Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) on IRS Scandal: “My Hunch is There us A Lot More Is Going to Come Out”

From the Democrat Senator who said, Obamacare is a train wreck” now thinks that the is much more to come out with the IRS scandal.

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) stated on Bloomberg Government’s “Capitol Gains” TV show, “I have a hunch that a lot more is going to come out.”

Funny how when one announces their retirement that they suddenly speak the truth and tend to forget what they did in the past as a partisan politician. Baucus, who is now calling for Congressional hearings into the IRS scandals of targeting Tea Party and other Conservative groups was one of the very Senators who in the past was calling for them to be targeted. As the Gateway Pundit reminds us, Senator Baucus specifically called on the IRS to engage in the very conduct back in 2010 he is now distancing himself from. The rats are jumping off the ship. Just what does Max Baucus know?

From The Washington Examiner:

Senior Democratic Sen. Max Baucus, who recently slapped Obamacare as a “train wreck,” believes that the IRS scandal is just beginning and that “a lot more” damaging information will be revealed, likely at congressional hearings.

“I have a hunch that a lot more is going to come out, frankly,” Baucus, whose pending retirement seems to have freed him up to speak bluntly, told Bloomberg Government’s “Capitol Gains” TV show.

“It’s broader than the current focus. And I think it’s important that we have the hearings, and I think that will encourage other information to come out that has not yet come out. I suspect that we will learn more in the next several days, maybe the next couple three weeks which adds more context to all of this,” added Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) to Retire in 2014 … Stated Last Week, Obamacare was a “Train Wreck”

Another one bites the dust at the hands of Obamacare … Another opening for the GOP in 2014. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, the Democrat Senator from Montana announced that he will not run for reelection in 2014 and instead retire. According to the Washington Post, rather than face a tough election, Baucus would rather retire. The six term Senator obviously sees the handwriting on the wall. Obamacare is still unpopular and going to get worse as America wakes up and realizes the expensive boongoogle that it is. Baucus was a key player and played a critical role in writing President Obama’s national health-care plan, Obamacare. However, last week Baucus referred to the Obamacare as a train wreck. Think the conservative state of Montana was not going to hold that against him in 2014? Also, just last week he also voted the expand back ground checks on the purchase of guns. Don’t worry Max, not like Montana is one of the states with the highest gun ownership at 57.7%. Oh wait, it is.

Baucus, 71, first elected in 1978,has been the top Democrat on the powerful committee since 2001. At times infuriating his Democratic colleagues, Baucus worked with Republicans to co-write the Bush-era tax cuts and the Medicare prescription drug plan, but he also served as the lead defender against George W. Bush’s 2005 effort to partially privatize Social Security and played a critical role in writing President Obama’s national health-care plan. Baucus, from conservative-leaning Montana, has voted against Democratic initiatives on some social issues, most recently last week’s effort to create an expanded background check system for gun purchases. Republicans have been trying to land a top recruit to challenge Baucus, who despite his unpolished public image has been one of the savviest political operators among Mountain West Democrats.

As Weasel Zippers stated, it was obvious that Baucus’s polling showed that because of his liberal ways, he was going to get crushed. According to PPP polling, Baucus was already running 5 points behind hypothetical Republican candidates, although he may never have made it out of the Democrat primary. This does not bode well for Democrats in the Senate. If the GOP could actually get their collective heads out of their RINO, establishment butts, they should take this seat. According to Charlie Cook this moves the seat into the toss-up category. Democrats, so far, have to defend 21 seats, while Republicans have to defend 14. The GOP needs a net gain of 6 seats to regain the Senate. Although, Wake Up America opines that out of the 21 Democratically held seats, seven of them are in states carried by the former Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, while just one of the Republican seats is in a state won by President Obama. Are they just getting old or has the Obama bloom truly come off the rose? Baucus joins five other committee chairmen who have decided to retire rather than run for reelection, including Sens. John D. “Jay” Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), 75, chairman of the commerce committee, and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), 73, chairman of the health committee. In the 2010 and 2012 election seasons, several other chairmen, including Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), opted to retire.

After 4 Years Senate Democrats Finally Passed A Budget Complete with a $1 Trillion Tax Hike

AFTER 4 YEARS SENATE DEMOCRATS PASS A BUDGET WITH $1 TRILLION IN TAX HIKES …

For the first time in four years the Democrat controlled US Senate has passed a budget. From the looks of it they shouldn’t have bothered. The budget plan was passed by a 50-49 vote in the Democratic-controlled chamber, with 4 Democratic senators facing tough re-election campaigns in 2014 joined all the Senate Republicans in opposing the measure. Max Baucus (D-MT), Mark Begich (D-AK), Kay Hagan (D-NC) and  Mark Pryor (D-AR) all voted against the Democrat budget. It is just a coincidence that all four Democrats are up for reelection in 2014 “Red” states. Vulnerable Senate Democrats like Mary Landrieu (LA), Mark Warner (VA) and Tim Johnson (SD) should be made to pay a price in the 2014 elections for supporting the budget. Simply incredible, after four years of not doing their job, the budget that Democrats pass is chock full of new spending, taxes and a vote against actually  balancing it. Oh wait, did we mention it just taxes, taxes and taxes?

The Senate Democrat passed budget bill contains $1 trillion in new tax hikes. The following is a list of all Senators up for reelection in 2014.

From The Hill:

Centrist Sens. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) and Max Baucus (D-Mont.) were all non-committal up until the end.

Baucus, Begich, Hagan and Pryor joined the entire GOP caucus in voting against the budget resolution. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), who was ill,  missed the vote. His office said he would have been available to vote if needed.

All the Democratic senators who voted “no” are up for reelection in 2014 in states that voted for GOP nominee Mitt Romney.

Democrats had been dogged by criticism for failing to approve a budget resolution since 2009 and the vote removes that GOP talking point from the political scene.

Yea’s On the Resolution (S. Con. Res. 8 ):

 No wonder Senate Democrats had not passed a previous budget prior to Obama’s reelection. The Senate budget has a 0% chance of passing The House.

US Senators Up for Reelection in 2014, More Democrats at Risk than Republicans

2014 US Senate …

It is not too early to take a look to see what US Senaotrs are up for reelection in 2014. The GOP has managed to royally screw up the take over of seats in 2012 as they literally gave away the Senate races in Indiana and Missouri. Let this be a valuable learning lesson for Republicans and their choices for solid candidates. The GOP does not need moderate, wishy-washy candidates; however, they also do not need walking nightmares the likes of Murdoch and Akin who snatched defeat from a sure win by not being able to explain their positions. A note to GOP candidates in the future, if you feel the need to say that God is for rape … shut your trap. All GOP candidates must realize the MSM is not on your side and will spin your words to make them sound even worse than they are. So if you cannot intelligently present your ideas and beliefs to the people, you need not run.

The mere numbers of states that need to be defended tell us that Democrats once again have to do the heavy lifting to defend their turf. Democrats have far more seats up for election than the GOP and most Republican seats appear to be safe. However, we have seen this story before. Republicans best get their act in gear and come up with far better candidates than 2012.

Democrat Senators up for reelection:

1. Warner, Mark R. – (D – VA) – Seems safe as VA has trended Democrat, but would it in an off year election?
2. Coons, Christopher A. – (D – DE) – Safe
3. Durbin, Richard J. – (D – IL) – Safe
4. Franken, Al – (D – MN) – Could be vulnerable, Franken won in a close, questionable election in the wave election of 2008.
5. Hagan, Kay R. – (D – NC) – North Carolina is one of the few battleground states that went to Romney in 2012, could be a vulnerable seat in 2014 for Democrats.
6. Harkin, Tom – (D – IA) – Safe
7. Johnson, Tim – (D – SD) – Safe unless he decides to retire.
8. Kerry, John F. – (D – MA) – It has been rumored that Kerry may be Obama’s next Secretary of State in his 2nd term. If this occurs there will be a special election for this seat prior to the full election.
9. Landrieu, Mary L. – (D – LA) – Louisiana is a red state; however, the Landrieu name is an institution in the Byou.
10. Lautenberg, Frank R. – (D – NJ) – It is hard to believe that Lautenberg will run for reelection as he will be 90 years old in 2014. If he does decide to run its just another case for the Senate having term limits.
11. Levin, Carl – (D – MI) – Safe
12. Merkley, Jeff – (D – OR) – Safe
13. Pryor, Mark L. – (D – AR) – Would the red state of Arkansas want to switch to a GOP Senator? It all depends on how good a candidate they run.
14. Reed, Jack – (D – RI) – Safe
15. Rockefeller, John D., IV – (D – WV) – Safe if he runs, he will be 77 but that seems to be a spring chicken these days in the Senate.
16. Shaheen, Jeanne – (D – NH) – one never knows in a swing state in an off-year election.
17. Udall, Mark – (D – CO) – Another swing state that has trended Democrat, but who knows in an off year election of a 2nd term president.
18. Udall, Tom – (D – NM) – The state has trended Democrat, most likely safe.
19. Baucus, Max – (D – MT) – hard to believe that such a red state has a Democrat Senator.
20. Begich, Mark – (D – AK) – could be a targeted seat as Begich was elected during the wave election of 2008. No reason why Alaska has a Democrat Senator.

Republican Senators up for reelection:

1. Johanns, Mike – (R – NE) – Safe
2. Chambliss, Saxby – (R – GA) – Safe
3. Cochran, Thad – (R – MS) – Safe
4. Collins, Susan M. – (R – ME) – Safe if she does not retire
5. Cornyn, John – (R – TX) – Safe
6. Enzi, Michael B. – (R – WY) – Safe
7. Graham, Lindsey – (R – SC) – Safe, unless the GOP pulls another 2012 Indiana Senate race debacle.
8. Inhofe, James M. – (R – OK) – Safe
9. Sessions, Jeff – (R – AL) – Safe
10. Roberts, Pat – (R – KS) – Safe
11. McConnell, Mitch – (R – KY) – Safe
12. Risch, James E. – (R – ID) – Safe
13. Alexander, Lamar – (R – TN) – Safe, however, would not be surprised if he is seriously challenged in the primaries.

Charlie Cook of the Cook Report Sees Grim Future for Democrats in Senate in 2012 and 2014

Grim future for Democrats in the US Senate …

Charlie Cook of the famed political Cook Report states that Democrats have a tough row to hoe in 2012 and 2014 in the US Senate. With the large amount of seats that Democrats have to defend in 2012 and 2014, holding power in the Senate is pretty much a lost cause. Presently, Democrats have control of the Senate 53 – 47.    In 2012 Democrats have to defend 23 seats (21 Democrats & 2 Independents who caucus with Dems) while Republicans only have to defend 10. In 2014, Democrats have to defend 20 seats, while the GOP only has to defend 13.

US Senate Democrats seats up for election in 2012. We would say that there is a bulls-eye on some of the following seats, but that would be uncivil.

Akaka, Daniel K. – (D – HI)
Bingaman, Jeff – (D – NM) – RETIRING [seat in trouble]
Brown, Sherrod – (D – OH) [state trending GOP]
Cantwell, Maria – (D – WA)
Cardin, Benjamin L. – (D – MD) 
Carper, Thomas R. – (D – DE)
Casey, Robert P., Jr. – (D – PA) [state trending GOP]
Conrad, Kent – (D – ND)  - RETIRING [seat in trouble]
Feinstein, Dianne – (D – CA)
Gillibrand, Kirsten E. – (D – NY)
Klobuchar, Amy – (D – MN)
Kohl, Herb – (D – WI)
Lieberman, Joseph I. – (ID – CT) – RETIRING
Manchin, Joe, III – (D – WV) [if Manchin does not vote as a Republican, seat in trouble, state trending GOP]
McCaskill, Claire – (D – MO) [seat in trouble, state trending GOP]
Menendez, Robert – (D – NJ)
Nelson, Ben – (D – NE) [seat in trouble]
Nelson, Bill – (D – FL) [state trending GOP]
Sanders, Bernard – (I – VT)
Stabenow, Debbie – (D – MI)
Tester, Jon – (D – MT)
Webb, Jim – (D – VA) – RETIRING  [seat in trouble]
Whitehouse, Sheldon – (D – RI)

Democrat seats up in 2014. Keep in mind, these Senators were elected in the 2008 Obama promise of “Hope & Change” election.

Baucus, Max – (D – MT) – [GOP state, Obamacare could come back to haunt Baucus]
Begich, Mark – (D – AK) [heavy GOP state]
Coons, Christopher A. – (D – DE)
Durbin, Richard J. – (D – IL)
Franken, Al – (D – MN) [MN may want to correct the mistake they made in 2008]
Hagan, Kay R. – (D – NC) [heavy trending GOP state]
Harkin, Tom – (D – IA)
Johnson, Tim – (D – SD)
Kerry, John F. – (D – MA) 
Landrieu, Mary L. – (D – LA)
Lautenberg, Frank R. – (D – NJ) [he will be 90, probaly will retire ... will NJ trend GOP with Chris Christie wave?]
Levin, Carl – (D – MI)
Merkley, Jeff – (D – OR)
Pryor, Mark L. – (D – AR)
Reed, Jack – (D – RI)
Rockefeller, John D., IV – (D – WV)
Shaheen, Jeanne – (D – NH) [state trending GOP]
Udall, Mark – (D – CO)
Udall, Tom – (D – NM)
Warner, Mark R. – (D – VA) [state trending GOP]

Baucus-gate: Dem. Montana Senator Max Baucus Nominated Mistress Melodee Hanes to US Attorney Office in Montana

Once again we are provided with the age old adage … it’s not what you know, it’s who you know or in this case, who you are sleeping with.

Baucusgate: Imagine that, Democrat Montana Senator Max Baucus nominated his main squeeze to to be a candidate for the position of United States Attorney for Montana. What made her decline? The appearance of impropriety? The fact she received the nomination because of who she was dating? Nope. Melodee Hanes got a better job offer and moved to Washington, DC to live with boyfriend Max Baucus. How special.

Really, I got my job the old fashion way … I earned it

Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus’ office confirmed late Friday night that the Montana Democrat was carrying on an affair with his state office director, Melodee Hanes, when he nominated her to be U.S. attorney in Montana.

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