January 23, 2023
Total Spectrum Strategic Consultant and former Congressman Erik Paulsen writes about the wide array of topics ripe for oversight and investigation as Republicans take control of House Committees. One item that should be at the top of their agenda is the massive fraud in pandemic-era federal relief programs, especially involving unemployment benefits, as published by Fox News.
Read MoreDecember 21, 2022
Eight years ago – in 2014 – Doug Ducey became Governor Doug Ducey. Eight years ago, the Arizona government had a $1 billion deficit and a sluggish economy. Today, Arizona has a record surplus, a balanced budget, and a booming economy. Each of these things happened because Governor Ducey and his administration worked with the state legislature, as well as key groups and individuals to reduce regulations, create new jobs, and both reform and simplify taxes in each of his eight years in office. Congressman Erik Paulsen visited with Governor Ducey last week in a look back and look forward interview. The Governor talked about his role as chief salesman for Arizona, the new 2.5% flat tax – the lowest flat tax in the nation – a diversified economy, his commitment to education, and so much more.
Read MoreDecember 7, 2022
This week, Steve Gordon’s Heard on the Hill covers national politics, caucus elections in both the House and the Senate, the end (finally) of the Georgia runoff and the start of the 2023-24 campaign cycle, and the progress of the lame duck legislative agenda. Total Spectrum’s Senior Partner John McKechnie is our financial expert, and he wrote an article about the recent failure of a major cryptocurrency exchange and the fallout on related policy. In this week’s Defense Update, Al Jackson dives into the National Defense Appropriations Act, the bill passed annually to fund defense spending. Ramona Lessen reports on the December 6th hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee that focused on the 2023 Farm Bill and Research Programs. In this week’s Total Spectrum Spotlight, Congressman Erik Paulsen sat down last Friday with Congressman Kevin Brady (TX-8), the former Chairman and current Ranking Member of the Ways & Means Committee. Congressman Brady was Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee when the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was passed – and many people contend that the bill could never have been passed unless Kevin Brady had his hands on the steering wheel. It’s a relatively short but a meaningful interview with an excellent legislator and a very good man.
Read MoreNovember 17, 2022
The eye of the midterm elections has now passed. Congressman Erik Paulsen joined Steve Gordon in writing about why the election results didn’t match Republican expectations – and the reaction in Washington – in today’s Heard on the Hill. Michael DiMaria, Total Spectrum’s Southwest Regional Director and Vice President of Business Development, provides an Arizona Election Recap. Patrick Robertson writes about the list of items on Leader Schumer’s lame duck to-do list in Washington Whispers. John McKechnie is Total Spectrum’s Senior Partner, with over 35 years of experience in the financial services sector. We asked John to bring us up to date on the credit card interchange bill sponsored by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) that pits the financial services industry against the retailers. Ramona Lessen continues our focus on financial services with her review of the November 15 hearing by the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee entitled, “A Strong Banking and Credit Union System for Main Street.”
Read MoreNovember 8, 2022
Election Day is upon us, and we’ll all be waiting to see the returns tonight and in the coming days. Today’s special edition of This Week in Washington provides some context for the current state of politics, the races, and the public’s sentiment.
Read MoreOctober 26, 2022
This is the last edition before the November 8th midterm election, so we are using a different format. Steve Gordon's Heard on the Hill column looks at the upcoming senatorial and congressional elections from the perspective of a former Republican political consultant and now managing partner of Total Spectrum. Patrick Robertson’s Washington Whispers column looks at the upcoming elections from his perspective as a Democratic attorney and lobbyist who served as deputy chief of staff for former Senator Jay Rockefeller and managed the 2008 Rockefeller for Senate reelection campaign. We have included an encore presentation of Congressman Erik Paulsen’s June 1st interview of Charlie Cook for Total Spectrum Spotlight. Steve was introduced to Charlie Cook in 1986, two years after he founded the independent and non-partisan Cook Political Report. He’s the dean of political journalism – and for a good reason. This interview still gets viewers and generates compliments, so I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch it – or watch it again. It will be time well spent.
Read MoreOctober 24, 2022
Congressman Erik Paulsen, Total Spectrum Strategic Consultant, took part in an insightful discussion on the upcoming midterm elections and whether Democrats can maintain their majorities on Capitol Hill or if Republicans are poised to win the House or Senate – or both. “Right now Republicans are in a good offensive position” on many of the issues that matter most in this midterm election, remarked Congressman Paulsen, citing a 20-30 point trust advantage over Democrats. Catch the full podcast on the 2022 midterm elections hosted by BakerHostetler after the click.
Read MoreOctober 5, 2022
Senators and Congressmen have left Washington and returned home. This quiet time provides a great opportunity to sum up the present and look ahead to the future. Heard on the Hill takes a look at the economy and then reviews the current election predictions from the statistical modeling column of Fivethirtyeight. Al Jackson also provides his update on defense and defense appropriations. In case you missed it, we have also included Congressman Erik Paulsen’s exclusive Total Spectrum Spotlight interview with Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona’s Senior Senator. I hope you’ll give it a watch - it’s well worth the time.
Read MoreSeptember 29, 2022
Total Spectrum Spotlight is very pleased to bring to you Congressman Erik Paulsen’s exclusive interview with Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona’s Senior Senator. Erik Paulsen and Krysten Sinema served together in the U.S. House of Representatives. In this Spotlight interview, he asks about her approach to getting meaningful things done in the Senate, how she views the differences between working in the Senate and in the House of Representatives, and her perspectives on a possible lame duck session.
Read MoreSeptember 21, 2022
Both the Senate and the House returned to Washington right after Labor Day, and both are scheduled to leave town by the end of September. Patrick Robertson has written an excellent summary of Congress’ legislative agenda – what’s possible in the next 10 days and what is going to get pushed off until the lame duck session. Patrick’s Washington Whispers articles are always good, and this week’s is exceptionally well done. Ramona Lessen monitored the September 20th hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, entitled “Tightening the Screws on Russia.” Today’s Total Spectrum Spotlight interview is with Nathan Gonzales, the Editor and Publisher of Inside Elections, which provides nonpartisan analysis of Senate, House, and gubernatorial, and presidential elections. Nathan provides important context and fascinating observations on November’s elections.
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