Obama may wish that people stop trying to help him, particularly his Vice President. With Al Sharpton and Castro (here) endorsing his health care plan as a victory of socialism, Obama is insisting that this is not a wealth redistribution system. Now, Joe Biden has triggered another firestorm with comments that seem to agree that Obama is actively redistributing the wealth. I doubt this is the debate that the White House wants to have in the wake of the health care passage.
Category: Congress
In the latest sign of how American politics has descended into virtual graffiti legislation, the governor of Utah has signed legislation authorizing the state to exercise eminent domain over federal lands. It is clearly unconstitutional but that seems to matter little to legislators or Gov. Gary Herbert who signed the two bills.
Continue reading “Utah Governor Signs Law Authorizing Use of Eminent Domain Over Federal Lands”
Many of us were shocked by the scene of Tea Party activists attacking a disabled man with Parkinson’s disease who held a sign calling for health care reform. One man threw money at Robert A. Letcher, 60, and began screaming uncontrollably that him. The man has now been identified as Chris Reichert and he has issued an apology.
Continue reading “Protester Identified in Abuse of Man With Parkinson’s Disease”
Ted Stevens has competition as “Senator No.” This one votes no even when he means yes. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, for the second time, mistakenly called out “no” on the health care legislation. He quickly changed his vote to yes on the “fixes” to the health care legislation this week.
Continue reading “The New Senator No: Reid Again Votes No On Health Care By Mistake”
The heckler who screamed “Baby Killer” at Rep. Bart Stupak (D., MI) during the health care debate has been uncovered. It was not, as widely assumed, a person in the public gallery. Rather it was Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R., TX) who has fessed up to the infraction, here. After Joe Wilson (R., SC) screamed “you lie” at the President during the State of the Union and Justice Sam Alito saying “not true” and shaking his head at the State of the Union (here), Republicans appear to have growing distemper in their ranks.
Continue reading “A Randy Moment: Congressman Admits Screaming “Baby Killer” on House Floor”
The health bill passed with 219 votes last night, but not until President Barack Obama issued an executive order that blocks federal funding of abortion — a move that unleashed a torrent of criticism from women’s groups who say that he broke his campaign promise and principles on the issue for passage. In the meantime, the package of “fixes” may be in jeopardy in the Senate — potentially leaving the original Senate bill in the same unpopular state.
Continue reading “Health Care Passes On Promise of Obama To Block Public Spending on Abortion”
Various conservative scholars and legislators are lining up to file suit if the health bill passes on a “self-executing” rule. As I stated earlier, I believe the tactic violates the principles of good government but not the Constitution. However, this could be an interesting challenge and could raise a couple of novel questions. I will be discussing this issue on tonight’s Countdown.
Continue reading “Deem, Pass, and Sue: Lawsuits Prepared To Challenge Deem and Pass”
The Obama Administration has succeeded in watering down any reform of the intelligence oversight system — fighting to retain the same powers based on the same rationales as the Bush Administration.
It appears that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is contemplating the use of a “deem and pass” tactic to secure passage of the health-care bill. The procedural tactic is designed to allow members to avoid accountability for their votes and would reflect a conclusion that, in an up or down vote, the bill for fail.
With President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder blocked any investigation or prosecution of those responsible for the torture program, Bush officials like Vice President Dick Cheney have been publicly celebrating the use of torture. Now, Karl Rove says that he is “proud” that the administration used torture “that broke the will of these terrorists.”
Continue reading “Pride in His Work: Rove Publicly Rejoices in the Use of Torture”
We have been following a number of “stolen valor” cases recently on this blog. The crime of falsely claiming medals and military service is all the rage. Even journalists have been implicated as with Darrow “Duke” Tully, publisher of Arizona Republic and close associate to Sen. John McCain. Tully resigned as publisher after it was learned that he did not fly 100 combat missions over Vietnam, crash a fighter in Korea, or receive the Purple Heart, Distinguished Flying Cross and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. Indeed, he never served at all. Below is today’s column on the subject (which was the subject of this segment of NPR’s Talk of the Nation.
Continue reading “Stolen Valor is Offensive, But Is It A Crime?”
Answer: A naked enraged Rahm Emanuel poking his finger in your chest while you are taking a shower.
That is what outgoing Rep. Eric Massa (D, NY) says happened when he was taking a shower in the member’s club. Massa says that he was forced out because he planned to vote against the health bill.
We have continued to follow the outrageous expansion of copyright and trademark litigation (here and here and here), particularly the recording industry which is seeking crippling penalties for downloading song. Now, the industry has succeeded in nailing Whitney Harper who was between 14-16 years old when she downloaded 37 songs. The Court of Appeals increased the penalties against her — amounting to as much as $40,000.
Continue reading “Federal Court Rules Woman Must Pay As Much As $40,000 for 37 Songs She Downloaded At Age 14”
In yet another morphing of George Bush and Barack Obama, the Administration has indicated that it will include “tort reform” in the new and smaller health care bill — provisions that the CBO has said could cost 4,800 lives a year. While an estimated roughly 100,000 people die each year from malpractice, the Administration is about to make it more difficult to sue doctors and hospitals.
Continue reading “Obama To Cave On Tort Reform — Adding Provisions to Health Bill That Could Kill 4,800 a Year”
Rep. Charles Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has been found guilty of violating ethics rules in accepting Caribbean trips from a corporation. In a classic move, the House ethics office has decided not to find violations by four other members of the Congressional Black Caucus who also took the free trip in 2007 and 2008 because they were unaware that it was paid for by the corporation. How about the idea of not going on paid trips at all? I have long argued for a complete ban on such travel, here. The other four members were Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, who is chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee; Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick of Michigan; Donald M. Payne of New Jersey; and Delegate Donna Christensen of the Virgin Islands.
Continue reading “Rangel To Be Admonished For Violating House Rules on Free Trips”