Despite campaign promises, more gridlock is likely

Submitted by Jack McCullough on October 10, 2012
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Problem-Solver's Daily
Gridlock
campaigns
Dave Walker
Fiscal Cliff
Peter Welch
Hyper-Partisanship
solutions
No Budget No Pay

DESPITE CLAIMS, MORE GRIDLOCK IS LIKELY: Both sides of the aisle are saying that if their candidates are elected into office, they will be able to bring across-the-aisle solutions to Washington. Despite these claims, this is most likely not the case. Polarizing rhetoric and hyper-partisan promises from all candidates have made the chance to break through gridlock unlikely. “If you think that, in light of the hyper-partisanship currently endemic in American politics, things are going to change next year, you need to have your head examined,” said Jim Manley, a former top aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: John Stanton for Buzzfeed: Why Washington Won't Get Better

TALKING REAL SOLUTIONS: While both presidential candidates have been spending time exchanging one liners and polarizing talking points, No Labels Co-Founder Dave Walker has been traveling the country, educating voters on the severity of our fiscal situation. His tour was centered around telling Americans the truth about all the spending obligations that face this country. “People can handle the truth,” Walker said early September before the bus trip began. “They will agree to budget sanity if they deem the belt-tightening to be comprehensive and fair. Voters are starved for three things: truth, leadership, and solutions.” Carl Cannon for Real Clear Politics: David Walker for President

PROBLEM-SOLVERS IN WASHINGTON: Rep. Peter Welch understands that problem solvers are the key to a successful government. He has a history of being one of these problem solvers -- he formed the bipartisan House Irene Coalition to help Americans recover from Hurricane Irene. "The barrier to progress is not a lack of policy options from which to choose. There is no shortage of think tanks in Washington, each with its own set of policy prescriptions for a more prosperous country. The major stumbling block is quite simple: Political will is in short supply. Both political parties are, all too often, more interested in scoring political points than solving pressing problems," Welch says: The Burlington Free Press: Candidate Q&A - U.S. House: Peter Welch

ON THE EDGE OF THE CLIFF: When it comes to the fiscal cliff, there's one thing we can be sure about: uncertainty about the fiscal cliff is already hurting the economy. The Economist reports that businesses are not hiring because they don't know what their taxes will look like at the end of the year, and consumers aren't spending for the same reason: They don’t know what tax rates will be next year. They don’t know whether their customers will suddenly start shopping around for cheaper groceries—the Tax Policy Center, a think-tank, predicts that the expiry of all Mr Bush’s tax cuts would raise taxes by $3,500 per household. Businesses also don’t know whether the government will rein in spending that affects them." The Economist: Give us a brake

HYPER-PARTISAN CAMPAIGNS: Most campaigns are bitter toward their opposition and highlight their flaws, but what battles have been the worst? Drunken brawls, breaking the Uniform Code of Military Justice, using victims for political gain, profiting off campaigns and scandals are just some of the issues that are being brought up in these fights: Seung Min Kim and Kate Nocera for POLITICO: 10 nastiest House races

91 PERCENT: Most opinion polls are divided among party lines but one issue continually polls when among all voters: the No Budget, No Pay Act. Recently in Virginia, The Comeback Initiative and The Brookings Institute held a a special town hall with Virginia voters where the 91 percent of attendees supported No Budget, No Pay: The Comeback Initiative for The Sacramento Bee: Voter Town Hall in Key Swing State of Virginia Finds Overwhelming Support for "No Budget, No Pay"

FROM THE FIELD: No Labels Citizen Leader Joe Garofalo from Peachtree City, Georgia is inviting all his old friends from New York to reunite this January at the Meeting to Make America Work!

THE DAILY BREAK: Check out Washington gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna dance with constituents: John Celock for The Huffington Post: Rob McKenna, Washington Governor Candidate, Dances Gangnam Style

ACTION OF THE DAY: No Labels' ConnectUS is a place for citizens to connect, organize and take action. Click here to make your account and get involved.

STAT OF THE DAY: Voters tend to have more favorable opinions of the wives of the presidential candidates according to a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll. Michelle Obama beats Barack 67 percent to 56 percent, while Ann Romney beats Mitt 56 percent to 47 percent: Peyton M. Craighill and Erin Eastabrooks for The Washington Post: Voters prefer Michelle Obama and Ann Romney to their husbands

Written & edited by Kelsey McLaughlin, Collin Berglund, Lauren Gilbert and Jack McCullough

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