links for 2010-09-03

That's the question of the day, now that a new article in the Washington Post indicates that the government is considering a package of business tax breaks to stimulate jobs ahead of the mid-terms, including a payroll tax holiday.

Thoughts:

1) Practically, this isn't going to do anything before the mid-terms. These sorts of changes take time to roll out, and there's no way they could get anything into effect soon enough to make an actual difference in peoples' lives.
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Won't do much now to instill confidence because of ObamaCare and looming marginal tax rate hikes.

But, weary taxpayers will take them and then vote the Dems out.

Jay Cost noted that Democratic senator Ron Wyden sent a letter last week to Oregon health authority director Bruce Goldberg, in which Wyden states that the federal government "has never had the flexibility" or the "will" to implement "innovative solutions" to our health care woes. Can you imagine a statement from a Democratic senator more directly opposed to the position of the Obama White House? Wyden goes on to encourage Goldberg to ask the federal government for a waiver to let Oregon opt out of Obamacare's requirement that everyone buy federally approved health insurance, because, he writes, "the heart of real health reform is affordability and not mandates."

Since the heart of Obamacare is mandates and not affordability, this is quite a statement from a man who voted for the president's signature piece of legislation—and it's a strong indication of how well his support for that legislation is playing out on the Oregon campaign trail.
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They all want to be re-elected……

Anticipating the nation's observance of Labor Day, Alfonso Aguilar, Executive Director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, reminded Latino Voters in California that Senator Barbara Boxer opposes a Temporary Worker Program that would allow employers to bring more workers from places like Mexico and Central and South America.

"Senator Boxer doesn't get that our economy needs foreign workers to do the jobs Americans don't want," said Aguilar. "Boxer is totally controlled by the labor unions and, just like them, doesn't want to see more immigrants come in the country to work.

"Senator Boxer even referred to immigrants as a 'pool of cheap labor' which is insulting to all Latinos and shows a total disregard for the hard work of migrant workers and their great contributions to our country."

Many AP staffers are producing content that refers to the situation in Iraq. It might be a local story about Iraq veterans, an international diplomatic story that mentions the Iraqi conflict or coverage on the ground in Iraq itself.

Whatever the subject, we should be correct and consistent in our description of what the situation in Iraq is. This guidance summarizes the situation and suggests wording to use and avoid.

To begin with, combat in Iraq is not over, and we should not uncritically repeat suggestions that it is, even if they come from senior officials. The situation on the ground in Iraq is no different today than it has been for some months. Iraqi security forces are still fighting Sunni and al-Qaida insurgents. Many Iraqis remain very concerned for their country's future despite a dramatic improvement in security, the economy and living conditions in many areas.
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So, Obama was lying?