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Sen Jim DeMint Video: Brokered GOP Convention Possible
Better brokered than losing with Mitt Romney.Come on GOP POLS get out there and run….. -
President 2012: Mitt Romney Wins New Hampshire But….
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney surrounded by his family points towards supporters at the Romney for President New Hampshire primary night victory party at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, N.H., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has won the GOP Presidential primary election in New Hampshire tonight.Mitt Romney cruised to a solid victory in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday night, picking up steam from his first-place finish in the lead-off Iowa caucuses and firmly establishing himself as the man to beat for the Republican presidential nomination.
“Tonight we made history,” Romney told cheering supporters before pivoting to a stinging denunciation of President Barack Obama. “The middle class has been crushed … our debt is too high and our opportunities too few,” he declared – ignoring the rivals who had been assailing him for weeks and making clear he intends to be viewed as the party’s nominee in waiting after only two contests.
His Republican rivals said otherwise, looking ahead to South Carolina on Jan. 21 as the place to stop the former Massachusetts governor. Already, several contenders and committees supporting them had put down heavy money to reserve time for television advertising there.
But, will Romney be able to seal the deal in South Carolina?
It remains to be seen, but it increasingly looks like Romney is on a roll to the nomination. In fact, conservative South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint has said that he expects Romney to win in South Carolina.
If the GOP conservative field stays as large, they cannot help but split the vote sufficiently, so that Romney wins.
But, stay tuned…. the negative ads in South Carolina are ready to roll….
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President 2012: Romney NOW going to Attend DeMint’s South Carolina Forum
Jen Rubin has the news.Right Turn has learned that, after several weeks of schedule adjustment, Mitt Romney will now appear at the candidate forum hosted by Sen. Jim DeMint in South Carolina. The Romney camp dismisses the suggestion that this is in response to Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s rise in the polls. Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul tells me: “We’re pleased we were able to arrange our schedule so that Gov. Romney can attend Labor Day events in both New Hampshire and South Carolina.”
With Texas Governor Rick Perry swamping Mitt Romney in the polls, Romney had to make an appearance. Why, he did not previously committ in South Carolina is anyone’s guess?
Remember these two will face off with the rest of the field, including Michele Bachmann next Wednesday at the Reagan Presidential Library here in California. The debate will be televised on MSNBC at 8 PM Eastern.
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Video: Senator Jim DeMint Warns Republicans If They Support Debt Ceiling Increase
Of course, there are conditions, but Senator DeMint has pretty much laid down the gauntlet or should I say litmus test for the GOP.Plus, the South Carolina Senator has the PAC money to back it up.
Conservative firebrand Sen. Jim DeMint has a message to fellow Republicans in Congress: If you support increasing the debt ceiling without first passing a balanced budget amendment and massive across-the-board spending cuts, you’re gone — destined to be swept out of Congress by a wave of voter anger.
“Based on what I can see around the country,” DeMint, R-S.C., said in an interview for the ABC News Subway Series, “not only are those individuals gone, but I would suspect the Republican Party would be set back many years.
“It would be the most toxic vote,” DeMint said. “I can tell you if you look at the polls, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, they do not think we should increase the debt limit.”
DeMint is not just talking political analysis here. He has a significant fundraising base and has shown a willingness to use his campaign money to support or oppose fellow Republicans.
DeMint will use that political muscle to oppose fellow Republicans who don’t stand firm on the debt ceiling issue. He said he will not support any candidate for Congress — incumbent or challenger — who does not sign a pledge promising not to vote for a debt limit increase without first passing a balanced budget amendment, making deep spending cuts and putting strict limits on future government spending. The same rule applies to presidential candidates.
But, the GOP will have to be careful, because I can foresee the Obama Administration scapegoating the GOP when they refuse to pay out Social Security and military payroll checks when and if the debt limit ceiling crisis hits this summer.
There will be some deals made to avert a crisis, but the Democrats are lirking in the weeds to inflict maximum damage to the Republicans.
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President 2012: Will Senator Jim DeMint Endorse Mitt Romney for President?
Well, Senator DeMint (R-South Carolina) did in 2008, but now there are conditions?Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) “would never consider” endorsing former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for president again in 2012 unless Romney repudiates the health reforms he sought as governor, a source close to DeMint said Thursday.
A source close to the conservative icon emphasized that, despite comments to The Hill indicating that Romney shouldn’t shoulder all the political blame for the Massachusetts healthcare plan, DeMint wouldn’t endorse Romney again unless he admits the plan was mistaken.
“It’s obvious Jim was just trying to be nice to the guy he backed over McCain, as many conservatives did in 2008,” the source said. “But he would never consider backing Romney again unless he admits that his Massachusetts healthcare plan was a colossal mistake.”
So has DeMint suddenly decided to make peace with the individual mandate? Perhaps, but that would be a monumental and abrupt shift in his thinking. No, this is pure, opportunistic politics. It’s the sort of thing DeMint normally decries, to the cheers of his base. But Romney backed DeMint and now DeMint is giving Romney cover.
That’s unsurprising in politics, but it’s a major problem for a pol who has carved his identity on principled opposition to nearly every compromise with the left. For DeMint to give Romney a pass on an individual mandate negotiated with the late Sen. Ted Kennedy is a high-risk proposition for DeMint.
His backers and the Republican base more generally are not going to buy the excuse DeMint has offered on RomneyCare. Romney is going to be savaged by the right, and from those very people who have given DeMint his base of support. So the question for DeMint is: Is he willing to risk his own conservative street cred to support a candidate who will be the target of his base’s ire?
And, also spanked by Phil Klein over at the American Spectator.
But beyond being ignorant, DeMint’s comments are dangerous. I’ve long argued that the Massachusetts health care plan is not only toxic to Mitt Romney’s presidential candidacy, but it could prove toxic to the entire Republican Party. If Romney is excused for crafting and signing the Massachusetts health care plan, it significantly undermines the case against ObamaCare and weakens the effort to repeal it. The reason is that opposition to ObamaCare will start to look increasingly political and less about principle. It’s true that a state mandate doesn’t raise the same Constitutional questions as the federal mandate, but it still is government forcing an individual to purchase a product. These comments are especially dangerous coming from DeMint, who is known as a leading conservative and ObamaCare opponent. Let’s hope it’s an isolated incident and not part of a broader trend.
Mitt Romney should NOT be the Republican Party’s Presidential nominee in 2012. RomneyCare and his numerous flip-flops over the decades make him untrustworthy and not worthy of my vote.
Period.
His nomination will undercut the repeal of ObamaCare which should be one of the GOP’s first priorities. ObamaCare will ruin American health care, bust the budget wide open and imperil America’s survival.
As far as Jim DeMint is concerned. He is an OPPORTUNISTIC POL not a Tea Party activist.
Remember how DeMint has promised Indiana Senator Richard Lugar he would not help fund a primary challenge to him in 2012. I mean, Lugar is clearly a RINO, who is old and votes way too left for the modern day GOP. But, DeMint will sit on his hands.
Remember when DeMint funded Chuck DeVore in California against a conservative Carly Fiorina when DeVore had absolutely NO chance of winning?
DeMint is a conservative Senator, but he is a POL like all of the rest and when he supports/endorses Romney, it will just be another example.
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Senate Republicans Introduce Bill to De-Fund Public Broadcasting
Probably a prudent savings in light of the massive salaries being paid to NPR and CPB executives and look at Sesame Street.
The statement from Senators Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn:Today, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint, R-S.C., a member of the Senate Commerce Committee that oversees the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D., R-Okla., introduced legislation to stop taxpayer subsidies to public radio and television. CPB-funded television and radio programs are distributed through National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Since 2001, CPB has received nearly $4 billion in taxpayer money.
“Our nation is on the edge of bankruptcy and Congress must make some tough choices to rein in spending, but ending taxpayer subsidies of public broadcasting should be an easy decision,” said Sen. DeMint. “Americans struggling to make ends meet shouldn’t be forced to fund public broadcasting when there are already thousands of choices for educational and entertainment programming on the television, radio and web. President Obama’s own bipartisan debt commission proposed ending these unnecessary subsidies to public broadcasting. NPR boasts that it only gets 2 percent of their funding from taxpayers and PBS gets about 15 percent, so these programs should be able to find a way to stand on their own.”
“Politicians in Washington should focus their attention on eliminating the more than $200 billion in duplicative spending GAO highlighted this week and stop defending indefensible subsidies for public broadcasting,” said Dr. Coburn. “The federal government has no business picking winners and losers in today’s highly competitive media environment. NPR and CPB will do just fine without largesse from Washington.”
CPB was incorporated as a private nonprofit corporation under the authority of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, and its first taxpayer subsidy in 1969 was $5 million. Today, CPB is slated to receive $430 million from taxpayers in the current fiscal year and President Obama recently asked for an increase to $451 million.
According to the 2009 tax forms all nonprofits are required to file (990), PBS President Paula Kerger received $632,233 in compensation that year while NPR President Emeritus, Kevin Klose, received more than $1.2 million in compensation. The PBS program Sesame Street’s Sesame Workshop President and CEO Gary Knell received $956,513 — nearly a million dollars — in compensation in 2008. And, from 2003 to 2006, “Sesame Street” made more than $211 million from toy and consumer product sales.
In 2010, NPR accepted a controversial $1.8 million grant from the Open Society Foundation, backed by liberal financier George Soros, to hire 100 reporters. Additionally, NPR has an endowment of over $200 million.
List of federal funding for CPB over the years, provided by the Congressional Research Service:
• 2001: $340 million
• 2002: $350 million
• 2003: $362.8 million
• 2004: $377.8 million
• 2005: $386.8 million
• 2006: $396 million
• 2007: $400 million
• 2008: $393 million
• 2009: $400 million
• 2010: $420 million
• 2011: $430 million
Of course, it is doubtful Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will take up the bill but as an amendment to a “money bill” is a definite possibility.
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President 2012: GOP Sen. Jim DeMint Open to Run for President?
U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) (L), with his wife Debbie DeMint (C), takes part in a ceremonial re-enactment of his swearing-in by Vice President Joe Biden (R) in the Old Senate Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, January 5, 2011
Well, Senator DeMint is heading to Iowa.News that South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint will travel to Iowa on March 26 to address a conservative forum organized by Rep. Steve King is sparking another round of chatter that DeMint might launch a dark horse bid for the White House in 2012.
The Republican gadfly has been adamant in denying such intentions for more than a year – just Wednesday, he gave CNN’s Wolf Blitzer a flat “No” when asked if he plans to seek his party’s presidential nomination.
But the ground may be shifting in DeMint-world, and several of his closest advisers and political confidantes are now telling CNN that he is at least open to a presidential bid if a suitably conservative candidate fails to emerge from the early and wide-open GOP field.
“I think that you can read into it that he sees he has a role in the process and he hasn’t completely shut the door,” said one DeMint adviser asked about the Iowa foray.
DeMint currently sees his role in the 2012 process, the adviser said, as “setting the bar high” for the presidential contenders when it comes to advocating for a small government agenda.
“He hasn’t completely shut the door on running, and if there is a massive void in the group of candidates, who knows what could happen?,” said the adviser, who was quick to caution that there is only a five percent chance the senator will run.
So, what game is Jim DeMint playing here? Kingmaker?
Perhaps
He would certainly be able to garner votes in the early South Carolina Presidential primary as a “favorite son.” Which would then drive the race for the GOP nomination to later in the primary season – past Florida and Super Tuesday.
Of course, this is all dependent upon whether Mike Huckabee, Mike Pence and/or Sarah Palin run.
It is a fun day today – first, John Huntsman and then DeMint.
Looks like Mitt Romney is getting NO respect.
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Video: Senator Jim DeMint in Human Events Interview – Conservative of the Year
South Carolina GOP Senator Jim DeMint was named Conservative of the Year by Human Events. In an interview by Jason Mattera he said he believes Republicans should “resist” a vote to enlarge the top limit on the nation’s debt.
“We need to have a showdown at this point that we are not going to increase our debt ceiling anymore. We are going to cut [spending] necessary to stay within the current levels, which is over $14 trillion. This needs to be a big showdown.”
Watch the entire interview.
There will be some fireworks in the new GOP controlled House and the Senate when the debt ceiling deadline showdown comes to fruition in the next few months.
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Audio: Obama-GOP Tax Deal to be Filibustered by Senator Jim DeMint
South Carolina Republican Senator Jim DeMint on the Hugh Hewitt ShowGuess the LEFT is NOT the only ones who do not like the Bush Era Tax Cut Deal between President Obama and the GOP Senate leadership. I don’t know of any other GOP Senator who will not vote for cloture tomorrow but there will be others from the Democrat side for sure.
Senator JimDeMint just announced on my program that he will oppose the deal as well as a vote for cloture on the deal. He is reluctant to criticize GOP Senate leadership, but believes the deal at a minimum has to be paid for, and that we need “a permanent economy” not a temporary one as well as permanent tax cuts, not temporary tax cuts.
Senator DeMint also expressed disappointment with the House GOP’s elevation of Hal Rodgers and Spencer Bachus to key committee chairmanships, noting that the revolution of 1994 failed in part when the old guard took control of committees despite the huge freshman class.
The machinations of this deal continue, including Harry Reid appending an online poker bill to it.
But, remember either it passes or taxes will increase for everyone on January 1.
Stay tuned…….
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Sen. Jim DeMint: Why I May Filibuster New START
Sen. Jim DeMint: Why I May Filibuster New START
Many of us have been concerned that the START Treaty would weaken our national security, and recent revelations of previously undisclosed talks with Russia on missile defense and movement of Russian tactical nuclear warheads only raise more questions that must be answered. I’ve asked for the full negotiating records, as have been provided to the Senate on previous treaties, but the Obama administration has continually denied that request and promised that missile defense was never part of the negotiations with Russia. But we have now learned that the State Department did in fact meet with Russia to specifically discuss missile defense, after months of denying these discussions ever took place. With the additional news that Russia moved warheads near the borders of our NATO allies this spring — warheads that are conspicuously not covered by START — it’s time to get some straight answers and for the State Department to provide the full negotiating records. The START Treaty could severely weaken America’s ability to defend our people and our allies against missile attacks from nations like Iran, and we need all of the facts on how this treaty was agreed to.
