RedState Briefing 12/16/2013

Morning Briefing For December 16, 2013 >> Today's Sponsor 1.  10 Reasons to Vote Against the Murray-Ryan Giant Spending and Deficit Increase “New discretionary spending” would be increased by $26,300,000,000 this year, $21, 600,000,000 next year (fiscal year 2015), and $8,600,000,000 in fiscal year 2016. Thus, the total discretionary spending increases for three years is $56,500,000,000. This budget’s projections concerning spending in 2023 or any other out-year aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. Even the fake spending offsets are only $2.625 billion this year, $1.830 billion next year, and $2.026 billion in 2016 — for a total of $6.481 billion. But these are unenforceable, for reasons which will be discussed later. But, even assuming their fake spending “offsets,” the net spending increase as a result of the Murray-Ryan bill will be slightly over $50 billion.  . . . please click here for the rest of the post → 2.  How not to handle internal party divisions While others in these parts have teed off with admirable vigor on House Speaker John Boehner’s oddly shrill anti-conservative budget deal offensive, I’d like to offer a little something to study in contrast: Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) pulling the rip cord and trying to blast herself clear of the ObamaCare tailspin. . . . please click here for the rest of the post → 3.  Union Bosses Outrage Members By Denying Them A Vote On Boeing’s Final Offer Machinists union members in Puget Sound are “outraged” their local leaders did not give them the chance to vote on a final offer from Being last week. If members had been given the chance to vote and accepted the offer, work on Boeing’s 777X would have likely stayed in Washington State. Following union members’ prior rejection of a an offer that was union bosses from the union’s national headquarters had negotiated secretly behind members’ backs in November, local union leaders met with Boeing last week in an attempt to get the company to improve its earlier offer. . . . please click here for the rest of the post → 4.  We’re Back to the “Next Fight” The past three years of GOP control in the House have been marked by the rallying cry of fighting “the next time.”  With every budget deadline comes a degree of leverage from which Republicans can extract concessions on reducing the size of government.  Yet with every budget battle, House leadership shirks from the fight and blithely points to the next battle – the debt ceiling – as the consummate opportunity to push for reforms.  After all, a budget battle raises the stakes of a government shutdown. . . . please click here for the rest of the post → 5.  Milwaukee’s Best: A Lesson In School Choice As a Blogger, I’ve had the privilege of traveling to many places around the country to learn about various issues.  While it’s always exciting going to a new place, I admit to being a little torn upon finding out The Franklin Center’s School Choice Conference would be in Milwaukee.  Not that there is anything wrong with Milwaukee, I just didn’t know anything about it and wasn’t really sure why we were headed there of all places.  Okay well, I knew two things – something about cheese and football.  But schools?  Generally when I think about schools I’m pretty focused on the ones around me and the lack of choices therein.  So let’s just say I went into the conference a bit skeptical.  And while I did see someone with a block of cheese on his head watching football in a pub, the schools in Milwaukee took me by complete surprise. . . . please click here for the rest of the post → >> Today's Sponsor Sincerely yours, Erick Erickson Editor-in-Chief, RedState Forward This Email to a Friend Take me to RedState