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CURRENT LETTER

 
The Kiplinger Washington Editors
August 29, 2008
 

Russia's Incursion Into
Georgia: What's at Risk?

With limited military, political and economic options available to the U.S. and Europe, the greatest pressure on Russia may come from businesses and investors fleeing increased risks there. This week's Kiplinger Letter looks at what's at stake for both Russia and the U.S. Also, note our Special Issue this week on the 2009 outlook for business costs.
 
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About a year ago I started a golf accessory online business . I would like to know how I can best market the site to get more visibility from customers as well as differentiating myself from other golf online store.
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Mitch McConnell: GOP's Quiet Blocker Plays to Win

Who's the most powerful senator? Hint: He's not a Democrat.
 
 

Senator Mitch McConnell is a shoo-in to be the GOP’s most valuable player. Just two months into the congressional year, it’s clear that President Bush will leave office much in debt to McConnell, the skillful and unassuming Republican leader from Kentucky who is stopping a slew of Democratic bills from reaching the White House.

He’s already proving more than willing to just say no, using Senate procedural rules to prevent Democrats from passing their bills, whether it’s a resolution calling for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq next year, new efforts to rein in lobbyist influence or a freestanding minimum wage hike. He’s also a major obstacle to a host of other Democratic legislative priorities rushed through the House at the beginning of the year, including an oil industry subsidy rollback, an expanded stem cell research bill and a rewrite of the prescription drug benefits.

That will boost Bush’s legacy and, not by accident, help congressional Republicans in 2008. Because of McConnell, Democrats will have only moderate legislative success to point to when they ask voters for another term in power. Even budget bills on defense, entitlements and domestic spending will take much effort to squeeze through without changes made to appeal to McConnell.

What’s his secret? Democrats have only 51 votes, and they need at least 60 to pass any bill that Republicans choose to oppose, so as long as McConnell keeps most of his ranks together, he wins.

There’s an obvious risk in his tactics. He may be seen as an obstructionist, especially on Iraq policy, where a majority of Americans side with Democrats on views that Bush’s plan to put more U.S. troops in Baghdad won’t work and that a more clearly defined and timely exit strategy is needed.

So far, though, McConnell has been able to avoid the problem. When he blocked a vote on an Iraq resolution earlier this month, the media’s story line was one of “Democrats in Disarray,” not “Republicans as Obstacles.” And further delays in passing a straight war funding resolution will allow McConnell to portray Democrats as being obstructionists by delaying much needed war funding.

Before this year, McConnell, a four-term senator and lawyer from Louisville, KY., was best known for opposing the McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation, which banned unregulated soft money donations to the parties. It passed in 2002, but only after nearly 10 years of McConnell skillfully working the levers of the Senate to delay and modify it.

His tactics also make McConnell a hero among the GOP faithful. He’s helping raise gobs of money for fellow Republicans in hopes that they’ll be back in the majority after the 2008 election.

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