The long-awaited judicial confirmation hearing today of Berkeley Law Professor Goodwin Liu erupted into open warfare today as Republicans attacked Liu on his background and perceived bias. I discussed the confirmation fight on the segment below of Rachel Maddow.
Continue reading “Liu Confirmation Hearing Erupts Into Partisan Fight Over Experience and Philosophy”
Category: Congress
Dawn Johnsen, the president’s nominated head for the Office of Legal Counsel, has withdrawn after more than a year of delayed action on her confirmation.
Continue reading “Vanishing Dawn: Nominee for OLC Withdrawals”
We previously discussed the Westboro ruling imposing costs on the family of a dead soldier. Here is my column from today on that case and the proposal for legislative reform.
Continue reading “Westboro and The Need For Congressional Action to Preserve Our Open Courts”
Below is today’s column on the retirement of Associate Justice John Paul Stevens.
Continue reading “John Paul Stevens: The Uncalled Shot”
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan insisted that he was “right seventy percent” of the time in his tenure leading up to the economic collapse. On most grading scales that would give him about a C — hardly the level of performance you want from an economic policy official.
Continue reading “Grade Inflation: Greenspan Insists That He Was Right 70 Percent of the Time”
A recent report shows that 47 percent of U.S. households pay no federal income taxes. The Tax Policy Center found that the percent of non-paying households had risen from 38 percent in 2007 to 47 percent this year.
Continue reading “Report: Fifty Percent of Households Pay No Federal Income Taxes”
The Federal Communications Commission lost a major decision to Comcast when the D.C. Circuit ruled that it does not have the legal authority to slap Net neutrality regulations on Internet providers on Tuesday.
Continue reading “Court: FCC Lacks Authority To Impose Net Neutrality”
Dr. Jack Cassell, 56, a Mount Dora urologist and a registered Republican, left a message for Obama supporters on his door: heal thyself or at least find a doctor elsewhere.
Continue reading “Heal Thyself: Florida Doctor Tells Obama Supporters To Seek Medical Assistance Elsewhere”
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.
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”