Bennett's Loss Shows That The GOP Base Is Growing More Hostile, Says Hoyer

By Sofia Sanchez-Talk Radio News Service/University of New Mexico

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters Tuesday that the decision from Utah Republicans to drop incumbent Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah) shows that the GOP is moving toward a smaller and more stubborn base.

"I think that the Republican party now has the narrowest base that I have seen … since I have been involved with politics, which has been for over four decades,” Hoyer said. “Their base does not want them to compromise, their base does not want them to sit down with people and discuss alternatives that are possible."

Republicans in Utah cited Bennett's vote in favor of the Troubled Assets Relief Program and his attempt to craft a health care reform compromise with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) as the grounds for their vote. Mike Lee and Tim Bridgewater garnered more support than Bennett and will face a primary vote this June.

Hoyer said that this new direction among conservatives will likely alienate more moderate voters.

"I think, ultimately, [this] will not be something the Independents believe is a good thing for our country."

Mission To Restore Economy Is Far From Over, Says House Republican

By Sofia Sanchez
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Democratic and Republican members of the Joint Economic Committee expressed different feelings on Friday about the newly released April unemployment numbers.

With the nation's unemployment rate rising to 9.9% during the previous month, Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) warned Congress that now is not the time to be celebrating.

“No one in Congress is raising a 'Mission Accomplished' banner just yet,” he said.

Brady lamented the fact that the federal government outpaced small businesses terms of adding payroll during the month. Manufacturing, hospitality, construction and mining, are all trailing big businesses in job growth so far this year, he added.

“I guess I am troubled by the thought that our main street...companies aren’t hiring,” he said.

Brady attributed the bad news to the enactment of "careless fiscal polices" by both the Obama administration and congressional Democrats, claiming they will eventually create an economic collapse in the U.S. parallel to the one in that has occurred in Greece, a nation that is requesting billions of dollars from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) just to keep its economy afloat.

Others on the committee, however, chose to focus on positive elements within the report. Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) viewed the April job situation in a different light.

“Although the unemployment rate rose to 9.9 percent, the increase is due to re-entrance into the labor force, a sign of increased optimism about job prospects...We have come a great distance in the past 15 months,” she said.

Boehner Bashes Obama For Relying Too Much On Luck

By Sofia Sanchez
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Republicans are voicing a new criticism against President Barack Obama. On Thursday, one of the top Republicans in Congress told reporters that the President and his administration are hardly inspiring confidence in their ability to effectively manage the country's national security.

"The Obama administration has spoon-fed the American people with bland reassurances that [accused terrorist Faisal Shazhad] was a lone wolf,” said House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio).

Boehner said Democrats are not fit to fight the war on terror because of their refusal to admit that the nation is, in fact, engaged in war. He criticized the administration for lacking a real comprehensive strategy to fight the war.

"Trying to fight a war on terror, while at the same time refusing its existence," he said. "Democrats can’t have it both ways."

Boehner blasted the administration for what he called a plan based on luck.

“Yes, we’ve been lucky, but luck is not an effective strategy for fighting the terrorist threat,” he said. “This is a nation at war and stopping at nothing to confront and defeat the terrorist threat...is how we best protect the American people and set an example for the rest of the world.”

Rangel "Shocked" By Obey’s Retirement Announcement

By Sofia Sanchez
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Shocked, surprised and disappointed are the words that Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) used Wednesday to express his feelings over the sudden announcement by House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) that he will not seek re-election this November.

“He has worked so hard for his country that I can only hope that whatever he decides to do, that it brings him some exciting relief. He’s a warrior that has retired,” said Rangel.

Rangel added that the loss of Obey would not have a negative impact on Democrats controlling the House.

“I don’t see in any way how [Obey’s retirement] has an adverse affect on our ability to maintain our majority, not at all,” he said.

Obey, who was elected to office in 1969, becomes the second Democratic House chairman to announce his retirement. Despite the fact that his poll numbers were down, Obey told members of the press Wednesday that his decision had more to do with wanting more out of life.

“I have to ask myself how I want to spend the time I have left,” he said. “All I do know is that there has to be more to life that explaining the ridiculous, accountability destroying rules of the Senate to confused, angry, and frustrated constituents.”

Rangel said he took Obey at his word.

“There comes a time regardless of how well you're thought of, you have to think of your family.”

Lawmakers And Tech Industry Divided Over Future Of Online Safety Law

By Sofia Sanchez University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Lawmakers and members of the tech industry went head to head Thursday on the issue of whether the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) of 1998 should undergo an overhaul in response to technological advances made in the last decade.

Executives from Microsoft and Facebook appearing before a Senate panel praised COPPA, which requires websites to gain parents’ consent before collecting or using any personal information given by children, as an effective tool, but argued against expanding the legislation.

"COPPA has enabled parents to take a more active and informed role deciding how their children can take advantage of the internet's many benefits...therefore, we do not believe that a legislative amendment is necessary at this time,” Microsoft Associate General Counsel Michael Hintze said.

Sen. John Rockefeller (D-W.VA.), was displeased with the executives' positions and said that he believed the two companies were too confident that they could protect children without the government's involvement.

"You ... ended up with the idea 'we will do this by ourselves, we really don’t need the government to tell us what to do,'" Rockefeller said.

The West Virginia Democrat also took shots at Google and Apple, who both declined to appear before the committee.

“Could they not get the people here because they couldn’t afford the plane tickets?" the senator joked.