Obama, lampooning GOP, calls for hike in minimum wage

WASHINGTON — President Obama said Wednesday that Republicans were "not necessarily coldhearted" in their policies but then devoted much of his speech at the University of Michigan to lampooning GOP opposition to his views on economic issues, including his proposal to raise the federal minimum wage.

As Congress gears up for a debate on his proposal to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, Obama said lawmakers would have to decide between sticking with him or sticking it to working Americans.

"They've got to make a clear choice — talk the talk about valuing hard work and families, or walk the walk and actually value hard-working families," Obama said. "You've got a choice. You can give America the shaft, or you can give it a raise."

The address in Ann Arbor featured Obama in a feisty mood, a day after he announced that 7.1 million people had signed up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, exceeding the administration's target.

Obama said that if Republicans tried to sell their economic plans at the deli where he had just ordered a Reuben, "they'd have to call it the Stinkburger or the Meanwich." And he said opponents to a minimum-wage increase complain it will primarily help young people, which he suggested was not much different than yelling, "Get off my lawn!"

The edgy message opened a new phase for Obama. With the rollout of his 2010 health law nearly complete, the president is now focusing on the congressional elections and on keeping the Senate in Democratic hands, a task his advisors think depends in part on his ability to draw a sharp contrast with the GOP's economic proposals.

For starters, Obama is leading off with the fight to raise the $7.25 minimum wage, an idea that polls have shown is favored by a strong majority of Americans.

But even as Obama used the minimum wage to highlight a difference with Republicans, Democrats on Capitol Hill are preparing for the politics of the issue to grow more complicated.

Democrats concede that they are unlikely to get enough support from Republicans to overcome a 60-vote procedural hurdle to advance the measure. But there is also some concern that an effort by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) to support a smaller increase — perhaps to $9 an hour — could siphon off some Democratic support. Collins is the only Republican senator running for reelection this year in a state that Obama won in 2012.

A Collins aide said the senator has had discussions over the last three weeks with a number of Democrats about packaging a wage increase with other economic measures, including tax credits for small businesses.

Senate Democratic leaders say they are committed to passing the president's $10.10 proposal. Sen. Charles E. Schumer of New York, the No. 3 Democrat in the Senate, argued Wednesday that other Republicans had made it clear they would not support a minimum-wage measure no matter what the increase might be.

"We're sticking with $10.10," Schumer said. "We're not negotiating against ourselves."

But Sen. Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat, raised the possibility of a compromise, although he also predicted that Democrats would "hold our votes" to open debate on an increase to the $10.10 level.

"Let me be honest about this," he said. "If we reach a level where we don't have the votes to pass it, then we have to be open for conversation about what it might look like in the future."

It took months of work to advance an extension of unemployment insurance benefits, a measure that could finally pass the Senate on Thursday. The plan attracted enough Republican votes to end a filibuster Wednesday.

"How many times did we come at that before we finally reached a bipartisan agreement?" Durbin said.

In the Republican-controlled House, an aide to Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) took issue with a minimum-wage increase, noting reports from economists who say that the president's proposal would lead to job losses.

"The president's plan would increase costs for consumers and eliminate jobs for those who need them the most," Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said. "The House is going to continue focusing on our plan to protect workers' hours and create jobs, not the president's plan to destroy them."

In Michigan, where the retirement of Sen. Carl Levin has fueled GOP hopes of picking up a Democratic seat, Obama delivered a sharp-edged critique that fused Republican policy with Republican personality.

The new House Republican budget plan is a replay of the party's 2012 campaign themes, the president said, "like that movie 'Groundhog Day,' except it's not funny."

christi.parsons@latimes.com

michael.memoli@latimes.com

View the original article here

Romney Calls Reid's Tax Claims a Diversion From Jobs Report

6:26 p.m. | An updated version of this article can be found here.

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Mitt Romney on Friday said that he had paid “a lot of taxes” every year and accused the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, of falsely claiming that he had not — saying the senator did so as a tactic to draw attention away from lackluster employment and economic numbers under President Obama.

Mr. Romney also suggested that either the White House or Obama campaign officials could be behind what he characterized as false accounts of him not paying taxes for years.

“Harry Reid really has to put up or shut up,” Mr. Romney said. “So Harry, who are your sources? Let’s have Harry explain who that is.”

Mr. Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said in a statement on Thursday that “I was told by an extremely credible source that Romney has not paid taxes for 10 years.” But the senator has provided no evidence to back up the assertion.

Mr. Romney has said he is likely to pay a total of $6.2 million in taxes on $45 million in income over the two tax years of 2010 and 2011; he has released his 2010 return and says he will release his 2011 return when it is completed.

But he declined again on Friday to disclose more than those two years, a refusal that has drawn attacks from Democrats — who argue he must be hiding something — and criticism from many Republicans who fear his unwillingness to adhere to a more detailed and customary tax disclosure is distracting from the Romney campaign’s message.

Mr. Romney said that Mr. Reid’s attacks and the call for more of his tax returns was really an effort to divert attention away from poor jobs numbers and the unemployment rate, which has ticked up to 8.3 percent, according to a new government report on Friday.

“By the way Harry, I understand what you are trying to do here,” Mr. Romney said. “You are trying to deflect the fact that jobs numbers are bad, that Americans are out of work, and you’re trying to throw anything up on the screen that will grab attention away from the fact that the policies of the White House haven’t worked to put Americans to work, and the policies of the Senate haven’t even got a budget in place.”

“Now let me also say categorically: I have paid taxes every year, and a lot of taxes, a lot of taxes,” Mr. Romney added. “So Harry is simply wrong, and that’s why I’m so anxious for him to give us the names of the people who have put this forward.”

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised to hear the names are people from the White House or the Obama campaign, or who knows where they are coming from,” he said.

View the original article here

Pelosi Calls on Anthony Weiner to Resign (The Atlantic Wire)

The top Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, have called on Rep. Anthony Weiner to resign in the midst of his sex scandal. Pelosi and the chairs of the Democratic National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Steve Israel, released statements within minutes of each other Saturday, Politico reports.

Related: Pelosi Calls for Weinergate Investigation

“Congressman Weiner has the love of his family, the confidence of his constituents, and the recognition that he needs help,” Pelosi said. “I urge Congressman Weiner to seek that help without the pressures of being a Member of Congress.” Israel said, “Anthony’s inappropriate behavior has become an insurmountable distraction to the House and our work for the American people. With a heavy heart, I call on Anthony to resign.” Finally, Wasserman Schultz, surrogate for President Obama in her role as DNC chairman, said “the behavior he has exhibited is indefensible and Representative Weiner’s continued service in Congress is untenable.”

Related: Will Weiner Resign? Half of New Yorkers Hope So

Meanwhile, Rep. Weiner has admitted to sending direct twitter messages to a 17-year-old girl, but denied that anything was inappropriate. According to the New York Post, he said, "Nothing explicit. Nothing indecent. Absolutely nothing inappropriate." The direct messages in question have yet to be released. This is what we know so far.

The girl's mother, whose name is being withheld, told The Post Wednesday that Weiner sent nothing obscene — and sent only two brief messages to her daughter about seeing him during an April school trip to the Capitol.

The mom did say her daughter wrote in one message, "I'm in love with you," but explained it away with, "She's 17."

However, Politico reports that in one message, Weiner described himself as being like Superman, saying, “I came back strong. Large. Tights and cape. …” It was not clear what the reference was about. Nonetheless, this new investigation, and the possibility of more, may have been the final straw for the leading Democrats. According to Politico, their joint statement adds "tremendous pressure to the New York Democrat to abandon his position that he will remain in office."

View the original article here

Democratic leaders warned Weiner about calls for resignation (Daily Caller)

Following criticism that Democratic party leaders had waited too long to call for a resignation from New York Rep. Anthony Weiner, Roll Call reports that the statements from yesterday came after days of behind-the-scenes attempt to persuade Weiner to step down.

According to Roll Call, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi first thought Weiner needed to resign after his Monday press conference (during which he came clean after a period of lying and question-dodging) went awry. Weiner had called Pelosi just prior to taking the stage to field questions from reporters, and she told him he needed to tell the truth before they could determine the next step.

After days of applied pressure, party leaders individually called Weiner on Saturday morning to give him one final chance to step down before the party would go into attack mode. He refused.

Weiner did propose a leave of absence, during which he would seek “professional help,” but Pelosi told him that wouldn’t be good enough. Weiner also hinted at a possible resignation after the leave, but that wouldn’t have been satisfactory to top Democrats either.

(Wasserman Schultz, Pelosi call on Weiner to resign)

By the time news broke that Weiner had been communicating online with a female high school student from Delaware, the decision to send out party leaders to call for resignation was “already made,” a Democratic aide told Roll Call.

Though Weiner hasn’t responded to the statements yesterday from Pelosi, DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Steve Israel, he hasn’t shown any indication that he plans to resign.

Roll Call also reports that Weiner isn’t an easy Member to push out of office. He’s done nothing illegal or explicitly against House rules (though an ethics investigation has been called for). And he isn’t dependent on the party for campaign money; he has his own large network of donors.

Read more stories from The Daily Caller

George Will predicts Weiner 'digs in,' uses the Americans with Disabilities Act

If you can read this, don't click anything that says 'Please complete one survey to unlock this page permanently'

Fishbowl DC vs. Politico: Media site questions openly and proudly 'Weinerless' Mike Allen

Weiner seeks treatment

Gym Rat: Weiner exercises photographic indiscretion at the gym too

View the original article here

Key Democrat Calls on Weiner to Quit (The Atlantic Wire)

Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz called on Anthony Weiner to quit Congress Wednesday, saying "having the respect of your constituents is fundamental for a member of Congress. In light of Anthony Weiner's offensive behavior online, he should resign." Schwartz has an important recruitment position with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, so her statement "is widely regarded as a sign that the party leadership has decided it's time for Weiner to leave the House," The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza writes. Two other Democratic lawmakers, Sen. Mark Pryor and Rep. Mike Michaud, have said Weiner should go, as has former Democratic National Committee chair Tim Kaine. Weiner says he's staying put because he hasn't broken any laws.

Democrats want the story to go away, but it will be difficult to get rid of him with out a full House vote to expel him. Yet even as Weiner is refusing to walk away from his seat, some of his staffers are looking for other jobs, Politico's Jonathan Allen reports. Some liberal websites are coming to the New Yorker's defense, like ActBlue, which says it's seen an increase in $40 donations for Weiner. But one pro-Weiner page on the site, titled "Breitbart Has Won NOTHING: Donations for Weiner," has pulled in a single $25 contribution.

One more reason Weiner is struggling is that he hasn't made many allies. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told the New York Post's Cindy Adams, "Notice, nobody's defended Anthony. Like Spitzer, he had no friends."

View the original article here

Key Democrat Calls on Weiner to Quit (The Atlantic Wire)

Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz called on Anthony Weiner to quit Congress Wednesday, saying "having the respect of your constituents is fundamental for a member of Congress. In light of Anthony Weiner's offensive behavior online, he should resign." Schwartz has an important recruitment position with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, so her statement "is widely regarded as a sign that the party leadership has decided it's time for Weiner to leave the House," The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza writes. Two other Democratic lawmakers, Sen. Mark Pryor and Rep. Mike Michaud, have said Weiner should go, as has former Democratic National Committee chair Tim Kaine. Weiner says he's staying put because he hasn't broken any laws.

Democrats want the story to go away, but it will be difficult to get rid of him with out a full House vote to expel him. Yet even as Weiner is refusing to walk away from his seat, some of his staffers are looking for other jobs, Politico's Jonathan Allen reports. Some liberal websites are coming to the New Yorker's defense, like ActBlue, which says it's seen an increase in $40 donations for Weiner. But one pro-Weiner page on the site, titled "Breitbart Has Won NOTHING: Donations for Weiner," has pulled in a single $25 contribution.

One more reason Weiner is struggling is that he hasn't made many allies. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg told the New York Post's Cindy Adams, "Notice, nobody's defended Anthony. Like Spitzer, he had no friends."

View the original article here