Eric Massa: Dirtbag or Evil PR Genius?
• Mondo FrazierEric Massa spilled on the corrupt process that ObamaCare has become. Is the Dem a lying dirtbag or an evil PR genius? Are conservatives "duped" by publicizing his allegations?
Contents Pages by Subject
Legislative Mischief
YouTube 'under threat' from Digital Economy Bill changes
• Technology News, Telegraph.co.ukPopular sites such as YouTube could be blocked under new proposals to cut copyright infringement. The High Court could be given the power to issue an injunction against a website accused of hosting "substantial" amounts of copyright-infringing mate
Facing ethics probes, Rangel temporarily drops tax leadership
• AP"In order to avoid my colleagues having to defend me during their elections, I have this morning sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi asking her to grant me a leave of absence until such time [after the elections] as the Ethics Committee completes its wor
GOP REP: BLACKS BETTER OFF UNDER SLAVERY
• Washington MonthlyRep. Trent Franks (R) of Arizona has long been one of Congress's most embarrassing members. But this week, the right-wing lawmaker may have reached a new depth. Franks was speaking with blogger Mike Stark about civility and public discourse.
A Reminder to Mitch McConnell: Lack of Bipartisanship Did Not Cause Tea Party Protests
• Mondo FrazierMitch McConnell says Republicans may very well go along with Porkulus II. And why not? It's not more of the taxpayers money--it's their kid's money.
Are US Taxpayers Bailing Out Greece? - by Ron Paul
Powell GammillIs it possible that our Federal Reserve has had some hand in bailing out Greece? The fact is, we don’t know, and current laws exempt agreements between the Fed and foreign central banks from disclosure or audit.
Sex offender law could go global with California lawmaker's bill
• McClatchy NewsThe law requires convicted sex offenders to be registered with the government, making it easier to track their whereabouts. "The idea is to notify law enforcement officials in those countries that people are traveling," said Lungren, who called sex t
INSIDE WASHINGTON: Secret Senate digs proliferate
• APShhhhhhh. The perks of Senate membership just got sweeter. For the first time, all 100 members of the chamber will have their own cloistered hideaways in the U.S. Capitol, traditionally a coveted mark of seniority and clout that lowly freshmen could
N.Y. congressman sought Chavez's help for disgraced banker Stanford
• McClatchy NewsThree years before Allen Stanford's worldwide banking network collapsed, he called on a key member of the Caribbean Caucus to help him settle a crisis. The president of his bank in Venezuela had turned on Stanford after being accused of stealing
Texting while driving, smoking target of '10 laws
• APFaced with huge budget shortfalls and little extra money to throw around, state lawmakers exercised their (inexpensive) power to clamp down [tax and prohibit] on impolite, unhealthy and sometimes dangerous behaviors in 2009.
Congress raises debt ceiling to $12.4 trillion
• APThe Senate voted Thursday to raise the ceiling on the government debt to $12.4 trillion, a massive increase over the current limit and a political problem that President Barack Obama has promised to address next year.
Sen. Reid’s Government-Run Health Plan STILL Requires a Monthly Abortion Fee
• Republican Leader John Boehner's website"Everyone enrolled in these plans must pay a monthly abortion premium (p. 41, lines 5-8), and these funds will be used to pay for the elective abortion services."
Pelosi, Rahm do not scare Rep. DeFazio
• The Hill“I would have less of a voice and I would have less respect if I voted for things I didn’t believe in because of pressure from the leadership,” DeFazio said. Obama himself has taken notice, saying “Don’t think we’re not keeping score, brother,”
Congress Travels More, Public Pays
• Wall Steet JournalThe expenses racked up by U.S. lawmakers traveling here for a conference last month included one for the "control room." Besides rooms for sleeping, the 12 members of the House of Representatives rented their hotel's fireplace-equipped presidential s
Military spending bill clears Senate hurdle
• ReutersLawmakers funded 10 more Boeing Co C-17 transport planes than the Pentagon asked for, at a cost of $2.5 billion. Kept alive the troubled VH-71 presidential helicopter despite the Pentagon's objections. Includes 1,720 earmarks costing $4.2 billion for
Wrap-up bill likely to clear Senate hurdle
• APMust-pass legislation that wraps up the bulk of the remaining congressional agenda besides health care was expected to easily clear a Senate hurdle in the wee hours of Friday.
Stimulus II: Congress ponders aid for cash-strapped states
• McClatchy NewsWashington soon could come to the aid of California, New York and other cash-strapped states that face the need to raise taxes or cut spending again next year to balance their books. The House of Representatives took the first step late Wednesday
Legislator Who Fought To Keep Ban On Gay Sex, Arrested For S&M Gone Bad
• TPMRod Jetton, the former Missouri House Speaker, fired a state lawmaker from his committee chairmanship in 2007 because the lawmaker had changed a bill in order to end a state ban on gay sex -- or what Jetton called "deviate sexual intercourse."
House eases restrictions on derivatives trades
• APA bipartisan coalition in the House voted late Thursday to make it easier for corporations to engage in complex derivatives trades without government restrictions, eroding the reach of proposed regulations to govern Wall Street.
Black Caucus Seeks to Ease Radio’s Woes
• NY TimesInner City Broadcasting, owns 17 commercial stations nationwide faces a possible financial collapse because of pressure by Goldman Sachs and GE Capital to repay nearly $230 million in debt and they want a bailout.
Rising debt could derail Congress on just about everything
• McClatchy NewsThe Senate began a debate Monday over the future of health care in America that's likely to go on for weeks, but behind the scenes, lawmakers are struggling to resolve an even more explosive issue: how to pay for all their [desires.]
US politicians behind Ugandan Gay Execution Law
• RawstorySharlet's book "The Family" is an investigative look at a secretive group of fundamentalist Christian lawmakers in Washington, D.C. In a recent interview with NPR's Terry Gross, he broke the news that The Family's influence in Uganda is rife.
Conflict of Interest: Alan Mollohan Chairs DoJ Subcommittee That Investigates Him
• Mondo FrazierAlan "Money" Mollohan controls the purse strings of the Dept of Justice--the same DoJ that is investigating Mollohan for earmarking $150 million for family and friends.
Bank bill delayed in House, Senate divided
• ReutersProgress toward tighter U.S. financial regulation faltered in the U.S. Congress on Thursday as a House committee postponed a pivotal vote and Republicans on a Senate committee aired stubborn opposition. The setbacks came as lawmakers streamed out
Stimulus Watch
Stimulus WatchStimulusWatch.org was built to help the new administration keep its pledge to invest stimulus money smartly, and to hold public officials to account for the taxpayer money they spend.
Entered By: Jean Carbonneau
In House, Many Spoke With One Voice: Lobbyists’
• NY TimesIn the official record of the House debate on overhauling health care, the speeches of many lawmakers echo with similarities. That was no accident. Statements by more than a dozen lawmakers were ghostwritten by Washington lobbyists
Barofsky say TARP 'Almost Certainly' Will Bring Loss to US
• BloombergNeil Barofsky, the special inspector general for the $700 billion US financial-industry bailout, said the program will "almost certainly" result in a loss to taxpayers. (Well, DUH. Taxpayers weren't the primary beneficiaries) "We need to temper or
White House Aims to Cut Deficit With TARP Cash
• Wall St JournalThe Obama adminstration, under pressure to show it is serious about tackling the budget deficit, is seizing on an unusual target to showcase fiscal responsibility: the $700 billion financial rescue. The adminstration wants to keep some of the unspen
Most Venal-Looking Congressman?
• Jim BovardI have seen plenty of smarmy looking congressmen over the decades, but this photo of Rep. Bob Filner (D-Cal) probably takes the cake.
Pro-Lifers Beginning to Realize Stupak Amendment Worthless
• Mondo FrazierPro-Lifers are having second thoughts about how valuable getting the Stupak Amendment passed was. There's nothing to keep the pro-life amendment in any bill which emerges from a conference committee.
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