House Minority Whip: U.S. Can’t Spend Our Way Out Of Recession

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) told reporters at a press conference Tuesday that President Barack Obama and Congressional Democrats cannot stimulate the economy through spending alone.

“[I] absolutely disagree that we can spend our way out of recession...You can’t spend money that we don’t have and keep doing it,” said Cantor. “We can do something to reinvigorate the confidence of investors.”

The press conference was in direct response to Obama’s remarks earlier today at the Brookings Institute. Obama proposed new growth solutions with tax cuts and incentives for small businesses and continued investment in American infrastructure.

"Ensuring that economic growth and job creation are strong and sustained is critical to ensuring that we are increasing revenues and decreasing spending on things like unemployment so that our deficits will start coming down," Obama said.

Cantor refereed to his “No-costs jobs plan,” that he introduced last week during a discussion at the Heritage Foundation. Cantor’s plan proposes the Obama administration rescind self-imposed obstacles to economic growth and wealth creation by eliminating small business rules and regulations that have been detrimental for growth.

“We’ve got a lot of uncertainty out there right now that is inhibiting investors from getting back into the game. Obviously the White House is listening to the American people. Although the speeches are nice and the rhetoric about wanting to get Americans back to work are nice, the real question is ... 'what are they going to do,'” said Cantor.

US To Host Global AIDS Conference In 2012

Travis Martinez - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News

As the Obama administration prepares to repeal the HIV ban on infected foreigners, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced today that the U.S. will host the biannual global AIDS conference in 2012.

The U.S. last hosted the conference in 1990.

“We have to continue to see a global solution to this global problem,” she said. “It is clear that our nation’s investments in HIV/AIDS are having an impact. President Obama and I are dedicated to enhancing America’s leadership in the fight against global AIDS,” said Clinton.

“The American people can be proud of the work that is taking place, and of the dedicated people who are doing it. Yet it is equally true that the global AIDS emergency is not over,” added the Secretary of State.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius called the lifting of the HIV ban a consequential shift in U.S. policy.

“It was a policy that tore families apart, kept people from getting tested, forced others to hide their HIV status and forgo live saving medication,” she said.

According to a press release, the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP), is working to develop and implement a National HIV/AIDS strategy which would involve goals to reduce HIV incidence, increase access to care and optimize health care outcomes.

30,000 More Troops To Afghanistan Is A Step In The Right Direction

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

In a phone interview with Talk Radio News Service on Monday, Army Reserve Major Rose Lopez-Keravuori, a West Point graduate, called President Barack Obama’s likely decision to send up to 35,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan a "step in the right direction," and referred to West Point as a "very interesting location" from which to make the announcement.

“The fact that he’s going to send 30,000 troops is definitely a step in the right direction in trying to bring the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan back into the forefront of this," said Lopez-Keravuori.

Obama is scheduled to make the announcement at 8 pm Tuesday.

Lopez-Keravuori, who was in Iraq during the “Iraqi Awakening Movement,” otherwise known as the Iraqi troop surge, said the upcoming U.S. troop increase in Afghanistan may produce similar results as the 2007 troop surge in Iraq.

“We need to surge first, in providing a secure environment,” she said. “Another aspect is making sure the Afghan army and security forces surge as well, following military guidance.”

Lopez-Keravuori said she commends General Stanley McChrystal and supports his long-term goal of securing the region along with gaining support from India and Pakistan.

“General McChrsytal’s assessment is definitely on the mark when it comes to the Afghanistan portion of it,” she said.

Single Payer Advocates Ask Congress To Start Over On Healthcare Reform

Travis Martinez - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Single payer health insurance advocates are calling on Congress to scrap its healthcare reform bills, and start over using a single payer model.

Single Payer Action President Russell Mokhiber, Dr. Margaret Flowers and Dr. Carol Paris of Physicians for a National Health Program, opposed both the Senate and House's reform plans during a press conference on Wednesday.

“It’s unfair to call this health care reform. This is an insurance industry and pharmaceutical industry bailout,” said Mokhiber. Health care is a human right. Everybody in, nobody out. Join with us in this historic movement to defeat the Democratic bill.”

Flowers questioned how favorably Congress's bills would stack up against a single payer system.

“It’s designed to fail. If our goal for this country is to provide health care for every person in a way that is financially sustainable and have it be both universal and cost-efficient, this is not the way to do it,” she said.

The plan advocated for by the panelists would ensure that all Americans obtain health care coverage through one national insurance program. In 2005 Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) introduced H.R. 676, legislation that would have created a single payer system by using existing government revenues to insure people and increasing personal income tax on the top five percent of income earners - including a tax on stock and bond transactions.

Earlier this year, the four panelists from Wednesday's discussion were ordered out of the Senate Finance Committee hearings after the committee rejected a single payer amendment. Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) had all four arrested in the hearing room. They later pleaded not guilty and were ordered to refrain from protesting on Capitol Hill for one year.

Big Win For Democrats: Senate Votes To Allow Debate On Health Bill

By Travis Martinez - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

After a long week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) received the 60 votes he was looking for as the Senate voted 60-39 on Saturday night to begin debate on H.R. 3590, "The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act".

"We can see the finish line now but we're not there, we have yet crossed that and that's an understatement. We have the momentum that will keep this moving," said Reid after the Senate vote. "I really do believe this is a historic time in our country's history...We are going to get health care reform."

Reid gave high praise for his colleagues on both the Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees in working out the many issues that have arisen within the 2,074 page bill.

“We know that not all 100 Senators agree on where we go from here. We know not all 60 Senators in my caucus agree on every aspect of this bill. But, all Democrats do believe now is the time to make sure all Americans can access affordable health insurance," said Reid.

The Nevada Democrat also acknowledged that Saturday's vote, which no Republican voted in favor of, still needs work, but is looking forward to extensive debate when the Senate reconvenes on November 30.

Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio) was the only Senator not to vote.