Legislative Mischief

Making them Go Naked For Their Own Good

1-7-2008 • LA Times

A law set to go into effect Feb 10 will clear thrift stores and specialty retailers of children's clothes and toys. [unintended consequences? What unintended consequences?]

Legislative Mischief

Democratic leaders seek to resolve Burris saga

1-6-2009 • AP

"Does the governor have the power, under law, to make the appointment? And the answer is yes," said Feinstein, chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee, which judges the credentials of senators. "If you don't seat Mr. Burris, it ha

Legislative Mischief

Democrats share heady visions of their omnipotence

1-6-2009 • Wall Street Journal

Democrats. Like the Congress of 76 years ago, they are converging on Washington with a popular new president, significant congressional majorities and, perhaps most important, a shaken public eager for government to try something new.

Legislative Mischief

Burris denied seat in US Senate to succeed Obama

1-6-2008 • AP

Standing amid a huge throng of reporters and television cameras in a cold and steady rain, Burris, 71, declared that he had been informed that "my credentials are not in order and will not be accepted."

Legislative Mischief

No More Texting While Driving: It must be time for the legislatures to start

1-1-2009 • US News

While national numbers on fatalities caused by cellphone users have proved difficult to collect, according to some estimates, as many as 6% of all car accidents--and more than 2,000 auto fatalities a year--are caused by drivers distracted by their ce

Legislative Mischief

Do Not Insult, Accost, Molest, or Otherwise Annoy the Politicians

12-22-2008 • Reason / Jacob Sullum

Being annoying for its own sake will be allowed, but annoyance with a political aim will be prohibited? Apparently the city plans to review cases where the measure might violate freedom of speech to make sure that it does.

Legislative Mischief

You get a pink slip. Congress gets a raise.

12-19-2008 • The Hill

A crumbling economy, 2 million constituents have lost their jobs and congressional demands of CEOs to work for free did not convince lawmakers to freeze their own pay. They will get a $4,700 pay increase, amounting to $2.5 million that taxpayers will

Legislative Mischief

Rumsfeld responsible for torture

12-12-2008 • NY Times

A report released Thursday by leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee said top Bush administration officials, including Donald H. Rumsfeld, the former defense secretary, bore major responsibility for the abuses committed by American troops in

Legislative Mischief

Pay raise for judges tucked into bailout plan

12-10-2008 • AP

If the $14 billion bailout plan for U.S. automakers passes, it will help more than just Ford, Chrysler and General Motors. Federal judges would get a pay raise, as well.

Legislative Mischief

Hackwatch: the First Installment

12-9-2008 • The Agitator

John Kyle ca. 2005: filibustering judicial nominees is bad, bad, bad. John Kyle ca. 2008: I'll filibuster liberal judicial nominees.

Legislative Mischief

Detroit Problem Solved - The Cars are Too Good

12-8-2008 • CNN

Chrysler CEO Robert Nardelli: citing vehicles that had 60, 70, 80 thousand miles on them, Senators told automakers, "you guys are making them too good, therefore we're not buying vehicles."

Legislative Mischief

Detroit Bailout May Bring On U.S. Oversight

12-7-2008 • NY Times

Congressional Democrats were drafting legislation for tight government control of the crippled American auto industry, including the possible creation of an oversight board made up of the head of the EPA and led by an "car czar."

Legislative Mischief

Finger-pointing begins as Senate nixes auto vote

11-19-2008 • AP

A Democratic Congress, unwilling or unable to approve a $25 billion bailout for Detroit's Big Three, appears ready to punt the automakers' fate to a lame-duck Republican president. President Bush has "no appetite" to act on his own.

Legislative Mischief

Drunken politician pisses on the crowd

11-11-2008 • James Bovard

A City Council member from Jersey City was arrested over the weekend after patrons at a Northwest Washington nightclub complained that someone had urinated on them from the balcony, according to police and media reports.

Legislative Mischief

Democrats Vow to Pursue an Aggressive Agenda

11-5-2008 • NY Time

Flush with victory built on incursions in the South and West, Congressional Democratic leaders promised to use their new power to join President-elect Barack Obama in pursuing an aggressive agenda that puts top priority on the economy, health care, e

Legislative Mischief

Bill passes giving mayor third term

11-4-2008 • NY Times

For four uninterrupted hours, scores of New Yorkers walked up to a microphone, looked at Mr. Bloomberg and rendered a blunt verdict on the legislation that would allow him to seek a third term.

Legislative Mischief

Sen. Stevens guilty on all counts, campaign to continue

10-27-2008 • AP

Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens says he's not dropping out of his Senate race despite being convicted of seven corruption charges. He was convicted of lying about $250,000 in home renovations and other gifts from a wealthy oil contractor.

Legislative Mischief

Fla. Congressman said to be involved in 2nd affair

10-15-2008 • AP

Hours after a married congressman addressed a report that he had an affair with a former aide and paid her to keep quiet about it, details of a purported tryst with a second woman surfaced.

Legislative Mischief

Texas Becomes Roadblock Battleground

10-07-2008 • The Newspaper

Interest groups are pressuring Texas lawmakers to authorize the use of roadblocks ahead of the 2009 legislative session. The practice of setting up barricades on roads to stop and interrogate motorists suspected of no wrongdoing has been unlawful sin

Legislative Mischief

A Bailout Rogues Gallery . . .

10-06-2008 • Washingtonwatch.com

Below, we’ve compiled the list of those who changed their votes last week. Collectively, they allowed the bailout bill to pass & become law. We’ve also listed their opponents in the upcoming election, who may gain or lose ground based on the incumben

Legislative Mischief

'Yes' Voters Received 54% More than 'No' Voters

10-5-2008 • MAPLight.org

In stark relief: PAC contributions vs. House votes on the (original) Billionaire Bailout. MAPLight has certainly shed light on why so-called "Free Trader" Republicans revealed their true selves.

Legislative Mischief

Dems praise Obama on bailout, GOP says little

103-2008 • Politico

Democrats were far more vocal in crediting Obama’s intervention than Republicans were in acknowledging McCain's role.

Legislative Mischief

Bailout vote-switchers tell their stories

10-3-2008 • Politico

Members of a Republican women’s club in Andrews, Texas, applauded Rep. Mike Conaway during a speech earlier this week for voting against the landmark financial markets rescue plan. Now he has some explaining to do.

Legislative Mischief

Traitors pass bailout, Bush signs, stock market falls

10-3-2008 • Reuters

Stocks, which had been higher before the vote, dropped, with the S&P 500 index closing at its lowest level in almost four years. The dollar was also in retreat.

Legislative Mischief

California approves nurse-assisted suicide Schwarzenegger signs bill authorizing dehydration, starv

10-02-2008 • World Net Daily

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has officially approved an assisted suicide measure allowing nurses to sedate, dehydrate and starve depressed or confused individuals they consider to be "terminally ill." (Keep your chin up and smile i

Legislative Mischief

Furious lobbying for much-maligned bailout bill

10-2-2008 • AP

GOP Rep. Zach Wamp of Tennessee announced he was switching his vote from "no" to "yes." "If some of us don't change our vote, tomorrow's going to be a real ugly day in America, and I don't want to be a part of tha

Legislative Mischief

House girds for second try on financial rescue

10-2-2008 • AP

House members are getting another chance to vote on a financial bailout bill that has infuriated millions of voters after the Senate added tax cuts and other sweeteners and passed it handily. [they're tripping over each other to switch their vote

Legislative Mischief

CONgress tried to allow bank reserves to go to $0

9-30-2008 • Daily Kos

Each depository institution can maintain zero reserves against its transaction accounts? You put it right there in writing! Sure you buried it across three bills, but you are now allowing for the possibility that banks can hold zero reserves!