Townhall.com’s Washington Beat
By Katie Pavlich
June 28, 2011 

In this edition of the Washington Beat, Steven Crowder shows us that middle class warfare doesn’t really exist. 

OBAMA’S $600 BILLION TAX INCREASE

President Obama finally decided to sort of show up to debt ceiling talks in Washington this week. What was his bright new idea? $600 billion in tax increases! Of course, the White House is framing their argument by calling their plan “new tax revenue.” The plan would end all subsidies to oil and gas companies and limit tax deductions for the “rich.” 

Obama and the democrats’ new plan comes after Senator Kyl and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor left debt ceiling talks, saying they would go no further until tax hikes were off the table. Considering tax hikes would further devastate our stunted economy, their strong stance is appreciated. 

BACHMANN OFFICIALLY IN FOR 2012

Rep. Michele Bachmann kicked off her official campaign tour this week in Waterloo, Iowa and spent time in New Hampshire promoting her tea party principles.

“I stand here today in front of many friends and family to formally announce my candidacy for President of the United States. I do so because I am grateful for the blessings God and this country have given to me, and not because of the position of the office, but because I am determined that every American deserves these blessings and that together we can once again strengthen America and restore the promise of the future. I want to bring a voice, your voice, to the White House, just as I have brought your voice to the halls of congress to secure the promise of the future for our generation and generations to come.” 

BRISTOL PALIN SPILLS THE BEANS ON MOM’S POTUS RUN

In an interview on Fox and Friends this week, Bristol Palin told host Brian Kilmeade that her mother, Sarah Palin, definitely knows whether she’ll make a run for the White House in 2012.

“She definitely knows. We’ve talked about it before but some things just need to stay in the family.” 

Palin will make an appearance in Iowa Tuesday and attend the premiere of the new documentary “Undefeated,” about her life in public office. 

TSA GROPING GRANDMA

The TSA is at it again. In the past, we’ve witnessed TSA agents groping 9-month-olds and nuns, and now, they can add a 95-year-old woman dying from cancer to their list of people most likely to blow up a plane. 

In Florida, a 95-year-old woman suffering with leukemia was detained by TSA for 45 minutes and asked to remove her adult diaper before boarding a flight with her family. When pressed for an explanation for the invasive and unnecessary handling of the situation, TSA officials stood by and defended their actions.

“While every person and item must be screened before entering the secure boarding area, TSA works with passengers to resolve security alarms in a respectful and sensitive manner,” the federal agency said. “We have reviewed the circumstances involving this screening and determined that our officers acted professionally and according to proper procedure.” 

ATF RETALIATING AGAINST OPERATION FAST AND FURIOUS WHISTLEBLOWERS

As more information surfaces about the absolute idiocy involved with Operation Fast and Furious, ATF whistleblowers are being told to shut their mouths and warned that if they talk, they may lose their job. According to Vince Cefalu, now a former ATF agent, he was fired after coming forward with information about the lethal Obama Justice Department Operation Fast and Furious and for cooperating with the House Oversight Committee in Congressman Issa’s investigation of the operation and DOJ. Cefalu came forward with information about the government allowing high powered weapons to flow into the hands of Mexican drug cartels and across the border into Mexico in December before the story about Fast and Furious broke. Cefalu worked for the bureau for 24 years before being forced to turn in his badge and gun. 

ATF has a history of retaliation against agents who don’t fall in line with orders, even when those orders break the law or are unethical. Last week, Congressman Darrell Issa warned ATF and Justice Department officials against retaliation toward agents who come forward with valuable information about corruption within the system. Issa sent a letter expressing his concern to ATF Deputy Director William J. Hoover:

I write to request your assurance that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) will not retaliate against witnesses who have provided information to this Committee. I make this request in light of the fact that on June 15, 2011, in a hearing before the Committee entitled “operation Fast and Furious: Reckless Decisions, Tragic Outcomes,” three veteran ATF special agents gave testimony highly critical of the ATF. They should not face reprisals of any kind for their testimony. No other ATF employees who cooperate with Congress should face retaliation either. The Committee relies on whistleblowers to conduct unvarnished and thorough oversight. Witnesses who choose to cooperate with the Committee must be confident that they can provide information without fear of punishment. 

Cefalu was dismissed two days after Issa sent the letter to Hoover. 

BACKDOOR DREAM ACT IMPLEMENTED THROUGH ICE

This week, a memo written by ICE Director John Morton and sent to all agents in charge, chief counsel, office directors and special agents, states ICE doesn’t have enough resources to deal with illegal immigrants who happen to be students, and therefore, they should have less of a chance of deportation due to the criteria used when making decisions about who will be deported known as “prosecutorial discretion.” The memo encourages agents to keep education status, mode of illegal entry into the United States and illegal alien connection to the military in mind before issuing a deportation, encouraging agents to give illegal immigrants who meet certain criteria more tolerance. 

Despite Congressional rejection, the DREAM Act has been enacted by a process of ICE agents deciding who should and should not be deported on a case-by-case basis rather than equally under the law. 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Shark Tank’s Javier Manjarres on Twitter:

“If Bachmann is a flake, does that make Biden a snowstorm?” 

-Katie Pavlich is the News Editor for Townhall.com