is not pretty.
President Barack Obama's Democrats have set out to alter fundamentally the nature of the U.S. political system. The changes they've wrought will not be easily undone.
Obama has sought to remake America into a social democracy - like Germany or France — with a larger public sector, expanded entitlements, stronger labor unions and a changed political structure. He's doing quite well so far.
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DONATELLI: GOPAC-WI Releases Statewide Political Survey
Wisconsin is Ready for New Leadership
Washington, DC (May 21, 2010) – Today GOPAC-WI and The Tarrance Group, a national survey research firm, released the findings of their Wisconsin statewide survey about public leaders and political issues. The survey reports that only 35 percent of participants feel that Wisconsin is moving in the right direction, while 56 percent reported they feel the state is on the wrong track.
"We are excited about the prospect of returning Republican control to the Wisconsin Legislature. The generic ballot shows Republicans are already on a level playing field with Democrats and the message testing suggests a clear path to GOP victory in November. Democrats will have a very difficult time defending their record of higher taxes and spending, record job losses and out of control spending,"said Frank Donatelli, GOPAC Chairman.
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Chairman Donatelli on the Lars Larson Show
Chairman Donatelli on the Rusty Humphries Show
DONATELLI: Is freedom for individuals or the government?
By
Frank Donatelli
Published in
The Washington Times
Friday, April 16, 2010
The retirement of Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens gives President Obama an opportunity to fill a second Supreme Court vacancy. The choice could be pivotal because the court soon will be asked to rule on the constitutionality of intrusive health legislation enacted under Congress' power to regulate commerce, i.e., the Commerce Clause. With this president seeking a larger and larger federal establishment, health care will not be the only such case the court will decide in the coming years.
This upcoming debate fits well with the public's concern about huge deficits, high taxes and an ever-larger federal establishment that tries to do everything but does nothing very well. A seminal reason for the existence of such an ineffective federal government is that we have ignored traditional constitutional prohibitions against the federal government usurping functions that should be left to the individual states. Debate over the Stevens vacancy is another opportunity to rediscover the constitutional virtues of federalism and limited government. Republican members should question the president's nominee closely to ascertain what restraints, if any, he thinks the Constitution places on federal power.
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We Will Fight Them In the States...
By
Frank Donatelli
Published on
FOXNews.com
Tuesday, March 22, 2010
The federal takeover of the American health care system is nearly complete but make no mistake, we will pursue the fight at the state level.
On the narrowest of partisan margins, House Democrats rammed through perhaps the most irresponsible piece of legislation ever enacted by any Congress. Despite losing 34 Democrats, the House leadership used questionable parliamentary tactics, backroom deals and raw political power to enact Obamacare, which nearly completes the federal takeover of the American health care system.
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Donatelli: Runaway Deficits Will Enable GOP to Retake Majority
By
Frank Donatelli
Published in
Roll Call
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
If everyone in America, other than President Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats, is glum over the passage of "Obamacare," there is a silver lining: The bill's passage will finally force the country to face our dire fiscal circumstances and bring the kind of clarifying election that could lead to America's fiscal salvation. Or not.
Even before passage of Obamacare, here are the fiscal facts that America faces in 2010: Our deficit will be more than $1 trillion for the second year in a row. Our cumulative national debt is careening toward the $13 trillion mark, and it will reach at least $16 trillion by the end of a second Obama administration.
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DONATELLI: States experimenting with creating new jobs
By
Frank Donatelli
Published in
The Washington Times
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
If we are to believe government experts and liberal academics, Americans must accept high unemployment and slow economic growth "for the foreseeable future." Fortunately, many states are experimenting with economic policies and strategies designed to create jobs and raise economic activity by strengthening the private sector and targeting investment and resources to make labor markets function more smoothly.
What are some of these policy initiatives that conservative governors across the country are supporting?
First, and most obvious, states must restore fiscal discipline to their budgeting and tax policies. Numbers don't lie. States with high rates of taxation and large public sectors (New York, New Jersey, California) tend to have lower growth rates than the national average.
States that are addressing high taxation rates and bloated public sectors seem poised for a brighter future. Govs. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and Haley Barbour of Mississippi have been particularly focused on creating business-friendly environments that stress holding the line on state taxes and spending, reducing state regulatory burdens on firms and scaling back "junk lawsuits" by enacting tort reform.
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