The Leader's Ledger

State Of Play: A Credible Deficit Reduction Plan, Based On Cutting Spending, Will Boost Economic Growth

Leader Cantor: Many of The Problems Surrounding The Lack Of Job Creation and Growth Stem From Lacking A Credible Deficit Reduction Plan. “We believe that many of the problems surrounding the lack of job creation and growth in this country have to do with the fact that there isn’t a credible plan to manage down the debt and deficit in this country," Cantor said. "That’s what we’re trying to produce here and we had much substantive discussion today and look forward to more next week." Politico

House Dems Argue Against Cutting Spending, Call For Massive Tax Hikes: A group of House Democrats is calling for any deal to raise the debt ceiling to bring about the end of the Bush tax rates ... The lawmakers, led by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), also say that, following last week’s weak job report, they are concerned that certain decreases in federal spending could hurt the economy’s recovery. The Hill

• Reminder: Tax Increases Can’t Pass The House. Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia, who's representing House Republicans in the talks, told the administration flat out that tax increases can't pass the GOP-controlled House. Fox News

Play Of The Day: Senate Budget Chairman Shoots Down His Own Proposal: “This Is Not A Plan In The Sense Of A Proposal To Be Advanced.” Conrad said he had put together a 10-year, $5.64 trillion “illustrative” plan for balancing the budget. “This is not a plan in the sense of a proposal to be advanced,” he said. He said it was meant to “show what it takes to balance the budget” over 10 years. Republicans have criticized Democrats for failing to come up with a budget proposal of their own. Bloomberg

The Economic Outlook: President Obama’s Policies Have Failed To Create An Environment For Private Sector Job Growth

40 Weeks: In The Obama Economy, The Average Amount Of Time It Takes For Someone To Find A Job Is 40 Weeks, The Highest Ever Recorded. Housing price declines were the worst since the 1930s. Unemployment rising again. Underemployment disastrously high. And as for chronic unemployment, the average time for finding a new job is now 40 weeks, the highest ever recorded. These numbers gravely undermine Obama’s story line that we’re in a recovery, just a bit slow and bumpy. The Washington Post

• The Obama Economy: 67% Of Americans Still Believe The Country Is In A Recession Rasmussen

The Latest Example Of President Obama’s Failed Stimulus: In his Commentary column last Sunday, Bob Rayner noted that the nation has lost 7 million jobs during roughly the same period that federal spending has grown by $1 trillion. A huge chunk of that sum was eaten up by federal stimulus funding, which raises reasonable questions as to why the economy has not been more stimulated. This summer a new port terminal will open in the Motor City. The $22 million facility, largely underwritten with federal stimulus dollars, is designed for — better sit down for this part — cruise ships. ... When the project was announced, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the stimulus was working. If he's right, we shudder to imagine what failure would look like. Richmond Times-Dispatch

• Dem Divide: Senate Dems Blame President Obama For His Inaction On The Economy – Call For More Failed Stimulus Spending, Higher Taxes. Senior Senate Democrats are growing frustrated by what they see as President Obama’s passivity on the economy, and are beginning to discuss a large infrastructure package funded by tax increases. ... Republicans would be quick to slap Democrats with the old “tax-and-spend liberals” label. And the prospect of passing such a plan through the GOP-led House of Representatives — where conservative freshmen hold significant clout — is slim. ... Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, endorsed Harkin’s argument for more infrastructure spending, and said it is gaining support in the broader caucus. “There’s very broad support,” Rockefeller said. “There’s no other way to get at this problem.” The Hill

Leader Reid and The Do-Nothing Democrats: Quorum Calls Dominate The Economy In Reid’s Senate

AU Professor: Senate Democrats Aren’t Even Trying To Get Something Done ... It’s Not Even Gridlock, It’s Worse Than That! “It’s not even gridlock. It’s worse than that,” said Allan Lichtman, a history professor at American University who once ran for the Senate himself as a Democrat. He said “gridlock” implies that somebody was at least trying to get legislation passed. Instead, he said, this year “they’re not even trying to get something done.” The Washington Post

• Even CSPAN Is Pointing Out Senator Reid’s Failed Leadership - CSPAN: The Senate Has Spent Nearly A Third Of Its Time Performing Quorum Calls. This year — even as Washington lurches closer to a debt crisis — the Senate has spent a historic amount of time performing this time-killing ritual. Quorum calls have taken up about a third of its time since January, according to C-SPAN statistics: more than 17 eight-hour days’ worth of dead air. ... These sham roll calls have been a feature of Senate debate for decades, but this year has been special: According to C-SPAN, the Senate has spent more than 32 percent of its time in quorum calls. That’s more than in any comparable period dating to 1997. The Washington Post

With No Proposals Of Their Own, The Senate Dems’ Communicator-In-Chief Goes Dark. The saying often goes something like this: The most dangerous place on Capitol Hill is between Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and a TV camera. But Schumer also knows when to avoid the spotlight. ... Schumer’s aides deny that he’s intentionally gone dark this week, pointing out he had a teleconference Wednesday with New York reporters and spoke to the national press Monday afternoon before Weiner’s bombshell press conference where he copped to the scandal. But the senator has hardly been a ubiquitous presence this week, a sharp contrast from May, when he held no fewer than 15 Washington news conferences and TV media interviews. Politico

The Road Ahead: House Republicans Continue To Take The Lead On Providing Relief At The Pump

Chairman Hastings, House GOP Continue To Focus On Maximizing Domestic Energy Production. House Republicans made another attempt Thursday to expand and expedite domestic oil production with the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee unveiling a bill that requires the U.S. to hold annual lease sales in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve. ... The legislation is being developed by Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings (R., Wash.), who penned three bills earlier this year that expanded and sped up offshore oil drilling. All three bills were approved by the Republican-controlled House ... Mr. Hastings's most recent bill also tries to streamline federal approvals for drilling and sets timelines for infrastructure permits to be approved. "What good is issuing leases and producing oil and natural gas if they can't be delivered to the American people?" Mr. Hastings said in a statement Thursday. The Wall Street Journal

Off The Beaten Path

“Bloodythirsty” Dog Pack Stalk Farm Animals In Washington – The Associated Press

Roadkill: It's What's For Dinner In Illinois – The Mother Nature Network

Dog Attempts To Cook Dinner For Homeowners ... Fire Department Arrives In Time – The Reading Eagle

"100 Percent Trash Boat" Sets Sail In Taiwan – Scientific American