Congressional Oversight

Break is over! Back to work!

Obama Inches Toward 2008 Run, Says Public `Hungry' For Change

By Heidi Przybyla

Dec. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Senator Barack Obama inched closer to a presidential run with his first visit to New Hampshire, home of the inaugural primary election in the campaign for the White House.

Obama, who went to the Granite State yesterday to headline a Democratic Party victory celebration, told reporters that ``people are very hungry'' for leadership that moves beyond the ``small and petty slash-and-burn politics that we've seen over the past several years.''

Speaking later to a sold-out crowd at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester, the Illinois Democrat outlined an agenda that includes universal health care, a new energy strategy that takes advantage of alternative sources of fuel, fiscal responsibility and a national security policy that is ``tough and smart.''

Buzz around an Obama run has intensified since he said in October that he is considering seeking the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. He plans to make a decision in early- to mid-January.Full Text

Okay, okay, I know, argh! The dust has barely settled from the mid-terms! Well, this is the political climate we live in. Until, there is full public and no private funding for these elections these people have to declare really early so that they can start funding their campaigns.

Now, should Obama run? I have no idea. I do know that if he is going to run, he needs to do it in 2008. By 2012 he will either not be a Senator anymore or will be a "Senator". Huh, what? You ask. It is rare that anyone has a large majority in the Senate and most Senators tend to be more pragmatic than their House counterparts. So, the longer one is in the Senate the risk is greater that you can be painted a "flip flopper." John Kerry on line 1. Unfortunately, most Americans don't understand the difference hence he either runs now or most likely forfeits any chance at a nomination down the road.

Ok You Idiots

It's all over. As soon as you sober up from your victory celebrations, get to work and start earning your office.

And get off of my TV!

Campaign Finance vs. Social Welfare

Money spent on ugly ads could help so many
Sunday, November 05, 2006
JOE BLUNDO

Dear campaign contributors: If you really want to improve society, I have an idea: Don’t send money to politicians so they can make idiotic TV ads. Instead, buy food, medical insurance or an education for the people whom politicians like to bluster about helping.

Next election, you’ll eliminate the middleman and clean up the airwaves at the same time.

Here’s the math:

I took a quick survey of media executives to come up with $30 million — a conservative estimate of how much will be spent on televised political ads in the Columbus market by Tuesday.

The total immediately brings to mind three words: What a waste. So then I tried to think of agencies and people who could put all those millions to better use.

It’s a long, long list.

But here’s an idea of what $30 million could buy:

• More than 15 million meals for the hungry.

The estimate is based on a meal consisting of 1.28 pounds of food at $1.50 a pound (wholesale), said Evelyn Behm, associate director of the Mid-Ohio FoodBank, which supplies food to pantries in 20 central and eastern Ohio counties.More

Food for thought as you probably turned the channel on about 20 political ads that you have seen 30 times this past weekend.

Remember to vote on November 7th.

A little light reading

First from Donklephant: Shaking up the '08 elections
Next: The Centrist Coalition - Ah! Kindered Spirits!
Third: A look at Independent Voters - from The Moderate Voice
Finally: A Republican Votes for Hillary - I just discovered this blog, ChargingRhino, today.

Update on the big news: Michael and I are still cajolling a certain individual who has since become hestitant to test the waters. To that person, DOOOO IT!

Big News Here Soon!

Stay tuned for a major announcement with regard to the Michigan Governor's race.

America's Political Parties Need to Look in the Mirror

...Both parties, however, need an infusion of progressive thought. Democrats and Republicans, more concered about winning than change, have litte desire to inform themselves of the valid thoughts that each other possess.

Since neither party owns "the" truth, both risk being permanently lost in their own delusions of grandeur. Those who allow themselves to be engaged in the public conversation need the contrarian's perspective lest they fall into the trap of believing that only their thought is normative. Such arrogance blinds us to our own imperfections, and no good can be realized from it... Full text

As far as this blog is concerned, Mr. Williams is preaching to the choir. However, most Americans are running full speed ahead into the wall that he speaks of in his article.

Oh and that contrarian thing, I have been all over that for years. Just ask my wife.

Legislating Sin

"If you're not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin," Harris said.Full Text

I think I can safely - my co-bloggers are welcome to disagree - that this site now officially endorses Bill Nelson for Florida's up for election Senate seat.

To Representative Katherine Harris, keep talking. I'm sure your opponent and detractors want you to. They don't even have to dig to find stuff on you. You are supplying material.

Katherine Harris Faking GOP Endorsements

In the U.S. Senate primary, Rep. Katherine Harris has been touting key political endorsements from fellow Republican lawmakers. The problem is, some of them never endorsed her.

Several members of the U.S. House called the Harris campaign to complain Wednesday after the St. Petersburg Times notified them of the endorsements listed on Harris' Web site. Minutes later, their names were removed.

Everytime I read a story about her I feel less and less certain about the forthright nature of a certain recount 6 years ago.

Lieberman set on independent bid

Sean Smith, Lieberman's campaign manager, said Lieberman was prepared to go forward with an independent run no matter what the primary outcome.

"This is bigger than the party now," Smith said.more

This blog is always happy to see and hear independently minded politicians. We as individuals or as a group don't always agree with them but we respect them. However, Senator Lieberman's current stance smacks of a child who is taking his ball and going home.

Mr. Senator, you lost. You stated your position about the war in Iraq and other issues and the people of your state didn't like it. In the last days of your primary contest when faced with defeat you suddenly tried to distance yourself from an unpopular President whom you had been sidling up to for the last 2+ years. And now that you have indeed lost, you expect the people of Connecticut to believe that you would have run as an independent even if you had won the primary. That is simply ludicrous. There is no way a life long politician such as yourself would bypass millions of dollars from the DNC and the Connecticut Democrats in an election year.

This isn't bigger than the party now, Senator Lieberman. You just think you are.

Let's take a time out

for a Geo Political update.

The current state of affairs in Lebanon is fairly well documented. It seems as though the time table for an Israeli invasion of Lebanon is in days; possibly hours. Syria and Iran will be watching/have to be watched very closely for their response to this. Also, it will be interesting because the actual Lebanese forces, which for the most part have been uninvolved to this point, are sure to at the very least defend their country from a foreign army.

Now there is this news from Somalia. It seems that Ethiopia has sent troops into that country to supposedly bolster the allied government. The Ethiopian government denies the troops prescence in Somalia. Meanwhile, Somalia Islamic leaders are calling for a "holy war"(I leave the contradiction discussion for later.) against Ethiopia.

Let's go to the map. As you will see by looking at the map you have nice cauldron of activity within a 1500 mile radius, with Beirut as the center, or in a radius that would cover New York City and Los Angeles with Lincoln, NE being the epicenter. Fun!

So, what the heck does all of this mean? It means the next 72 hours will see some of the most hustling diplomacy the world has ever seen. Hopefully. You have an area of the world that is absolutely critical to the world's economy(Bought gas lately?) which could quickly become embroiled in an all out shooting war that would probably start with Lebanon and Israel and could quickly involve Iran, Syria, Somolia, Ethiopia and Saudia Arabia. And who knows maybe Pakistan and India will decide have at each other, just so as not to feel left out.

I know this isn't exactly "happy Friday" fair but I felt it is worth mentioning. I will save any "How did we get here?" and "Why is it getting worse?" for the comments sections. That is if we get any.

Schools aren't teaching the US Constitution?

According to this editorial and the facts contained in it, many high schools aren't teaching US History and/or a Government/Civics class. I took both in high school and don't regret it. Yes, I took world history too and I view them all to be important. Like this writer, I don't understand how we can continue to be strong as a nation if we don't learn what it is we are trying to protect and what the laws actually mean.

The most appalling statistic to me was this on the First Amendment: 36% believed that before publishing, newspapers must first get government approval. What?

What you don't know can hurt you By Nat Hentoff

One day years ago, interviewing the usually cheerful Justice William Brennan in his Supreme Court chambers, I found him troubled. "Liberty," he said, "is a fragile thing. The Framers knew that. How can we bring the words of the Bill of Rights off the page into the lives of students?"

Were he still here, that paladin of individual liberties would have been even more troubled reading the words of retired justice Sandra Day O'Connor on this page: "Public schools have pretty much stopped teaching government, civics and American history. ... I truly don't know how long we can survive as a strong nation if our younger citizens don't understand the nature of our government. ... That is something you have to learn. It just isn't handed down in the genetic pool."

Add Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who is trying to get his American History Achievement Act - to test the degree of knowledge in schools - through Congress. He points out that half the states don't require a course in U.S. government.Full text

Texas Says "Kinky" Can Be On Ballot

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Writer and musician Kinky Friedman, who once sang "They Ain't Making Jews Like Jesus Anymore," may include the name by which he is best known on the ballot to choose Texas' next governor in November, the state's top election official said on Monday.

Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams said Friedman's nickname was not a slogan and thus did not violate state law. His name will appear on election ballots as Richard "Kinky" Friedman.

But Williams, a Republican, said Carole Keeton Strayhorn, who is also running as an independent against incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry, cannot include "Grandma" as a nickname on the ballot.

File under: Follow up and "3rd Party" Politics

White House kept "major program secret

By Alan Elsner 35 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration was running several intelligence programs, including one major activity, that it kept secret from Congress until whistle-blowers told the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, the committee's chairman said on Sunday.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra, a Michigan Republican who chairs the House Intelligence Committee, said on Fox News Sunday he had written a four-page to
President George W. Bush in May warning him that the failure to disclose the intelligence activities to Congress may be a violation of the law.

In doing so, he confirmed a story that first ran in Sunday editions of the New York Times.

"I take it very, very seriously otherwise I would not have written the letter to the president," Hoekstra said...

Believe me when I tell you that when a Republican Congressman from the West side of Michigan is making statements like that it is a huge deal.

The Most Important Issue?

From salon.com

When the saints come marching in

Sorry, Sen. Inhofe, but the gentleman from Louisiana just passed you in the pandering lane.

The Republicans' constitutional amendment banning gay marriage got just 49 votes this morning, far short of the two-thirds majority it needed -- and was never going to get -- for passage. Along the way to the vote, Republican Sen. David Vitter defended the GOP's efforts on the election-year measure by saying: "I don't believe there's any issue that's more important than this one."

We don't mean to speak for anybody else, but we're wondering if any of Vitter's displaced constituents in New Orleans -- or, say, the 57 Louisiana families who have lost loved ones in Iraq -- might see America's priorities just a little differently.

As senators voted on the ban this morning, Kansas Republican Sam Brownback vowed that "people are going to be responsible for this vote." Where men like Vitter are concerned, we can only hope that he's right.

-- Tim Grieve Link

Really, Mr. Senator?  Wow!

A Waste of My Money?

The national debt is increasing so quickly the clock in Times Square will run out of digits soon. We are fighting two wars and have numerous other government failures and ethical issues to address in Congress. So why is the Senate going to consider an amendment to the Constitution to stop people who love each other from getting married? Oh, that's right, it's an election year.

Senate to Tackle Gay Marriage Ban

Update: Just in case you want to see how many times the United State Constitution has been amended to stop the citizenry from doing something: here.

Congressman Caught on Tape, Documents Say

By MATTHEW BARAKAT, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 43 minutes ago

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Allegedly scamming a Virginia businesswoman could prove to be a major mistake for a Democratic congressman from New Orleans.

The FBI revealed Sunday that Rep. William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record), under investigation for bribery, was videotaped accepting $100,000 in $100 bills from an FBI informant whose conversations with the lawmaker also were recorded. Agents later found the cash hidden in his freezer, according to a court document released Sunday.

At one meeting captured on audiotape, Jefferson chuckles about writing in code to keep secret what the government contends was his corrupt role in getting his children a cut of a communications company's deal for work in Africa.

As Jefferson and the informant passed notes about what percentage the lawmaker's family might receive, the congressman "began laughing and said, 'All these damn notes we're writing to each other as if we're talking, as if the FBI is watching,'" he told the businesswoman, who was wearing an FBI recording device.

Jefferson has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.Full Text

Being a coniving, corrupt politician knows no party boundaries.

Score one for democracy!

Follow up from March 6, 2006

Musician Kinky Friedman Moved One Step Closer To Texas Governor's Mansion Yesterday...
MUSICIAN and mystery writer Kinky Friedman brought his long-shot bid to become governor of Texas a little closer to reality yesterday when he turned in 169,574 signatures to get on the November ballot - more than 31/2 times the number needed. Friedman, clad in his trademark black cowboy hat and Western clothes, stood on the steps of the Texas secretary of state's office and quipped, "Thank God for bars and dance halls. Every signature counts, whether it came from a country club or homeless shelter."Source

Net Neutrality

Congress is currently considering a bill that would allow companies to prioritize and restrict traffic on the internet.  Further they would be allowed to charge you more money to have your email and internet uploads go faster ie charge you a toll to have it sent just as fast as it is now over and above what you already pay. 

Tell Congress to protect Internet Neutrality by visiting Savetheinternet.com. 

Letter to Senators Voinovich and DeWine

Mr. Senator,

I encourage you to vote against any energy bill that would open the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge up to drilling. Furthermore, the concept of a $100 rebate, that would be taxed as income later, smacks of an election year stunt and is fiscally irresponsible. Both of these provisions should be removed from or not included in legislation.

Rather than further enabling oil companies who based on current profit reports certainly don't need our help. The Senate's time would be better spent in ascertaining why the oil companies profits gains are outpacing the rise in oil prices and in encouraging real investment in technologies such as the conversion of water to hydrogen for use in combustion engines.

Thank you,

You can write your Senators by clicking the link on the left.