Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) thinks the burden of preventing human rights violations sometimes falls on private companies that choose to work abroad. (0:57)
The Obama campaign held a conference call with two of Sen. Barack Obama’s congressional Democratic colleagues from Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin and Congressman Rahm Emmanuel, the Chairman of the Democratic Caucus. The two spoke about new ads being released to day by the Obama campaign that highlight the economy as the number one issue in the presidential race.
Durbin spoke about the economic indicators that are down. Citing job loss and the housing crisis Durbin said that Obama’s opponent, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is divorced from the reality of American families. Durbin said that McCain has the same “failed policies” of the Bush administration.
Durbin said that the Obama economic plan will bring tax relief to 95 percent of American families who are middle income, “They are the ones who need a helping hand,” he said.
Emanuel, referencing recent self deprecating commentd made by McCain said that, “John McCain is right about John McCain.” Emmanuel argued that Barack Obama is not a product of the entrenched Washington experience..”There’s one authentic agent of change in Washington and that’s Barack Obama,” he said.
Emmanuel also said that with the McCain/Paline ticket the American people would be getting a two for one deal “George Bush’s economic policies and Dick Cheney’s foreign policies.”
When asked if Obama was being “swiftboated” by a statements made by the Republican vice presidential nominee Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Durbin said that the Democrats have lived through one swiftboat experience and that they’re not about to do it again. Emmanuel said that be watching Palin voters will see not only Palin’s lack of experience but also “McCain’s lack of judgement.”
The Obama Campaign hosted a conference call with reporters joined by Rep. Rahm Emmanuel (D-Ill.) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to talk about the campaign’s focus on the economy. During the call Emmanuel says that the Republican presidential ticket is a two-for-one deal with Republican nominee Sen. John McCain and representing George Bush’s economic policies and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin representing Dick Cheney’s foreign policy. (15:46)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) held a pen-and-pad briefing on the news of oil companies making record profits. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the oil companies are using their record profits to buy back their stock and make it more expensive, rather than make gas more affordable for American consumers. Schumer said the oil companies’ record profits could do so much to lower gas prices, such as give $2000 to every American family. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said oil companies are trying to increase their profits while consumers suffer.
Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said the Republicans’ agenda is the oil companies’ agenda. Their push for drilling in Alaska will give the companies more acres to siphon profit from. Reid said the Republicans’ persistent obstruction of all Democratic efforts to support renewable energy is “mind-boggling.”
At a Senate leadership “Pen and Pad” session, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said too many members of the Republican party will not address what he described as the “most important issue of our time” - global warming. He said that Republicans are afraid of change and are only interested in maintaining the status quo.
Reid said that his main focus in the upcoming weeks will be the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act. In addition to benefiting the environment, this bill is estimated to lower foreign oil imports by 50 percent. He said that the problem facing the Senate is the Republican Party’s refusal to add any sort of input concerning the bill. Reid added that he is ready and willing to negotiate amendments to the Act, although he noted that Republicans seem unwilling to even do that much.
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As the congressional Democrats announce their version of the budget they are emphasizing more domestic spending particularly in job creation and bolstering unemployment assistance. At a press conference after the Democratic budget was introduced on the Senate floor were Democratic Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI), Dick Durbin (IL), Edward Kennedy (MA) and Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA).
They said that they had three priorities to stimulate the American workforce in their Fiscal 2009 budget proposal: development of “green collar jobs” that build the renewable energy industry, education and job training so that American workers can compete in a global marketplace and a focus on jobs that create infrastructure, rebuilding roads and bridges. They also want to give further economic relief to working families by way of tax relief. Durbin said that the Bush administration has only continued to give “massive” tax cuts for “those who haven’t asked for them and don’t need them.”
Becerra likened the U.S. government to a family struggling to make ends meet. He took out a credit card from his wallet, “We have been using the government credit card too long to make ends meet.” He also spoke of how the United States continues to borrow from “creditors” like China. He threw out a total of $400 billion borrowed from China “so far.”
Kennedy emphasized that the money had already been appropriated for growing unemployment infrastructure and had only to be authorized in this budget measure. Kennedy also said that this was a time for federal leadership to step in and help working families. He said that Democrats are there for the American worker.
When asked about the moratorium on earmarks supported by presidential candidates and Senate colleagues Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, both Stabenow and Durbin said that they would not support a moratorium on earmarks. “We need to amend it, not end it,” said Stabenow and they both defended the process of earmarks as being open and transparent with the American people. Kennedy said he was opening to examining a moratorium as a solution.
