Chad’s Morning Brief: Wendy Davis Continues to Blame Others For Her Lies, The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Immigration, and Other Top Stories
Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of January 22, 2014. Give me your feedback below and tune in to The Chad Hasty Show for these and many more topics from 8:30 to 11am. Remember, you can listen online at KFYO.com or on your iPhone/Android with the radioPup App.
The Davis Campaign Isn't Looking Good
Things aren't looking much better for the Wendy Davis campaign. More news outlets are reporting the lies... sorry, fuzzy details, that she has told about her life. Even left-wing publications are starting to call out the Davis Campaign for the misstep. Paul Burka of Texas Monthly slammed the Davis Campaign yesterday.
Now that details about Wendy Davis's biography have been called into question, the spotlight needs to focus on the Davis campaign. It cannot afford to make unforced errors like these, and it certainly can't turn around try to blame the Greg Abbott campaign for them (the last time I checked, Wayne Slater was a political journalist, not a political operative). Of course, these aren't the first missteps: she was unable to estimate how much her education plan would cost the state, and her campaign fouled up its own math when it tried to attack Abbott over contributions from payday lenders. The words "not ready for prime time" come to mind, a concern that some Democrats privately shared with me months ago.
At some point the campaign must switch its attention from playing defense to an attack posture, but I'm very skeptical that the Davis campaign has the talent and the knowledge of state issues to take Abbott on. If nothing else, the Davis campaign should be bombarding Abbott with demands for debates and joint appearances. They can't allow Abbott to hide behind his tea party rhetoric and answers of "no comment" on the tough issues. But so far, the Davis campaign hasn't done any damage to Abbott. I just don't see what the battle plan is for the Davis campaign.
Later in the day Davis posted this "open letter" on her website.
Dear Friend,
As our campaign has gained momentum, our opponents have gotten more and more desperate. But now they’ve stooped to a new low by attacking my family, my education, and my personal story – playing politics with the journey that has been my life.Mine is a story about a teenage single mother who struggled to keep her young family afloat. It’s a story about a young woman who was given a precious opportunity to work her way up in the world. It’s a story about resiliency, and sacrifice, and perseverance.And you’re damn right it’s a true story.Throughout this campaign, I’ve shared that story – not because it’s unique, but because it isn’t.
The story of my life is also the story of millions of single mothers who feel alone in the world, millions of young dreamers searching for their chance to become something more than what they were born into, millions of families all across Texas who would sacrifice everything to give their children a better future.
It’s those stories – your stories – that drive my campaign. But Greg Abbott and his allies don’t want to hear them. They don’t have anything to offer Texans who find themselves in the same difficult situation I was in when I was young. They would slam the doors I walked through and pull up the ladders I was lucky to be able to climb.
And now, instead of offering real ideas to improve your life, they’re attacking mine.
It won’t work. The only thing Greg Abbott and his allies have proved with these desperate attacks is that they don’t understand what it means to live a life like mine – a life like that of so many people all across our state.
They don’t know me – and, what’s more important, they don’t know you.
I’m not surprised that the Abbott campaign would resort to attacking the story of a single mother who worked hard to get ahead.
And I’m not afraid of their false attacks – I developed thick skin long before anyone knew my name.
What I am is deeply proud of the life I’ve built and the daughters I’ve raised – and deeply grateful to the many, many people who have shared their stories and offered their support as I’ve traveled our state.
No false attack can take away my story. And no sleazy political trick will stop me from giving voice to yours.
Your stories are why I’m running for Governor. And together, I know we’ll make sure that the Texas we leave to our children is a place where every young mother can build a better life for her child. . . where every family can work their way up the economic ladder. . . where every Texan can achieve their dreams and live out their own success story.
Davis continues to blame Greg Abbott and his campaign for her lies. The media, while still refusing to say she lied, isn't even buying her excuses. Davis is living in a fantasy world right now if she believes this is going well. It would not surprise me if we see people jump ship from the campaign soon.
With Davis refusing to take responsibility for lies along with playing the victim to Greg Abbott she is continuing to show that she is a joke of a candidate.
U.S. Chamber and Immigration
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent over $50 million last year on immigration reform. According to The Hill, immigration reform along with temporary worker visas is a top priority for the chamber.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce spent more than $50 million on lobbying last year as it pushed for action on immigration reform.
Typically the biggest K Street spender in Washington, the business group funneled about $52.7 million toward lobbying efforts in 2013, according to disclosure records. In the last quarter of the year, the group spent almost $16.5 million.
Some of that money went toward lobbying on immigration reform, which is a top legislative priority for the business community.
The Chamber played an instrumental role in getting a comprehensive immigration reform bill through the Senate last year by helping the “Gang of Eight” reach a deal with labor unions on temporary worker visas.
But the Senate bill stalled in the House, where Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is crafting principles that he says will guide a piecemeal legislative approach.
Business groups are pressuring Boehner to schedule floor time for legislation, arguing an overhaul of the immigration system is critical for U.S. competitiveness and for filling gaps in the workforce.
Chamber President and CEO Tom Donohue said earlier this month that the business group “will pull out all the stops” to see that immigration legislation makes it to President Obama’s desk by the end of the year.
"We're determined to make 2014 the year that immigration reform is finally enacted," Dononhue said.
The business lobby is also planning a vigorous campaign to help business-friendly candidates in the midterm elections, and has vowed to protect some incumbent lawmakers from Tea Party challengers.
“In primaries and in the general election, we will support candidates who want to work within the legislative process to solve the nation’s problems and who understand that business is not the problem, business is a big part of the solution,” Donohue said during his annual State of American Business address.
The Chamber is likely to spend tens of millions of dollars on issue ads and other forms of campaign advocacy in 2014, money that will be reflected in the group’s quarterly lobbying totals.
Unlike most other business groups, the Chamber uses the IRS method to calculate its lobbying spending, which requires the inclusion of grassroots and voter education spending.
In 2012, the Chamber reported nearly $103.9 million in lobbying spending, nearly double the amount reported for 2013.
A Chamber spokeswoman said the group’s latest lobbying report included the start of a voter education campaign for the midterm elections.
“Our fourth-quarter lobbying numbers reflect the Chamber’s launch of its 2014 voter education campaign,” Blair Latoff Holmes said.
“The Chamber is aggressively engaging early in support of free enterprise candidates. Our efforts in the Alabama-01 special election and our TV ads in Kentucky, West Virginia, and Idaho were included in that figure. During the quarter we also continued to promote elements of the Chamber’s policy agenda, which will generate stronger, more robust economic growth and create jobs.”
The 63-page report demonstrates the Chamber’s vast reach across Washington, where it lobbies on nearly every major issue affecting business.
In the final months of 2013, the Chamber lobbied on the implementation of Dodd-Frank financial reform; defense and veterans affairs spending bills; the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; several pieces of cybersecurity legislation; EPA regulations to stem greenhouse gas emissions; and legislation and oversight over the National Labor Relations Board.
The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, the business group’s legal affiliate, also reported spending less on lobbying. The institute spent almost $20.9 million for 2013, according to disclosure records. That’s a decline from the $31.6 million the institute spent in 2012.
Thoughts?
Other Top Stories:
Today’s Guests:
9:35am- Larry Williams of Williams Brake, Tune, and Tire
These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.
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