Recently in Congress Category

Screwy Louie rides again:"Texas Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert says his office is drafting a measure to allow members of Congress to carry guns in the District of Columbia, including in the Capitol and on the House floor.Gohmert says he and his colleagues need to be able to protect themselves, in light of the mass shooting in Arizona."It'd be a good thing for members of Congress who want to carry a weapon in the District," he...

The House of Representatives: Where talk is cheap."House leaders have unveiled the text of their resolution addressing the shooting in Tucson, AZ over the weekend that left six people dead and wounded many others, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords [D, AZ-8] who remains in critical condition. The resolution, which was written by members of both parties and is offered by Speaker of the House John Boehner [R, OH-8], will be voted on by the House Wednesday...

A few odds and ends on a gray Wednesday morning:Since the new Republican majority in the House is going to start today with a dog and pony show reading of the Constitution, maybe they could have Justice Scalia stop by and explain why he thinks the First Amendment right to free speech applies to corporations but the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth doesn't apply to women. Could be interesting.To whom it may concern at...

I've never been a fan of raisins. There's just something about a so-called fruit that is all shriveled up and looks like dead bugs that has never appealed to me.   Over the years, raisins have become analogous with things that I have found annoying. I find it particularly annoying when a situation calls for bold, decisive action ... and in comes Mr. Stay Puft to handle it. You know what I'm talking about. You...

I hope everyone got everything they wanted for Christmas. The Pentagon certainly did."On December 22 both houses of the U.S. Congress unanimously passed a bill authorizing $725 billion for next year's Defense Department budget. The bill, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011, was approved by all 100 senators as required and by a voice vote in the House."The hypocritical cries from many of those same 100 senators and those "voices" in the...

In a January 20 article at the Center for American Progress, Michael Linden differentiated between those who are serious about addressing our fiscal problems-the deficit hawks-from those who posture and preen about it--the deficit peacocks. Here's how he defines a peacock:"Deficit peacocks like to preen and call attention to themselves, but are not sincerely interested in taking the difficult but necessary steps toward a balanced budget. Peacocks prefer scoring political points to solving problems."This is...

Republicans in the Senate are still blocking the bill that would provide funds for the health needs of 9/11 responders.(Above--Smoke as observed from space in the aftermath of the 9/11 attack.)Republicans have said they are concerned that the bill would add to the deficit. Yet adding to the deficit did not seem to be a concern for Republicans when it came to protecting tax cuts for the most wealthy Americans.The 9/11 bill will cost $7.4...

  A test vote in the Senate confirms that Don't Ask, Don't Tell, will be repealed in the Senate as early as today.  The vote, 63-33, will override Senator John McCain's threatened filibuster and go to President Obama's desk for a signature.  After Obama and his military advisors certify that this will not harm the military and a 60 day waiting period takes place, Don't Ask, Don't Tell will be no more. To date, over 13,500 active members of the...

The Senate voted 83-15 yesterday to invoke cloture on President Obama's sell-out compromise on the extension of the Bush tax cuts for the top 2%. Nine Democrats and Bernie Sanders voted "no." The nine were: Jeff Bingaman (NM), Sherrod Brown (OH), Russ Feingold (WI), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY), Kay Hagan (NC), Frank Lautenberg (NJ), Pat Leahy (VT), Carl Levin (MI), and Mark Udall (CO). One of the poster children for duplicity and hypocrisy, Mary Landrieu of...

One of the things that struck me about Barack Obama during the campaign was how so many people questioned his every move. Then, a day or so later it would all suddenly make sense. He was always three or four moves ahead. So, a seemingly stupid move ended up being brilliant. They say a good chess player plays several moves ahead of his or her current move. Something tells me that Obama would be good...