Brain Trust: MS Lt. Gov Phil Bryant

Reagan and Obama

Now it seems as if they're finding the good things about Ronald Reagan (as they compare Obama to the former president).

On the night of the State of the Union I was twittering to some people about how conservative the President sounds.

If we can moderate his liberal-social views all the better (in Obama's seeming adoration of Reagan).

Healthcare?

We've had two judges say it was unconstitutional. And two...say it is constitutional. So it does seem to be a partisan issue even in the judicial.

The unconstitutional portion that says I can be punished for simply not buying insurance is unconstitutional, so the whole thing must be unconstitutional.

I think, Matt, it will go to the Supreme court and I think we'll have a 5-4 ruling that the whole law in unconstitutional.

Wisconsin AG says state won't follow law

Well, I would not think that will happen in Mississippi.

I do not believe that our Democratic AG would choose to say the leader of his party has made a mistake and passed a bill that is unconstitutional.

I would hope that he would say at some point, though, that we will adhere to the federal court's opinion.

Immigration?

We in the MS Senate simply think you ought to abide by the federal immigration laws.

Matt, it is the most baffling thing in the world...those of us who want to enforce the federal laws, protect our borders..we somehow are the bad guys. The people who say "cross the borders, break the law, create a false identification"...they somehow are the righteous.

One day, like Ronald Reagan, people, I hope, will say those who...were protecting the borders, those who were defending states rights...they will say that those people were right.

We all know that one day the terrible reality will occur and someone will cross that border..and in a backpack there will be explosives. It's not if that's going to occur; it's when that's going to occur.

Superbowl pick?

Green Bay!

The reason is that that town owns that franchise.

I'm old enough to remember the first Superbowl, the ice bowl, Vince Lombardi, those great days when Green Bay was the team in the frigid north.

Brain Trust: Peter Brooks, Sr. Fellow - Heritage Foundation

Why problems in Egypt?

Recently the government in Tunisia..was overturned by a people-power revolution. And recently this spread to Egypt.

Egypt is not insignificant. It's a very significant country...it's generally pro-Western. It's secular. There are other forces out there that are not pro-West, so we could have a problem in the future.

We could make Egypt even less free than they are today.

On WH blame:

I don't know if that's really fair...This would be tough for any administration. If Mubarak goes away, we don't know who will replace him.

Part of Al Qaeda came out of Egypt. Al Zawahiri came out of Egypt. There are some strong Islamic forces in the country.

The people do deserve more freedom.

The question is how do you get it to the best situation for American interests while actualizing the dreams of the Egyptian people.

You've gotta be really careful how you proceed with this, and that's why people are treading really carefully.

Muslim Brotherhood?

They are Islamists and they are very conservative in their political views.

They've kept their profile quite low at this point.

Some said they're not a problem others are concerned about them.

Another group you've gotta think about is the military...the military will play a really big role. If they don't support Mubarak, he'll have to go.

You could even see a military leader in power.

Worst-case scenario?

What I'm worried about are extremists taking over the government and it becoming an anti-western, anti-America government.

The factors of the revolution

A lot of these (young) people are coming of age..so there's a lot of tensions out there.

A lot of these nations are powderkegs.

Positive outcomes to all this?

If we see an evolutionary transitions to Democracy, I think there is. That's why I say if we see an evolution, not a revolution, that's positive.

Brain Trust: Craig Smith of SwissAmerica.com

Does the Egypt uprising affect the average person's pocketbook?

Well obviously the immediate impact will be the increased price of oil.

Yeah, there is an immediate impact, it all depends on what happens at the Suez canal.

So it won't be the end of the world, Matt, but it will have an affect on price.

I'm also concerned about what effect this will have on world markets.

So, yes, there's some impact. I think what Egypt demonstrates to us is the totally incoherent foreign policy coming out of Washington DC.

Does the U.S.'s silence on Egypt impact the world financially?

Oh yeah, there's a tremendous impact financially, Matt, because the dollar revolves around a confidence factor.

We can not expect the world to have alliances when we abandon them in situations like in Egypt.

Could America have a people's uprising like Egypt?

The American people are reasonable people, they're sensible people...we know that the legislative process we have in America is designed around responsibility and peaceful exchange of power.

I don't think we're going to go the way the rest of the world has gone, unless our leaders take us that way.

I think this President is in over his head...quite frankly I don't think this man knows how to make a decision, because he's voted present all his life.

(Obama's) the leader of the free world, so he has to make some very difficult decisions now.

Leaders that make difficult decisions are never popular people, but they are people who lead the world into relative balance.

I think we have to be very concerned - Wall Street is doing well right now, but Main Street isn't.

Do markets watch rulings like the one in Florida?

Yes. That's why when the ruling was issued yesterday I told my people that stocks would rise today.

That's the problem with our economy. We're on the mend...but America is uncertain of the future, because we don't know where this administration will go next.

Until we know we have some certainty out of the White House, we won't make those bets. Now we have that after the decision yesterday.

Should we be scared about a crash?

I think the fundamentals that are propelling the current rally..are very tenuous.

I think it can last if we address..jobs and spending in Washington D.C.

If we show the world we are very serious about getting our house in order, the rally will last.

Too late for Obama's desired "Sputnik" moment?

You're right. We can't unless we're willing to borrow the money.

It's very difficult to send men into outer space to pursue the future when we're paying...welfare, Medicare and Social Security benefits to people.