Free Republic

At a White House press conference today, President Barack Obama said that "professional politicians" understand the debt crisis better than "the public." Obama was responding to a question from CBS News Reporter Chip Reid. “The latest CBS News poll showed that only 24 percent of Americans said that you should raise the debt limit to avoid an economic catastrophe," said Reid. "There’s still 69 percent who oppose raising the debt limit. So, is it the problem that you and others have failed to convince the American people that we have a crisis here and how are you going to change...

I am of course disappointed that, unlike 1994, the Republican party didn't take both houses of Congress. This was a "bloodbath?" Please! Needless to say I'm also disappointed with the results in Nevada, Alaska, Delaware, and other such places where Dems who were "sure to lose" did not. However, regardless of who wins Congressional elections, we have the same problem: Congress is in session continually, made up of people who legislate for a living, doing just that. Congress has basically been in session continuously since 1933. Prior to that time Congress was made up of people who did something else...

The Legislature's top administrators have asked Attorney General Jerry Brown to decide whether pending 18 percent cuts to lawmakers' pay and benefits were legally approved by the California Citizens Compensation Commission. Jon Waldie, chief administrative officer of the Assembly, and Greg Schmidt, chief executive officer of the Senate, suggest that the reductions were beyond the jurisdiction of the seven-member commission, which is appointed by the governor. Citing the state's dire fiscal condition, the panel in May cut the pay for state officials by 18 percent beginning in December 2010 – after the next round of legislative elections. The cut will...