Top Items:
Paul Krugman:
The Budget Speech — Style: I liked the way Obama made a case for government at the beginning. I liked the way he accused Republicans of pessimism, of abandoning a hopeful vision of America. Good that he went after the Ryan plan — and good that he went after the cruelty of that plan.
RELATED:
David Leonhardt / New York Times:
Do-Nothing Congress as a Cure — A trick question: If Congress takes no action in coming years, what will happen to the budget deficit? — It will shrink — and shrink a lot. This simple fact may offer the best hope for deficit reduction. — As federal law currently stands …
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, Balloon Juice, Firedoglake, Daily Kos, Calculated Risk, PERRspectives, Poynter, neo-neocon, LA Observed, Taylor Marsh, The Daily Dish, No More Mister Nice Blog, Left Coast Rebel, Prairie Weather, Washington Monthly, Lawyers, Guns & Money, msnbc.com, AMERICAblog News, The Washington Independent, Associated Press, Eschaton and Washington Post
cbpp.org:
Statement: Robert Greenstein, President, on President Obama's Deficit-Reduction Plan — President Obama made an important contribution today to efforts to address the nation's long-term fiscal problems, proposing a plan to reduce deficits by about $4 trillion over the next 12 years and meet …
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, American Times, Paul Krugman and AMERICAblog News
Clive Crook / The Atlantic Online:
Obama's Speech Was a Waste of Breath — Obama had a difficult assignment in this speech, partly because of the exaggerated hopes for it (see previous post). Even allowing for that, it was weak both politically and substantively. My instant unguarded reaction, in fact, was to find it not just weak but pitiful.
Discussion:
Viking Pundit
Glenn Greenwald / Salon:
Obama's “bad negotiating” is actually shrewd negotiating — (updated below) — In December, President Obama signed legislation to extend hundreds of billions of dollars in Bush tax cuts, benefiting the wealthiest Americans. Last week, Obama agreed to billions of dollars in cuts …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, TalkLeft, Hullabaloo, Corrente, Washington Post and Paul Krugman
Annie Lowrey / Slate:
How Congress can balance the budget in eight years by literally doing nothing. This is not a joke. — The Simpson-Bowles blue-ribbon deficit commission longs to slash Social Security and defense spending. The Bipartisan Policy Center's Alice Rivlin and Peter Domenici yearn for a value-added tax.
Discussion:
Yglesias, Derek Wallbank, Capital Gains and Games blogs, The Atlantic Online and The New Republic
Associated Press:
CBO: Budget deal cuts this fiscal year's deficit by just $353 million, not $38 billion touted — WASHINGTON — A new budget estimate released Wednesday shows that the spending bill negotiated between President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner would produce less than 1 percent …
RELATED:
David Rogers / The Politico:
John Boehner: 'I'll get there on budget' — Speaker John Boehner brings his White House budget deal to a floor vote Thursday, predicting success but still battling worrisome new cost estimates and awkward relations with President Barack Obama, who chose to deliver a partisan-tinged deficit-reduction address on the eve of the debate.
Washington Post:
Obama unveils framework for cutting deficit by $4 trillion over 12 years
Obama unveils framework for cutting deficit by $4 trillion over 12 years
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Guardian, The Huffington Post, The Note, Jamie Dupree Washington …, Associated Press and The Moderate Voice
Ben White / The Politico:
Wall Street executives warn John Boehner on debt limit
Wall Street executives warn John Boehner on debt limit
Discussion:
Weigel, The Other McCain, Riehl World View, Washington Monthly, Swampland, Crooks and Liars, Economix, The Moderate Voice, Daily Kos and Taylor Marsh
Sean J. Miller / Ballot Box:
Dem leader: Obama's approach to GOP ‘frustrating to Democrats? You betcha’
Dem leader: Obama's approach to GOP ‘frustrating to Democrats? You betcha’
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers, The Hill and The Nation
Erik Wasson / The Hill:
Boehner sees ‘hollow targets’ in speech; Ryan calls it ‘hopelessly inadequate’
Boehner sees ‘hollow targets’ in speech; Ryan calls it ‘hopelessly inadequate’
Discussion:
Cubachi and Liberty Pundits Blog
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Pawlenty urges lawmakers to reject 2011 budget deal
Pawlenty urges lawmakers to reject 2011 budget deal
Discussion:
UPI, Hot Air, Erick's blog, The Hill and Washington Post
Washington Wire:
Text of Obama Speech on the Deficit — Here is the prepared text of President Barack Obama's speech on the deficit, as released by the White House: — Remarks of President Barack Obama - As Prepared for Delivery — The Country We Believe In — The George Washington University — Washington, D.C.
RELATED:
New York Times:
Obama's Speech on Reducing the Budget (Text) — Following is a prepared text of President Obama's debt-reduction speech, to be delivered on Wednesday at The George Washington University, as released by the White House: — Good afternoon. It's great to be back at GW.
George Washington / The White House:
Remarks by the President on Fiscal Policy
Remarks by the President on Fiscal Policy
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Keith Hennessey, White House.gov Blog and SEIU
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Obama's solution to deficit: spending, ObamaCare, and tax hikes
Obama's solution to deficit: spending, ObamaCare, and tax hikes
Discussion:
NationalJournal.com, Democracy in America, Doug Ross, Swampland, The Lonely Conservative and Michelle Malkin
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Paul Ryan rips Obama's speech: “Rather than building bridges, he's poisoning wells”
Paul Ryan rips Obama's speech: “Rather than building bridges, he's poisoning wells”
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, CNN and TPMDC
Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:
THE PRESIDENT'S ROUSING REJECTION OF REPUBLICAN RADICALISM. …
THE PRESIDENT'S ROUSING REJECTION OF REPUBLICAN RADICALISM. …
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online and No More Mister Nice Blog
Colby Hall / Mediaite:
Paul Ryan Is Very Disappointed With The President: ‘Demagoguery Not Solutions’
Paul Ryan Is Very Disappointed With The President: ‘Demagoguery Not Solutions’
Discussion:
Weasel Zippers
The Note:
Asleep on the Job: What Was Vice President Joe Biden Doing During Obama's Debt Speech? — ABC's Z. Byron Wolf reports: — Vice President Biden chose an inopportune time for either a nap or some deep reflection today. — As President Obama weighed in on one of the most important issues of the day …
RELATED:
Lauraklairmont / CNN:
LensCrafters v. Bachmann — Washington (CNN) - The optics don't look great for Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann. That is, if you're talking about her relationship with LensCrafters, the one-stop shop of eye care and eyewear. — The possible GOP presidential candidate supported her belief …
Discussion:
TPMDC
RELATED:
Emily Heil / Roll Call:
Heard on the Hill: Eye Spy a Bachmann Controversy
Heard on the Hill: Eye Spy a Bachmann Controversy
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland and RH Reality Check
Damian Paletta / Washington Wire:
Alan Simpson: ‘Pray for Gang of Six’ — Former Sen. Alan Simpson appeared jarred by the political nature of President Barack Obama's speech on reducing the deficit Wednesday at George Washington University. … The Wyoming Republican, who had a front-row seat for Mr. Obama's speech …
RELATED:
Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
GOP senators: Raise retirement age to 70
GOP senators: Raise retirement age to 70
Discussion:
Cubachi, The Hill, CNN, Hot Air, ourfuture.org/blogs_chrono/* and Liberty Pundits Blog
Michael O'Brien / The Hill:
Obama speech to focus on four steps for fiscal reform
Obama speech to focus on four steps for fiscal reform
Discussion:
Reuters, CNN, The Politico, The Hill, Hullabaloo, Sky Dancing, No More Mister Nice Blog, Daily Kos, ABCNEWS, Political Punch, George's Bottom Line and AMERICAblog News
Blogger Bob / The TSA Blog:
Screening of 6 Year-Old at MSY — ***Update 4-13-2011 7:07 PM*** Welcome Drudge readers and anyone else who's new to the TSA Blog. Seeing that many of you have never been here before, I wanted to provide links to a couple of posts we've written on pat-downs. They will give you a better idea of why pat-downs are used and when.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit and The Daily Caller
RELATED:
Andrew Springer / ABCNEWS:
Parents of 6-Year-Old Girl Pat Down at Airport Want Procedures Changed
Parents of 6-Year-Old Girl Pat Down at Airport Want Procedures Changed
Discussion:
Washington Post, Hot Air, Hit & Run and Weasel Zippers
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Graham vows to bring Senate to standstill over $40K for project — Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has vowed to bring the Senate to a standstill unless congressional leaders agree to allocate $40,000 for a federal study on deepening the Port of Charleston. — Graham says one out of five jobs …
Discussion:
MyDD and InvestmentWatch
RELATED:
Susan Crabtree / TPMDC:
Graham Vows To ‘Tie Senate In Knots’ Over $50K Left Out Of Budget Deal
Graham Vows To ‘Tie Senate In Knots’ Over $50K Left Out Of Budget Deal
Discussion:
Business Week, ThinkProgress, Booman Tribune, The Moderate Voice, Outside the Beltway and Talking Points Memo
Jake Tapper / Political Punch:
Throw Grandma From the Train — President Obama at the GOP House retreat, January 2010: — “We're not going to be able to do anything about any of these entitlements if what we do is characterize whatever proposals are put out there as, 'Well, you know, that's — the other party's being irresponsible.
Discussion:
Power Line, Hot Air, National Review, RedState and YID With LID
Associated Press:
Barry Bonds found guilty of obstruction — SAN FRANCISCO — Barry Bonds was convicted of obstruction of justice Wednesday but a jury failed to reach a verdict on three other counts that the home run king lied to a grand jury when he denied knowingly using steroids and human growth hormone.
RELATED:
Juliet Macur / New York Times:
Bonds Guilty of Obstruction of Justice
Michael D. Shear / New York Times:
Obama, to Curb Deficit, Urges Cuts and More Taxes on Rich — WASHINGTON — President Obama called for cutting the nation's combined budget deficit by $4 trillion over the next 12 years on Wednesday, countering Republican budget plans with what he said was a more balanced approach that relies …
Discussion:
The Politico, Firedoglake, The Daily Dish, Swampland, Outside the Beltway, MyDD, Daily Kos and Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog
Larry O'Connor / Breitbart.tv:
Dem Rep Mocks Tea Party Colleagues With Red Neck Southern Accent — “Everything to them is unconstitutional.” — Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) appeared on the nationally syndicated Stephanie Miller Show to discuss how it is working with her new, Tea Party colleagues in the House.
Discussion:
theblogprof and The Blast
The Politico:
COLBERT KEEPS TWITTER HEAT ON KYL — Sen. Jon Kyl's claim that “well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does” is abortion-related is getting a continued skewering from political comedians. — Comedy Central late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart have since Monday laid …
Discussion:
Big Hollywood, MyDD, Jezebel and TPM LiveWire
The Daily Beast:
Sidney Harman 1918-2011 — Sidney Harman died last night of complications from acute myeloid leukemia at the young age of almost 93. He first learned of his illness one month ago and remained vigorously engaged as Executive Chairman of Newsweek, and Chairman of the Academy for Polymathic Study …