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Editorials/Opinions |
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Kentucky.com: Politics and Government
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News, sports, and entertainment from Kentucky.com
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Obama criticizes Bush over U.S. debt
WASHINGTON President-elect Barack Obama Tuesday ripped outgoing President George W. Bush for "irresponsibly" doubling the federal debt, then warned that he could preside over trillion-dollar-a-year deficits for "years to come."
Huddling with his budget team, Obama told reporters he would ban pork-barrel spending projects known as earmarks from his proposal to stimulate the economy. He also vowed to make the difficult choices necessary to curb runaway deficits and debt.
He said, however, that he wouldn't propose his first federal budget until after the stimulus proposal which itself could cost $800 billion. He also cautioned that staggering annual deficits would continue even after that.
"At the current course and speed, a trillion-dollar deficit will be here before we even start the next budget," Obama said at his Washington transition office.
"We're already looking at a trillion-dollar budget deficit or close to a trillion-dollar budget deficit, and ... potentially we've got trillion-dollar deficits for years to come, even with the economic recovery that we are working on at this point."
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Congress full of drama, hope
WASHINGTON As the new Senate opened for business on Tuesday, it offered more story lines than a nightly telenovela.
In one corner stood Sen. Joe Biden, who soon will resign his Senate seat to assume the vice presidency. Not far away sat Sen. John McCain, who lost to Biden and the man at the top of the ticket, President-elect and former Sen. Barack Obama.
On the other side of the room sat Sen. Hillary Clinton, vanquished by Obama in the Democratic primaries but now likely to leave the Senate soon to serve as secretary of state. Close by sat Sen. Joe Lieberman, almost tossed out of the Democratic caucus for his support of McCain.
If that weren't enough, outgoing Vice President Dick Cheney presided over the opening session. He administered the oath of office for Biden.
But the drama inside the chamber was matched by events beyond it. Earlier in the day, Roland Burris of Illinois tried to gain admittance to the Senate, but was turned away because of faulty paperwork Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has refused to certify the embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich's appointment.
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CNN says Gupta approached by Obama for post
WASHINGTON President-elect Barack Obama has approached CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, about becoming the country's next surgeon general, the cable network said Tuesday.
CNN said it has kept Gupta from reporting on health care policy and other matters involving the incoming Obama administration since learning he was under consideration for the post.
Obama's transition office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Gupta hosts House Call on CNN, contributes reports to CBS News, and writes a column for Time magazine. He is a neurosurgeon and is on the faculty at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. During the Clinton administration, he was a White House fellow and special adviser to then-first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The surgeon general has a tiny staff, must rely on other agencies for a budget and holds little power. The surgeon general typically isn't heavily involved in shaping an administration's policy, but the position has proven over the years to be a powerful bully pulpit for disseminating public health information.
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Obama keeps a promise
During my recent two-week vacation, a great deal of controversy erupted over President-elect Barack Obama's selection of the Rev. Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at the upcoming inauguration.
Warren, the evangelical author of the best-selling book The Purpose Driven Life and the pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, Calif., is openly opposed to gay marriage as are many ministers and has made comments in that regard that don't sit well with those who support gay rights.
Warren actively supported California's Proposition 8. The November ballot measure outlawed gay marriage.
A great many gays and lesbians vehemently oppose Warren's participation in the inauguration and continue to fault Obama, calling him a traitor to their cause.
Recently, Michael Newdow, an atheist, joined in the controversy, filing a federal lawsuit against Warren and others to block Warren's prayer and any mention of God at all during the inauguration.
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'Mr. Inside' fights to keep GOP post
WASHINGTON There was a time when GOP operatives called Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan "Mr. Inside" and meant it as a compliment.
After all, the Kentucky native's reputation as a behind-the-scenes workhorse with deep ties to the GOP's kingmakers helped him rise to the party's top leadership ranks. Now, with the party in disarray after weathering two cycles of bruising election-year losses, Duncan finds himself struggling to keep his position.
"In the beginning people were looking for superman," Duncan said of his tenure as chairman. "Some people who were looking for one person to come in and be the face of the party were disappointed. We need many faces and many voices. The RNC chairman cannot be the only spokesman for the party."
As the party regroups, the RNC chairmanship will take on heightened prominence. The race boasts a prominent slate of challengers including former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis, South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson and former Tennessee chairman Chip Saltsman, who gave members a copy of a CD that includes a song called "Barack the Magic Negro" during the holidays.
The candidates will face off on Jan. 28 when the 168 Republican National Committee members elect their new chairman. Though the candidates represent varied segments of the party, they are nearly united in their questioning of Duncan's RNC leadership.
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