DNC Touts Fractured Republican Party Following Congressional Primaries

By Miles Wolf Tamboli-Talk Radio News Service

Following Tuesday's closely watched primaries, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine argued Wednesday that the actions of Tea Party activists have sent Republicans "running to the right," and made the Republican party "less and less appealing to independents and other swing voters."

Kaine pushed the idea that Democrats should take advantage of the growing fracture in the Republican Party, citing the defeat of more moderate incumbents by more radical - and some Tea Party backed - candidates in Kentucky, Utah and Florida.

"Voters ... can choose President Obama and Democrats - who are taking bold action to turn the economy around," Kaine said. "Or Republicans - whose failed economic policies drove the American economy into a ditch."

Kagan's Former Colleagues Give Outstanding Reviews, Few Details

By Miles Wolf Tamboli- Talk Radio News Service

According to Former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta, Elena Kagan is "wicked smart."

In a conference call Wednesday, Elena Kagan's former Clinton White House colleagues discussed their impressions of Kagan, and addressed her nomination as Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens' replacement. Former White House Chief Speechwriter and Assistant to the President Michael Waldman referred to Kagan as being, "Brilliant, politically savvy, legally grounded, and having a very sure sense of policy and government really work."

Former White House Chief of Staff John Podesta led the informative discussion with strong recommendations; "We all think that she is just an extremely highly qualified person for this court and [is] well-rounded in knowing how the government works and knowing how the Executive Branch works, which I think will be a strong and important voice on the court."

A prevailing theme Wednesday morning was the proclamation of Kagan's ability to negotiate between Democrats and Republicans in order to galvanize support for public policy initiatives. Podesta stated that Kagan was able, "to work in a bipartisan way to try to find a compromise with Republicans on Capitol Hill, and I think, again, that that's characteristic of the way she worked both inside the White House and in her work on Capitol Hill."

In addition, Kagan's former colleagues emphasized the nominee's people-minded approach to policy-making, and her "orientation for action." The former White House staff told the press how Kagan was known as a "translator," who could interpret complex law into legal action, with a focus on how that law would be interpreted by and affect citizens.

Good News For Small Businesses Under New Healthcare Law

By Miles Wolf Tamboli
Talk Radio News Service

Under the recently approved Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, many small businesses will be eligible to receive tax credits to pay for their employees' health insurance.

Specifically, businesses with ten or fewer full time equivalent employees, earning $25,000 a year or less, and those with 25 or fewer full time equivalent employees earning $50,000 a year or less will be eligible for a tax credit up to 35%, starting retroactively in January 2010.

In addition, small business owners will be pleased to note that receiving state tax credits will not affect eligibility for federal tax credits under the law.

"Federal credit will never be reduced because an employer is also getting a state health care credit or subsidy," said Assistant Treasury Secretary for Tax Policy Michael Mundaca during a conference call with reporters on Monday morning.

Mundaca gave more good news when he elaborated on the enhanced coverage of the law, which provides for the inclusion of coverage for add-on benefits, like vision and dental care, in addition to traditional medical coverage.

U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, who also participated in Monday's call, trumpeted the law's subsidy provisions for small businesses.

"The tax credit proposal provides tens of billions of dollars in new tax credits to small businesses to make it easier for them to provide coverage to their employees."

Arizona Bill "Dehumanizes" And "Demonizes" Latinos, Says Hispanic Rights Advocacy Group

By Miles Wolf Tamboli
Talk Radio News Service

During a conference call Friday, focused on polling in response to Arizona's recent passing of immigration legislation, Clarissa Martinez de Castro, Director of Immigration and National Campaigns for the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), sent a strong message to the media: "The intent of this law is clear: to dehumanize and demonize Latinos, regardless of immigration status."

Regardless of the intent of the law, some groups have begun enacting economic boycotts against the state of Arizona in response to the controversial legislation. According to Elisio Medina, Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), "[Arizona] is getting a very strong message from the rest of America, that this is unacceptable behavior...A growing number of U.S. cities, institutions, and civil rights leaders have announced opposition to S.B. 1070, and support for economic sanctions against Arizona."

Despite a growing sentiment that conservative Republicans oppose federal immigration reforms pitched by moderate Republicans and Democrats, it is clear that voters are looking to both parties to find a solution to their concerns. It can be seen that Latino support for Republicans has fallen dramatically in recent years, and the party may soon suffer from this loss of favor by the country's fastest growing constituent group, which has a history of great political plasticity. In light of the coming election, however, the Republican National Committee dropped Phoenix, Arizona from its list of potential convention sites, choosing Tampa, Florida instead as its location for the 2012 political convention.

Matt Barreto, of the Hispanic civil rights group Latino Decisions, clarified during the conference call, however, that 33% of Latino votes believe that both Republicans and Democrats are responsible for the new Arizona immigration law, and Ben Patinkin of Grove Insight adds that, "pluralities of voters believe that both parties are ignoring or avoiding [working towards comprehensive immigration reform]."

According to Medina and Martinez de Castro, voters are "fed up" with the federal government for putting off immigration reform. Their groups are calling for comprehensive immigration reform, formulated on a national level, and not just increased restrictions imposed by states. Said De Castro earlier today, "the response to federal inaction cannot be irresponsible state action." Patinkin added that, "while voters provide support for [Arizona's recently passed law on immigration], they would greatly prefer a comprehensive solution to the issue of immigration at the federal level."

House Determined To Create Jobs, Says Top Democrat

By Miles Wolf Tamboli
Talk Radio News Service

On the same day President Barack Obama traveled to Buffalo to talk about the need for increased job creation, his top lieutenant in the House said her chamber is intensely devoted to doing just that.

During her weekly press briefing Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) lauded last month's report by the Labor Department, showing that nearly 300,000 new jobs were added to the economy, primarily in the private sector, and said reforming Wall Street will lead to even more job growth.

"Never again will recklessness on Wall Street cause joblessness on Main Street," said Pelosi alluding to a tough financial regulatory reform bill being debated in the Senate. "[Democrats] are on the side of the middle class [and] the Republicans are on the side of Wall Street," she added.

With the House having passed its energy bill late last year, the Speaker said she was "optimistic" about the odds of a similar bill in the Senate passing. Pelosi praised the legislation for its measures to create jobs as well as lower the country's dependence on foreign oil.