Herman Cain breaks with House GOP on shutdown threat
Taking great advantage of his Saturday win in the Florida straw poll, GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain appeared on an array of news shows on Monday.
They included this CNN encounter in which Cain broke ranks with House Republicans on the latest threatened government shutdown:
Said Cain:
”We should not play politics with tragedies. You’re talking about human beings out there, not a group of statistics. The fact that they want to play politics with it – I would blame both parties. Secondly, you and I both know that there is plenty of money in Washington D.C. to offset anything that we need to spend on FEMA. I would make sure that FEMA got the money that it needed, and if I had to go find the offsets later, go find it later. Stop playing with people’s tragedies….”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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73 comments Add your comment
findog
September 26th, 2011
2:05 pm
Return of the compassionate conservative
td
September 26th, 2011
2:15 pm
Real easy bill. Fund FEMA by cutting public broadcasting, planned parenthood or the arts. The Republicans can come out and say we are trying to help people and are cutting wasteful programs at the same time. Make the Dems come out and say that the arts are more important than helping people with in a disaster.
Ol' Timer
September 26th, 2011
2:17 pm
Herman is just enjoying his fifteen minutes. Nobody really cares what he has to say because he’ll be long gone by the time the “Deciders” choose the nominee.
Centrist
September 26th, 2011
2:28 pm
Every time Republicans attempt to hold down spending or shift priorities – the AJC trots out a Republican opponent. No “news” here – just AJC partisanship.
There will be a compromise.
PhilW
September 26th, 2011
2:31 pm
Herman NEOcain is showing his big govt, big spending, KS city Fed Rsrv, colors. He is just more of the same. Funny how the fact that voters in the FL straw poll could cast multiple votes is not mentioned.
Danny O
September 26th, 2011
2:32 pm
@td
I am not a defender of the actions of either party’s Congressional caucuses. But, with all due respect, by holding FEMA’s funding hostage it is the House Republicans who are coming out and saying that their political priorities are more important than helping people struck by disaster. Funding FEMA has never been an issue in previous Congressional sessions.
The House Rs took a similar tack on the debt ceiling, where they said loud and clear that their political goals were more important than maintaining our sovereign creditability with investors.
Things get spun in all sorts of directions, but facts is facts. These sorts of fundamental elements of our government have never been threatened prior to this Congress.
Road Scholar
September 26th, 2011
2:33 pm
td: Why don’t we cut the House and Senate health care and gym? Let them pay for their healthcare like other Americans;then they can see what we are up against. No one can give us a budgeted amount for their health club; it is hidden in multiple departmental budgets. if that i not enough, cut their travel budgets.
Centrist
September 26th, 2011
2:41 pm
Galloway ignored this quote this morning from Cain concerning Obama who says it’s about “math” not “class warfare.”-
“Can I be blunt? That’s a lie. You’re not supposed to call the president a liar. Well if you’re not supposed to call the president a liar, he shouldn’t tell a lie. If it’s not class warfare, it’s highway robbery. . . . I’m listening to all this bull__ that he’s talking about, ‘fairness’ and ‘balanced approach’ to get this economy going.”
Danny O
September 26th, 2011
2:42 pm
For the record, nothing here suggests that Cain is breaking from the conservative goal of cutting federal programs. He’s simply saying that Congress should not use disaster victims as a human shield for non-related budget cuts.
DannyX
September 26th, 2011
2:43 pm
“Every time Republicans attempt to hold down spending or shift priorities – the AJC trots out a Republican opponent.”
What Republican is that????? Sure wasn’t Nathan Deal. He already begged for and received almost a billion deficit raising big government strings attached Race To The Top education dollars.
He has gone to Washington begging for transportation funds also.
He even wanted to meet with Obama officials so he could beg for port money pork, THE DAY AFTER THE DEBT DEAL. That will show them Tea Party, take that Democrats.
Question Centrist, should the Koch brothers take all the profits they made just during the Obama administration to create a major conservative media empire?
With the billions and billions of dollars they have made they could easily create a major movie, tv, internet and news organization. You know, free market and all. Then you could teach the bully liberals a lesson.
I would like to see the 700 Club go up against Modern Family. That would really showcase Republican culture. We need a huge Koch message to deliver the conservative message.
Up with people.
(Tues @
td
September 26th, 2011
2:55 pm
Danny O
September 26th, 2011
2:32 pm
You are correct that we have never offset FEMA funding or debt funding and we now have a $15 trillion debt and by all effect the government is bankrupt. I applaud the R’s for finally trying to bring some sound policy to the madness in DC. The question is why will the Dems not allow any offsets? No one in this country can not tell me that you can not find 5, 10 or even 25% in departments that could be cut.
td
September 26th, 2011
3:02 pm
DannyX
September 26th, 2011
2:43 pm
“Question Centrist, should the Koch brothers take all the profits they made just during the Obama administration to create a major conservative media empire?”
They should do whatever they want to do with their money. They earned it. You have to remember they are a PRIVATELY held corporation and therefore do not fall under the SEC rules. If they had chosen to go public then they would probably have more money then Buffet or Gates.
Also remember, the Koch brothers are not Republicans. They are Libertarians.
Danny O
September 26th, 2011
3:14 pm
@ td:
Nobody said that there are not ways to find offsetting cuts. But it is insane to try and make such decisions under duress.
When important decisions are made under the gun, they are inevitably bad choices. Any successful business owner knows this. If you want to make prudent decisions, you must do so with a the benefit of careful analysis and due diligence. By threatening to leave disaster-stricken communities in the lurch, the Republican caucus is governing by impulse. It’s a recipe for failure.
DannyX
September 26th, 2011
3:16 pm
“Also remember, the Koch brothers are not Republicans”
Where did I say Republican td???? I specifically said “conservative.” “…should the Koch brothers take all the profits they made just during the Obama administration to create a major conservative media empire?”
Of course you ignored the point. Why aren’t rich conservatives creating conservative media?
rod
September 26th, 2011
3:21 pm
It is interesting that there was an article that I clicked on that was titled Cain wins straw poll. But it starts off talking about Perry. Why can’t they talk about Cain. He won and that should be the news. Also there was no pic of him when I read the article just pics of Perry and some other folks. Cain it getting beat with a GOP cane. I guess he deserves it for having his Blac—- in the running for that party anyway lol
signed a Black Man
Big Daddy
September 26th, 2011
3:28 pm
Uncle Tom isn’t going to be nominated. There is a reason they call them “straw” polls.
Koched Goose
September 26th, 2011
3:31 pm
@td
This is brilliant:
“Fund FEMA by cutting public broadcasting, planned parenthood or the arts. … Make the Dems come out and say that the arts are more important than helping people with in a disaster.”
Everyone know the arts and PBA and planned parenthood people are ALL Democrats. So why should the Fed be funding them? To paraphrase our beloved Gen. Sherman, I intend to make liberals HOWL.
td
September 26th, 2011
3:34 pm
Danny O
September 26th, 2011
3:14 pm
I would submit to you that the conservatives have no choice but to use this tactic to get cuts because the Dems and establishment conservatives refuse to even discuss cuts unless they are put in a corner. They refuse to acknowledge the addition and deal with it. When you are dealing with an addict you sometimes have to have an intervention. I submit that Dems and the older Republicans are addicted to spending.
Centrist
September 26th, 2011
3:40 pm
@ td 3:34 – exactly, and why Galloway selectively uses Republican quotes to support his Democrat party ideals of spending.
charles robb
September 26th, 2011
3:43 pm
The more I hear from Cain, the more I want to hear. He’s a very bright guy with some really innovative ideas. Raise Cain in 2012!
td
September 26th, 2011
3:50 pm
Koched Goose
September 26th, 2011
3:31 pm
If the House was smart they would create a bill to fund Obama’s Bridge and road repairs and offset them by cuts to Food Stamps and Medicaid. If more people went to work then you need less of these programs. Why would the Dems complain about this offset since more people would be going to work. Why would you need these programs funded at the same level if less people used them?
Julia
September 26th, 2011
3:53 pm
Oh, yes, let’s cut funding for the arts by all means. We’re one step away from being cave dwellers as it is, might was well go all out. who needs public Broad casting when we have Fixed Noise, er, i mean Fox news to tell us everything we ever need to know.
As for Planned Parenthood, well by golly we have to keep churning out bodies to sacrifice to the Military Industrial Complex.
yes, that is snark!!
DixieDemons
September 26th, 2011
4:02 pm
Cain better be careful or he will get kicked out of the gang.
Will
September 26th, 2011
4:14 pm
Herman Cain’s “win” in Florida should provide him with a boost in campagin contributions.
For one who leans to the left, every republican campaign dollar that is sent to folks like Cain, Bachmann, Santorium, and Gingrich is a win because that is one less campaign dollar that is available for a republican candidate with a viable chance of being nominated.
Politics is a funny business. Three weeks ago Perry was the darling of the radical tea party wing of the republican party. Today that wing of voters (as well as other republicans) are again searching for a new candidate. I swear these folks are going to hand the President his re-election unless they wake up and accept a pro-business candidate like Romney who does not give a flip about silly social issues.
Tea Party republicans are quickly finding out that, if they wait for a candidate with “purity of thought”, they will still be waiting next November. They don’t trust Romney, thought they did Perry until he started talking about immigration and government immunization. If they really demand “purity of thought” they will nominate Ron Paul or Herman Cain and watch the President increase his electoral victory from 2008.
td
September 26th, 2011
4:15 pm
Julia
September 26th, 2011
3:53 pm
The country is broke and cuts have to be made. It is just like when you do not have enough money at home you cut your entertainment budget before you do not pay your mortgage. What should be cut? We can not continue to borrow money. The credit card is maxed out.
Cain Supporter
September 26th, 2011
4:18 pm
Thanks, Jimbo, for the exposure. I think that Herman is going to continue suprise people. I am part of the “Honkies for Herman” brigade!
indie
September 26th, 2011
4:23 pm
As an irritated former Dem now and independent, I have to say on this one move Herman has my attention. I will be watching and taking him seriously.
Danny O
September 26th, 2011
4:23 pm
@td
Just because they are not able to get a majority in both Houses to agree to certain cuts doesn’t make it right to turn disaster victims into human shields. Democracy works through compromise. When there is no compromise, you get gridlock, which is what we have now. That serves the interest of no one.
DannyX
September 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
“Oh, yes, let’s cut funding for the arts by all means.” Good snark indeed. I appreciate good snark.
Conservatives will tell you they hate all things liberal. Fact is conservatives love liberals. They love to listen to liberal music. They love liberal tv. Liberal movies. Their computers, software and internet all come from liberal institutions. The liberal universities Republicans hate contribute a huge part. Republican political campaigns every election try to be cool by playing songs from liberal artists and are eventually forced to stop stealing their music.
Conservatives aren’t cool. They try to push themselves into the cool crowd. Look at the new Republican loving AJC trying to make conservative legend Justin Bieber look cool. Lol. The new conservative AJC has had Justin Biebers face on the ajc.com homepage 68 out of the last 81 days!!!
Justin Bieber and Republicans, especially the Tea Party types are uncool.
gsueagle
September 26th, 2011
4:34 pm
Go herman , i love his common sense
findog
September 26th, 2011
4:36 pm
td@2:15
Is there really that much money in the remaining week of this fiscal year?
What is the amount of money in those programs you have identified?
As we have had more than normal losses what other programs do you not personally find a function of the federal government?
Does Georgia need to refund the flooding and tornado money from the last three years?
Do we need to get the state and local governments to fund the remaining cleanup and repair we need as the low fruit you’ve identified is not enough?
Big Hat
September 26th, 2011
4:37 pm
No money for FEMA; pain, suffering and death are good for you, and everything bad that happens to you is your own fault anyway. 9 out of 10 GOP scientists say so.
td
September 26th, 2011
4:38 pm
DannyX
September 26th, 2011
4:27 pm
There is a huge difference between loving music. movies and TV and having the government fund such endeavors. Like you have been saying all day if the arts are so important to libs or Public broadcasting is so important then they should fund them. I give to PBS every year because I like some of the programming. I do not support the government paying for their existence.
td
September 26th, 2011
4:40 pm
findog
September 26th, 2011
4:36 pm
Guess what, I just heard on MSNBC that the Obama administration just magically found enough money to fund FEMA for the rest of the year. I guess it is a moot point now or was it a way the President tried to divert attention from his failed economy?
Danny O
September 26th, 2011
4:40 pm
The tactics of the House Republicans are the same as those employed by a shady used car salesman.
Darwin
September 26th, 2011
4:42 pm
Let’s cut the biggest expansion in the history of Medicare passed by Bush and the Republican congress in 2003. Oops, I know – you’re right wing memory doesn’t go back that far.
findog
September 26th, 2011
4:43 pm
td@4:15
In the last 40 years the only time the budget was balanced and we were paying down the debt taxes were higher and military spending was lower.
Simple proven solution to the problem!
td
September 26th, 2011
4:47 pm
And you libs wonder why conservatives refuse to raise taxes on anyone.
http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=699&sid=2560010
td
September 26th, 2011
4:48 pm
findog
September 26th, 2011
4:43 pm
How did that work out? Why not try it a new way and actually cut spending?
td
September 26th, 2011
4:49 pm
Darwin
September 26th, 2011
4:42 pm
Horrible bill and the straw that finally started the Tea Party movement.
jayone
September 26th, 2011
4:52 pm
td
Danny said this
You are correct that we have never offset FEMA funding or debt funding and we now have a $15 trillion debt and by all effect the government is bankrupt. I applaud the R’s for finally trying to bring some sound policy to the madness in DC. The question is why will the Dems not allow any offsets? No one in this country can not tell me that you can not find 5, 10 or even 25% in departments that could be cut.
My view is there is a panel who should be deciding the cuts not this congress attaching cuts just so that the GOPS can get a upper hand. Pass the bill with the money needed and then work the debt cut.
mum
September 26th, 2011
4:53 pm
@td: do you have something against women’s healthcare that you want to cut funding to planned parenthood?
findog
September 26th, 2011
4:53 pm
td@4:48
They did cut spending, defense spending.
Darwin,
The Bush family are all RINO’s, unless Jeb runs then all will be forgotten/forgiven
Centrist
September 26th, 2011
4:56 pm
@ Big Hat – No where in all of federal spending to shift spending priorities to FEMA; pain, suffering and death are better for you, and everything bad that happens to you should be paid by somebody else. 9 out of 10 Democrats agree.
Wait – Democrats just “found” a way to fund FEMA.
@ td – Since so many dead people vote for Democrats, will stopping their payments change their voting?
DannyX
September 26th, 2011
4:57 pm
” I do not support the government paying for their existence.”
There you go with the small potatoes td. I’m glad Ronald Reagan didn’t think like you. Government and private investment go hand and hand. In far more ways than the simplest “PBS” argument.
A lot of government high schools and university systems have wonderful music programs. This system feeds the culture Republicans gobble up. In turn the recording industry is able to sustain a multi billion dollar industry. Same with drug companies, they benefit from university talent and research, they also benefit from government grants. There are a thousand other examples of the benefit the public receives from government spending.
Republicans want these little ideology “PBS” type victories that mean absolutely nothing. You want to stop all government funding? Shut it all down. The universities should be at the top of the list, let private enterprise do all the work. No more letting public colleges train at public hospitals either.
It seems sort of cowardly to go after PBS.
findog
September 26th, 2011
4:58 pm
Mum, actually Clinton and Gingrich cut welfare and defense spending in the mid-90’s and we were on track to start paying off our debt when W got his tax cuts and wars. Defense spending increases, in addition to two wars, along with un-wise tax cuts have run up the debt. But now we should take more from the poor, who were pinched by Clinton, instead of those that who got more under W, class warfare when there is no chance it will be a fair fight.
DannyX
September 26th, 2011
4:58 pm
What are the offsets for the Governor’s (R) port project?
mum
September 26th, 2011
5:01 pm
@findog, I think you meant to respond to someone else.
DannyX
September 26th, 2011
5:09 pm
When do we get rid of socialist college football? Even though it may make a profit, government should not be in the football business, that’s why we have a pro league.
The Georgia Bulldog football team is a socialist institution, must go.
findog
September 26th, 2011
5:11 pm
mum, nope I was supporting your position from the rear
td
September 26th, 2011
5:11 pm
jayone
September 26th, 2011
4:52 pm
We have taken your way for years. Regan signed a bill with the promises of cuts, the first George Bush raised taxed with the promise of cuts later and GWB did the same and guess what happened? The cuts never came. I am not opposed to closing loopholes and even raising taxes temporarily to pay down the debt but only if the spending cuts come first this time and are in place for a while before the tax increases happen.
td
September 26th, 2011
5:15 pm
mum
September 26th, 2011
4:53 pm
@td: do you have something against women’s healthcare that you want to cut funding to planned parenthood?
I am against any set aside funds that favor one gender over another or one race over another. Plus, planned parenthood is a duplication of services offered by primary care doctors.
mum
September 26th, 2011
5:15 pm
@DannyX..the same that people screaming to cut government funding don’t even know what the “government” provides….until you break it down for them. For instance, many of those conservatives they don’t use government services don’t even know that the healthcare they receive is through medicaid because their claims are processed via a private healthcare organization, unfortunately they don’t realize that this is the Medicaid Advantage program. It’s easy to say cut wasteful spending when it’s something they believe is useless only because somebody keeps telling them it’s useless spending.
td
September 26th, 2011
5:17 pm
DannyX
September 26th, 2011
4:58 pm
What are the offsets for the Governor’s (R) port project?
I do not know but maybe we could cut Welfare, FS or Medicaid since the project would bring more jobs and as a result we would need less services.
mum
September 26th, 2011
5:25 pm
@td, “planned parenthood is a duplication of services offered by primary care doctors”
..and since Planned Parenthood mostly services people without insurance, which primary care doctors do you know that provide these duplicated services for nominal fees like PP does?
mum
September 26th, 2011
5:49 pm
fiddling while “Rome burns”…..http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0926/How-FEMA-funding-fight-led-to-monster-mosquito-swarms-in-N.C/(page)/2
Ekim
September 26th, 2011
8:03 pm
“I am against any set aside funds that favor one gender over another or one race over another”
Okay, let’s open up Planned Parenthood to the boys, too.
Mari
September 26th, 2011
8:05 pm
Road Scholar@2:33, I could not agree more with you. I absolutely think that since lawmakers think we have too many layers in government, why can’t they type their own letters/email. I do! I have a cell phone that I take with me while working. I do not have a secretary who screens my calls. Not only that, if I don’t return calls to customers in 24 hours, my head will roll. Lawmakes don’t think the government should pay for any benefits except the ones they get. And worse yet, we tolerate that arrogance.
Get real
September 26th, 2011
8:18 pm
Here is what the deems should do. Obama should come out and say “we are rolling taxes back to what they were when Reagan was President!”. I dare them to rebuke that one. Tax rate goes up, we get needed money for FEMA, repubs think they won, and everything is hunky dori!
MrLiberty
September 26th, 2011
9:01 pm
It should be clear to every republican voter that Mr. Cain is just another big government status quo republican. I guess it is his background as former director of the KC Federal Reserve branch that makes him feel that there is pleny of money in Washington to pay for the horrible and destructive FEMA. Thankfully a REAL conservative like Ron Paul gets its right. By being there no matter how irresponsible people are, FEMA creates a moral hazard. By running a low cost flood insurance program, FEMA enables rich folks to keep building and rebuilding on the coast, developers to keep building in flood plains, and people to keep making bad decisions about where to live. Proper insurance would signal bad choices with MUCH higher premiums and would likely discourage most chronically stupid behavior.
While Mr. Cain may want to speak like a caring republican, his ill-placed faith in federal government institutions like FEMA over private or even state-organized solutions clearly shows that a Cain presidency will be just more of the same we have gotten from Washington for the past 100 years – failure.
Ron Paul 2012. Not afraid to tell the truth or take the right and principled stands.
BEND OVER, HERE COMES THE CHANGE
September 26th, 2011
9:20 pm
Ol’ Timer
Yeah, that what they said about NObama in 2007.
dre
September 26th, 2011
10:50 pm
The only saving grace of this blog is that 99% of you are too stupid to find your polling place. Go Herman!!!
philiopo
September 26th, 2011
11:07 pm
Why can’t the offsets be the billions we send overseas to Pakistan, Israel, Palestine or any of the many countries we send aid to. If we just cut out Military aid to a half dozen or so countries (Egypt, Columbia) we could fund all the social programs we needed and take care of our own citizens first.
Alabama Communist
September 27th, 2011
12:22 am
More Breaking News On Herman Amazing Victory In Rigged Republican Florida Straw Vote.. A confirmed unknown source deep within the Republican Congress said today ” That Herman hasn’t got a clue how he won the Republican Straw Vote Poll in Florida except that maybe FEMA rescue him as Hurricane Katina was approaching downtown Orlando during the Republican Presidential Primary debate.”
dd
September 27th, 2011
5:02 am
I’m a former Democrat.
Now, I’m an independent. I vote the candidate, not the party. This country needs a jolt
Herman sounds just as good as any of the others, including what we have in the White House now, so why not?
He can’t do any worse that what’s been up there the last 30 years. JMO
Jay Bookman
September 27th, 2011
6:30 am
The stimulus is working !
Obama is doing a wonderful job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Parky Bill
September 27th, 2011
6:53 am
I suppose the thing that amuses me the most about this whole Herman Cain debate is the rank hypocrisy it shows among the Tea Party racists and the conservative punditry. Yesterday, Cain used a barnyard epithet to describe Obama’s economic policies. All the Tea Party blogs were AWASH in comments congratulating Cain for using straight talk to describe his comment. Rewind to June 2010 when Obama was talking about “knowing whose ass to kick” in the BP Oil Spill debacle. The Tea Party bloggers and the conservative punditry collectively clutched their pearls and tried to direct themselves to the nearest fainting couch with a serious case of “the vapors” over the fact that this crude “street thug gangster” would USE language like that. It’s like the Tea Party racists and the conservative punditry FORGOT we have this thing we call “the Internet” and we can SEARCH and LOOK UP the things they said before and COMPARE them to the things they say now!
http://www.billschmalfeldt.com/?p=665
(And hey, does this sudden Tea Party and conservative punditry embrace of a black candidate remind anyone ELSE of the old racist denial tactic of saying, “I can’t POSSIBLY be racist. I know this guy at work. A black guy? NICEST guy you’d ever want to meet!”)
honested
September 27th, 2011
8:02 am
It’s nice to know that herman would do the right thing, despite himself.
Only the problem of limiting the bill to less than 3 pages (his idea) might pose some problems when it came to the specificity needed for much of the legislation that squeezes through Congress.
td
September 27th, 2011
8:46 am
Parky Bill
September 27th, 2011
6:53 am
It is not racist to dislike Obama, it is called patriotic. Socialism is a cancer and must be stopped at any cost. Obama is a pure bred European social democrat and must be removed from office. You do not hear any Tea party people or conservatives saying anything bad about Clarence Thomas. I have only heard other African Americans and white libs talk bad about him.
mum
September 27th, 2011
10:37 am
@Ekim, your comment shows that you know nothing about planned parenthood because they provide services to boys as well. That shows how little you know about the organization. You should go and participate in one of the sessions they have for parents and their teenagers, you’d learn a lot.
crabby
September 27th, 2011
10:45 am
GOPers interested in cutting spending? Stop it, you’re killing me!
Bishop Eddie Longs Red Panties
September 27th, 2011
12:07 pm
Herman Cain 2012 MY MAN!!!
USDebtSlave
September 28th, 2011
11:51 am
Abolish FEMA. Don’t steal my hard-earned money to pay for your house on the beach. Worried about hurricanes? Then buy insurance. No one will sell you any? Then you shouldn’t live on the beach.
Abolish PBS too. Get cable if you want better TV.