Hoyer Press Staff Blog
Blog posts from the press staff of Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer
You would think Republicans would avoid bringing our nation to the brink of default once again, but a year later Speaker Boehner is putting forward the same partisan strategy that resulted in our nation’s first credit downgrade.
Even though Speaker Boehner has spent the day blaming Democrats for our current deficit problem, the numbers—and the charts—tell a very different story. Today, TPM breaks down the real reasons for our exploding national debt. Here’s a hint: It isn’t the policies of President Obama or Congressional Democrats.
After waiting this long, it is clear to see: The GOP didn’t have a plan to “replace” the ACA back in January of last year and they certainly don’t have a plan now.
One would think that House Republicans would be focused on job creation and investments that support our economy. But instead, the House is voting on a Republican amendment offered by Rep. Schweikert that targets voting rights.
It is a rare day when we here in the Democratic Whip Press shop implore Republicans to heed the advice of conservative Senator James Inhofe. But as the impasse over the highway bill drags on, stranger things have happened.
Headlines this morning aren’t flattering for Senate Republicans after they blocked a bill to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling:
The recaps are in from yesterday’s mark-up of House Republicans’ reconciliation bill, and it certainly isn’t pretty. We’ve picked a few of our favorites that demonstrate the awfulness of the Republican bill. Enjoy:
In their headlong charge to protect tax cuts for the wealthy at all costs, Senate Republicans voted today to block consideration of a measure to keep student loan rates from doubling on July 1.
Wanted to be sure you saw this op-ed by David Ignatius in Sunday’s Washington Post highlighting the resurgence of American manufacturing and the emerging trend of “reshoring.”
Wanted to make sure you saw this op-ed in the New York Times highlighting the growing resistance to new measures that have been introduced by Republicans in states across the country that would make it harder for millions of eligible voters to register or vote.
We aren’t the only ones who have noticed the GOP Congress has taken little action to address job creation… or do much of anything that matters to the American people since taking the House majority. In today’s Washington Post, Dana Milbank writes:
Need more proof House Republicans were never actually serious about reducing the deficit? The Hill reports today that Republicans have no plans to pay for an extension of the Bush tax cuts.
In case you missed it, in an op-ed in Sunday’s Washington Post, Thomas Mann and Norm Ornstein place responsibility for gridlock in Congress squarely on obstructionist Republicans.
You can’t make this stuff up. Tomorrow, the Ways and Means Committee is holding a hearing to discuss tax extenders. Sounds nice, right? Well, here’s the catch: members can’t actually talk about any tax extenders they want.
It’s all about priorities: an editorial in today’s New York Times highlights how the GOP budget fails to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling and makes reckless cuts to education while giving tax cuts to the wealthy.
Wanted to be sure you saw this NY Times editorial highlighting new details of Republicans’ extreme budget that ends the Medicare guarantee, targets the most vulnerable, puts our economy at risk, and cuts taxes for the wealthy.
We’ve got a number of questions on the “election-year giveaway” (according to Bruce Bartlett) Republicans brought to the House Floor today. While it’s entertaining watching Republicans contort themselves to make this look like it’s about small businesses, the numbers make it pretty clear that it’s about relief for the wealthiest while everyone else bears the cost.
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: House Republicans are in disarray over their 90-day highway extension, with conservatives pushing to include more provisions from their partisan bill that destroys jobs and fails to meet our nation’s infrastructure needs.
Wanted to make sure you all saw this op-ed in the Tampa Bay Times by former Republican Florida Governor Charlie Christ, arguing against Florida’s controversial new voter registration laws.
Over the past year, new measures have been introduced by Republicans in Florida and other states that would make it harder for millions of eligible voters to register or vote. Democrats have been fighting partisan efforts to hinder access to the ballot, and we’re happy to finally see a Republican like Gov. Christ agree.
Key Point: “Good government begins with the voter, and creating barriers to voter registration or access to the polls is contrary to our democratic ideals. The right to vote is sacred, and people have fought and died to protect it… [I]mposing stiff penalties on those who are trying to promote participation in the electoral process in good faith will most assuredly reduce confidence in the electoral process…Florida should be doing all it can to promote more voter participation, not creating barriers to it.”
Looks like the Republican budget isn’t receiving a warm welcome outside of Washington. A Reuters article highlights voters’ concerns over the GOP budget to end the Medicare guarantee and put our economy at risk while cutting taxes for the wealthy.
An editorial in today’s New York Times examines Republicans’ claims that they are responsible for our economic recovery. So what exactly has the GOP done to help lower unemployment and restore stability? Since taking the House majority, Republicans took our country to the brink of government shutdown, threatened to default on our nation’s obligations, walked away from meaningful deficit reduction, put middle class tax cuts at risk, and still haven’t put forward a comprehensive jobs plan. As the editorial points out, their rhetoric does not match the reality.
We know how much you all enjoyed Democrats’ voting “present” strategy last year to put passage or failure of the extreme RSC budget solely on Republicans’ shoulders. Well, this year we’re doing something similar. This time around, Democrats will hold their votes until the very end, so everyone can see exactly where Republicans stand on the extreme RSC budget. Last year we said the RSC budget was the Republican budget on steroids, and this year’s version is even worse: ending Medicare as we know it, benefitting the wealthy, and completely decimating critical programs and investments.
The Republican budget makes the wrong choices and places the burden of deficit reduction onto seniors, the middle class, working families, and the most vulnerable by refusing to ask the wealthiest among us to contribute. But don’t just take our word for it.
Helpful advice for our Republican friends: you can use all the “poll-tested words” and “props” you want, but that won’t fool the American people into thinking the GOP budget is anything but a repeat of last year: a budget that ends the Medicare guarantee and hurts our economic recovery.
It’s been a rough week for House Republicans as they continue to struggle with division among the party over their budget that ends the Medicare guarantee and hurts our economic recovery.