Warren Smith: Minnesota could affect the debt-ceiling talks

Warren Smith, Associate Editor of World Magazine and member of the Matt Friedeman Show Brain Trust, on the debt ceiling, Obama, and Bachmann.
 

The debt ceiling talks going on right now. The big question: Will the GOP hold firm on taxes?

Yogi bear once said that predictions are dangerous, especially predictions about the future. So I want to be careful.

Something really interesting is going on in Minnesota right now, which will tell us what could go on at the federal level.

In other words, if they can look at a state like Minnesota, and see that the Democrats are getting blamed for the shutdown, I think the Republicans will hold firm.

The Teaparty folks are wanting to stand firm no matter what.

Boehner has to be wondering if his guys are going to follow if he ups taxes.

I think tax cuts are the neutron bomb for Republicans.

I don't think there's any way to get enough Republicans to go along with a tax increase.

There is actually common ground between Republicans and Democrats.

I think it's possible that they may come up with some sort of deal.

The president said that unemployment going up to 9.2% proved the stimulus. Explain that...

When the government dumped all that money into the economy, it provided an artificial bump.

He's trying to hide the facts that the benefits of the stimulus were artificial and temporary. But they created mostly government jobs in Washington DC.

Can Barack Obama be elected with 8.5%, 9.0% unemployment?

Don't underestimate the guy.

This is a guy who as a first term senator got himself elected president of the United States.

He's going to raise a billion dollars for his reelection campaign. It's going to be the most expensive campaign in the world.

They start off with a structural advantage of anywhere from 15-20%.

I wouldn't count him out, even though the economic indicators seem to show he's in trouble.

One poll has Bachmann up in Iowa. Does she stand a chance?

Michele Bachmann is an attractive candidate on so many levels..And she can raise money. She's kind of a fundraising machine.

The problem with Michele Bachmann is you can't just raise millions, you have to raise hundreds of millions.

Michele Bachmann, even though I like her enormously, has some major structural problems against her.