Senate Republican Supports DOE Loan Review

By Mike Hothi

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today welcomed the news that President Obama has ordered an independent investigation into his Department of Energy’s renewable energy loan program.

“I welcome the administration’s decision to conduct a serious review of the stimulus loan guarantee program,” Murkowski said in a statement. “An independent review will serve as a complement to, but not a replacement for, continuing congressional oversight of this matter.”

The White House announced the decision on Friday after being pressured for weeks due to a $535 million loan that was awarded in 2009 to Solyndra, a solar power manufacturer that went bankrupt despite receiving the millions in federal aid.

House Republicans are preparing for a possible vote this week to subpoena White House documents related to Solyndra.

This morning, it was reported that Beacon Power Corp., a solar company that was awarded $43 million in loans as part of the 2009 stimulus package, has also filed for bankruptcy.

Murkowski, the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which oversees the DOE, suggested that the committee should also investigate the loan guarantee program.

“Every step that can be taken – whether public hearings in the committees of jurisdiction or an independent review – is appropriate at this time,” she said.

Currently, there are no scheduled hearings in the Senate.

NATO Mission Enters Final Day

Operation Unified Protector entered its final day Monday, just over seven months after the mission officially began.

Marking the occasion, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen landed in Libya to meet with members of the transitional government and congratulate the country for moving beyond the Gaddafi regime.

“Your courage, determination and sacrifice have transformed this country and helped change the region,” Rasmussen said during a press conference. “At midnight tonight, a successful chapter in NATO’s history is coming to an end. But you have already started writing a new chapter in the history of Libya. A new Libya, based on freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law and reconciliation.”

Previously, Rasmussen has stated that the international coalition is willing to assist the country if requested by the Libyans.

Boehner: Finding Common Ground Doesn't Mean Compromising Principle

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) urged Congress to find common ground Monday during remarks at the University of Louisville. 

“My message today is simple,” Boehner said, as reported by the Associated Press. “Faith in government has never been high, but it doesn’t have to be this low.”

Flanked by Louisville alumnus Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Boehner said that compromising in Congress does not require either party to sacrifice its principles, but rather act on areas that overlap. 

“Common ground, without compromising on principle, is the best recipe that produced some of the greatest policy milestones in recent memory,” the Speaker said. 

Additionally, the House’s top Republican took the opportunity to task the Joint Select Committee with making reforms to entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid, saying that the programs won’t be sustainable in the long-run without action.

Poll: Americans Want Simpler Tax Code, Stop Shy Of Welcoming Flat Tax Plans

A majority of American voters are looking for a more simple and fair tax code but aren’t willing to accept any of the flat tax proposals put forth by some GOP presidential candidates. 

According to a new poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports, 61 percent of likely voters agree that the current tax code should be replaced by something more user friendly. 

Additionally, since a majority of Americans are looking for a more fair tax code, there is a more impressive majority, 69 percent, who believe those who earn double the income should pay double the taxes. 

Despite the evident concurrence in a revamped tax code, not many Americans are jumping on the flat tax bandwagon. Nearly half, 49 percent, of those surveyed oppose pizza mogul Herman Cain’s “9-9-9” plan, reflecting an uptick in unfavorable percentage points in recent weeks. Thirty-one percent, however, favor Cain’s plan while 20 percent were undecided. 

Two out of three Democrats oppose Cain’s flat tax proposal and 45 percent of unaffiliated voters agree. Republican voters’ sentiments follow suit with 36 percent of conservative voters voicing opposition for such a plan. 

President Clinton Has Obama's Back

President Bill Clinton once again threw his support behind the embattled current administration, saying that he admires the approach President Obama has taken on health care, job creation and student loan reform.

Appearing at the Clinton Symposium in Washington, D.C., the 42nd President also touched upon what he thinks needs to be done to restore the U.S. economy, noting that while America should not punish success, everyone needs to pay their fair share in taxes.

Clinton added that the only way to get back to full employment is to “clean out the mortgage debt,” explaining that the housing crisis is something that has now affected nearly all Americans.

In regards to the legislative branch, Clinton also asked members of Congress to tone down their “militant, anti-government theory” since it, in fact, be the root to some of the economic failures of the past three decades. Instead, Clinton suggested, the private and public sector must work together to succeed.

“Everyone needs to calm down and do whats best for the future,” Clinton said.