Capitol View: January 25, 2011 Archive

Peterson won't jump up and down for the State of the Union

Posted at 7:08 AM on January 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MPR in D.C., U.S. House, U.S. Senate

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson says he thinks he'll sit with GOP Rep Frank Lucas again at tonight's State of the Union. Lucas took over as chair of the House Agriculture Committee which Peterson held when Democrats controlled the House.

But it has nothing to do with the new bipartisan mood that's captured the Congress:

"All of this foolishness with who's going to sit with who tomorrow night. I mean, geez. Last year, I sat with Frank Lucas kind of by accident.

I came in late and there weren't any seats on our side. So I wandered back over to the Republican side and Frank had a seat next to him and I sat down and we sat next to each other.

"You know what that got me? It got stories that I was going to switch parties. So now this year, all of a sudden, some of the most partisan guys who would never be bipartisan have dreamed up this thing that we're all going to be bipartisan. We're all going to sit next to each other.

It kind or irritates guys like me who do this all of the time. It's like 'The only time we're going to be bipartisan is when somebody pays attention so we'll send out a press release.'

It's part of what's wrong with this town."

Peterson says he plans to sit with Lucas again tonight on the GOP side of the aisle but no one should report that he's thinking about switching parties.

"They didn't stand up as much last year so that was good," Peterson said of the Republicans last year. "I didn't have to jump and down. I could just sit there."

You can listen to Cathy Wurzer's full interview with Peterson here: Listen

Cravaack on deficit: We may go the way of Iceland

Posted at 11:08 AM on January 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MPR in D.C., U.S. House, U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON - GOP Rep. Chip Cravaack appeared skeptical of raising the federal debt limit for fear that he that the federal deficit is growing out of control. During an interview with MPR's Cathy Wurzer, Cravaack said he has big concerns that the federal deficit is growing out of control. He said he has concerns about passing a continuing budget resolution or a plan to immediately raise the debt limit.

"If we don't watch what we're doing, we will go by the way of Iceland," Cravaack said. "Our stock market will crash, our currency will be devalued to zero if we continue on this path."

Cravaack doubted that there will be an economic fallout if the federal government doesn't raise the debt ceiling. He said "that's not true" regarding criticism that the U.S. could default on its loans.

"We'll have revenues coming in," Cravaack said. "There will be a time period that we can play with but this is extremely serious what we're about to do."

People may say that we'll lose our AAA bond rating. That may be true but if we raise the debt limit above our GDP we won't have to worry about our AAA bond rating anyway because we become less of a firm type of risk to investors."

Cravaack said "you have to" look at cuts to Social Security and Medicare to help the deficit. He emphasized that people over the age of 55 won't see any cuts in benefits but he said there are ways that people under that age could see some changes to their benefits.

"We can stair step it down, tier it down. That's one of the things that you can take a look at. I'm not saying that's the model but this is something that we have to take a look at but we have to protect the promises that we made at the same time..."

Cravaack also said today that he's not sure where he plans to sit at today's State of the Union.

"I'm a freshman. I'm lucky to get seated. I might be in the back standing," Cravaack said about attending his first State of the Union.

Seating at the State of the Union is on a first come, first serve basis but says he has a full day of meetings scheduled right up to President Obama's address. He says that will make it difficult to find a prime slot in the House Chamber.

Cravaack didn't invite anyone to the State of the Union but he said he hopes, if possible, that he can sit with some of the members of Minnesota's Congressional delegation tonight.

You can listen to the full interview here: Listen

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Klobuchar reaches out to business

Posted at 7:09 PM on January 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MPR in D.C., U.S. House, U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON - With the economy and job creation as the top issue on the minds of voters, DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar is making it known that she's reaching out to business leaders across the state.

Over the past few weeks, Klobuchar held an Innovation Summit, met with business leaders across Minnesota and invited Medtronic CEO Bill Hawkins to President Obama's State of the Union address.

"I got on the Commerce Committee four years ago with the focus of working with businesses both big and small," Klobuchar said when asked about the more public emphasis on business issues. "You look at the fact that I've been working with these business from the beginning. You don't turn over in a few months. I've been doing it the day I got here."

Klobuchar may have been working quietly on economic and business issues over the past four years but it's clear she's touting those efforts now. She was careful to mention during an interview tonight that she's coauthoring a bill with Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown that aims to cut regulations on business. She says she hopes the bipartisan effort will allow business leaders to spend less money on regulations and more money on investments.

"Now is the time to start building," Klobuchar said. "Building our economic edge, adding private sector employees and looking at not just stabilizing but how to compete..."

Klobuchar also said reducing regulations on medical device companies is her top priority - a clear message to Minnesota's Medical Alley that she's trying to help improve their bottom line - especially after those companies had a difficult 2010. Her efforts to reach out to Minnesota's Medical Technology companies are also aimed at circumventing a potential political problem in 2012.

Republicans, including GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen, have criticized a tax on medical device companies. Klobuchar was careful to mention at the time and in the interview that she convinced those negotiating the health care law to lower the tax.

It's no mistake that Klobuchar is making business her public business in 2011. She's up for reelection in 2012 and has high approval ratings. A signal that she's reaching out to business in an economic downturn shows that she intends to keep those approval numbers high.

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Paulsen's reaction to the State of the Union

Posted at 10:49 PM on January 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MPR in D.C., U.S. House, U.S. Senate

Paulsen reacts to the State of the Union from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

WASHINGTON - Here's GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen's reaction to President Obama's State of the Union:

"I appreciate President Obama's call for bipartisanship; we need to work together as a country if we're going to tackle this looming debt crisis and put this country back to work" said Paulsen. "However, we must learn from past mistakes and realize that we can't simply spend our way to prosperity. Despite new government programs designed to stimulate our economy, Americans watched as our deficit, debt and unemployment rate skyrocketed over the past two years."

"With Washington spending already at unsustainable levels, it's essential that we get serious about reining in expenses" continued Rep. Paulsen. "Simply freezing spending at current levels, as the President suggests, does not go far enough. We should return to pre-bailout and pre-stimulus spending levels to prove we're committed to getting rid of trillion dollar deficits. In the coming year, I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to finally put this country on the path to fiscal responsibility."

Paulsen, a champion of small business and advocate of free enterprise, entrepreneurship, and innovation currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee, and is co-chair of the Congressional Korea-U.S. Free Trade Working Group and co-chair of the House Medical Technology Caucus.

McCollum's reaction to the State of the Union

Posted at 10:52 PM on January 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MPR in D.C., U.S. House, U.S. Senate

McCollum reacts to the State of the Union from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

WASHINGTON - Here's DFL Rep. Betty McCollum's reaction to President Obama's State of the Union:

"President Obama clearly outlined the challenges and opportunities we face as a country with job creation being our top priority, and I want help him succeed.

"To create jobs we need to continue investing in education, innovation, research, and rebuilding our vital infrastructure that will strengthen our economy. The jobs of the future will require educated Americans who can successfully compete against China and the rest of the world.

"President Obama is also right to focus on reducing the budget deficit. The best way to reduce the deficit is to grow the economy and create jobs. But Congress needs to make smart investments and smart cuts to programs when they don't work or there is waste - that includes cutting the waste out of the $700 billion annual defense budget.

"The Republican budget plan cuts education, infrastructure, and research that will weaken our economy, kill jobs, and cede global leadership in the 21st Century to China, but they don't fix the budget problem. I want America to win the future, not turn global leadership over to China."