Month: January 2011

Rand Paul, at least he has some ideas….

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

I will give Rand Paul credit for being bold enough to step forward and present ideas; unlike many Democrats and Republicans he has in his own way been more than just talk.  I have watched many Tea Party backed candidates talk about cutting spend but not many have actually presented ideas.  Talk is cheap and it’s time for someone to take action; instead we have a political process too worried about looking bad.  If we continue down the path of reckless spending we will all look bad!

The President did propose in the State Of The Union a five-year freeze in non-security, discretionary spending along with banning Earmarks.  President Obama also supported cutting $78 Billion dollar from defense spending, this is a good start but it is not enough.

In no way am I supporting Senator Rand Paul’s ideas but I support him having ideas and not being scared to have a real “Adult” conversation about those ideas.  Paul is proposing cutting $500 Billion in spending from the budget and that savings would happen in a year.  The following are areas Paul wants to make cuts in:

  • Food Stamps
  • Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
  • Energy Department
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development
  • Education Department
  • Corporation for Public Broadcasting
  • National Endowment for Arts
  • Federal Courts
  • Food and Drug Administration
  • Department of Homeland Security

In no way am I saying I support Rand’s proposal but it is a start and its a lot more than what Democrats and Republicans have put on the table.  We will see how serious the President and Congress really is about reducing the deficit when it comes time to review the Deficit Committee’s findings.

We can’t afford to keep kicking the can down the road, sooner or later that road will end!!

 

As always….
 

 

 

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

 

WTF/WTH Wednesdays – Michele Bachmann aka Balloon Head!

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

WTF????

I want to laugh so hard when I hear nutbags like Michele Bachmann attempt to reinvent history; it’s as if Bachmann watched the movie ‘The Invention of Lying’ and decided if she lies enough it will become truth.  When the Tea Party selected Bachmann to deliver their response to the State Of The Union they made a dangerous selection of an uninformed nutbag.  Her “Balloon Head Thinking” will set this country back, we have to continue to call Bachmann and her nutbag ways.

Thank you Chris Matthews for CLEARLY pointing out how ridiculous this woman is and the insanity of the Tea Party to select Bachmann as their spokeswoman.  It’s shameful that Sal Russo or anyone would defend this woman and her “Balloon Head Thinking”.  The Tea Party should just focus on the platform of cutting spending and stay away from nutbags like Bachmann and Palin.  When you hear the crazy talk from the likes Bachmann you can only wonder….

Where is Ross Perot when you need him?

 

 

As always….

 

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

 

Talking Points Tuesdays – The State of the Union 2011

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Tonight President Obama will deliver his 2nd State of the Union, in his first State of the Union he stressed the importance of Health Care Reform and attempted to dis-spell the inaccurate information concerning the legislation.  The night took a turn for the worse when Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC) yelled out,

“You Lie!!!”

While the President was explaining that his Health Care Reform would not cover illegals.

This time around I doubt we will have a “You Lie” moment but we will certainly hear some moans and groans as it is expected that President Obama will focus on investing in the future.  An investment in Education, Infrastructure, and Research and Development…. With our National Deficit hovering around $14 Trillion Republicans and Tea Partiers will not be happy with all the investment talk.  Representative Eric Cantor (R-VA) appeared on the Sunday talk shows preaching “Cut and Grow” instead of spending aka investing and growing.

To be honest I am not sure how you can “Cut and Grow”?????

We all understand that the deficit is out of control, but at the same time the United States is a Super Power that cannot afford to be stagnant while China and Japan are still growing.  In order to grow we will have to RESPONSIBLY spend/invest in our future; along with taking a hard look at cutting back in all areas.  I believe the President will show that he is open to looking at the Fiscal Commission findings and work with both Democrats and Republicans to reduce the deficit, although the President has already let it be known through his advisors that he is NOT willing to cut Social Security benefits.

With that said Republicans should not feel as if the President is turning a deaf ear to them or the American people as Social Security was not the only recommendation (Fiscal Commission Report).  The Fiscal Commission made up of Republicans and Democrats also stated that while we have to make cuts in spending that we cannot afford to go the route of draconian cuts; those type of cuts could stall the recovery of the economy.  Cuts have to be made but…

WE MUST INVEST IN OURSELVES!!!

If we don’t we could go down the road of the U.K. as it was reported today; their economy contracted in the 4th quarter.  This was after enacting drastic cuts in spending, which in turn possibly caused a slow down in the economy.  The type of slow down we want to avoid in the U.S.

Tonight’s State of the Union will not only be the launch point for President Obama’s 2012 Campaign but it will also be a launch point for the future of the U.S. economy….

Let’s see how successful of a launch this will be!!

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

J-E-T-S….

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

It was a great run by the NY Jets and they have nothing to ashamed of; Jets’ fans have a lot to look forward to as they have a very good coach and QB.  In 2 seasons this combination has gained a lot of experience; not many coaches or QBs can claim the playoff success they have seen.  Yeah they have failed in the AFC championship games but they have gotten better and that is key.

Now I am far from a Jets fan and I will admit I enjoyed watching them take the loss yesterday, LOL!!  But I will give credit where credit is due, Ryan has created a way of thinking that has transformed into on the field success.

PLAY LIKE A JET!!!!

The next challenge for Ryan will be to make sure that his confidence doesn’t turn into negative arrogance.  Those who remember Rex’s father Buddy Ryan will recall that Buddy also had early success with the Philadelphia Eagles.  Buddy success was fleeting as he let his arrogance/antics take center stage instead of his coaching, hopefully Rex will learn from his dad’s mistakes.

The Jets may not have the tradition of the NY Giants, but they are building something nice over there in Jets land.  All I ask is that they leave the Dougie behind in the 2010-2011 season archive, PLEASE!!!!

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Keith Olbermann and MSNBC part ways

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

On Friday night Keith Olbermann announced that this was his final ‘Countdown’ show; to say the least this was a shocker to all his fans and detractors.

Many will say that Olbermann is easily the face of MSNBC politics; but it seems that MSNBC thinks differently.  While at MSNBC Olbermann has had a bumpy relationship with management.  During the 2008 campaign Olbermann anchored the coverage for MSNBC; never bashful to express his opinion Olbermann showed his Liberal bias on several occasions and this rubbed people like Tom Brokaw the wrong way.  Word has it that Brokaw spoke with MSNBC’s management about Olbermann’s behavior and  let it be known that NBC is not FOX News.  Olbermann was removed as anchor but later returned towards the end of the campaign coverage.

More recently Olbermann was suspended for campaign donations to Liberal candidates; MSNBC cited Olbermann was in violation of rules that stated he had to notify management whenever making donations to any campaign.  Before the suspension Olbermann had recently brought attention to FOX News and how Republican candidates were using the network to raise campaign funds.  It seems as if the network was punishing Olbermann to protect themselves from similar scrutiny.

The suspension of Olbermann upset his fans to the point where they started an online petition to have him reinstated; the overwhelming support was well received and Olbermann’s suspension was lifted a couple of days later.  At this point you have to believe the relationship between Olbermann and management was at its lowest point.  With that said Olbermann’s show remained the flagship of the network as all other shows like Maddow and Ed Schulze revolved around it.

Then there was the introduction of Lawrence O’Donnell’s show ‘The Last Word’, like Olbermann O’Donnell is hard-hitting and passionate about politics.  The difference between the 2 is that O’Donnell has worked in Washington; he was worked as senior advisor to Senator Patrick Moynihan.  So far O’Donnell’s show has ben very successful as he has been able to have guests from the hill that are both Republican and Democrat.  For all of  his success Olbermann seems to lack the ability to book the big time guests that are Republican, while O’Donnell has had the likes of Tom Delay and more recently had a powerful exchange with Representative Trent Franks (R-AZ).

So with the Comcast deal to buy NBC finalizing, it is very possible new management decided it was time for a change.  Behind the scenes it is no secret in the industry that Olbermann has not been the easiest person to work with; in Comcast opinion this might have been the perfect time for a change.  It has already been announced that Lawrence O’Donnell will take over the 8pm slot; and he will definitely have big shoes to fill.

For Olbermann, there is no doubt in my mind that he will be back on TV it’s just a question of when.  According to reports Olbermann had 2 more years remaining on his contract and it is not clear if the agreement reached between Olbermann and MSNBC management will allow him to work for another network for the remaining years on his contract.  Since we all know there is no chance in hell that FOX News will hire him, I think it is a safe bet that Olbermann will end up on CNN.  I think a combination of Olbermann, Piers Morgan, and Anderson Cooper is pretty formidable and would give MSNBC and FOX a run for their money.

Until then it looks like the ‘Countdown’ has had its final count down; 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0…..

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

F-A-Natic Fridays – Rep Cohens compares GOP to Nazis, WTH!

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

So it didn’t take long before a dumbass Democrat made himself and the party look like hypocrites.  Representative Steve Cohen from Tennessee referred to the Republicans “lies” concerning Health Care Reform aka Affordable Care Act as Nazi propaganda; the type of propaganda that led to the Holocaust.

WTH is wrong with this guy?

With all the talk of civility what sense does it make to compare Republicans to the Nazis?  As Democrats we cannot stand on a soap box and call out Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin for their recklessness… and then turn around and act just as reckless!

SMH……

They say it’s a government takeover of health care, a big lie just like Goebbels. . . . You say it enough, you repeat the lie, you repeat the lie, you repeat the lie and eventually, people believe it. Like blood libel. That’s the same kind of thing. . . . The Germans said enough about the Jews and the people believed it and you had the Holocaust. You tell a lie over and over again. And we’ve heard on this floor, government takeover of health care

This is the kind of nonsense Democrats need to stay away, stick with the facts and outlandish examples like this is unnecessary.  I hope Democrats leaders come out and condemn the words of Cohen; actually they better if they want the American people to take them seriously.

And Cohen definitely needs to apologizes as well….

“Anderson let me say this, I won’t say it again, but I was right…” – Steve Cohen

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Takeover Thursdays – Anthony Weiner on the Health Care Repeal Debate

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Anthony Weiner

Once again Rep Anthony Weiner (D-NY) hit a homerun while debating Republicans on the validity of the “Repealing the Job–Killing Health Care Law Act”. Republicans want to repeal the Health Care Law aka the Affordable Care Act, but why???

They say we should start fresh as the current law is just no good, as Rep Weiner clearly pointed out while speaking on the floor of the House… Republicans want to repeal the current law so that Republicans can put forth legislation that will do the following:

  • Coverage for pre-existing conditions
  • Help fill the donut hole that will help senior citizens pay for prescriptions
  • Give incentives for small businesses to supply

Ummmmm, wait a minute…..

Republicans want to repeal the current law so that they can put in place what the current law is ALREADY doing!!!!

It’s really simple folks, if you don’t believe me see for yourself; http://www.healthcare.gov/law/introduction/index.html

Republicans are correct when they say there are problems with the current law but there is no reason to start over; focus on the real issues with the current law like the 1099 forms that will have to be submitted by small businesses. This is an unnecessary administrative burden on businesses, there has to be an easier way, let’s focus on coming up with a solution for that.

Many Public Opinion polls are showing that the argument for repeal is 50-50 at best right now; more people are wanting the bill to do more as the support for outright repeal is diminishing.

My advice to Republicans, you better be careful before you are caught on the wrong side of the argument. Get your mind right Boehner and get your crew focused on what is more important like Jobs and the Deficit!!

Meanwhile, enjoy the latest rant from my favorite congressman….

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Anthony Weiner explains the cost of Repealing Health Care Reform Law!

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Everyone PLEASE take 5:23 minutes to watch the video below of Rep Anthony Weiner explain to the House Rules Committee the cost of repealing the Affordable Care Act aka the Health Care Reform Law!!

All I ask of anyone wanting to better understand the Health Care debates; do your research.  Don’t take my word or even the word of Rep Weiner as the absolute truth; research everything Rep Weiner spoke about in the video clip and then make an informed decision on what is right and what is wrong.

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

WTF/WTH Wednesdays – While y’all were Shucking and Jiving to Dip and Pitts…

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

The FBI announced that they found a backpack bomb along the route of a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Spokane, Washington.  The backpack was discovered about an hour before the parade by 3 city employees.  The bomb squad was called in as the parade route was changed to protect the celebration of MLK.  According to the FBI the bomb if exploded would have caused injury and potential death; this is Domestic Terrorsim!

The timing of this incident plus the history of racial events in the Spokane area you have to believe this was racial motivated.

  • Aryan Nation leader Richard Butler gathered racists and anti-Semites at his compound for two decades. Butler was bankrupted and lost the compound in a civil lawsuit in 2000 and died in 2004.
  • In 1996, white supremacists placed a pipe bomb outside City Hall. The bomb exploded, blowing out a window and sending nails and screws across the street into Riverfront Park. There were no injuries. Two men arrested for the blast said it was part of a plot to spark a revolution and set up a whites-only nation.
  • In December, a man in nearby Hayden, Idaho, built a snowman on his front lawn shaped like a member of the Ku Klux Klan holding a noose. The man knocked the pointy-headed snowman down after getting a visit from sheriff’s deputies.

These are stark reminders that a Black President doesn’t mean that racial divide no longer exists; we have made significant strides since legal segregation but we are still some ways away from MLK’s dream.  So while we enjoy the silliness of Derwin and Melanie or who Malik is f*#king (The Game) let’s try to keep one eye open on the reality of LIFE!!

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Talking Points Tuesdays – Repealing Health Care Reform Law

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

When the Democrats were “Shellacked” in the November Mid-term elections it was said that the downfall of the Dems and President Barack Obama was the focus on Health Care  Reform.  Political pundits on both sides along with Republicans leading up to election night and the day after said time and time again that the focus should have been on Job Creation and bringing down the National Debt.

So when Republicans started the 2011 session of the House of Representatives the first bill they decided to bring to the floor of the House was; drum roll please…….

Introducing “Repealing the Job–Killing Health Care Law Act”

With all the talk of listening to the people and how the House or Reps belong to the people Republicans have decided to turn a deaf ear to the people and follow their obsession; Barack Obama.  This is all about defeating Obama and whatever it takes to make it happen.  It doesn’t matter that the #1 concern of the people is the debt and the economy; polls show that Americans may not be thrilled with the Health Care Reform Act but there are number of things about the bill they like.

If the GOP continue down this road they will only be shooting themselves in the foot and are setting the stage for Obama’s 2nd term.  As the president’s favorable numbers improve (50%) the idea of Obama losing in 2012 will be nothing more than a silly pipe dream for the Republicans.  They better smarten up before it’s too late; the idea of it still being early is nothing but an illusion, just ask Democrats!

As Mike Barnicle  from MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” repeatedly said last year, “It’s the Economy stupid!”

We all know the Health Care Reform Act is far from perfect but it is a starting point, if Republicans don’t want to believe a Moderate Liberal like myself how about former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn)

“It is not the bill that [Republicans] would have written,”

“It is not the bill that I would have drafted. But it is the law of the land and it is the platform, the fundamental platform, upon which all future efforts to make that system better, for that patient, for that family, will be based.”

“[The bill] has many strong elements,”

“And those elements, whatever happens, need to be preserved, need to be cuddled, need to be snuggled, need to be promoted and need to be implemented.

Yes, that is Republican Bill Frist who is saying work with the foundation of the legislation and improve it; not sure what to think about the “Cuddled” and “Snuggled” parts but everything else Republicans should listen to… HAHA!!

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!