Schapiro: Governor's style problematic

Credo: Kerry Knott
Kerry Knott, 50, is well aware of Washington's propensity for moral failings, and for its occasional redemptions. Today, he's focused on the latter. As president of Springfield's C.S. Lewis Institute, Knott leads an organization devoted to teaching and mentoring Christians on how to better articulate their own beliefs and to live out their faiths in public and private life. Prior to his current position, Knott spent 26 years on Capitol Hill, first as the Chief of Staff for former House Rep. Dick...

Madigan content to be attorney general
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's political future is a favorite parlor game among the state's chattering classes, whether she's being talked up for Governor, U.S. Senate, the Illinois Supreme Court or mayor of Chicago. As she prepares to be sworn in to a third term Monday, Madigan maintains she's happy as the state's chief legal officer. "I love my job and I don't think I've failed to make that clear at any point," Madigan said. "With all due respect ... you spend more time thinking ab...

George Gascn a surprise late entry for next D.A.
Outgoing Mayor Gavin Newsom 's decision on who should replace District Attorney Kamala Harris has come down to three choices: Harris pick Paul Henderson Jr. , retired Superior Court Judge Harry Low and a surprise late entry, San Francisco Police Chief George Gascón . Gascón emerged as a Candidate for the D.A.'s job after Board of Supervisor President David Chiu finally made clear Thursday that he had no interest in the job, and would roll the dice by staying on the board as he gears up to run..

Dont Forget: Statewide North Dakota Tea Party Coming Up On Martin Luther King Day
It’s called Converge on the Capitol. The point is to indicate that Conservatives didn’t exactly win a victory in North Dakota in the 2010 Elections. Governor Dalrymple has already proposed a Budget that will increase state spending by over 20%, and special interests across the state are scrambling to get Lobbyists to the capitol to help divvy up the loot. Those concerned with limiting government need to be on guard, and this is our chance to send a message at the beginning of the new...

Archdiocese should allow victims their day in court
About the same time the Milwaukee Catholic Archdiocese filed for Bankruptcy the other day, Archbishop Jerome Listecki apologized to Victims who were sexually abused by priests and stated that he is deeply ashamed. I think we have to take him at his word. He stated that he wants to do as much as he can to compensate those who have been abused. As a Catholic who grew up in the pews and still sits in them, I'd badly like to believe that as well. He stated that - "by serving as a final call f...

Why it makes sense for Liberals to attack Jim Flaherty
A little while ago I wrote that opposition parties wouldn’t find many more votes by promising better management of The Economy, since many people had come to the conclusion that Canada has come through this rough patch pretty well, all things considered. A new poll this week revealed a massive increase in optimism about the economy compared to the levels seen last year. But even if there may be limited upside in touting their economic credentials, the Liberals can’t afford to walk aw...

Grassroots? You Want Grassroots in the Texas Speaker Race?
Grassroots? You Want Grassroots in the Texas Speaker Race? I got your grassroots. In fact, if you look in a dictionary on Texas politics under grassroots, you're most likely to find a picture of Debra Medina because she defines grassroots movements in Texas. Recall that she received 275,000 votes in the 2010 Republican primary running a statewide race on little more than shoe leather and volunteers helping her travel from small town to small town without sleep. I guarantee you that she didn't h...

Expectations, promises for Virginia's roads
The message from business leaders and transportation advocates to Gov. Bob McDonnell last week was clear: If you want us to support your plan to build roads with Debt, we want assurances that more revenues are on the way. McDonnell was, as usual, charming and at times frank during a private meeting on Capitol Square. He said he recognized the need for new long-term transportation funding and promised additional help for Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia in a plan he'll unveil this week. But he...

Shooting could tame tough political rhetoric (Reuters)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Protesters parade an altered photo of President Barack Obama sporting an Adolf Hitler-like mustache. A Candidate for the Senate muses about gun "remedies" if Election Results don't go the right way. Members of Congress are spat on and taunted with racial epithets before casting votes for a Healthcare Reform bill. Welcome to politics American-style. For the past few years, some public officeholders and pundits have warned that the political Rhetoric ha...

Commentary: Boehner backing away from pledge on health care bill
WASHINGTON — During his first Speech last week as speaker, Republican John Boehner promised a more transparent House of Representatives, one in which “many” bills would be fully debated and open to floor amendments by the Democratic minority. So far, the operative word seems to be “many.” In the coming weeks, House Republicans plan to hold a vote to Repeal the Health Care law signed last year by President Barack Obama. The House vote was set for this week, but is be...

Earthquake hits South Pacific near Vanuatu
PORT VILA, Vanuatu, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- A 6.9-magnitude Earthquake shook the Pacific Ocean Floor near Vanuatu Sunday night, the U.S. Geological Survey said. No Tsunami warning was issued, and there were no immediate reports of damage, Xinhua reported. The quake struck at 9:03 p.m. local time, 19 miles under the ocean floor, about 100 miles south of Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila. Vanuatu lies between Fiji and Australia and north of New Zealand. The quake was the latest in a series of undersea tremors ...

Threatening note cancels Florida flight
A search by the Broward County Sheriff's Bomb Squad of the plane at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport turned up nothing, spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Flight 230, bound for Atlanta with 115 people aboard, was on the runway around 10 Saturday night when a passenger told the crew there was a note in a magazine claiming a bomb was on the plane, authorities said. Misty Pinson of Spirit Air said the flight was canceled and travelers were rebooked on o...

Quinn mum on possible tax hike
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Pat Quinn has never been one to shy away from the cameras as he has pushed his Populist agenda for four decades. But as he tries to push through what would be the largest state income Tax Increase in Illinois history, the Governor has gone to great lengths to stay out of the public eye. On Sunday, Quinn sought to avoid answering questions about the tax plan in a style reminiscent of his predecessor, disgraced ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Quinn used back doors and hallways in th...

Reid says Tea Party not here to stay
WASHINGTON -- The Tea Party movement will not be a lasting force in politics, and "will disappear" as soon as The Economy improves, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., predicted in an interview that aired Sunday. Reid said the Tea Party was born out of discontent with the worst economy since the Great Depression but will vanish "as soon as The Economy gets better, and The Economy is getting better all the time. " The Tea Party showed strength in Nevada in propelling Sharron Angle to a ...

Reid says Tea Party not here to stay
WASHINGTON -- The Tea Party movement will not be a lasting force in politics, and "will disappear" as soon as The Economy improves, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., predicted in an interview that aired Sunday. Reid said the Tea Party was born out of discontent with the worst economy since the Great Depression but will vanish "as soon as The Economy gets better, and The Economy is getting better all the time. " The Tea Party showed strength in Nevada in propelling Sharron Angle to a victory in the state'...

"I Don't Know What Vote You're Talking About" Harry Reid Says When Challenged By David Gregory on His Vote Against Raising the D
David Gregory gets him here, Reid says about raising the Debt ceiling "we have to act as adults" (and raise the ceiling this year). Gregory responds: 'Senator, in 2006 you voted against raising the Debt ceiling and so did senator Obama, was that not an adult step?"..."Why didn't you do it then?" Visit MSNBC.com for breaking news, world news, and news about The Economy REID: "I have been in Congress a long time"...I don't really know what vote you're talking about, I've cast about 15 thousand vo...

Sen. Rand Paul wants debt ceiling vote tied to 'ironclad rule' on budget
Newly-elected Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Sunday that he won't vote to raise the Debt ceiling unless it comes with serious concessions from Democrats on the Budget.  "I can't imagine voting to raise the Debt ceiling unless we're going to change our ways in Washington," Paul said during an appearance on Fox News Sunday. "I am proposing that we link to raising the Debt ceiling -- that we link a Balanced Budget rule, an ironclad rule that they can't evade."  Paul said attaching "token spending ...

Top Dem goes after Republican agenda
(CNN) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid blasted efforts by Republicans to Repeal the Health Care law passed last year. In a pre-taped interview that aired Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Reid said the Legislation is a "gesture in futility." The Nevada Democrat said calling the bill the "job killing" Health Care law is almost as senseless as members sleeping in their offices. "They can't be serious. To increase the Debt by more than a Trillion dollars? They can't be serious to want- hav...

Reid dismisses healthcare repeal attempt
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is scorning vows by House Republicans to Repeal the U.S. healthcare law as "a gesture of futility." In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" broadcast Sunday, the Nevada Democrat said, "Even the people who report the news recognize that this is just a gesture of futility. "They can't be serious, to increase the Debt by more than a Trillion dollars? They can't be serious to have people now that have pre-existing disabilities no lo...

Mark Sanford's Final South Carolina Road Trip as Governor
SUMTER, S.C. -- Working the room like he was running for office instead of leaving it, Mark Sanford stopped by Sumter Cut Rate Drugs and Soda Fountain for an hour on Friday. It was one of the last stops on his final road trip as South Carolina Governor; this time he let the people of the state knew exactly where he was going. Among a mostly friendly group of about two dozen, who asked for Autographs and posed with him for pictures, Sanford, 50, seemed relaxed and ready to relinquish the governor...

Survey: Voters like Perry but don't want him running for president
Republican Gov. Rick Perry enters the 2011 legislative session more popular than he's been in years but not so popular that Texans want him to run for president, according to a new poll commissioned by the American-Statesman and other Newspapers. U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, meanwhile, could be vulnerable to defeat in the Republican primary if she runs for re-election next year. Perry posted his highest Job Approval rate — 51 percent — and his lowest Disapproval rate — 30 pe...

Poll says Texans like Rick Perry as governor, but not as president
Poll says Texans like Rick Perry as Governor, but not as president 10:44 PM CST on Sunday, January 9, 2011 By WAYNE SLATER / The Dallas Morning News [email protected] AUSTIN - Texans say Rick Perry is doing a better job as governor but don't want him to run for president, a new poll shows. Although Perry, a Republican, has emerged as a Tea Party favorite and national voice on states rights, nearly two-thirds of Texas voters oppose a bid for the White House. "It's not neces...

Turning the Tables on Health Care
Rule One of politics: When you have the advantage, don’t allow your opponents to turn the tables. House Republicans violated this rule when they decided to make Repeal of the Health Care law their first major act in the 112th Congress. The mistake will haunt them for years. It was a surprising error from a leadership that showed shrewd judgment and exceptional discipline during President Obama’s first two years. John Boehner is now speaker of the House because he and his party focu...

Fargo Forum: Jobs From The Oil Sector Arent Enough
“The state has more work ahead to create a better economic future for its people,” reads today’s Fargo Forum editorial. “We can’t get complacent and depend on Oil and gas, finite resources that some day will run out.” I actually agree with that, which is one of the primary reasons why I feel North Dakota needs to rein in growth in state spending. Oil and gas are finite resources, and the industries themselves are susceptible to being turned off like a light sw...

U.S. Tea Partiers run for cover
American Tea Party and Republican leaders were quick to disassociate themselves from the shooting of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords in Arizona this weekend. And indeed, there is no evidence that the shooter is directly or indirectly associated with them. But Tea Partiers and Republicans are right to worry about a public backlash, in the United States and throughout the democratic world, in the wake of this tragedy. And if there is any justice they will get that backlash, since it is richly deserve...