Water Cooler

The Water Cooler is written by Kerry Picket and other Washington Times opinion page staffers.
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• PICKET: S&P cautions California on its budget

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 16 2012, 02:36PM · Comment

  Four months after Standard and Poor's rating agency upgraded California's financial future from "stable" to "positive" the S&P is noting they could reverse that rating anytime soon if state lawmakers do not pass a solid budget this year. According to the L.A. Times: (bolding is mine) A final budget is due June 15, and lawmakers’ task has become increasingly difficult as the state’s deficit has swelled to nearly $16 billion. "We could change the outlook to negative or lower the rating if we believe the state's credit quality weakens through the budget process," said a report from Standard & Poor's. The ratings agency had upgraded California's financial outlook from "stable" to "positive" in February. That means California's credit rating of A-, the lowest of any state, is poised for improvement. California Governor Jerry Brown's spokesman Gil Duran bragged to me about the state's "positive" upgrade by Standard and Poor at the ... click for more

• PICKET: Boehner to Obama - Tell Holder to cooperate with Issa on Fast and Furious

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 16 2012, 02:30PM · Comment

  House Speaker John Boehner, Ohio Republican, urged President Barack Obama on Wednesday to tell Attorney General Eric Holder to cooperate with the congressional investigation relating to the now defunct Fast and Furious gun walking operation. An aide from Mr. Boehner's office released the following: The Speaker participated in a friendly lunch meeting today with the President and other congressional leaders. The President began the meeting by laying out some of his policy goals, including his “to-do list” for Congress. The bulk of the meeting was spent discussing other issues, including the next debt limit increase and the looming expiration of current tax rates. In a discussion of the debt limit, the Speaker – who has warned that the growing debt is hurting U.S. job creation – asked the President if he is proposing that Congress pass an increase that does not include any spending cuts to help reduce the deficit. ... click for more

• PICKET: (VIDEO) Bernie Sanders angrily defends so-called 'passed' year old Senate budget

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 15 2012, 05:03PM · Comment

  Senator Bernie Sanders, Vermont Independent, was approached by the Washington Times affiliated radio program America's Morning News and was asked why Senate Democratic leadership has not passed a budget for three years. Mr. Sanders, who caucuses with the Democrats, answered angrily that the Senate passed a budget last year and blamed the trillions of dollar debt on billionaires "who want to cut" social security. click for more

• PICKET: General tells U.S. troops at NATO Summit to behave

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 14 2012, 05:02PM · Comment

  The Illinois National Guard will be deployed at the upcoming NATO Summit in Chicago to help with the security of the 50 world leaders who will be meeting there this week and according to memos obtained by CNN, the military is taking no chances in the wake of the Secret Service Scandal in Colombia. The memos detail rules of proper conduct for U.S. troops during the summit.: (bolding is mine)  "Military commanders routinely apply lessons learned from previous experiences. In this case, the recent events in Colombia highlighted to the leadership at USNORTHCOM the importance of ensuring that there is absolutely no confusion on what is expected from the military and DOD (Department of Defense) civilians supporting these important national security events," explained U.S. Northern Command spokesman John Cornelio. Jacoby, who oversees all troops in the continental United States, wrote "it is incumbent on all of you to perform your ... click for more

• PICKET:(VIDEO EXCLUSIVE) SEC opens inquiry into JP Morgan's $2B loss

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 11 2012, 12:29PM · Comment

  The Volcker rule, a provision named for former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker in the 2010 Dodd-Frank bank reform legislation, could very well be used to scrutinize JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s $2-billion loss. The Washington Times Water Cooler blog asked Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary Schapiro if the SEC would play any role in any federal investigations of JP Morgan regarding that loss.  "As you can imagine, regulators will be very focused on this," she said. The Volcker rule was intended to curb speculative trading by banks and was scapegoated as the reason for the country's economic downfall.  According to Bloomberg News, JP Morgan the loss happened after traders in the London-office altered a betting strategy. An executive told Bloomberg that JPMorgan Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon "wasn’t immediately told about their shift in strategy and didn’t know the magnitude of the losses until after the company reported earnings April 13."   click for more

• PICKET: Fed gov to bullying victims - 'laugh it off'...'don't fight back'

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 11 2012, 07:05AM · Comment

  The biggest ally of any school bully is our federal government. It is amusing to see the Obama campaign pounce on a questionable 47 year-old story of a young Mitt Romney supposedly “bullying” a high school classmate. This story is especially suspicious given its timing, since President Obama just publicly supported marriage for same-sex couples. The Obama administration has made the issue of bullying a centerpiece of his first term. From the Department of Education to the Justice Department, the anti-bullying agenda of the White House has held more of a political tone to satisfy left-wing organizations than actually help bullying victims. What is the advice from the federal government if a child finds himself/herself being physically assaulted by a classmate on a regular basis? :(bolding is mine) Look at the kid bullying you and tell him or her to stop in a calm, clear voice. You can also try ... click for more

• PICKET: (AUDIO) Obama's bullying past

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 11 2012, 03:49AM · Comment

  President Barack Obama's allies are going after presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney for supposedly bullying a high school classmate over 45 years ago. Mr. Romney has apologized for the now questionable story that has been repeated throughout a number of outlets.  When he first ran for office, Mr. Obama was portrayed as a teenager who defended other kids at the prestigious private Hawaiian Punahou School. The Seattle Post Intelligencer reported in 2008 that a classmate of Mr. Obama's, Dean Ando, said, "(Obama) was always the biggest guy, he never bullied anybody. If anything, he would defend people. Even as a kid, he just never wanted to get into major conflict. He was more a get-along guy, just a great friend." However, Barack Obama did not give himself that much credit. In his own auto-biography, "Dreams From My Father," he talks about a classmate by the name of "Coretta" who is picked ... click for more

• PICKET: Occupy Chicago NATO protests includes proposed 'shut down' of Boeing

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 11 2012, 02:04AM · Comment

  Occupy protesters have outlined activities in Chicago, when the NATO Summit comes to town, that will eventually lead protesters to Boeing's headquarters in the windy city by the end of next week. According to Occupy Chicago's Facebook Page:  Boeing is a war criminal and plays a huge role in NATO's war machine. Occupy Chicago will SHUT IT DOWN on May 21, 2012. We've had enough of their war planes, pollution, prison labor, union busting, border wall building, extraordinary rendition plane chartering, drone building, non-tax-paying exploitation of the people of Chicago and the people of the world. This May Chicagoans along with concerned citizens from all over the world will tell Boeing we've had enough. Join us in the streets in Chicago on the last day of the NATO summit to SHUT DOWN this war machine! It is hardly a surprise that Boeing is a target of Occupy, given the protest ... click for more

• PICKET: NC Dem congressman - Convention will happen in Charlotte

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 10 2012, 06:28PM · Comment

  Although reports speculate that the Democratic National Convention could be re-located as a result of a petition by gay activists who are upset by North Carolinians who voted to ban same sex marriage in their state, Congressman David Price, North Carolina Democrat, believes the Democratic Convention will go forward in Charlotte regardless of the controversy. Rep. Price considers the vote to be a “big disappointment” but told me on Thursday, “In the part of the state that I came from, the result was quite different than what the result was state-wide and I know how the issue mobilized the triangle area against the amendment and it mobilized the college campuses,” he said. “What the Republicans didn’t count on was how much this cause would mobilize the college campuses…the young people. So, in effect, it gives us a head start on the fall in a way that I’m sure they didn’t anticipate,” ... click for more

• PICKET: Biden messes with Obama camp's same-sex marriage timeline announcement

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 10 2012, 10:00AM · Comment

  Politico is reporting Vice President Joseph Biden forced President Obama to speak out publicly about supporting same-marriage. However, the vice-president's timing may not have been synched up with the president's on when to make his views public: Obama’s interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts capped a frenetic half-week of backstage political maneuvering after Biden said he was “comfortable” with gay marriage during a TV interview that was taped Friday and aired Sunday. It followed the passage Tuesday of an anti-gay marriage ballot initiative in North Carolina that illustrated the divisions in typically cohesive Obama constituencies, including women, Hispanics and blacks. And it exposed a few divisions in the Obama-Biden camp. Senior administration officials admit that Biden’s comment was, indeed, the catalyst for Obama to make his historic announcement weeks earlier than planned. But Biden’s remarks on “Meet the Press” deeply annoyed Obama’s team, people close to the situation tell POLITICO, because ... click for more

• PICKET: (AUDIO) Rangel compares Lugar defeat to Dixiecrat movement

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 9 2012, 03:54AM · Comment

  In what looked to be a David vs. Goliath match up, Indiana state treasurer and tea party backed Dick Mourdock defeated Senator Dick Lugar in the Indiana Republican primary Tuesday night. Sen. The Associated Press projected Mr. Mourdock's win after the he led Sen. Lugar 61 to 39 percent in over three quarters of Indiana's counties. Mourdock  Lugar was the third longest serving member of the Senate. Mourdock will now face Rep. Joe Donnelly, Indiana Democrat, in the general election. Democrats on Capitol Hill were quick to attack Mr. Mourdock following his victory.  "Well I think it shows that the Republican Party is now officially interchangeable and without any distinction from the tea party," Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz told me on Tuesday night. "They have been swallowed by the tea party and have been engulfed by extremism. And I don’t think that’s what the American people want. I think ... click for more

• PICKET:(VIDEO) Napolitano dodges gay marriage question

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 8 2012, 04:56PM · Comment

  U.S. Secretry of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano spoke to the Washington Times affiliated radio program America's Morning News on Tuesday and discussed the issue of same sex marriage and the President Barack Obama's refusal to discuss the issue. click for more

• PICKET: Santorum endorses Romney

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 8 2012, 12:45AM · Comment

  Former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum endorsed presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney in an e-mil to his supporters on Monday night. According to the Associated Press: Santorum on Monday urged his supporters to join him in working with the effective Republican nominee to deny President Barack Obama a second term. In his message, Santorum reminded his supporters of areas where he disagreed with Romney during their slog of a primary.Yet Santorum says that, in his words, "above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated." Mr. Santorum met with Mr. Romney in the office of Santorum's strategist on Friday to discuss Romney's conservative platform prior the endorsement. click for more

• PICKET: Chicago prepares for NATO summit protests

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 7 2012, 01:32AM · Comment

  The U.S. Secret Service released security plans last Friday for the NATO Summit to be held in Chicago on Friday. According to reports, major roadways, tourist attractions, and parking lots will be closed. Closures will affect areas from O’Hare International Airport to downtown Chicago. Not surprisingly, protesters are not pleased at all with the plan. Andy Thayer of the Coalition Against NATO/G-8, told the Associated Press that protesters cannot get within sight of the summit venue and will be kept at least three blocks away from McCormick Place, where 50 world leaders will be meeting. The G-8 Summit was originally planned to be in Chicago as well, but the White House scrapped the G-8's Chicago location in March and moved it to Camp David saying  the change of venue was "to facilitate a free-flowing discussion with our close G-8 partners."  In the meantime, The Chicago Sun Times is reporting Chicago Mayor Rahm ... click for more

• PICKET:(VIDEO) Eric Holder quiet on potential contempt charges

  By Kerry Picket · Published May 3 2012, 10:11AM · Comment

  U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder remained mum on Thursday as he was asked about potential contempt charges that could be brought forth against him very soon, if he does not comply with a subpoena issued by Congressman Darrell Issa, California Republican and Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, regarding documents related to the Justice Department's failed gun walking program "Fast and Furious." According to Fox News, Rep. Issa has already sent out a draft contempt order against Mr. Holder: Republican Rep. Darrell Issa has circulated a lengthy pair of documents making the case for holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress over his "refusal" to cooperate in an investigation of the ill-fated Fast and Furious operation. Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, on Thursday sent to every member of his committee a 64-page draft contempt order against Holder as well as a 17-page memo outlining ... click for more