Articles by Brian Darling

PoliticsCommentary

Save the Filibuster and Save the Senate From Partisanship

Brian Darling | September 01, 2016

The filibuster is under attack again, this time by Senate Democrats who are hoping to win back that chamber as well as the White House… Read More

 

How to Make Harry Reid’s Power Grab Work for Conservatives

Brian Darling | November 27, 2012

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) is expected to try to change the rules of the Senate to shut out the voices of the minority… Read More

 

Senator Mike Lee Argues to Restore Debate and Deliberation

Brian Darling | November 16, 2012

As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) gathers ideas to limit the filibuster, he has not ceased abusing power to block amendments he does not… Read More

 

Filibuster Reform Just the Latest Senate Power Grab

Brian Darling | November 09, 2012

Senator Harry Reid (D–NV) wants to limit the filibuster now that he has retained his position as majority leader. In July of this year, The… Read More

 

Senator Rand Paul on the “Charade and Farce” of Debate in the Senate

Brian Darling | September 13, 2012

On Wednesday, Senator Rand Paul (R–KY) requested a vote on two amendments to S.3457, the Veterans Jobs Corps Act. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV)… Read More

 

Filibuster Reform Is a Bad Idea

Brian Darling | July 24, 2012

The Washington Post reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) has pledged to reform the filibuster—if and only if he retains his position as… Read More

 Health Care

House Repeals Obamacare; What’s Next

Brian Darling | July 11, 2012

Now that the House has voted to repeal Obamacare, what happens next with H.R. 6079? The “Repeal of ObamaCare Act” will go to the Senate… Read More

 

Reid’s Unconstitutional Gambit on Small Business Taxes

Brian Darling | July 10, 2012

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) is trying to use the Senate to message on tax issues. The problem is that this political ploy is… Read More

Law

Obama’s Nixonian Contempt for Transparency

Brian Darling | June 20, 2012

President Obama channeled his inner Richard Nixon with his exercise of executive privilege to shield Attorney General Eric Holder from transparency. Whether the assertion is… Read More

Economy

Farm Bill: Bumper Crop of Food Stamps

Brian Darling | June 14, 2012

The farm bill pending in the Senate has a bumper crop of food stamps. The bill, S.3240 (the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act), should… Read More

 

Law of the Sea Hearings Point to Lame Duck Passage Strategy

Brian Darling | June 14, 2012

Today, the Senate has two hearings scheduled on the Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST). The Senate will have had three hearings on the LOST… Read More

Economy

The Truth about President Obama’s Skyrocketing Spending

Brian Darling | May 24, 2012

Spending has skyrocketed under President Obama, but of late some are claiming that the opposite is true. Case in point: MarketWatch columnist Rex Nutting wrote,… Read More

 News

Senator Mike Lee on Violence Against Women Act

Brian Darling | April 27, 2012

Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) made the case that the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), passed by the Senate, “oversteps the Constitution’s rightful limits on federal… Read More

 

Politicians Forget Why We Need A Strong Balanced Budget Amendment

Brian Darling | November 01, 2011

The purpose of a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution (BBA) is to limit the size and scope of the federal government.  Some politicians seem… Read More

 

Reid Blocks Vote on Obama’s Jobs Plan

Brian Darling | October 06, 2011

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) blocked a vote on President Barack Obama’s American Jobs Act tonight. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) had pledged to… Read More

 

Super Secret Committee Snubs Transparency

Brian Darling | September 29, 2011

Politico reported what many have feared about the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction in a story titled “Supercommittee operating in secret.” Members of this… Read More

 

A $900 Million Mistake

Brian Darling | September 26, 2011

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) made a $900,000,000 mistake on a measure to fund the federal government past this Friday. The government runs out… Read More

 

Federally Funded Boulders for Nevada

Brian Darling | September 14, 2011

Yesterday, I wrote about the House-passed bill H.R. 2887, which would reauthorize expiring aviation and surface transportation programs for a few months. Senator Tom Coburn… Read More

 

Transportation Enhancements: A Waste of Taxpayer Dollars

Brian Darling | September 13, 2011

The House passed today H.R. 2887, a bill to reauthorize expiring aviation and surface transportation programs for a few months. Senator Tom Coburn (R–OK) is… Read More

 

President Obama’s Stimulus Speech – The Sequel

Brian Darling | September 08, 2011

President Obama tonight pitched Stimulus 2.0 to a reluctant Congress and an angry electorate. The President rolled out his “American Jobs Act” and demanded repeatedly… Read More

 News

Depends on What You Mean by ‘Meeting’: Super Committee Expected to Be Super Secret

Brian Darling | September 08, 2011

The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (also known as the “super committee”) met for the first time today. This bipartisan, bicameral committee was created… Read More

 Health Care

In Obamacare, the President’s Disregard for Consent of the Governed

Brian Darling | August 30, 2011

Congress and the President have low approval ratings because Congress and the President continue to ignore the will of the American people.  One reason for… Read More

 

Want Stimulus? Reduce Regulation

Brian Darling | August 26, 2011

The President has publicly stated his intent to roll out a new expensive stimulus plan this fall.  That plan is expected to contain hundreds of… Read More

 

Obama’s Upside Down Press Conference

Brian Darling | August 08, 2011

President Barack Obama made two fundamental mistakes today in his press conference which was intended to calm the markets. First, he did not lead off with… Read More

Economy

President Obama Is Against A Balanced Budget

Brian Darling | July 15, 2011

President Barack Obama declared in a press conference today that he is against the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act and a Balanced Budget Amendment to… Read More

Economy

Eat Your Peas or the U.S. Will Risk Default

Brian Darling | July 12, 2011

Yesterday, the President conditioned a debt limit increase on the House and Senate meeting his demands to increase taxes, a very risky declaration. The President… Read More

Economy

Sen. Jeff Sessions Introduces Debt Limit Transparency Measure

Brian Darling | July 11, 2011

Today, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) introduced legislation to force seven calendar days of transparency before any debt limit deal is passed by the Senate. The… Read More

Economy

Senator Ron Johnson Objects To “Business As Usual”

Brian Darling | June 29, 2011

Yesterday, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) took to the Senate floor to fight against secrecy in budget talks and out of control spending.  Transparency may be… Read More

Economy

Transparency Is Dead in Debt Limit Negotiations

Brian Darling | June 22, 2011

The Washington Post reports that “lawmakers speed up debt-reduction talks.” The headline of that story should read “Lawmakers speed up secret debt-limit talks; details scarce.”… Read More

 

Tax Increases Should Be Off the Table in Debt Limit Negotiations

Brian Darling | June 16, 2011

Congressional Quarterly reported yesterday that Democrats, led by Representative Chris Van Hollen (D–MD), are pushing to use “tax overhaul” as a means to cut a… Read More