By RP Staff, on Mon Jul 25, 2011 at 5:00 PM ET Wow..another huge day at The Recovering Politician.
We’ve already surpassed Friday’s readership totals (the biggest since Opening Week in April) by more than 40%.
But we are not resting on our laurels.
Tomorrow, the RP interviews Rod Jetton for RPTV, giving you a chance to hear more of his fascinating personal story.
We will have more, of course, on the debt ceiling debate.
And since we all could use a little levity in these ultra-serious times, the RP will offer his latest “Top 5” pop-culture list. If you are new to the RP Nation, here is a taste of what that exactly means.
So get some rest tonight, because we will have a busy Tuesday.
By RP Staff, on Mon Jul 25, 2011 at 9:30 AM ET It’s a tough day to be a recovering politician…
Just when he thought it was safe to get his political ego in check, the RP appears in two of the largest, most prominent publications in the country.
First, the Wall Street Journal online version re-published the RP’s “Debt Ceiling for Dummies” piece which appeared earlier on this site and last night at The Huffington Post.
Then, the Washington Post, via its popular political columnist, Chris Cillizza (aka, “the Fix”) name-dropped the RP when discussing the rapid rise of No Labels, the new grassroots movement uniting Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who believe that on occasion we need to put aside our labels to do what’s right for the country:
Given all of the above, advocates of a third party — or at the very least another viable option in the 2012 presidential race — seem to be sprouting up all over.
The two most prominent are Americans Elect, a group aimed at winning ballot access for an eventual third-party candidate, and No Labels, an organization filled with high-profile names — including former George W. Bush media consultant Mark McKinnon and former Kentucky state treasurer Jonathan Miller — designed as an online home for the politically disaffected. “If you build it (ballot access), they (candidates and voters) will come,” McKinnon said in an e-mail.
No Labels says it advocates for bipartisan solutions to problems and not a third-party presidential candidate.
Click here for the full Washington Post piece.
Please note that the RP — like the No Labels movement in general — is not an advocate of a third party or a third-party presidential candidate. He was an early supporter of Barack Obama in 2008 and remains a strong supporter of his reelection. Other No Labels members support one or another of the GOP presidential candidates. They all agree, however, that particularly in light of today’s extraordinary debt ceiling crisis, it is important that we come together in times of national import to arrive at bipartisan compromise in the country’s interest.
Finally, the RP’s beautiful tribute to Diana Ross — his friend and the mother of the victim of domestic violent murder — was reprinted in today’s Lexington Herald-Leader.
Enjoy the great reads, and take our advice: Avoid the RP today at all costs; his recovery from the limelight is suffering from a significant test.
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Jul 25, 2011 at 9:00 AM ET With the debt ceiling crisis in the headlines for weeks (and perhaps weeks to come), the RP has written a column (cross-posted at The Huffington Post) that tries, in plain-English terms, to explain what all the fuss is about, and why it is so critical for each of us to make our voices heard to our representatives in Washington:
As we approach August 2, the deadline for Congress to lift the debt ceiling before the nation begins to default on its credit, there’s still considerable public confusion about what it all means.
While nearly every economic expert declares that default would be a disaster, and a bipartisan consensus of politicians not aligned with the Tea Party agree, the country is still sharply divided. The most recent Pew Research Center poll found that only 40 percent of the public felt it was “essential” to raise the debt limit, while 39 percent of Americans (including 53% of Republicans) felt that we could go past the August 2 deadline without major economic problems.
Why the disconnect?
Part can be attributed to the continuing and growing distrust of Washington politicians, particularly by those disaffected on the far right.
Much is also due to the esoteric, bewildering, and sometimes coma-inducing nature of the financial jargon and labyrinthine subject matter associated with the debt ceiling debate.
As a Democrat and a former state Treasurer and CFO, I’m probably not the right guy to convince the partisan-blinder-wearing Ceiling Deniers.
But for the rest of us, I offer the following straightforward, plain-English summary to hopefully help better explain the real-life impact of American credit default:
Read the rest of the RP’s column by clicking this link.
UPDATE: As of 9:15 AM, 07/25/11, there have already been 130 comments at The Huffington Post on this piece. Please click here and have your say.
By RP Staff, on Fri Jul 22, 2011 at 6:29 PM ET
By RP Staff, on Fri Jul 22, 2011 at 6:27 PM ET
By RP Staff, on Fri Jul 22, 2011 at 5:00 PM ET Wow…We warned you it would be a busy day here at The Recovering Politician.
In fact, it has already been the third most-trafficked day in the site’s history. (Days 1 & 2 featured Jeff Smith’s introductory piece about his rise, prison time, and recovery. Something in the water in Missouri?)
To all of the newest members of the RP Nation, welcome!
To everyone, we promise much more excitement and education, and even a few laughs along the way next week.
Monday, we lead off with Part 3 of Rod Jetton’s stunningly candid “Success, Scandal & Change,” in which he addresses the scandals that received so much publicity in Missouri, and how he has recovered stronger than ever.
The RP later will interview, via video Skype, Jetton and his unlikely friend and fellow contributing RP, Jeff Smith, about their unusual relationship, and how the two have emerged from their own troubles to dedicate their lives back to the public interest. (We may have a surprise third guest as well if his schedule permits.)
And as mentioned earlier today, we will also launch a new feature next week: The RP’s Budget Crisis Update — our intrepid new Washington, DC staffer, Patrick Derocher, will provide timely updates on the goings-on in the nation’s capital to address the debt ceiling crisis.
We will also mix in a few laughs — for those of you regulars who’ve been clamoring — the RP’s latest top five list will appear: The Top Five Terrible TV Shows with Terrific Theme Songs. See if you can guess what will emerge as #1.
(RP Nation newbies: Here is a collection of the RP’s past comedy hits.)
All that and so much more. Stay cool this weekend, and see you on Monday!
By RP Staff, on Fri Jul 22, 2011 at 3:00 PM ET On Wednesday, the RP suggested that the budget proposal proposed by the Senate’s “Gang of Six,” was — while not perfect — the best opportunity for the country to escape the debt ceiling crisis with a sound plan to fix the nation’s structural economic problems.
He also encouraged you to contact your Congressman and advocate for a bipartisan solution such as the Gang of Six plan. (Click here to be heard.)
More details have emerged on the plan, and how it will slash the national debt by $3.7 trillion, through a combination of spending cuts and tax reform.
Click here for the latest, greatest summary of the proposal.
Beginning next week, The Recovering Politician will add a new feature: regular up-to-the-minute updates of the budget crisis. Our intrepid new Washington, DC staffer, Patrick Derocher, will be providing summaries of the key developments as they occur.
So if you are interested in staying on top of the latest news, come back to The Recovering Politician early and often.
And if you agree with the RP that it is time to take action, click here and register your support for a bipartisan solution.
By RP Staff, on Fri Jul 22, 2011 at 12:45 PM ET This morning, the RP appeared as the featured guest on “Wilshire & Washington,” a radio talk show focused on the intersection between politics, entertainment and technology. The RP is questioned about No Labels, and the role it is playing to influence the debate in Washington in favor of a bipartisan deal to solve the current debt ceiling crisis.
Click here to listen in to the 20 minute radio interview.
By RP Staff, on Thu Jul 21, 2011 at 4:00 PM ET Tonight, No Labels is hosting an exclusive national telephone town hall with Gang of Six Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) to discuss the Gang of Six’s plan to reduce the federal debt by $3.7 trillion over the next ten years. You’ll get the chance to hear directly from our leaders about the Gang of Six’s bipartisan budget plan, ask questions and learn what you can do to help get a deal done. With only 12 days left to raise the debt ceiling, it is critical that bipartisan efforts are discussed and supported to avoid fiscal calamity.
By RP Staff, on Thu Jul 21, 2011 at 2:00 PM ET RIGHT NOW — until 3:00 PM EDT, the RP is co-hosting No Labels Radio.
The discussion will be on the ongoing debt crisis, and his guests include some of the nation’s top political and economic experts.
No Labels is a new grassroots movement of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are united in the belief that we do not have to give up our labels, merely put them aside to do what’s best for America. No Labels Radio will offer a weekly dose of news and interviews with the policymakers who are working to find bipartisan answers to the otherwise intractable problems our country faces.
Follow this link to tune in RIGHT NOW.
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