Senator Joe Lieberman (I-VT), Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE), and Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) debate healthcare and discuss the roadblocks that stand between the bill and eventual passage – the controversial class action provision, Medicare Buy in Provision, and the Public Option. Senator James Inhoffe (R-OK) and Representative Ed Markey (D-MA), who drafted the House “Cap and Trade” bill debate Climate Change legislation and the President’s trip to Copenhagen. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Senator Clair McCaskill (D- MO) discuss the new Reid plan and its prospects for passing. The two also debate the President’s plan to use TARP money to finance new job creation programs. House Minority Whip Rep. Eric Cantor one of the President’s top economic advisors, Larry Summers -Director National Economic Council, discuss the President’s economic plans, his legislative agenda, and the impact of healthcare reform.
FOX NEWS SUNDAY WITH CHRIS WALLACE
Senator James Inhoffe (R-OK) and Representative Ed Markey (D-MA), who drafted the House “Cap and Trade” bill debate Climate Change legislation and the President’s trip to Copenhagen.
Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Senator Clair McCaskill (D- MO) discuss the new Reid plan and its prospects for passing. The two also debate the President’s plan to use TARP money to finance new job creation programs.
THIS WEEK WITH GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS
House Minority Whip Rep. Eric Cantor one of the President’s top economic advisors, Larry Summers -Director National Economic Council, discuss the President’s economic plans, his legislative agenda, and the impact of healthcare reform. Interesting highpoint of this interview with Summers – he says that the criteria for passing and the President ultimately signing a healthcare bill is NOT lowering the cost of healthcare but simply to lower the budget deficit. Not bad in theory – even sounds a bit Republican, but I wonder if the administration really planned to share that with the American people? I think not.
FACE THE NATION
Senator Joe Lieberman (I-VT), Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE), and Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) debate healthcare and discuss the roadblocks that stand between the bill and its passage – the controversial class action provision, Medicare Buy in Provision, and the Public Option. Without those, Lieberman says the Majority Leader could have 60 votes today. Nelson appeared less sure of things and even suggested that the new compromise proposal may be worse than the public option and the first step to a full blown single payer.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) offered the Republican response to the flaming liberal and the two moderates riding the fence… He began by pointing out that two Democrats have been fighting many of these battles with the GOP in recent weeks - Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) and Ben Nelson (D-NE). He then went on to say that lawmakers need to deal with the “Cost Issue” of healthcare reform and reiterated that reform was what Americans thought it was all about not 1/2 trillion dollars and 2100 page bills. McConnell also discusses statements made by Rush Limbaugh this week that were critical of the Minority Leader’s tactics and reflected a desire for him to do more to stop this legislation. McConnell responds by reassuring everyone that he has all Republicans (With a Vote) on board with his leadership.
MEET THE PRESS
Christina Romer who chairs the President’s Council of Economic Advisers discussed all things economic and is anything but reassuring when it comes to this administration having a handle on the mess we most certainly are still in. You can judge that for yourself. The only resonating point I heard from this interview was her impression on the state of the recession and when it will truly end. She says that she doesn’t see it as being over until unemployment has improved to normal levels – a figure she calls about 5%. She then goes on to say that its hard to say we are out of a recession when there are people who want jobs that still can’t find them. Other than that, there’s not much here. Her message does appear to be slightly out of touch with that of Larry Summers who you could have seen above. Not sure which one of them didn’t read the talking points administration memo or if this is just another one of this White House’s clever little schemes where they flood the media with so much BS that no one can sort it out.
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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan discusses unemployment and the state of the nation’s economy. He says that improvement in this area wil take quite some time as it takes 100,00 jobs a month just to stay even. He also said that the problem will be made worse by the fact that there are many people not seeking jobs in the current market who will come back once things improve. They are counted in the unemployment numbers, but they will certainly impact the applicant pool.
Greenspan also agrees with the over-caffeinated Jim Cramer, who is also on the panel, that the administration must flush the uncertainties out of system. Taxes, healthcare, and the interplay of both have made it impossible for employers to predict future costs and has made them leery of bringing on new employees.
Jim Cramer of “Mad Money” also said that no one is seeing any of the money (stimulus). CEO’s, small business owners, no one knows where stimulus has gone. He says the administration must kill the “agenda game” because that’s why theres no jobs. What will healthcare cost them, what will their payroll taxes be, what will the corporate tax be? Companies are hiring in other countries because they are stable. He says American businesses have to know what to expect from Congress and need to believe that the spending and eventual taxation that will follow that has finally come to an end.
Mitt Romeny says that it is not going to be a jobless recovery – they will come back – but it has been a jobless stimulus.
Governor Jennifer Granholm (D-MI) answers the question of whether this is and will be a jobless recovery and praises the administration for the bailout of the auto industry. Said her state, Michigan, would have even higher unemployment if not for the administration’s efforts and that’s saying a lot considering the state already has the nation’s highest unemployment rate.
No McCain?????????
[...] Clips From the Sunday Circuit: December 13, 2009 [...]